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The Watchman Parallel

Eze 3:16-21

C:\DATA\JAMc2003\NewYear2003.USE.wpd January 5, 2003

16 Now it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: 18 When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. 20 Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. 21 Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul." NKJV

Introduction James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited p. 178.

One day a lady criticized D. L. Moody for his methods of evangelism in attempting to win people to the Lord. Moody's reply was "I agree with you. I don't like the way I do it either. Tell me, how do you do it?" The lady replied, "I don't do it." Moody retorted, "Then I like my way of doing it better than your way of not doing it."

Some could argue that this text related to Ezekiel and only Ezekiel. I will not debate that idea. I will say there is a parallel between this passage in Ezekiel and the principals of being a witness for Christ in the New Testament. God wants all Christians to witness

1. A Parallel In The Watchman’s . . Commissioning. v 16-17

A. We are Commissioned Watchman By The Lord’s . . Appointment. v 16 -17 a

16 Now it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; . . . “

1. An . . Initiated Appointment. v 16

Now it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2. An . . Inventive Appointment. v 17 a

“. . . 17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; . . . “

Ac 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in

Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." NKJV

Ac 5:32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey

Him." NKJV

B. We are Commissioned Watchman With The Lord’s . . Admonition. v 17 b

“. . . therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me.”

1. An Admonition to . . Hear.

“. . . therefore hear a word from My mouth,. . . “

2. An Admonition To.. Tell

“. . . and give them warning from Me.”

Mt 10:19-21 19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to

you in that hour what you should speak; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

Eph 6:19-20 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the

mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. NKJV

Ac 9:20-22 20 Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. 21 Then all who heard

were amazed, and said, "Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for

that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?" 22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and

confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ. NKJV

Illustration James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited, p. 492.

Luigi Tarisio was found dead one morning with scarce a comfort in his home, but with 246 exquisite violins, which he had been collecting all his life, crammed into an attic, the best in the bottom drawer of an old rickety bureau. In his very devotion to the violin, he had robbed the world of all that music all the time he treasured them; others before him had done the same, so that when the greatest of his collection, a Stradivarius, was first played it had had 147 speechless years. Yet, how many of Christ's people are like old Tarisio? In our very love of the church we fail to give the glad tidings to the world; in our zeal for the truth we forget to publish it. When shall we all learn that the Good News needs not just to be cherished, but needs to be told? All people need to hear it.

Application

We are Watchman Commissioned by the Lord

2. A Parallel In The Watchman’s . . Compensation.v 18 -21

A. A . . Reprimanded Compensation For Our Failure To Witness to the Lost. v 18

18 When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.

Ac 18:6 But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, "Your blood be upon

your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." NKJV

Ac 20:26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to

declare to you the whole counsel of God. NKJV

B. A . . Reprimanded Compensation For Our Failure To Witness to the Back Slider. v 20

20 Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness

and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. NKJV

Jas 5:19-20 19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that

he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. NKJV

Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness,

considering yourself lest you also be tempted. NKJV

Illustration

Allowing the encumbrances and sins of the world to clog our life affects our witness in the world in the same way water in the kerosene affects a camping stove. The flame will flutter and sputter, or maybe go out completely. It is useless for light or heat. Likewise, when our lives are fouled with impurities in our spiritual fuel tank, our light will sputter - until the fuel is again clean.

C. A . . Rewarded Compensation for Our Faithfulness In Witnessing to the Lost. v 19

19 Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his

wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

Jude 22-23 22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction; 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of

the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. NKJV

D. A . . Rewarded Compensation for Our Faithfulness In Witnessing to the Back Slider. v 21

21 Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul."

Col 1:28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man

perfect in Christ Jesus. NKJV

Illustration (Told by another)

I recall one night very late in the evening when I was called to the hospital. As I was walking down the semi-dark hall, with no one around, a man suddenly ran out of one of the patient rooms. He ran up to me--I had never seen him before--and he said to me with joy in his face, "She's going to make it. She's better. She is going to make it," and then he made his way on down the hall.

I have not seen the man since. I do not know who he was talking about. I assume it was someone very near and dear to him, and he had just received good news. He could not wait to share it. He did not even have to know the person with whom he shared it; it just flowed from him because he had received good news, and good news is to be shared.

Conclusion

I have passed out to all of you a card for you to use as a prayer list for the Lost or Wayward. You can put 24 names on this card.

I want you to carry it with you most of the time. Carry it in a pocket, wallet or purse. Pray for these people several times a week. Ask God to give you opportunities to witness. Ask God to give you boldness.

I want you to come to the prayer rail and seal this commitment in prayer.