I Have Made a Watchman

Ezekiel 33: 7-9

Pentecost 15 (Proper 18)

Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ amen.  The sermon text for the fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost is the Old Testament reading Ezekiel 33.  In the ancient world people would often live outside the city gates. They would spend most of their time in the country because they were busy growing crops and taking care of their flocks.  The problem with living outside the city gates is that they were vulnerable to enemy attack.  That is why the watchmen who positioned himself on top of the city gates was so important. It was the job of the watchman to warn the people if an enemy army was coming to attack the city.  The watchman would sound a horn and the people out in the country would go into the city gates for protection.  The watchman’s job was very important because if he did not warn the people outside the city that an invader was coming, they would likely be killed by the enemy army.  But if the watchman was doing his job he would blow his horn, wave his arms, and do anything he could to get the people’s attention.  His goal was to save the people outside of the city from danger and possible death.  I am guessing that the people were grateful to the watchman when they were safely in the city. 

Throughout history God has sent watchman into the world to warn His people about their sin.  In the Old Testament He sent the prophets.  We see an example of this in our reading this morning.  God sent Ezekiel to warn His people about their wickedness.  The stakes were quite high.  If the people continued in their sin, they would die.  But the death that they faced was far more serious than physical death.  Those who would not turn away from their sin and trust in the Lord would face eternal death in hell.  That is why the job of the prophet was so important.  God spoke through the prophets to bring about repentance.  The Lord was calling the people to turn away from their sins and turn to Him.  The message of the prophets was simple.  “Turn away from your sin and receive God’s mercy.” 

The job of the prophet was an important one, but it was also difficult.  The people would often reject the prophet’s message and in some cases persecuted him.  The prophets also found themselves preaching God’s Word in dangerous situations and in difficult times.  Ezekiel was called to speak to the Israelites in Babylon.  He was speaking to people who were in exile.  He was speaking the Word of the Lord behind enemy lines.  He was also speaking to people who would not listen.  Yet, God still spoke to the Israelites.  He still sent Ezekiel the watchman to call the people to repentance.  Remember what was said in our reading.  “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel.  Whenever you hear a word from My mouth, you shall give them warning from Me.”

This passage can certainly apply in our day to the office of pastor.  It is indeed the pastor’s job to preach the Word of God to the congregation. The pastor is called to publicly preach the Law of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He is to proclaim the Word of God both in season and out of season. But this passage can also be applied to all Christians.  Not that you have been called to be a prophet or a pastor.  But you are a Christian called by God to confess Christ, and live a godly life in the vocations that you have been placed in.  Indeed the Lord sends you out into a dying world to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Peter said it this way in 1 Peter 2.  “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”  You have all been sent to “proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness.”  The apostle Peter goes on to say these words in 1 Peter 3.  “But in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” 

To be part of God’s mission and share the Gospel is incredible.  But it can also be quite terrifying.  We are often afraid to be a Christian witness because we view ourselves to be unqualified.  We are sinners.  How can we go out and share the Gospel when we daily struggle with our own sins?  How can we be a Christian witness when we daily fall short of the glory of God.    Let’s face it, we find ourselves struggling all the time.  We struggle because we are constantly having to face spiritual attacks. Satan is always tempting us to fall into despair.  We also find ourselves having to resist the pull of this sinful world.  We would love to help others but how can we do that when we are having a hard enough time keeping our own lives together?  How can God use me?  How can He send me?

Not only do we worry about being unqualified, but we are also concerned about where the Lord wants us to go. I mentioned earlier that the Old Testament prophets often were called to proclaim God’s Word in dangerous situations and in difficult times.  We certainly live in a difficult time right now.  The landscape in this world of ours is one big mess.  There is darkness and evil all around.  We see people who have rejected the Word of God, hearing only what they want to hear.  How can sinners like us do anything good in this fallen world?  I am guessing Ezekiel thought the same thing.

Yet, when we look out into the world, we see hurting and wounded people who need God’s grace.  We see people trapped in the darkness of sin. We see people who are lost.  We see people who are dying without the hope of Christ.  The wages of sin is death and eternal separation from God.  We know that are only hope is Christ.  We know that Jesus is the only one who can bring light into the darkness and restore the world.  So we are moved by the Holy Spirit to have compassion for those who are lost and facing eternal ruin.  We are moved to confess Christ and to share the Gospel.  We are moved to invite people to church and have conversations with them about God.  We are moved to pray that the Gospel would go out into our community so that others would be brought to repentance and faith.  It is our desire that others would join us and be part of God’s eternal kingdom. 

We may not think we are qualified to be a Christian witness in the vocations that God has placed us in and yet the Lord sends us anyway.  You see the Lord does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called. We are not qualified by our own merits or work.  We are qualified because God has qualified us by the holy blood of His Only Begotten Son. We have been baptized into Christ Jesus. It is the Lord Jesus who has washed away our sins and it is the Lord who has brought us into His Kingdom.  We are redeemed people of God through the death and resurrection of Jesus.  It is the Lord who has saved us, and He is the One who continues to renew and restore us through the gifts of Word and Sacrament.  He gives us His Word and prepares us to be His lights and His witness in the world.

We know that it is the Lord who prepares us but what about the dangers of this world.  It is a dark and evil place.  It is a world that is hostile to what is good.  This is true.  To go out and be a Christian witness in this world will not be easy. We may even face rejection and hardship. But as we go out into the world, we know that the Lord is with us.  He will never leave us or forsake us.  He will guard us and keep us in His hands.  When the time is right, He will bring us to be with Him in His full presence for all eternity.  Our call is to be faithful.  Our call is to share the life giving truth of Jesus Christ.  For it is the Holy Spirit who works through the Gospel of Jesus to bring others to faith.  God does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called.  That is true of me and true for you.  Amen.