! 1 Intro: There is a burden laid upon me that no one should presume they could bear unless they are sent of God and preserved from falling. The LORD of glory says to me, Son of man, I have made thee a watchmen unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me (vs.17). God appoints watchman unto the house of spiritual Israel, His church. They are gospel preachers sent forth to watch and warn the people, speaking only that which they hear from God s word. The warning is from God! I am to speak that which God Almighty has given us in His word, without addition or subtraction. The Lord says to me, When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand (vs.18). Do you understand the burden that is upon me. It is not only the burden of your souls, but also the burden of mine own. Standing in this place before you is the most dangerous place a man can stand. I m standing as a representative of God Almighty. I claim to preach to you the word of God. The deepest, darkest pit of hell awaits me if I neglect, depreciate or omit the truth of God before you. I am appointed a watchmen, and the penalty for not watching is death! I need your prayers. Woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel! There is a terrible, easy going attitude among churches today. The so-called ministers preach nothing that even slightly resembles a warning of any kind. The ones who do warn, warn only of man-made rules and regulations of religion. A true watchmen of God only has the word of God. He hears the word at God s mouth, and gives the people warning from God. 1. WARNING FROM GOD - (vs. 17) Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at MY MOUTH, and give them warning FROM ME. Did you hear that? GOD Almighty warns you by my mouth! I stand here in the place of God to warn you of danger, of impending doom and destruction. You have trespassed, and I m here to warn you, God promises to destroy trespassers. This is not the warning of a man, but of God. The one who sent me to warn you is the Creator and Disposer of all things. He owns you! He owns everything, and we re accountable to Him. He created all this for His glory, and we fell short of that glory. We ve trespassed by robbing God of His glory, and He promises to destroy. He warns you now by me and you know in your gut I m being honest with you. God has warned in various ways, but now He has sent me to you with His word. But He s already warned by... CONSCIENCE - For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them (Rom. 1:18-19). God has shown you in your own conscience the sure consequence of ungodliness. He has revealed His wrath inside every man, but men suppress it. They know it s true, but they hold down the truth in unrighteousness. That s a warning from God. That alone is enough to condemn you to hell. The light of conscience testifies to every man and woman that we re guilty and God is holy. CREATION - The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard (Ps. 19:1-3).! 1
! 2 God is infinite, immense and in charge over all, absolutely sovereign. Look around you at creation! We re worms! We re so small and insignificant compared to God s universe, and it is only the creation of God. How much more infinitesimal and meaningless is man. (Ps. 8:3-4) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? God is eternal Spirit, and man is useless flesh formed from the dust of the earth. God is incomprehensibly holy, inhabiting eternity. He fills eternity! The life of man is vanity. Man at his best state is altogether vanity. He is the dust of the balance and the drop of the bucket. What are all the riches and honor in the world compared to GOD, Who s praises echoe through eternity? What is the beauty of man, who withers and fades like the flower, compared to the majesty and beauty of God the eternal Spirit, Who knows all, sees all, possesses all, gives life to all, upholds all, and has appointed the final destination of all? Look again around you in creation! Look with understanding, for all the wonders of this terrestrial ball are nothing compared to the infinite Jehovah. These are just His works. He is infinitely greater than all His works. Creation shows you this and warns of the wrath of God. Tornados, earthquakes, wild-fires and tsunamis foretell of wrath to come, far greater and destructive. God sent a tsunami to Japan in 2011 that killed almost 16,000 people, injured 6,000 with 2,600 people missing. The wave destroyed backup generators for the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, which had already sustained damage from the massive earthquake. This caused level 7 meltdowns and explosions that has sent radioactive dust into the atmosphere, polluting the air and water in Japan and the west coast of the U.S. God sent this disaster. It is the fruit of our sinful ways, and more is coming. Tornados rip through a city killing hundreds, even thousands, and people will not recognize God in the whirlwind. They deny God claiming, God wouldn t do that! But your conscience witnesses to the fact that yes, God does destroy, kill and take away that which He gave. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord. We re talking about God! I know it s sad to see people suffer so much in these countries. I have sympathetic feelings toward them, but I also recognize God s hand in it all. It is the warning of a holy God who hates sin and promises worse to the wicked. God made the earth and seas, and He has the right to do with them as He sees fit. God made us, and He may destroy us and put us in hell if that s His will. We ve sinned against Him who is pure and holy. His wrath is just and coming to meet every sinner outside Christ. Natural disasters witness of the destruction and misery that is to come. It is God warning us! Be warned! GOD S WORD - (vs. 18-19) When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. How can I be so clear and dogmatic that you who are yet without Christ will get the message? How can I warn you in such a way as to free myself from your blood? God says to you who are wicked and unbelieving, who refuse to come to His Son, you are as sure for hell as if you re already there. You re! 2
! 3 going to DIE! I m not crying wolf! If you refuse to turn to God in Christ (how can I say this rightly?), God is going to pour out upon you infinitely more that every disaster you have ever seen in this world. You think this isn t going to happen?! Hell is as real a place as San Diego, California. God looks on those who break His holy law and judges them as wicked, worthy of damnation. The God who created all things is holy, pure and wondrous. He cannot look upon sin! He cannot have fellowship with the works of darkness. You re gonna die! You must die! You will die! God, Who is LIFE, will not permit evil to live in His presence. You will exist, but only in perpetual death and destruction. How awful! How terrifying! Be warned by God s word. He is faithful and true. He keeps His promise. God warns you to turn. I m here to warn you from your wicked way, and point to the only way God accepts. That ONE true way of life is Jesus Christ the Lord. He is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE, no man comes to the Father but by Him. 2. WARN THE WICKED - God commands me to warn the wicked. Who are these wicked God instructs me to warn? What is the description of those who are called the wicked? WICKED BY BIRTH - (Ps. 58:3) The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. The way of life is the path the wicked stray from as soon as they be born. It is the way of pure, absolute truth, VERITAS! God is TRUTH! All men are born liars. That word ESTRANGED means - to turn away in feeling or affection; make unfriendly or hostile; alienate the affections of: Their quarrel estranged the two friends. From the womb, the wicked are estranged from truth. When presented with the TRUTH, we turn away and despise it because our affections are given over to the lies we adore. Here s some of the lies we adore - I m somebody; what feels good is good; I have a choice; I have free will; I control my destiny; this is my life; I m my own god! The TRUTH we despise from birth is GOD; the existence of God; the rule and demands of God; the righteousness of God; the SON OF GOD! WICKED WORKERS - By nature, men are alienated from God, and enemies in our minds by wicked works. Wicked works encompass all that we do as wicked men. The scripture says, An high look, and a proud heart, and the PLOWING of the wicked, is sin (Prov. 21:4). God says that even the man who goes to work every day to earn an honest living is nothing but sin. The man works for himself, to feed himself and please himself, while he s alienated and estranged from God who gives him strength day to day. Every deed performed by wicked men are wicked works. The natural man is motivated by PRIDE, and so every thing we do is polluted by the filth of our proud, wicked hearts. (Matt. 15:19-20) For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man... WICKED WAY - God commands me to speak to the wicked to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life. The way of the wicked is the way of your thoughts, opinions and what seems right to you. (Prov. 16:25) There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. The wicked way is the way of your thoughts and ideas of reality. I m hear to warn you to turn from your thoughts, to the word of God, to save your life! The thoughts and ways of man are contrary to thoughts and ways of God.! 3
! 4 (Isa. 55:7-9) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Man by nature thinks the world was created for himself. I m here to warn that God created all things for His own glory, For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen (Rom. 11:36). Man thinks God is altogether such an one as himself, but I m here to warn and reprove you of Him who said, Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure... (Isa. 46:9-10). (Num. 23:19) God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Turn from your ideas of how you think things are to the TRUTH of God, who reigns in absolute sovereignty and holiness. God is not a man that He should wink at sin. God is the righteous Judge who sits on His throne of dominion and power, who must execute strict justice and punish the wicked for their sins. He cannot clear the guilty! He must exact full satisfaction of justice upon those who break His holy law. Do you get the picture? The solemnity, the gravity, the perfection of His infinite holy nature demands for your everlasting punishment in hell. He s not pretending! HE IS HOLY PERFECTION, and any thing but perfection is detestable and vile to HIM. 3. SAVE YOUR LIFE - I m here to warn you from your wicked way, to save your life! You need an ADVOCATE! You need ONE who can stand between you and a Holy God as your MEDIATOR! You need ONE who shall be heard on your behalf to save your life. There is only ONE who is heard as the one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus... (1 Tim. 2:5) There is ONE man who lived in perfect obedience to God. Unlike us, He is no stranger to God. God calls this ONE man His fellow. He has perfect fellowship with God the Father, for He pleased Him in the totality of His life and death as the sinner s Substitute. God is well pleased with Him, for His righteousness and voluntary sacrifice for the sins of His people. He is able to SAVE your life, freely by His grace. Turn to Christ Jesus the Lord. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously... (Hosea 14:2) HE HAS PROMISED TO SAVE - (Isa. 45:18-22) For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else. I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the! 4
! 5 Lord? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. HE SAVES ALL WHO COME TO HIM - (Matt. 11:28-29) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Jn. 6:35-40) And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. COME AND YOU RE SAVED! - (Jn. 5:24) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Every sinner who comes to Christ has been saved. The fruit and evidence of salvation is faith in Christ. He that believeth on me, Christ says, HATH everlasting life. (Jn. 6:47) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. WARN THE RIGHTEOUS - (vs. 20-21) Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul. It is written, There is none righteous, no, not one (Rom. 3). The righteous man spoken of here in our text is the self-righteous religionist. This is for every person who claims to be religious and righteous before God. This applies to us my brother, my sisters, who profess to be righteous in Christ the Lord. Be warned! Do not turn from your righteousness and commit iniquity! This was the case with those religious Jews in Israel. They had the oracles of God, the Ten Commandments, the Levitical Law and outward form, but they turned from the righteousness revealed in the word of God, the moral and ceremonial law. They stumbled at that stumbling stone, Christ Jesus the Lord. The righteousness revealed in Moses and the Prophets is the righteousness of God in the person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom. 9:31-33) But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. The Israelites who followed after the law for righteousness, stumbled over the ROCK Christ Jesus into hell. They were offended by the TRUTH of God in Christ. They were offended that God would not accept anything produced by them for acceptance with HIM. Do you trust the Son of God for righteousness? Are! 5
! 6 you resting in Him alone? Do NOT turn from Him by attempting to add something of your own doing to the finished work of Christ! You ll stumble and die! Christ ALONE is our righteousness before God! Christ ALONE is our acceptance with God! Whosoever trusts HIM ALONE shall not be ashamed. Let us be as David who said... (Ps. 139:23-24) Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. O God, strip every self-righteous tendency from my heart, expose my sin and guilt, and lead me to Christ Jesus my crucified Redeemer as my only HOPE! Lord keep from lusting after evil things and them covering our corruption with self-righteous, religious pride. Let us ever flee to Christ our Savior for deliverance from our sin, and most of all our sinful PRIDE! Listen to God s word... (vs. 21) Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul. Here is God s warning and TRUE word, the righteous sin not... Those who never sin are the RIGHTEOUS before God. DID YOU HEAR THAT? In order for you and I to have a righteous standing before the perfect, holy God, we cannot have sinned one time in the totality of our lives. God s omniscient eyes of holy justice see every thought and intent of our hearts. We must be absolutely holy to be accepted by God. The righteous SIN NOT! NOT EVER, NO NOT ONCE! Is there anyone in this room who can claim to have never sinned one time in before the eyes of the ALL- KNOWING JEHOVAH? I CAN! I have never sinned before God, because Jesus Christ my Lord is ALL my righteousness before God. He justified me from all sin, by His sin-atoning blood. That means I m innocent! I m pure before God, in the person of my Savior, who is seated on God s throne for me. He presents me perfect before God. I am made holy by the Father s electing grace, who chose me in Christ that I should be holy. I am holy in Christ my Lord, who washed me in His precious blood at Calvary. I am holy inside by the mighty operations of God the Holy Spirit, who testifies in me that I am a child of God, holy and accepted in Christ. He that is born of God doth not commit sin. (1 Jn. 3:9) Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In my flesh dwells no good thing. I m nothing but sin in my flesh, but Christ has crucified my flesh, and I m dead to sin but alive to God. Is this not what the Spirit commands us to reckon? (Rom. 6:6-14) Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves! 6
unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. Brethren, we who are Christ s are dead to sin by the body of our Lord. We re alive unto God through Christ ALONE. Let us not serve sin to obey the lusts thereof, and that includes the awful lust of striving to produce some kind of righteousness of our own, For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2). God s elect are NOT under the law for righteousness. We re under grace! The righteous sin not, but if we turn from the righteousness of God in Christ and commit iniquity by trusting in our own righteousness, we ll stumble over that stumblingblock like the Jews of old, and wind up in hell. Remember, and be warned, The righteous sin not, and the only way this is true of us is if we are in Christ and have His righteousness ALONE for all our acceptance with God. (Rom. 9:33) As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou SHALT be SAVED! You shall not be ashamed! God said it, and that settles it. TRUST HIM! Now I ve warned the wicked and the righteous, and I m freed from your blood. Your blood be upon your own hands. Brethren, pray for me as I stand in this place of immense responsibility. AMEN.! 7! 7