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Amen Ezekiel chapter 33 so that's a great chapter in the Bible I'm reminded from Friday night when I read the first few words here of the verse number one where it says again the word of the Lord you know we can never forget that you know when we're reading the Bible that you know all these this is a great chapter in the Bible and there's all these great things in the Bible but it's not just as you know Einstein I told you Einstein said a couple weeks ago that they're just this you know it's a neat little collection of stories it's it's the reason that this has power and the reason that this has truth is because the Lord said it it's because it's God's Word and that's what gives the Bible its power we're going to talk about that this morning and a little bit this evening as well well look at Ezekiel chapter 33 in verse number one is we're going to focus on verse number one through verse number nine where we see this interesting analogy of a watchman in the Bible the Bible says in Ezekiel chapter 33 in verse number one again the word of the Lord came unto me saying son of man speak to the children of Israel or the children of thy people and say unto them when I bring the sword upon a land if the people of the land take a man of their coasts and set him for their watchman just just put that in your Bible make a little bracket there and say and put Acts chapter 3 right there and I'll explain that to you as we get further into the sermon but that's a good little proof of how God wrote the whole Bible by the way how the Bible just matches itself everywhere it goes verse number three so we see the people they take a man of of their own people and they set him up as a watchman and when he see it the sword come upon the land he blow the trumpet and warn the people so he warns everybody he sees an army coming he sees danger coming and he warns everybody and the Bible says in verse 4 then whosoever hear at the sound of the trumpet and take not warning if the sword come and take him away his blood shall be on his own head so somebody hears the trumpet they say ah forget it you know forget about it it's no big deal and then when he dies or he's taken away that's his responsibility at that point then in verse number five it says he heard the sound of the trumpet and took not warning his blood shall be upon him but he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul the but at the warning if the watchmen see the sword come and blow not the trumpet now we see a different scenario between verse number five and verse number six so verse up to verse number five we see that there's danger coming and the watchman is on the wall and he sees the danger and he tells everybody he warns everybody some people don't listen well that's their responsibility the Bible says in verse six the watchman fails the watchman he sees the sword come and blow not the trumpet and the people be not warned if the sword come and take away any person from among them he is taken away in his iniquity but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand so the Bible says here that if the watchman sees the danger coming and doesn't say anything then God look the bad things are still gonna happen but God's gonna blame the watchman for that in verse number seven says so thou O son of man I have set thee a watchman under the house of Israel therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth and warn them from me when I say unto the wicked O wicked man thou shalt surely die if thou does not speak to warn the wicked from his way that wicked man shall die in his iniquity but his blood I require at thine hand now God is talking to the watchman saying I'm gonna give you my words and if you don't tell these wicked people he said I'm gonna require their blood at your hand nevertheless if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it if he do not turn from his way he shall die in his iniquity but thou has delivered thy soul that's a singular pointing a finger right at the and this is an analogy for the Prophet right here he's pointing a finger at the Prophet saying if you tell him he's like you've delivered your soul you've done what you were supposed to do is what God is saying here so we see in Ezekiel 33 we see this nice little analogy basically outlining the responsibility of the prophets turn to Isaiah chapter 58 so let's look at it in that context and let's look at the prophets and there's so many I'm gonna kind of just give you a pattern here but I mean we could just go through the whole it's kind of pretty much the same for almost every single prophet in the Bible it's kind of the same pattern that we'll see look at Isaiah chapter 58 so the Prophet has a responsibility is what Isaiah or not Isaiah Ezekiel 33 is saying and look at Isaiah chapter 58 we see that responsibility in Isaiah Isaiah 58 and verse number one where the Bible says you know this is what the Prophet is to do it says cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet and show my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sin so there's a first there's a few things that we're going to point out here is that first of all they're not they're not supposed to leave anything on set they're supposed to say everything just cry aloud don't spare anybody you know okay well what if I offend this no spare no one is what the Prophet is supposed to do and it says show my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins so I mean that's another thing to point out is that many times I don't know why I'm making notes in my own notes right now but I'm thinking about things while I'm reading it but the point is is that that many times the prophets were preaching towards God's own people and it's to show my people the house of Jacob and you know the reaction I mean that should surprise us a little bit because the reaction most of the time turn to Jeremiah chapter 38 the reaction when the prophets did exactly what Isaiah 58 1 says when they're preaching to their own people God's own people the reaction is mainly negative in the Bible it's mostly not good in the Bible turn to Jeremiah chapter 38 and look at verse number three we could just look we could just spend hours and hours and hours just looking at negative reactions to prophets in the Bible but I'll just give you one example from the book of Jeremiah look at verse number three of Jeremiah 38 the Bible says thus saith the Lord there we go again there we go again why does it even have any authority why does it have because God said it because you know this isn't Jeremiah saying it Jeremiah saying thus saith the Lord this city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon's army which shall take it now look that's another thing about a lot of these prophets so you sit there and you you hear preaching or you hear you know Bible preaching and you're just like oh man you know does that apply to me and all this look this is some pretty specific you know prophecy right here he's basically saying the city shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon I mean could you get any more specific than that he's saying here's what's gonna happen this city is gonna be given into the hand of not some certain king not some army he's like the king of Babylon's coming to take over this city that's what Jeremiah just said and I mean he's basically saying this is what's going to happen I'll get verse number four therefore the princes said unto the king we beseech you let this man be put to death for thus he hath weakened the hands of the men of war that remain in this city and the hands of all the people in speaking such words unto them for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people but the hurt then Zedekiah the saint the king said behold he is in your hand for the king is not he that can do anything against you then they took Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon of Melchiah the son of Hamilac it was in the court of the prison and they let down Jeremiah with cords and in the dungeon there was no water but mire so Jeremiah sunk in the mire so I mean Jeremiah gave some very specific preaching here he said you know you're gonna be taken over by this army in this city and they threw him in prison they threw him in the mire in the dungeon for it turn to 1st Kings chapter 22 that's a pretty negative reaction like immediately they just put him in prison right away they hated what he was saying but he said it anyway look at 1st Kings chapter 22 this is Jehoshaphat going to war with Ahab and Jehoshaphat's like just begging like can we just get like a real prophet here to tell us what the truth is they have all these prophets you know that are coming and just saying oh you know you're gonna win and everything's gonna be great and Jehoshaphat you know he might not be smart tagging up with with Ahab but he's smart enough to know that these prophets aren't prophets of God so he asks for a real prophet in 2nd Kings chapter 22 look at verse number 4 and this prophet is a prophet this is what he says and he said unto Jehoshaphat will thou go with me to battle to Ramoth Gilead and Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel Ahab says I am as thou art my people as thy people my horses as thy horses and Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel inquire I pray thee at the word of the Lord today then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together about 400 men and said unto them shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to battle or shall I forbear and they said go up for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king and Jehoshaphat said is there not a prophet of the Lord besides that we might inquire of him these 400 prophets just go up and just tell King Ahab what he wants to hear and oh you're gonna do great you know and and Jehoshaphat is smart enough to know he's like do you have a real prophet in anywhere can we get a real prophet in the building please so they go and they get Micaiah or Micaiah look at verse 23 for sake of time now therefore behold the Lord hath put a lying spirit this is Micaiah now talking to the Kings and he's saying now therefore behold the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets and the Lord has spoken evil concerning thee but Zedekiah the son of Chenaena this is the guy that made the iron horns you know he was the the biggest you know of the of the you know the the the men pleasers of these prophets trying to impress the king but Zedekiah the son of Chenaena went near and smote Micaiah on the cheek and said which way went the spirit of the Lord for me to speak unto thee so this guy's preaching he's preaching to these two kings and he literally gets punched in the face while he's preaching I mean let's see if he learns his lesson look down at verse number 25 Micaiah said behold thou shalt see in that day when thou shalt go into the inner chamber to hide thyself he's like you're gonna be afraid you're gonna be running from God and the king of Israel said take Micaiah and carry him back to Ammon the governor of the city and to Joash the king's son and say thus saith the king put this fellow in prison and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction until I come in peace so basically the king of Israel says you know go throw this guy in prison he's just been punched in the face and then the king says throw him in prison just take him put him in prison just nothing but bread and water for this guy he says he's gonna go to a prison so look at verse number 28 does he learn his lesson maybe he'll apologize now because he's just been threatened you know of being thrown in prison and Micaiah says if thou return it all in peace the Lord hath not spoken by me he says you're gonna die is what he says to Ahab and he was right and he said hearken O people every one of you this guy gets physically assaulted during his sermon he gets you know threatened with prison and he did get thrown in prison and they at the very end he says you know you're gonna die because that's what the Lord said look he spared he spared not we can find dozens and dozens of examples of the same pattern in the Bible it's the Prophet he's fulfilling his responsibility as Ezekiel 33 lays out and the people they don't want to hear it these are God's people and many times they have a like a violent I mean not just negative but a violent reaction that's why you know the Bible tells us in Hebrews chapter 11 many of these men were killed in horrible ways you know they literally blame the messenger if you've heard about that you know or they heard that saying blaming they shot the messenger in the Bible in the Old Testament so I mean what what can we learn from this what can we what's the application I think about this basically I think about this as having two applications the main application is us our ministry here and this is the way that I've most of the time seen Ezekiel chapter 33 applied but it applies and it fits very well this analogy of the watchman it applies very well to our ministry here you know mark 16 15 he said and go into all go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature that is setting us up as the watchman is what that verse is doing go back to Ezekiel chapter 33 or just look at the front of your bulletin look at the front of your bulletin that's the verse of the week look at Ezekiel chapter 33 and verse number 6 so we have we have Jesus setting us up as the watchman as we have to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature in Ezekiel chapter 33 6 the Bible says but if the watchman see the sword come and blow not the trumpet and the people be not warned if the sword come and take any person from among them he is taken away in his iniquity but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand so Jesus tells us that we have a responsibility to preach the gospel and this is the big miss I mean this is the you know between verses 5 & 6 is when we see you know the the narrative change in Ezekiel chapter 33 to where the watchman could not do his job and boy is that not the Christian today it's just it doesn't change the fact that we still have the responsibility it's just that the Christian today is the watchman of verse number six basically he's not blowing the trumpet he's not doing what he's supposed to do I mean look there's a reason that we're like the only church in town that goes out soul winning and goes out preaching the gospel to people and not just you know handing out flyers or whatever we're willing to warn people we're willing to preach the gospel to people and look here's the thing though and the reason I kind of gave you that quick little Bible study for seven minutes on the prophets is because you need to understand that as the watchman as is the same as the prophet it look it's largely going to be received in a negative way you have to you have to understand that why do I tell you that I tell you that you know so you're not offended when it happens to you okay look but notice what our responsibility is look at the front of your bulletin or in verse number six it says if if he blows not the trumpet if he blows not what are the next words there the next words are and the people be not warned is what the Bible says look the the responsibility is to warn the people that's the responsibility soul winning look soul winning is is as much about fulfilling our responsibility as it is about getting soul saved it's as a matter of fact you know getting soul saved turn to turn to Isaiah 55 getting souls winning souls is is a byproduct of just doing what we're supposed to do it's a byproduct look at Isaiah chapter 55 Isaiah chapter 55 so we're supposed to go out and so many things in the Christian life are that way we're just supposed to do what we're supposed to do and everything else God will take care of from there that's that's all we have to worry about all we have to worry about are what are my actions here what am I supposed to do here we're supposed to go out and preach the gospel that's what we're supposed to do we're supposed to warn the people as Ezekiel Ezekiel Ezekiel 33 says and that's our responsibility but God promises us look at verse 11 of Isaiah 55 he says so so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not because one of the words that we're speaking we're not speaking our words when we're out there once again what gives the gospel message its authority it's Jesus Christ that gives its message it gives every single word in the Bible has authority because it comes from it is actually Jesus Christ that's why it has authority it's not that that we say something in a certain way it has authority because it's Jesus that's why but look at not verse number 11 it says that words that go forth out of my mouth like we're just repeating stuff we're just parroting what God had said it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish which I please not which not what we please not what we want look the Word of God that we go out and we speak to people the gospel it will accomplish what God wants it to accomplish is what he is saying here and it shall prosper in the thing where to I sent it he's like he so he kind of gives us the answer there at the end he says look it's gonna accomplish what I want it to accomplish and he says at the end he says and I want it you know I want it to accomplish something he says at the end it'll prosper say don't you worry it'll prosper so we go out and we warn people and we carry the Word of God and God says oh by the way you know you know accomplish what I wanted to accomplish and it's going to prosper don't worry about that turn to Hebrews chapter 4 what the prophets you read that you got it you kind of it can be depressing reading the prophets in the Old Testament whether it be the major or minor prophets all the prophets because the vast majority of the prophets people didn't listen to him Jeremiah it's a depressing story not only did Jeremiah right you know have the we have the book of Jeremiah about Jeremiah all the things came to pass nobody listened to him but if you look at it from a nation perspective it is depressing because the nation didn't listen but these prophets got many people saved they got many people right they got many people and that's what that's the word how do I know that because of Isaiah 55 11 that's how I know that because the Word of God will not come back void and God wants it you know it'll do what he wants and it will prosper if somebody is speaking the Word of God it will prosper that's what the Bible tells us we'll get Hebrews 4 in verse number 12 the Bible says this it says for the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword and listen to this piercing piercing even to the dividing of sunder of soul and spirit and the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart this verse right here explained to us while people may be angry at you when you go soul-winning people may actually get angry at you what they'll be happy if they believe it if they believe it but many what many you're carrying a message that many do not want to hear many people don't want to hear it but here's the thing that message that you're carrying even though people don't want to hear it it's powerful because it's God's message and and people will reject it you know the false prophets think of Micaiah they punched him in the face they threw you know Jeremiah in prison these people it cuts it pierces and there will be people that they feel that piercing and they hate it and you will find those people but the responsibility is still there the responsibility is still there so don't think don't think oh you know what we didn't get anybody saved today we didn't get anybody saved today look your responsibility is to warn that's what your responsibility is and for people to look for people to accept the gospel that is not yours to own that is not your responsibility it is your responsibility to blow the trumpet that is our responsibility as we go out whether or not people that's why I always say again and again and again we're looking for the right fish you can't make somebody believe we're never going to be able to make somebody believe we blow the trumpet we're looking for the right fish we're looking for that person that has that right heart that will accept God's Word that leads me to you know the just some reflections over the last couple of years so we see that Ezekiel chapter 33 applies to our ministry it applies to our ministry to you know the watchmen applies to soul winning it applies to preaching to all nations that Jesus tells us we need to do with the gospel that's our ministry but the watchmen Ezekiel chapter 33 when I think about it when I read it and I think about the last couple of years it really applies to the ministry as well I mean you think about the prophets and just think about these prophets don't forget I mean as we go out soul winning who are we preaching to and we're out soul winning we're preaching to the lost we're preaching to people who might have never even heard of Jesus they're not saved they're not even close to saved I mean a lot of these people will find false prophets turn to Jeremiah chapter 46 but don't forget that the prophets themselves were largely preaching towards God's own people yes they they preach I'm going to show you some examples where they preached against heathen nations they did do that but for the most part they preached you know they preached to God's people look at Jeremiah chapter 46 Jeremiah chapter 46 look at verse 13 look at the Bible says in Jeremiah 46 in verse number 13 the Bible says the word of the Lord that spake to Jeremiah the Prophet how Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon should come and smite the land of Egypt declare ye in Egypt and publish in Migdal and publish Naph and Taphanes say stand fast and prepare thee for the sword shall devour round about thee why are thy valiant men swept away they stood not because the Lord did drive them so here Jeremiah 46 is preaching against Egypt chapter 47 is preaching against the Philistines chapter 48 is preaching against Moab chapter 49 is preaching against the Ammonites and Edom chapter 50 is preaching against Babylon itself so God is God's pretty complete in his judgment I mean he judges the land of Judah with the the nation of Babylon but then after he gets done judging them with a wicked nation he goes in and he just cleans house judging all the nations that took advantage of that situation and that were wicked themselves God's I mean God's God's a perfect judge so he did judge other nations and prophets did preach against other nations but for the vast majority of the time and don't forget this the vast majority of the time the Prophet was preaching against God's people period enter the modern-day ministry that's I mean that kind of explains why preaching is you know directed towards what people in the church need you know I mean look at yes there's times when we're gonna preach about the world and preach about those things and you know I'm trying to strike a good balance there as the Bible strikes a balance as we just saw but look the most of the time these people were preaching I mean Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel Amos you name it they're preaching against God's people and they're ripping face against God's people they're hard on God's people and why because many people even God's people will just not heed God's Word ow jammed finger so what are the prophets do what are the prophets do when these people God's own people it's not that they didn't care about these people they're God's people what do they do well some of them turn to Lamentations chapter 1 that's I mean just the name of the book right there tells you what some of them did Lamentations chapter 1 Lamentations chapter 1 look at verse number 1 I mean how do these prophets handle it I mean think about it they're just saying I mean they spend their whole life they spend their whole life just preaching to God's people and you know on on the on the collective scale God's people didn't listen in most cases look at verse number 1 of Lamentations 1 how doth the city sit solitary that was full of people how has she become as a widow she that was great amongst the nations and princes among the provinces how has she become tributary she weep is sore in the night her tears are on her cheeks among all her lovers she had none to comfort her all her friends have dealt treacherously with her they are become her enemies Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction and because of great servitude she dwelleth among the heathen she findeth no rest all her persecutors overtook her between the straits he's sitting here and he's like nobody listened what's he doing he's lamenting he's lamenting that nobody listen I mean Jeremiah kind of I kind of like his heart Jeremiah had a had a really good heart I mean he not only do you hear about everything that he did and it almost seems futile like but yeah like I said if you look at it at a national level it is futile from Jeremiah's perspective but I guarantee he got many people right with the Lord and brought to the Lord many individuals in his life and then and then we see him just lamenting look he's not like he's not like good good for him I told him they didn't listen to me I mean if anybody could be bitter it'd be Jeremiah but it wasn't he's just lamenting for these people so I mean some of them when they when the gods people didn't listen some of them literally lamented you know you'll find some in the Old Testament some got angry some got angry and then look some just realized go back to Ezekiel chapter 33 some just realized it as reality some just realized it as reality it's like okay that's just what that's what was supposed to happen and that's what happened because you didn't listen that's that's what a lot of them did but go back to Ezekiel chapter 33 look here's the thing ultimately a proper ministry is just a proper ministry of a prophet is just to tell the truth to the people that that's the ministry is to tell the truth to the people I mean many pastors and I'm gonna show you how we've ended up in with with heresies and doctrines that are not right because decades and decades ago many pastors went wrong here they took look they they went wrong and they took where they were just supposed to warn and they took it too far and when the people didn't listen they tried to make people listen they tried to gain too much control and look I'm telling you I can see how it happened from the perspective that I've been in for a couple years I can totally see how this happens but they just try to gain too much control so you know I you know as a prophet you preach to people they don't listen you keep warning people they don't listen you warn and warn and they don't listen and all of a sudden you're just like what else can I do well maybe I can start threatening people maybe I can start threatening people with things that aren't mine to give or take see maybe I can start threatening you you're not listening to me I can start threatening you with something that's not mine to give or take like your salvation maybe I can start threatening you with those things and scary and look I'm sure it works in certain cases I know actually that it works in certain cases because I've met people who've been saved for 20 30 years who you will find that doubt their salvation on a regular basis and it's because they've been sitting under this type of influence it's where look it's where repent of your sins doctrine came from well you know that repent of your sins repent of your sins doctrine it just started as a method it started think of it it just started as a method of some pastor preaching you know what you're not listening to me you're not turning from the things that I'm telling you to turn from I'm preaching the Bible to you I'm telling you to get these things out of your life I'm trying to tell you to get separated do all these things that you just don't want to do so I'm just like you know what if you don't really do these things you know are you even saved it's a method see it's a method it's a method of getting people to do what you know and it look it might come from a good place I want you to get sin out of your life I don't want you to be sinful I don't want you to wreck your life with sin I don't want to wreck you to wreck your life with alcohol and fornication and whatever else and I'm just like you know whatever I can do to get you to stop those things but no that's not what the Bible says the Bible says them to warn you the watchman is to warn that's it that's where this this certain doctrine where it says you know what if you're and that leads into this if you are saved you will do these things if you're really saved you will have the works it's a method that turns into a doctrine a doctrine of what we call now lordship salvation I mean yeah yeah but if you're saved you will have the works you know I mean look I mean I get it the Christian today imagine if somebody imagine if a Christian a hundred years ago could come and see Christians today imagine if that would be possible here we go with time travel again but imagine they would look at the Christian today and they would say these people have no works they would say these people have almost no works it's like they look they look just like the world they act just like the world you know soul winning isn't happening this is what somebody from a century ago would think if they came here today not here but you know to Christianity today they're just like you know the church look it's true because the churches of the world the churches that look like the world they're the ones that are full the churches that don't look like the world they're the ones that aren't full because nobody wants to hear this message nobody wants to hear you know nobody wants to hear what we are here to do nobody wants to hear that we should go out soul-winning so I mean worship salvation simply came from the frustrated pastor or the frustrated leader or the frustrated prophet they just said if you're saved you'll listen to me that's where it all came from it's really easy to see where all this stuff came from and then it turns into false doctrine and pretty soon you got a church full of people that aren't even saved look I mean someone that doesn't listen to me it doesn't that doesn't you know make them unsaved you know I mean these are slippery slopes is all I'm saying and I can see where they came from but personally look I mean I could see the origins of this but I get where it came from because look personally I don't like seeing people not heed God's Word I don't like it it's it's it's especially hard when you've addressed like specific things that people ignore you know I think about just reflecting over the last two years and I think about just the the things you know and the things that I've preached on and I mean I must have preached a dozen sermons on just the family the family unit I must have preached a dozen sermons or more on raising children on disciplining children on training children all ages I've gone through all the ages look I cannot get more specific that's how I feel I cannot get more specific so when you see people not heed that stuff it's maddening it's maddening I preached over a dozen sermons on separating and the dangers of not living a separated life over a dozen sermons on homeschooling and teaching your children and pulling your children out of the the public school system and how that is necessary for the success and the well-being of your children but look in all these and then I've preached on so many sermons on how serious homeschooling is and how you must take it seriously and you must be diligent in training and teaching your children but look in all these areas I will watch people just hear and not heed in all of these areas by the way if you ever think like oh man this is his hobby horse not really it's just because I feel like that's what's not being heated so you're like I don't want to hear the same message again and again well then heed the message that's how you can shut me up but at the end of the day at the end of the day when I think of all these things as far as the the ministry not our ministry the ministry I basically have three choices I basically have three choices and I look at the prophets and I look at what's happened to churches over the last 50 years in this country I basically have three choices I can become an over controlling zealot that's choice number one I can become an over controlling I totally get how it happens it's absolutely maddening it's absolutely maddening turn to Acts chapter 3 turn to Acts chapter 3 and keep your place in Ezekiel chapter 33 we're gonna look at verse number 2 in Acts chapter 3 but it's maddening you feel like look and it's really maddening for me because you feel like you're wasting your time and I hate wasting time I've always hated wasting time that's the way I've never watched sports ever because it's just such a waste of time it's ridiculous you know and then it's all got all kinds of moral issues to it but I mean just the fact that it was a waste of time I never did it I'm like you're a loser you're just sitting there wasting all your time I mean four hours I mean I couldn't even really get into golf because I was I would go out on a golf course for three hours and be like man I should be doing something I should be doing something else right now you know but look turn to Acts chapter 3 and look this is something that I really cannot fully explain to you but I'm trying this morning you just can't see this perspective until you're in the ministry it's one of those things where I heard pastor preach on it I never really got it until I was actually in the ministry look at Acts chapter 3 in verse 22 look at Acts chapter 3 in verse 22 for Moses truly said unto the fathers a prophet shall the Lord your God raise up among you of what is he gonna magically make somebody appear out of the clouds it's like no he's gonna raise someone up among you of your brethren like unto me him shall ye hear and all things whatsoever he shall say unto you look do you know that man but do you know that if men rise up to go into the ministry you know what men will rise up from this church they will rise up from among us men that will rise up to go into the ministry that's where they come from by the way they come from amongst us these men that rise up and it shall come to pass that every soul and look that matches perfectly Ezekiel 33 look at verse 2 son of man speak to the children of thy people and say unto them when I bring the support sword upon the land if the people of the land take a man of their coasts and set him for their watchman so it says they are to take a man from amongst them and set him as the watchman and then he is the one that has all the responsibilities that we read about in Ezekiel chapter 33 that matches perfectly with Acts chapter 3 that's that's proof the same guy wrote the entire Bible right there you find that all over the Bible look what it says in verse 23 though and it shall come to pass that every soul which here not that prophet shall be destroyed from among the people man is this true too is this true too you know what's gonna happen to people you know what happens to people you preach things and then people don't listen to things and then you know what people come and they ask you things and you tell people things they're like hey what about this you say this and then they don't listen it says they'll be destroyed from amongst the people you know what happens every single time somebody gets backslidden they fall out of church it's the first thing they leave from amongst the people it's crazy but it follows the same pattern it doesn't mean it doesn't matter why they're backsliding it could be you know it's usually sin of some kind but it doesn't matter what sin it is but when they backslide that like the first indicator is that they're not they're not going to be amongst the people it's it's just so repetitive it's almost it's such an old story you see it again and again and again you can see what's gonna happen the temptation I mean so I mean the temptation is there to just try to get people to listen in some way and there you could become that over controlling zealot what's the second what's the second thing I could do so I don't want to do that that one though that one doesn't fit me I don't want to be I don't want to be an over controlling zealot I don't want to be a cult leader never like never had aspired to that never thought about you know when I was a kid you know cult leader that sounds pretty good fireman or cult leader you know it's it's never really fit me so here's the second one I could do I could go insane and let it destroy me personally I've thought about this one a few times I had a pastor like this once many many years ago back in North Dakota you know you just get up and scream and just like nobody's listening or things aren't going the way you want don't you know I'm in charge here and he's just like you know what I'm just like whoa this isn't going well you know but you know look he didn't really like where things going where things were going and I knew why but look no pastor feels like I'm wasting my time here you know and he's so I mean I've seen pastors literally feel like you know you feel like they're losing their minds because no one's listening to them so I don't want to like destroy myself personally either here's the third one though realize that God's given me a job to tell you to warn you and then you decide that's the third one is just realize Ezekiel chapter 33 you ask I'll tell you you decide that's it and then look guess what you bear the consequences of that I don't that's Ezekiel 33 that's the comfort to the prophet of Ezekiel chapter 33 people will bear consequences you know I mean look there's a reason it says in Acts chapter 3 that the people will be destroyed from amongst the people they'll be taken away and that like I said that thing repeats itself again and again and again and you know what I mean it just kills me it kills me by the way that we will be literally a couple weeks away from you know the the launch of the independent church it's like we're almost to the end of the two years and like our attendance is going down I mean we're literally seeing it now we're literally seeing but it's just it's just Acts chapter 3 where will people be destroyed they'll just leave the people they'll leave the people they it may be small at first you know they just stop coming every now and then start you know it starts with losing interest in spiritual things and you can fake that for a while but eventually you will see people exit from amongst the people it just it kills me personally like this is like you know I want to go back to item number two and go insane personally on stuff like this because guess what you know what happens in two weeks it's not the finish line folks it's the start line did you know that and we're starting with or without you so I mean that is I mean it's not like oh we're sliding into home and whoa we made it no it's the start it's the beginning turn to Matthew chapter 13 but you see it you see people they'll start losing interest in spiritual things they'll start you know they'll start being more concerned about worldly things it's so it's so easy for me to see this it's ridiculous it's ridiculous how easy it is to see this I wish I could just walk up to people before they get to that point where they actually leave the church and just shake people and just throw them up against the wall and be like you understand where you're going I told you back to number two let's just let's just go to back to number two Matthew 13 look at verse 22 Jesus told you this too he that received the seed among the thorns as he is like it's like this person it's like he that heareth the word it's like he that here at the preaching he that here at the preaching and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the world and he becometh on fruitful I don't care look I don't care if you're rich or poor greed infects everybody I've seen just as many rich people and just as many poor people that are infected with greed it will destroy you spiritually so look here's the thing about the watchman though the thing about the watchman and why it's a hard job to be that watchman is that he gets full view of this unfortunately you know he stands on the wall he stands on the wall and he's like and look here's the thing I'll stand on the wall and I'll keep yelling I'll keep yelling as you exit exit the city and you walk away from the city I'll keep standing on the wall and I would just keep screaming and I'll keep blowing the trumpet but here's the thing and look something some people some people they just they'll just keep going they'll just keep going they'll hear the trumpet they'll get out of church and then I'll just have to watch them walk off the cliff and you know the thing is or maybe here that one day they walked off the cliff the nice thing I mean if there is a nice thing about you know the biblical church and a church that just preaches the Bible it's that most times before things get really really bad people will get out of church because if they're into sin and they're into things that they shouldn't be into they're just not gonna want to be here hearing this hearing this message but look I mean it saves all of you from having to witness the final fall of that person but ultimately the preacher will see most of it because he sees more than you you know and here's the thing one thing I've learned over the last couple of years and I've really learned this lesson is that I don't have to like this I don't have to like watching that but I also can't let it destroy me either and it's not that I don't care but the problem is this if all I do is I stand on the wall and I scream at the people walking away from the wall and I keep blowing the trumpet and I do nothing but blow the trumpet at the people walking away guess what there's a bunch of people inside the city that haven't walked away and you know what those people deserve attention too I mean look that's why you hear pastors say another thing I haven't fully understood until I was in the ministry in this position that's why you'll hear pastors say people come and go I mean I heard the first couple sermons I heard like this I'm just like man that's harsh man that's rough you hear pastors say you know what people come and go this church is gonna look different in a few years than it does today half the people here might not even be here it's like you know if you don't want to be here there's the door and I'm just like oh man this guy doesn't even want me here what's going on you know but I mean the thing is what are you gonna do go crazy people come and go you can tell people you can warn people but ultimately it's on them and that's what the Prophet has to realize it sounds harsh never really understood it fully but I can't let it destroy it my wife can't let it destroy her either you know she I mean you talk about let me go off on this one for a second you talk about somebody who gets like no reward people come up to me great sermon whether it was good or not people great sermon brother Jared and that's the greatest thing I've ever heard you know and all this and it's just all you know nobody says I mean there's nothing for the pastor's wife or for the preacher's wife it's just it's just give and give and give and give there's no great sermon miss Heidi after the church service but the problems are all still there you know what she's on the wall too and she gets to watch people walk away too and you know women actually are more emotional and maybe a little bit more caring than men it's harder it's harder for them I'm very logical like well I told them have a nice trip into the wall it's a little easier for me to do that but with women with ladies I mean look that's why they're designed that way they're there to match us right but look it's it's we can't spend all our time and effort on the people walking away not heating the morning is because guess what there's still people on this side of the wall there's still 39 people in church here this morning it's not 54 but it's 39 there's still 39 people here and they need attention too and that's the saving grace by the way that's the saving grace many people will not listen but guess what some will some will you know what if I came to Fresno and one person got saved in 20 years that would be worth my life and I feel like that from the I'm that is it's honestly how I feel if my life gets one person to heaven well worth it if serving the Lord in my life gets one person to not go to hell it's worth it it look that's my solace that's my solace is the people that still stay inside the walls and will continue to do so look down at verse number 9 of Ezekiel chapter 33 verse number 9 of Ezekiel chapter 33 verse number 9 the Bible says this nevertheless if I if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it if he do not turn from his way he shall die in his iniquity that's not fun to watch that that's not fun to watch somebody come down and I mean this is the extreme case of somebody who's maybe saved and walks away from the Lord and God kills them you see that in the Bible too that would not be fun to watch somebody that knew and guess what your beatings are gonna be harder if you know so if you're not gonna follow the Lord look if you're not gonna follow the Lord you're not gonna do what the Bible says you'd be better off not coming to a church like this that's why people don't come then aren't gonna do it because if you know it all you're gonna be beaten hard I mean to the point where he could die you could die in your iniquity the Bible says but guess what my responsibility is fulfilled I'm clear I'm clear look we've had we've had people that don't come here anymore because of what is preached you know that but whatever I'm not having God come down on me you know my responsibility will be fulfilled I did my job my that's my reasonable service I mean I think all the time don't get me wrong how can I be more persuasive when I'm out so any how can I be more persuasive to you all how can I say these things in a way that will get you to actually want to listen but ultimately my responsibilities fulfilled as long as I read you the words of the Lord and I hope I get better at it I hope I get better at preaching I hope I get better at expounding God's Word to you and explaining and teaching you God's Word but the end of the day I'm just to warn you not live for you I'm just to warn you and that's all I'm gonna do I'll do anything I possibly can do within my physical power on this earth to help you not just preach at you I will help you in any possible way that I can but ultimately I'm not gonna control you like a puppet I have absolutely no interest in that none that's why there's been so many I mean that's why there's so many sermons on like you know men do what you're supposed to do trying to raise leaders here but look here's the thing I can see negative results coming for people that's the hardest part of the ministry as I think about the last two years and what's been the good things what's been the bad things the hardest part is seeing the negative results coming to people and just I've told you I've told you and you know was there something I could have said differently maybe and I'll keep saying it when I can but that's a small taste of the ministry right there with Ezekiel chapter 33 I pray that you all heed the word of the Lord in your life but in the end I understand that not everyone will and you need to know that as well I am the watchman not the policeman I'm to watch and warn let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer you