The Watchman and the Trumpet

PRAYER

Who are you?
Think of one word to describe yourself. Share with the person next to you.

People define themselves in different ways.
Family position – brother, father, son.
Job position – doctor, lawyer, accountant, pharmacist.
Actions – lover, fighter.
Affiliation with a group –Christian, Buddhist
Nationality – Malaysian Chinese Australian,

Did you know that when you told the person your “word” that described you, a whole picture of what that means come flooding into their minds.
You may not have met this person before and yet your perception of who this person is has been coloured by the way they describe themselves.
This phenomenon is so powerful that we can instantly like or dislike a person depending on our past experiences or perceptions.

Doctor – inflictor of pain or saviour of my life.
Father – support, protector, honourable OR abuser, neglect.

What image comes to mind when someone tells you that they are a Christian?
Is it an image of someone who goes to church, someone who prays a lot?
Is this all there is to being a Christian?

In my last sermon, I began to talk to you about one of the characteristic of a Christian.
Do you remember what it was?
Turning the world upside down.
How many of you actually had this image in your mind? (hands up)

This morning, I want to share with you more images of who a Christian really is.
Have you seen the language that God uses to describe a Christian?
It’s mind blowing!

A Christian is:
Child of God – Let’s just take a moment for that to soak in. Do you realise the implications of these 3 words? Child of God. Amazing. Intimate, closeness with the Father. Very special bond. Even the angels marvel at this fact You used to be an enemy of God. But now you are in his inner circle.. A child of God.

King – Ruler. Victorious. Life is tough. But we no longer need to be tossed around by the winds and waves of life. Sin is entangling and destructive, threatening to strangle the life out of you. But Jesus had died on the cross to free you from the power of sin. You are a king. You have the ability to soar like eagles. Not bogged down in the mud and junk of life.

Priest – intercessory role. Ability to directly access God on behalf of people, events around us. Represent God.
Holy Nation/people – a people that has been set apart. Different from everyone else. Before you were born, you have been chosen by God.

Shepherds – strengthen the weak, heal the sick, bind up the injured.

Are these the images and perceptions that come to mind if we say the word “Christian”
If you call yourself a Christian, is this how others see you?
If not, why not?
Has our lives drifted so far from the Bible, that we have forgotten what it means to be a Christian?

I want to add one more to your list
A Christian is a watchman.
When I say this phrase some of you know exactly what I am talking about.
Others are scratching their heads, ?what? What is this guy talking about?
What watchman? What does it mean?
Did you know that the Bible talks about this concept of the watchman, one who watches > 200 times?
How many times have you picked up the Bible and missed this phrase?

I have been reading the Bible for > 20 years and it is only in the last 2-3 years that I began to be aware of this very important characteristic of a Christian.
Ignorance is not bliss.
And Church, for those who don’t understand what a watchman is, let’s learn together.

What is a Watchman?
There are 4 main characteristics of a watchman.

• Strategically stationed on towers.
• Serve an area.
• Surveys and spots approaching danger
• Sound alarm to warn the city.

1) You, Watchman, are strategically stationed.
The watchman is usually placed in strategic locations around a city.
Not by chance that we are where we are.
Think about where God has placed you today.
Everyone of you have a circle of influence.
Some of you have a small circle. Others a big circle.
Everyone one of you should be able to easily write at least 5 names of people that are influenced by you.
Your family. Your community. Your job. Your friends.
All these people around you – you are strategically stationed.
It is not by chance

2) The Watchman (you) serve an area.
A watchman has been chosen to watch over, protect a segment of the city.
We read a very scary passage this morning.
Some have used passages like this to pour guilt onto the church.
My purpose is not to pour guilt onto you.
Guilt does not spur people to preach the Word.
Guilt does not change people’s hearts for the better.
Guilt is like Pharisees putting heavy burdens.
The Word is here to set us free. To give us truth about the situation.

When I first read this passage, I was trying to think – do I take this verse literally? There must be some sort of hidden meaning.
As hard as I tried to squirm and wiggle and think of some nice, loving way to interpret this verse, I couldn’t.
You can see it as clearly as I can.
V8 - When God shows me that someone will perish. And I don’t warn him. His blood God will require at my hands.
God holds me responsible.
I tried to wiggle out of this verse by saying that it is context specific – only applies to Ezekiel.
But then as I dug deeper into the Word, I found more and more verses scattered throughout the Bible that confirmed this verse.
So let us all stop wiggling and let us read God’s Word as it is.
Even if it makes you feel uncomfortable, truth is truth.

I don’t know about you, but I really struggled with this verse.
2 facts kept bouncing around in my mind.

Fact 1: God will hold me responsible. If God has given me the opportunity to avert someone from danger and I don’t… the blood will be on my hands…

Fact 2: God will save His elect irregardless of what you do.

How can you reconcile these 2 facts?
God will hold me responsible and yet it is He who brings man to Himself. It is His work.
Contradiction? Dilemma.
Answer came when I watched Schindler’s list.

SHOW VIDEO

Ok, this is how I reconciled the 2 facts in my mind.
Don’t take this as the absolute truth – this is only Jason Ong’s theory.
I want you to test it yourself – against the Word, against what God teaches you.
If you get an answer, let me know.

My theory: One day, as we look back at our own life.
I believe that some of us are going to be just like Schindler.
When you reflect on how you spent your life.
The times you spent in investing in the temporal things of life, the momentary pleasures.
when all things have on this earth has passed away
Some of us will feel how much of our life we have wasted.
When all you wish is that you could have saved just one more person.

“I could have got more out”
“I threw away so much money”
“If I had just”
“I didn’t do enough”
“why did I buy this car – 10 people right there. 10 more people”
“this pin. 2 people”
“one more person. A person. For this.
“I could have gotten one more person and I didn’t”

I don’t believe that you will lose your salvation but the blood on your hands represents the sadness, regret you will feel.
Church, you are held responsible for your circle of influence.
Look at the names in front of you.
God holds you responsible.
One day God is going to ask you to give an account of your life.

He has given each of us giftings, talents to look after those around us.
Have you spent this just looking after yourself. Have you been a good steward.
The greatest gift -> the salvation of Jesus Christ.
What have you done with this great treasure?
People are perishing all around you… what are you doing about it?
95% of Chinese in Box Hill do not go to church… what are we doing about it?

Watchman, God has strategically stationed you.
Watchman, you serve an area. You are responsible.

3) A watchman surveys and spots danger.

“Watch” = 203 times

Matt 7:15 – watch for false prophets… are you on the look out for false doctrine. It is so easy to lead someone astray today. So aquainted with Word of God that you can distinguish truth from non-truth.

Matt 10:17 – watch against man. People who will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in the synagogues.
Phil 3:2 – watch against dogs, men who do evil
Are you watching the people around you. Don’t slumber. Stay alert.

Matt 24:42, 25:13 – watch for Lord’s coming. Do you know the signs of the times. If not, read Matt 24 – you will be surprised how closely it describes society today.

Gal 6:1 – watch against yourself. Sometimes your biggest enemy is yourself.
Joshua 23:11 – watch yourself, that you have love for the Lord
Ephesians 5:15 – watch how you walk, not as unwise but as wise
Daily measure yourself up against the Word. Am I really daily transforming into the person the Bible wants me to be.

Matt 26:41 – watch against temptation. Temptation will sneak up on you when you least expect it. When you are the most tired and weakest.

Mark 8:15, 12:38 – watch against scribes (religious leaders). Don’t blindly follow. Everything must go through the sieve of the Bible.
Luke 21:8 – watch that you don’t get led astray

Luke 11:21 – watch over house.. how is your house today? How is your marriage? Eccleciastes talks about foxes that comes to ruin your vineyard. Stay alert. Watch! Catch those foxes.

Romans 16:17 – watch for those who would cause division. Beware of those amongst you who would cause disunity.

Hebrews 13:17 – watch on behalf of souls.
Harvest is plentiful. Will not always be there.
Image of burning harvest.
Not of luscious ripe harvest.
Can you feel the urgency?

1 Peter 5:8 – watch out for the devil, roaring lion – seeking whom he may devour

So many things to watch out for.
The Bible teaches us over and over again to WATCH.

So now we know we are Strategically stationed.
Serve an area. Feel the responsibility.
You are surveying and spotting for danger.
You see danger… now what?

4) Sound the alarm!
Blow the trumpet!

Amazing instrument.
Out of all the instruments in the Bible – drums, tambourine, lyre
Trumpet is the most talked about - > 100 X

3 main roles (no time to go through them in detail today – maybe another day)
Proclaiming the king/someone important.
Victory/Joy/Celebration – declaration, praise.

What is relevant for us today.
Warning/Alarm – danger. When you see the foxes coming into your vineyard. When you see the enemy sneaking up into your territory. When you see the dusts of an army in the horizon marching to your city.
Don’t just sit there. La la la la.
Cocooned. Enjoying life. You look after yourself. I look after myself.
It’s time to wake up!
We need to blow the trumpet!

When we see a brother causing division.
When we see a child of God gossiping.
When we see a friend heading into sin.
When a work colleague is walking into an eternity in the fires of hell.

Don’t just sit there. Blow the trumpet!
Warn them.
I wish I had more time to teach about blowing the trumpet. (perhaps another sermon)
Majority of the time, we need to spend 95% of our effort on our knees in prayer.
Pleading to God on behalf of them.
5% of your time confronting them in love and wisdom.

Let me finish on this last point.
What do you do when you hear another Watchman blowing the trumpet?
Danger is here.
What do you do when I tell you there are >80,000 abortions a year in Australia? About 10 an hour. That means by the end of the church service today, 20 babies would have been killed.
What do you do when I tell you that 2.1 million people have died from AIDS in 2007 alone? 240 people an hour. 480 people died. 10 buses crashing just outside the church. Can we just sit here and mind our own business?.

Let’s make it more personal – this morning we are praying for Rita and Paul to be sent into SE Asia to be the watchman there.
When they come back and share with us, they will be blowing a trumpet.
Whilst we live in comforts and security of Australia, there are people dying of poverty there.
The enemy is destroying a whole generation of young people by tempting them with a lifestyle of promiscuous sex, experimental drugs, corrupt morality.

What do you do when you hear the trumpet blast?
Remember the story of Nehemiah building the wall of Jerusalem.
When the people heard the trumpet blast, they listened.
They gathered to stand in the gap to face the danger together.

Church this is the challenge for us today.
You are a watchman.
You are strategically stationed. It is not by chance you are where you are today.
You serve an area. We are responsible. Think about those names, the people you can influence.
You are to survey and spot dangers. Ask yourself, am I doing my job? Am I watching? Staying alert? People’s lives are at stake if you don’t do your job.
You need to sound the alarm. Are you asleep? Don’t be the Ezekiel 33:8 Christian. When God tells you to warn the person. And you don’t. Their blood will be on your hands.
And when we hear the trumpet blast ourself, we need to respond and stand in the gap.

PRAYER
Child of God, King, Priest, Holy Nation, Shepherd, Watchman.
Holy Spirit here not to make you doubt your salvation.
But wants to lead you to a place of repentance and empowerment to live the life that God has called you to live.

Deception

Jesus answered: 'Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Matt 24:4-6

We are warned to remain vigilant especially as the end of days approaches. There will be many wolves in sheep clothing. There will be many false prophets. There will be many people speaking the things our hearts long to hear. Lovers of man rather than lovers of God. We will be attacked from within the church as well as without.

A few days ago, a strange dream came to me. (A thanks to Daniel who helped to interpret the dream for me). I was seated in my church, playing the piano. I was helping in the leading of worship but was seated at the back of the church. (Playing the piano = my ministry. Seated at the back = ?) And there was this annoying old lady who kept on trying to play on MY PIANO! A different song from what I was trying to play. And I kept on trying to push her off the piano. (Distraction from within the church). After a short while, people began running from the stage. There was gunfire heard outside the church. I ran to the side of the church to see what was happening. There were police shouting and gunmen who was shooting towards the church. (Distractions from outside the church). What is the result of these distractions?? I no longer was playing my piano (ministry I am called to has been disrupted) and the people within the church was no longer worshiping God (others are affected by my failure to “perform” in my role).

I am reminded that many distractions threaten to disrupt our purpose that God has given to each of us. The threat is not just from “the world” but also from within “Christendom”. Many of us who have been Christians for a long time should not be easily swayed by those who claim “I am the Christ”. BUT, beware! We may be easily swayed by those who claim to KNOW Christ and asks you to follow THEM. This is as big a deception as anything else. Beware. Your role in life is not to follow Man but to follow God. ALWAYS listen to His voice. “Be still and know that I am God.” (Ps 46:10)

sowing

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Gal 6:9

We will all heard this phrase, “A man reaps what he sows” (Gal 6:7). It is a universal truth. If not in this lifetime, then at judgment when all will stand before God. For it has been appointed for man to die once, and after that to face judgment (Heb 9:27). What kind of seeds are you sowing today?

Let’s start with the negative. If we spend our time sowing to please our sinful nature, we will reap destruction (Gal 6:8). No matter how “secret” your sin is, one day it will explode in your face. That is the nature of sin. It’s like trying to hold a ball underwater, as it continues to grow. You can hold it under the water for the moment. But one day, it will eventually surface to the top. If you sow seeds of lusts, it will destroy your marriage. If you sow seeds of distrusts, it will destroy your relationships. If you sow seeds of resource mismanagement, it will destroy your testimony.

Now for the positive. We are encouraged to not give up in doing good. Sometimes it seems that there is no change despite our continual efforts. We sow seeds but do not see the harvest. But be encouraged today. The Word of God does not come back empty handed. Every little bit counts. Continue to toil at the labour that God has entrusted you with. One day you will rejoice at the bountiful harvest that springs up before you. Let us not become weary in doing good. Let us continue to sow to please the Spirit.

Purpose

I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. Acts 26:17-18

This is the greatest work a man can do whilst on this earth. To be part of God’s work to restore Creation back to the Creator. To open their eyes. To set them free. All career aspirations, wealth accumulations, fame, etc… pales in comparison to the joy of seeing a rebirth in someone. There is no greater joy for me than when I see someone finally discover God, and year by year see the Holy Spirit transforming his life. From ashes to beauty.

How do you answer someone when they ask you “what is the meaning of life?” What is it that you are doing with your life? As we live in the “lower story”, have we raised up our eyes towards the heavens and longed to live in the “upper story” too? Do we run in the rat race only and forget that we are called to a greater calling?

In whatever we do this week, let us ask God to be participants of His plan to redeem mankind. To dare to say that word, to do that act that will bring someone closer to God’s kingdom.

convenience

That’s enough for now. When I find it convenient, I will send for you. Acts 24:25.

Many people respond to the Word of God in this way. Most will acknowledge that the teachings of Jesus are wise and “makes sense”. But few will allow it to impact their lives. Sounds good as theory. But to actually do it? Too hard. Too life-changing. Too disruptive to my own plans.

This morning we read of Felix who was interested in hearing Paul talk about his faith in Jesus. But as Paul began to talk about righteousness, self control and judgment to come, Felix became afraid and uttered his famous words above. We will never know what became of Felix. Did he eventually decide to surrender Himself to the Living God? Or did he forever lose His opportunity to learn more?

Each of us have a certain threshold before we will utter these same words. Sometimes, God seems to be “too much for us”. And so, just like a servant, we ask Him to go away until it is a more “convenient” time for us. Remember who you are talking to. He is your Creator. Your King. Your God.

Think about your own life. Have we put “boundaries” on God? On what He is “allowed” to do in your life? Are we still the Ruler of our own life? Or have you truly surrendered your life to Him? Are we still treating God as nothing more than a genie in a bottle – calling upon Him only at OUR convenience?

pride

Psalm 131:1,2 My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.

I had a dream last night where my pride was revealed and taken down. Over the last few months, I have had a string of successes and life seemed to be getting better and better. Things were coming to me easily and the things I touched would blossom. This is truly the blessing of God. However, today has been a good reminder for me. To take stock. To not over-estimate myself. I am not saying that we should not strive for our big dreams but to realise that each of us has limitations. Wise is the man where pride has not taken over his life. To truly understand where the originator of blessings arises from. Take heed of your heart, my friends. Do not let pride creep in. For surely, the silent poison will destroy you.

What does haughty mean? Proud, arrogant, lofty, high, stuck up, contemptuous, conceited, snobbish. The exact opposite of being humble. It is not hard for us to look around us with haughty eyes. Especially when we encounter those who have less than us. We compare our own life with them and begin to be haughty. “I am better than you”. “How could you act like that?” “What sort of person are you?” “You disgust me”

God asks us to BE STILL and QUIET YOUR SOUL. In a world where busyness is the norm and constant attractions and distractions surround us, we must find an oasis of quietness. This is when our Father can begin to shine His light and speak into the depths of our soul.

Isaiah 44

God tells His chosen people to not be afraid (v2), for He will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground (v3).

For those of us who continue to earnestly pray for China, we come face to face with the spiritual dryness and barrenness of “the land”. We can feel overwhelmed at how great the task is before us. But we are reminded today that it is God who will do the work. It is HE who will pour water on the thirsty land.

What is this “water” He speaks of? It is none other than the Holy Spirit (v3). As we pray for China, let us pray with God’s Word – the spiritual weapon that demolishes strongholds and will never return back empty handed. Let us claim His promises that He will be the one that sends the streams on the dry ground.

Verse 6 reminds us that apart from Him, there is no God. We live in a world full of idols – tangible and intangible. But there is no one like God (v7). We are to be the witnesses to the nations that there is no other God besides Him (v8).

We do not want to follow the idolaters, who treasure things that are worthless (v9), are blind and ignorant (v9). He will be put to shame, and brought down to terror and infamy (v11). Let us examine ourselves closely today, have we shaped idols in our lives? (v12) This may be the reason why we get hungry, lose our strength and drink no water, growing faint (v13). Let us not be blinded and fooled by the evil one. (v19)

We have been set apart by God to be His servants (v21). Let us not forget our God and what He has called us to do on this earth. Let us not waste our lives on things temporal but be willing to spend our lives on things eternal.