My dear friends in Christ,

No matter how old we are, we need someone around to watch over us. Police watch over our homes and neighborhoods. Meteorologists watch over the weather and warn us when it gets bad. Engineers watch over bridges and tell us when they need to be fixed. Parents watch over children and make sure they don't run out into the street while they're playing. God provides all these people to watch over us and take care of our bodies and lives. He also provides someone to watch over our souls and make sure that we hear his words. Today, in the picture of the watchman, we'll see whom God appoints as watchmen over us, what they are supposed to do, and why God wants them to do all this work.

The year is 597 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army attacked Jerusalem and carried off the king, along with many other men and women. Included in the group of exiles was a young priest named Ezekiel. When the exiles arrived in Babylon, they were given land and the ability to build homes. Ezekiel built his home in a place called Tel Abib, along the shores of the Kebar River. While he was there, the LORD called him to be his prophet. In chapter 33, the LORD repeated his call. He said, "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me" (Ezekiel 33:7).

Whom does God appoint as a watchman? He appoints sinful human beings. "Son of man" is the LORD's nickname for Ezekiel. He used it 93 times in 48 chapters. Ezekiel's nickname was a constant reminder of his relationship to the LORD. The LORD is perfect, holy, and his glory amazed Ezekiel. He chose Ezekiel, a sinful human being, a 30 year old without much experience as a priest, to be a watchman for his people.

God still chooses sinful human beings to watch over us today. The Bible says, "It was he who gave some to be … pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up" (Ephesians 4:11-12). He has sent two pastors to be watchmen for Salem congregation. We're no different than Ezekiel. God could call us "sons of men" too. Pastor Birkholz and I have our own sinful weaknesses, but God called us to serve you. The same is true for the teachers on our staff here at Salem. It's true for everyone sitting in the pew this morning. God has called you, sinful human beings, to be watchmen too. The Bible says, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9). Some of you are busy watching over families. Some of you watch over employees and customers. Some of you watch over our neighborhoods. We watch over each other as fellow believers. God has appointed all of us and has given us responsibilities as watchmen.

Ancient watchmen had an important job. In a walled city, most of the people had their farms, orchards and vineyards outside the city walls. When danger threatened, the watchman saw it first. He sounded the warning trumpet so that everyone could flee to the city. The people would close the gates and prepare for attack. If a person heard the warning but ignored it, it was his own fault if something happened. If the watchman neglected his job and didn't warn the citizens, he was responsible for their deaths.

God called Ezekiel to be a watchman over the house of Israel. He wasn't supposed to stand high on the city walls and blow a trumpet to warn the people that enemy armies were coming. Here's what the LORD said, "…Hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself" (Ezekiel 33:7-9).

That's not an easy job. Ezekiel was to speak strong words of warning about the consequences of sin. God's people had already lost their homeland because of their sin, and many of them continued in their wicked ways.  Here's how the LORD had Ezekiel publicly describe these wicked people: "He eats at the mountain shrines. He defiles his neighbor’s wife. He oppresses the poor and needy. He commits robbery. He does not return what he took in pledge. He looks to the idols. He does detestable things. He lends at usury and takes excessive interest." The people to whom Ezekiel preached needed to be confronted with their sins.

They also needed to be warned. We have warnings all around us today. Just look at a bottle of kitchen cleaner. It says in bold letters: "WARNING: CAUSES EYE IRRITATION. DO NOT GET IN EYES OR SKIN OR ON CLOTHING. WASH THOROUGHLY WITH SOAP AND WATER AFTER HANDLING." Ezekiel's warning wasn't about eyes or skin getting burned by cleaner. He said, WARNING: " Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he will surely be put to death and his blood will be on his own head. The soul who sins is the one who will die" (Ezekiel 18:11-13,20). Ezekiel, the watchman, needed to warn God's people so that they would not die and suffer forever in hell!

God asked Ezekiel to be his watchman and bring powerful words of warning to Israel. We know that we are his watchmen: pastors, teachers, and all believers. What does God want watchmen to say today? Jesus gave us some good advice in our gospel reading this morning. "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over" (Matthew 18:15). Let's look at an example. At a meeting, or in a conversation after church one of you expresses a strong opinion about an issue. A few days later, you find out that another member has been talking about you and your words in a very unkind way. It's time to be the watchman. Jesus tells us to go to that person one on one and show him that he has sinned against you.

How can we show that person his fault? After all, we're just as sinful. We haven't lived perfect lives. We need God's warning just as much as they do. A watchman has to begin by listening to God's warning and repenting over sin. Then we can do the same thing that God told Ezekiel to do. "Hear the word I speak and give them warning from me" (Ezekiel 33:7). The warnings that we bring need to come from God himself. We can't go the person who has sinned and say, "I think that what you're doing is wrong," or, "you need to stop doing that because I said so." We need to study God's powerful Word, find the places that address the person's sin and say, "This is what the LORD says." We also need to pray that God would guide the conversation and keep us from saying hurtful things.

What if the person gets angry and refuses to listen? What if they quit the church and keep on doing the sinful things they are doing? Remember God's words to Ezekiel: "But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself" (Ezekiel 33:9). God doesn't ask us as watchmen to change the person's heart. Only God can do that. He tells us that his Word works. We need to trust it and let it do the work. God has put us here to watch over each other.

It's hard and sometimes lonely being one of God's watchmen. Why does God ask us to do all this? The people to whom Ezekiel preached thought that God was just trying to beat them down and make their lives miserable. God told them, "'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?’" (Ezekiel 33:11). That's why the LORD sent Ezekiel to watch over the house of Israel. That's why he sends us. God wants to save lost souls. He loves wicked people so much that he warns them about punishment. He loves us so much that he sent the perfect "Son of Man" "to seek and to save what was lost" (Luke 19:10). Watchmen do more than warn people about the coming judgment. Watchmen also point to the one who can rescue them from destruction. Watchmen point to Jesus. We offer them sinners Jesus' beautiful invitation: "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). Jesus didn't want the wicked to die eternally, so the Son of Man, the Watchman took on the enemy attackers, died on the cross and defeated death and hell.

Thanks to Jesus, no one has to suffer forever in hell. Thanks to Jesus, the gates of heaven are open.  God is calling us by his watchman Ezekiel, by pastors and teachers, and through fellow believers, and to turn from our evil ways, repent, and believe his promise of forgiveness. Hear the word of the LORD. He doesn't want any of us lost forever. He sends people to watch over us and take care of our souls. We need to humbly listen to those people and hear God speaking through them. Amen.