Auburn SDA Church
Watchman
  • My Maker and My King
  • Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
  • Holy, Holy, Holy
  • Psalm 112:1–2 ESV
    Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
    Parenthood is
    powerful privilege

      • Psalm 112:1–2NKJV

  • Come Thou Almighty King

      • Ezekiel 33.7-8NKJV

      • Ezekiel 33.9NKJV

  •  
             It was the dead of night, April 18, 1775. The moon hung cold and distant, casting long, spectral shadows across the slumbering landscape. Paul Revere's gaze was fixed on the steeple of the Old North Church, his heart a frantic drum against his ribs. The signal flashed—two lanterns, swaying in the belfry. Two meant the Regulars were coming by sea. He sprang into action, the fate of a fledgling nation riding on his speed.
    He rowed silently across the river, slipping past a British warship, his oars dipping gently so as not to betray his passage. On the Charlestown shore, a borrowed horse was waiting. He mounted up, and with a wild cry of alarm, galloped past silent farmhouses. He was a voice in the darkness, a shadow thundering down the road, knocking on doors and waking the slumbering countryside. The message was simple but powerful: the Regulars were on the move. He was delivering a message, yes, but also a call to courage for a people on the precipice of destiny.
    He left a fiery trail of alarm behind him. In Lexington, he warned Samuel Adams and John Hancock, the leaders in hiding. His hurrying hoof-beats echoed into the night, but his message had already done its work, spreading like wildfire from town to town. The alarm had been sounded, the spirit of rebellion awakened, and the country was ready. For by the time the British arrived, the Minutemen would be waiting.
    It has been a while
    since I have attended
    bible prophecy seminar
    as attendee
    not speaker.
    I’m proud of youth
    I was also
    moved by messages.
    It again reminded me:
    We have a
    profound message.
    urgent message.
    a message of warning.
    Christ is coming soon.
    In the words of the Prophetess:
    Review and Herald November 22, 1906: “Even at the Door”

    We who know the truth should be preparing for what is soon to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise.

    The world has no idea
    what is about to happen.
    As SDA’s… we do.
    I’m not sure if
    the depth of that
    hit you, as it did me.
    I’m impacted by,
    deep responsibility
    that we have
    to the world
    dying around us.
    In many ways,
    I shrink from this
    great calling.
    I feel
    incapable
    inept
    unskilled
    to fulfill this great work.
    But God gave
    this work to us...
    Ellen White says:
    Patriarchs and Prophets Chapter 50—Tithes and Offerings

    He might have made angels the ambassadors of His truth; He might have made known His will, as He proclaimed the law from Sinai, with His own voice;

    —

    but in His infinite love and wisdom He called men to become colaborers with Himself, by choosing them to do this work.

    Why would God
    trust us
    (sheep who quickly go astray)
    with a message
    of eternal import???
    He has angels.
    He could speak himself.
    But uses us!!!!
    Why?
    Today,
    I hope to answer
    that question
    and more.
    Let’s read through
    key passage
    for today:
    Ezekiel 33:1–6 ESV
    The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. — He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.
    Lets break this down
    little by little.
    Read again,
    first couple of verses:
    Ezekiel 33:1–2 ESV
    The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman...
    In the Ancient Near East
    there were walled cities.
    Most were farmers and
    owned property
    outside the city.
    Battles were common.
    Most armies included
    infantry men.
    (men on foot).
    Armies were slow.
    Cities were usually
    position on hills.
    Hills are easier to defend
    and easy to see the
    approaching enemies.
    A common job
    during this time-period
    job of watchman.
    Most cities had people
    rotate on 24 hour watch.
    Differing watch towers
    stationed around city
    watching in each direction.
    The passage stars with
    metaphor about
    job of watchman.
    Job is simple...
    Watch!!!
    Look for enemy army.
    Proclaim danger.
    Peasants outside come in.
    Prepare for defensive positions.
    What is comparison.
    Jesus said:
    “If I bring the sword upon a land”...
    God has predicted
    a time when
    at end of world
    “a sword will come upon land.”
    There is a
    time of trial coming:
    Matthew 24:21 ESV
    For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.
    This time of trial
    worsts of world history.
    Brothers and sisters
    a sword is coming
    upon this land!!!!
    Guess who is the watchmen?
    We are!!!
    Why?
    Because we best know
    what is about to happen
    in our world.
    We are watchmen!
    Let’s see what
    happens next
    in our key passage.
    Ezekiel 33:1–2 ESV
    The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman,
    … continuing...
    Ezekiel 33:3 ESV
    and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people,
    The job of watchman
    is pretty simple.
    Only has to do
    2 main things!!!
    See Sword Coming
    Blow Trumpet
    Let’s break these down
    a little further.

    See Sword Coming

    Our first job
    is to...
    See Sword Coming.
    Watchman,
    by definition are
    people who can “see.”
    How can we see??
    The Bible frequently
    uses a metaphor
    Seeing = understanding.
    Isaiah 6:9–10 ESV
    And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “ ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ — Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
    God was saddened
    by His people because
    exposed to the truth
    but not changed!!!
    Interestingly,
    they could see
    they could hear
    but they didn’t change!!!
    Notice that...
    MERE INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE
    DOES NOT = TRUE SIGHT!
    Jesus repeatedly called
    Pharisees blind guides.
    Matthew 15:14 ESV
    Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
    Pharisees claimed to
    understand
    know truth
    claimed to “see”.
    They claimed to be
    spiritual leaders
    guides for people
    watchmen, if you will.
    Later,
    Jesus gets in discussion
    with the pharisee...
    This is after healing
    physically blind person.
    Jesus draws out metaphor:
    John 9:39 ESV
    Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”
    Pharisees are angry
    because they know
    Jesus is talking about them...
    Jesus continues...
    Speaking to Pharisees:
    John 9:41 NIV
    Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
    Catch this.
    If somebody was
    “spiritually blind”
    = spiritually ignorant.
    (doesn’t know better).
    In this case…
    they get grace.
    Like baby
    don’t spank 1 month old
    for crying...
    They don’t know better.
    God does not
    punish the ignorant.
    He came for
    the blind to see.
    But He also came
    to make the seeing - blind.
    The Pharisees
    Spiritually Arrogant..
    They put themselves
    as teachers of people.
    Devoid of understand
    God’s complete mission.
    I like the way,
    NIV reads:
    they “claim to see.”
    They have
    intellectual knowledge
    they have eyes
    they have ears
    but still blind and deaf.
    Jesus came to
    show them how blind
    they really were.
    Brother and Sisters.
    Let me be clear.
    Each of us
    has been appointed
    as watchmen.
    We have been
    (like pharisees)
    entrusted with great
    intellectual knowledge.
    We can “see” truth...
    But like pharisee
    we can be “blind guides”
    Why??… Because,
    intellectual information alone
    does not transform lives.
    We can know
    Sabbath
    State of Dead
    Antichrist
    Mark of Beast
    etc. etc.
    Other are oblivious
    (and want to know).
    Knowing information alone
    does not prepare us
    fulfill our duty
    as watchmen of world.
    We must first
    be transformed
    by that truth.
    Otherwise we are,
    like Israelites:
    Isaiah 6:9–10 ESV
    And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “ ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
    This is exactly
    what Satan wants.
    A Frozen Chosen
    not a
    Responsive Remnant.
    Satan loves people who
    study their Bible
    “know the truth”
    do little with it!!!
    He loves SS class
    repeat all the SDA concepts
    no witnessing during week.
    We are called
    to be watchmen!
    Watchmen See!!!!
    But more than
    simply understanding.
    they are changed!
    And because they are
    changed by what they see
    they move to next stage:

    Watchmen Blow the Trumpet

    Watchmen are
    transformed by the truth
    share it with others.
    Back to key passage:
    Ezekiel 33:2–3 ESV
    “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people,
    covered that…
    continuing...
    Ezekiel 33:4 ESV
    then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
    Remember
    Watchman only has 2 jobs.
    See Sword Coming
    Blow Trumpet
    How can we
    fulfill out work
    as watchmen today?
    First,
    realize that
    our job is urgent.
    Jesus is coming soon.
    Before He comes
    great tribulation.
    This is urgent!!!
    Additionally,
    how people respond
    at end of time
    determines their destiny.
    Therefore:
    This is Eternal!!!
    As watchmen,
    our work is
    urgent
    eternal.
    Let’s be intentional
    in sharing the
    everlasting gospel.

    Their Response

    Remember as watchmen
    we only have 2 jobs:
    See Sword Coming
    Blow Trumpet
    What part is not
    the watchman’s job???
    Their response!
    Ezekiel 33:4 ESV
    then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
    The watchman
    sees calamity coming
    blows trumpet.
    What happens next
    is out of his hands.
    Jesus is coming!!!
    Give the trumpet
    a clarion sound.
    Don’t estimate
    success of our job
    based on their reaction.
    Most people tell me,
    greatest fear that
    prevents them from witnessing
    FEAR OF REJECTION.
    Remember,
    that is not our burden.
    Witness in
    a winsome way,
    leave rest to Jesus.
    It is likely that
    some will reject
    the warning we give.
    They will think:
    extremists
    dooms-day people
    straight-laced
    wrong!
    That is okay.
    Our job is to
    provide loving witness
    warn of coming crisis.
    Then step back
    pray
    let Holy Spirit move.
    Ezekiel 33:4–5 ESV
    then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life.
    We cannot save
    the lives of anyone else.
    We can only
    witness
    and pray.
    They choose to
    save their own life
    or not...
    But what about
    frozen chosen
    wasteful watchman?
    What if he doesn’t
    blow the trumpet?
    Ezekiel 33:6 ESV
    But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.
    The job of the watchman
    comes with both
    great power
    great responsibility.
    Dereliction of duty
    was seen as a
    grave offense.
    If a watchman was
    caught sleeping and
    nothing happened
    perhaps:
    severe beating
    demotion.
    But if consequences occurred
    due to watchman’s failure
    to fulfill his duty.
    ie:
    prisoner escaped
    people died...
    The punishment could
    often be death penalty.
    After Peter was
    rescued by angel
    from prison
    and impending death...
    Acts 12:19 ESV
    And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death...
    In this case,
    the watchmen were
    put to death.
    In our case
    God iclerar:
    Ezekiel 33:6 ESV
    ... but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.
    This is grave warning.
    We are the watchmen.
    If we don’t blow trumpet.
    We are held accountable.
    Ezekiel 33:7–8 NIV
    “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.
    Let me be clear.
    If somebody dies
    on our watch
    because we were
    sleeping
    lazy
    unwilling...
    It is our life for theirs.
    They may lose
    their eternal life.
    But we will also
    lose our eternal life!!!
    Last verse continues thought:
    Ezekiel 33:9 ESV
    But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.
    What is the teaching?
    If we do warn them
    they don’t seek safety
    they will die.
    NOTICE NEXT WORDS:
    Ezekiel 33:9 ESV
    you will have delivered your soul.
    This is clear!
    What is on line?
    Life and Death
    Eternal issue.
    Not just
    life of person warned.
    Our salvation
    is on the line.

    Summary

    We are watchman.
    We must move past
    intellectually understand of truth.
    We must be
    transformed by truth.
    We must passionately
    share this truth with others
    It is an eternal matter.
    Both their life
    and our life
    depends upon
    transforming power
    of this truth.
    If we neglect to share
    we lose our eternal life.
    So through the night rode Paul Revere; And so through the night went his cry of alarm To every Middlesex village and farm, — A cry of defiance and not of fear, A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door, And a word that shall echo forevermore! For, borne on the night-wind of the Past, Through all our history, to the last, In the hour of darkness and peril and need, The people will waken and listen to hear The hurrying hoof-beats of that steed, And the midnight message of Paul Revere.
    Problem and Solution
    I don’t think I
    can stress this enough...
    The problem is
    people will die...
    Why?
    Because watchmen
    did not blow trumpet.
    Why didn’t they
    blow trumpet?
    Is it because
    they didn’t see army coming?
    NO!!!
    They knew army coming...
    They didn’t blow
    because:
    sleeping
    lazy
    didn’t believe
    too distracted
    etc.
    Put more simply
    they had not zeal
    for their job.
    What is missing?
    Truth?
    No!
    They have truth!
    Yet proclaim nothing!
    Why?
    They don’t have
    love of the truth.
    transformation.
    Spiritual power.
    Solution???
    Spiritual power.
    Let me give you
    a good example.
    Jesus returns to
    region of Decapolis
    heals deaf/mute.
    After...
    Mark 7:36 ESV
    And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.
    He said,
    Don’t blow trumpet yet...
    They ignored command!!!
    They just couldn't obey!
    They were compelled
    to blow trumpet!!!
    Why?
    They knew:
    This Jesus had
    not just changed
    life of deaf/mute man.
    Jesus had changed
    their lives too.
    they believed
    sharing this truth would
    change everyone's lives
    for good.
    They simply couldn't
    stop themselves
    from proclaiming
    they good news.

    Appeal

    We have good news
    Called the everlasting gospel.
    This truth leads to
    eternal life.
    escape from sin.
    transformed life.
    Let us first
    experience it
    and
    share it!
    Hymn -  368 - Watchman, Blow the Gospel Trumpet
    Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5 Number Thirty-One—Testimony for the Church

    The responsibility of the watchmen of today is as much greater than in the days of the prophet as our light is clearer and our privileges and opportunities greater than theirs.

      • Ezekiel 33:1–6NKJV

      • Ezekiel 33:1–2NKJV

      • Matthew 24:21NKJV

      • Ezekiel 33:1–2NKJV

      • Ezekiel 33:3NKJV

      • Isaiah 6:9–10NKJV

      • Matthew 15:14NKJV

      • John 9:39NKJV

      • John 9:41NKJV

      • Isaiah 6:9–10NKJV

      • Ezekiel 33:2–3NKJV

      • Ezekiel 33:4NKJV

      • Ezekiel 33:4NKJV

      • Ezekiel 33:4–5NKJV

      • Ezekiel 33:6NKJV

      • Acts 12:19NKJV

      • Ezekiel 33:6NKJV

      • Ezekiel 33:7–8NKJV

      • Ezekiel 33:9NKJV

      • Ezekiel 33:9NKJV

      • Mark 7:36NKJV

  • Watchman, Blow the Gospel Trumpet
  • The Nativity Song
  • Away in a Manger
  • Sing for the King
  • Starlight - Children's Christmas Song
  • If I Were There
  • Prince of Peace Song
  • Let There Be Peace On Earth
Auburn SDA Church
29 members • 12 followers