THE MOUTHPIECE OF GOD
Ezekiel 33:1-11
The Church of Jesus Christ has been ordained by God to administer God's means of grace to the people of God.
God's means of grace are several, but 2 aspects of His means of grace are particularly identified as ordinances that are reserved for the ministry of the church. They are the Word and the Sacraments.
Our understanding of God’s means of grace will have its effect upon those who gather to worship the true and living God.
God calls the pastor of the church for the express purpose of preaching the Word and administering the Sacraments. As a shepherd over God's flock the pastor is accountable to God for the spiritual nurture and growth of every member.
The pastor's preaching and teaching ministry will be one of the primary means to accomplish that nurture and growth.
The text I’ve chosen for this occasion is an account of Ezekiel's commission as a watchman.
In the O. T. a watchman may serve in one of several capacities. Watchmen were stationed on city walls so they could alert the city if hostile action threatened the city.
Watchmen were also appointed to watch over fields and vineyards during the time of harvest.
The prophets used the term "watchman" as an allegorical device to describe a prophet as a watchman for God. It was the duty of the watchman to announce to the people of God either good news or impending doom as the case may be..
The prophet Ezekiel was commissioned a watchman for the house of
Ezekiel spoke words of hope concerning the restoration of the O. T. saints to the land of their forefathers.
Ezekiel also spoke words of judgment to the O.T. saints in exile. His warning was: turn now to the Lord, because God delighted in those who turned from sin.
Ezekiel's words are as fresh as this mornings news paper and we need to hear afresh the word of God delivered from the mouthpiece of God.
The mouthpiece of God must announce to the people of God the law and the gospel for the benefit of their own spiritual nurture and growth.
The evangelical church is at a point of crisis. All too often the shepherds are slumbering and not watching for the wolves as they subtly come into and separate the flock.
The necessity imposed on ministers to proclaim the whole counsel of God is not to be taken lightly by the pastor or the congregation.
Whole counsel = regulative principle = sola scriptura
If the minister neglects God's mandate the consequences are twofold.
1. The person whom he neglects to warn will perish.
Ez. 33:7 - "I have made you a watchman for th house of
2. If the minister neglects God's mandate, the minister himself will be dealt with as the author of that sinner's destruction.
If the minister neglects to warn the people we find that the sinners's blood will be required at the ministers hand.
The responsibility placed on the watchman is a profound obligation.
The apostle Paul sheds light on the gravity of preaching in 2 Cor. 2:12-17
I cannot stress enough the emphasis that God the Father through the Holy Scripture by the power of the Holy Spirit places on the preaching of the word.
Examples:
Gal. 1:9 - if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.
Phil.
Too much preaching today is a fake..........
God's call to preach will be accompanied by
proper preparation, sincerity toward the word, and humility
God has given the church pastors and teachers to preach the Word of God
1) to add to the church - evangelism
2) to build up the body of Christ
-exhortation and edification
The purpose of preaching is to examine the truth of the Word of God
2) is to accomphish God's plan for the human race
Calvin says that the Bible teaches that the issue of our preaching is well-pleasing to God.
Preaching the word of God has a fragrance. To some it smells bad and to others it smells good. Likewise with God.
Do you love the preaching of the Word of God and how it builds you up and strengthens your life?
Do you despise the Word of God and how it deals with sin in your life?
The watchman must be a man of diligence, courage, intelligence and loyalty, so that the watchman can be faithful
as God's mouthpiece.
I. How must God's mouthpiece speak to God's people?
II. How must God's mouthpiece be heard by God's people?
The answer to the 1st question is found in the found in vs. 7.
"I have made you a watchman for the house of
God's mouthpiece in our text received his words directly from God by inspiration.
The only way your minister can preach sound doctrine is to consult the word of God.
Unfortunately there are many a preacher today who consults the enticing words of man's wisdom to preach the word of God.
Remember what God said to Ezekiel: "Warn them for Me"
Preaching and teaching the word of God must not be intermingled with "persuasive words of human wisdom" so says the Apostle Paul and he goes on to say that preaching must be of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
The pastors that are called to labor in the ministry of the Word, are to:
1. Preach sound doctrine
2. Preach diligently (carefully and painstakingly)
3. In season and out of season (eukairws) every opportunity
4. Preach in demonstration of the Spirit and power
5. Preach faithfully (forget the audience)
6. Preach the whole counsel of God
7. Preach wisely (for salvation and sanctification)
8. Preach to the necessities and capacities of the hearer
9. Preach zealously
10. Preach with fervent love to God and the souls of His people ( 2 Cor.
11. Preach sincerely
12. Preach, aiming at God's glory
13. Preach for the conversion, edification and salvation of the souls of God's elect.
There you have the answer to the question: How must God's mouthpiece speak to God's people?
The next question we must ask is:
How must God's mouthpiece be heard by God's people?
"Whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away his blood shall be on his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning" (Ez. 33:4,5).
The trumpet allegorically represents the law and the gospel.
The law is needed to show man his sin and the gospel is needed to save man from his sin.
The function of the Hebrew verb ____________ translated "he heard" may be either a completed action or an instantaneous action.
The context makes me believe that the sound was instantaneously impressive and even startling.
So how is the mouthpiece of God to be heard?
Q. 160 - What is required of those that hear the Word preached?
1. They must attend upon the preaching with diligence.
2. They must prepare for the preaching of the word of God.
3. They must attend the preaching prayerfully.
4. They must examine what they hear by the Scriptures
5. They must receive the truth with faith, love, meekness
and readiness of mind
6. They must meditate and confer upon the preaching
7. They must hide the preaching in their hearts.
8. They must bring forth the fruit of the preaching in their liv
The vows of the Lord are upon us. How have we fulfilled them?
The minister is appointed by God to watch over the souls committed to his charge.
If he faithfully and fearfully fulfills his responsibility as a mouthpiece for God, then God's people are obligated to received and take pleasure in the doctrine of the true and living God.
God's watchmen must be prepared to be God's mouthpiece.
God's mouthpiece must have a passion for being reformed by the word of God and those who hear from God must have a passion to be reformed.
Do you have that passion?
Amen
