Are You God’s Watchman?

The title today, Are You God's Watchmen? The subtitle, The Watchmen's Message. The inspired word of God has a lot to say about the role of the watchman and the individual responsibility that we all have in watching and being ready for Judgment Day. Judgment Day may come for you a lot sooner than you think. It may come for you tonight, and it may come next week, or it may come when Christ returns. Who knows when Christ will return? Who knows when we shall die? In Bible times, a watchman was usually seated in a tower or on a high hill, and he could see a far-off for miles and warn the people at the sign of any impending danger or doom that might be able, that someone might launch against the nation. The kings of Israel would place watchmen at these places, so the enemy would not come upon them unawares. Are we aware of Satan's devices? One place in Paul's epistles, he says, we're not we're not unaware of his devices, but sometimes I wonder if we really are aware of his devices. In like manner, God also sent prophets to Israel to serve as watchmen and warned them of God's judgment if they did not repent and turn to him with their whole heart. The role of the watchman was a weighty responsibility that required great courage and fortitude to be able to warn the people of what was going to happen if they did not repent. Let us note the inspired words of the prophet Ezekiel in Ezekiel 33. Back in the day in the late 50s and early 60s, I started listening to a world tomorrow broadcast.

It was introduced by Art Gilmore and his rich voice that we'll talk about in just a moment.

During that time, Mr. Armstrong was covering the book of Ezekiel, and he said that he was a watchman to the nation of Israel and talked about how Ezekiel's message had not been delivered in modern times. So we are in Ezekiel 33 and verse 1. Again, the word of the Eternal came unto me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of your people and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coast and set him for their watchman, if when he sees the sword come upon the land, he blows the trumpet and warns the people, then whosoever hears the sound of the trumpet and takes not warning if the sword come and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. So it was a waiting responsibility. It was like a life and death matter for the watchman who was set in a tower upon a hill afar off to see the enemy coming and to warn the people. What about us? Have we seen the enemy? Do we know that he is after us? He seeks to destroy us. He'd rather see us dead than any other thing that you could possibly think of. He wants to thwart God's plan. He heard the sound of the trumpet and took not warning, his blood shall be upon him. That's whosoever hears it and doesn't take heed. Verse 6, 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, his lawlessness. He said, I've got it made in his heart. He may not have said that out loud, but by his actions what he really believed and what he thought was manifest by what he did. But his blood will I require at the watchman's hand. So the watchman had a life and death responsibility to warn the people. The warning was usually given first to the king and then to the princes of the land, the governors, and so on down. The message generally had four parts. Listen to the parts. Their sins were graphically explained and laid before them as in Isaiah 58 verses 1 and 2. Blow the trumpet and Zion. Sound the alarm.

And if you don't sound the alarm, then the blood is upon your head. I'm loosely paraphrasing Isaiah 58 verses 1 and 2. So the first part was warning to repent.

And the sins were described of what they were doing. Then secondly, as I mentioned, they called to repentance of their sins and turned with their whole heart to God. Thirdly, the impending punishment if they did not repent. And then fourth, oftentimes, generally in every one of the so-called minor prophets, restoration is promised at the end or somewhere in the letter or in the book to those who did not, to those who would repent and the restoration of Israel. Of course, the great restoration chapters given in Zechariah chapter 8 of what's going to happen at the beginning of the millennium. The church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. Now let's read that from Ephesians 9. I'm sorry, Ephesians 2 and verse 9. To begin with, Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 9. To begin with, Ephesians 2. In Ephesians 2 and verse 9. And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world had been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ. To the intent that now unto the Prince of Palaces and powers and heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God. There's a hymn called the wisdom of God. It's a wonderful thing, the wisdom of God. You see, Christ came to reveal the Father. He came also to reveal a big part of the plan of salvation. The apostle Peter even talks about the angels' desire to look into this great plan that God has for humanity. Now we see what we said earlier with regard to the church and what is built upon in Ephesians chapter 2 continuing in verse 20.

Well, let's read 19 as well. Now therefore you are no more stranger than foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and the household of God. So Ephesus was one of the chief pagan centers of worship in the whole world at that time. It was sort of the Las Vegas of the Mediterranean world and the people would go there to Ephesus to live it up as they go to Las Vegas now to live it up. And basically the clientele there were Gentiles, not Jews. There were some Jews there. So it says, citizens with the saints and of the household of God. So regardless of whether you are Jew or Gentile, this message is for you and are built upon the foundation, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, fitly framed together, grows unto a holy temple of the Lord, in whom you are also built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit. So those of you who have been baptized, have repented of your sins, exercised faith in the sacrifice of Christ, received the Holy Spirit through laying out of hands. You are part of that temple, whether you be Jew or whether you be Gentile, you're part of that spiritual building. Now Jesus Christ was the greatest prophet and apostle of all. Remember the title of the sermon is, Are You One of God's Messengers? and the warning message. So in Hebrews chapter 3 and verse 1, we're going to read here how that Jesus Christ was the chief prophet and apostle from the beginning of the church. Remember in Matthew 16, he said, and I will build my church upon this rock, peach or big rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. So in Ephesians chapter 3, I'm in chapter 2 and verse, I'll get it right in a minute, Hebrews chapter 3 and verse 1. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our profession Christ Jesus. After Jesus Christ was crucified, resurrected, and ascended back to heaven, he took his place at the right hand of the Father as our high priest, making intercession for us. Who was faithful to him that appointed him as also Moses was faithful in his house. Jesus Christ so much more. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he has built the house as more honor than the house. And so Jesus Christ, I will build my church. I will build my temple. We are the temple of God and God's Spirit dwells in us. And Moses was faithful in his house as a servant for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after. But Christ as a son over his own house, whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope, the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. So we are of that household, with Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. And this, of course, is a spiritual house that Christ is building.

See, my notes are out of order here. I'll get them back in order in a second.

So after Jesus was baptized, we're going back now and picking up where he started his earthly ministry. After Jesus was baptized, a voice from heaven said, lighting on him as a form of a dove and a voice from heaven saying, this is my beloved son in whom I will please. Now, after this, we'll turn back now to Matthew 4 and verse 3. Matthew 4 and verse 3. Jesus Christ was led away into the wilderness and he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. And Satan, the great tempter, came unto him. And so, once again, the title of the sermon are you God's watchmen. Notice what Christ's response was to the devil.

I think I said Matthew 3, but I want Matthew 4. Matthew 4 and verse 3. And when the tempter, Satan the devil, came to him, he said, if you be the Son of God, see, he was testing what the voice from heaven said to him after he was baptized. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. So Satan said, okay, I'm going to test out whether or not he is really the Son of God. If you be the Son of God, if you be the Son of God, command these stones be made bread.

But he answered and said, it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. So you know that the message of the watchman would be based on the Word of God. Later, another temptation, verse 7, in the same answer, it is written again, you shall not tempt the Lord your God. And of course, you are to look to verse 10. Then said Jesus unto him, get you hence Satan, for it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.

So the worship of God and being filled with the Scripture was a part of being, or is a part of being, the great messenger and of the message. After John was put in prison, Jesus began his earthly ministry and preaching.

So let's note one of the greatest prophecies of the whole Bible in Malachi 3 and verse 1. Malachi 3, the last book in the Old Testament, Malachi 3 and verse 1. There are five messengers that are mentioned in the Malachi, Malachi himself, the priest, Elijah to come, Jesus Christ, and well, John the Baptist and Jesus Christ.

In Malachi 3 and verse 1, Behold, I will send my messenger. See, are you one of God's messengers? God sent the greatest messenger of all. He sent Jesus Christ, and he shall prepare the way before me, and the Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in.

Behold, he shall come, says the Lord of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appears, for he is like a refiner's fire and like fuller soap? And it goes on to describe what's that like.

Now we go to Mark, and Mark begins his gospel with a take-off from Malachi chapter 3 with what Jesus came and preaching. So Mark chapter 1 and verse 1. So Mark begins his gospel based on what we just read from Malachi chapter 3. The beginning of the gospel, or the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as it is written in the prophets, and the Malachi we just read it, as it's written, we could say, as it's written in Malachi, behold, I send my messenger before your face, and he shall prepare the way before you.

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare you the way, prepare you the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And so we are in that role today, that we are to cry aloud, spare not, and show the people the way to true repentance, and what a true repentance is all about. Now what did Jesus Christ preach? What was his message? What was the message of the messenger? We look at verse 14, and after John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand, repent you, and believe the gospel.

So time after time, Jesus Christ emphasized repentance, and so did the apostles. The message of the watchman will to a large degree depend upon the watchman's worldview and his view of what his mission is. We have been called, not just for salvation, as we have heard so often, we have been called to take this message to the whole world. Go, you therefore, into all the world. Teach all nations to observe all things, and lo, I am with you even to the end of the of the age.

So Jesus preached the coming kingdom of God. What did Jesus say about the kingdom, or when it would come? When is the kingdom going to come? In John 18 36, he declares that his kingdom is not of this present age. John 18 and verse 36. In John 18 verse 36, Jesus answered, my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews, but now is my kingdom not from here. So the kingdom is a coming, as the song goes, it is a coming, and we need to get ready for the kingdom to come. This present evil age is going to come to a screeching halt, and Judgment Day is coming for all nations. And as I said at the beginning, Judgment Day may come for any one of us tonight. We don't know when we're going to be called away from this life, awaiting the time of the resurrection for that age to come in which God will establish his kingdom. The churches of God today are largely the fruit of a message that emphasized the world tomorrow. The booming voice of Art Gilmore proclaimed, Ambassador College and the worldwide Church of God presents the good news of the kingdom of God and the prophecies of the world tomorrow. Today we have a magazine and a television program titled Beyond Today. Once again, Jesus declared, My kingdom is not of this world else my servants would fight. You remember the old spiritual. The train is coming, brother get ready. The train is coming, brother get ready. Yes, indeed, the kingdom is a coming. The Old Testament and the New Testament are loaded with warnings to watch and be ready when the bridegroom knocks on your door. In fact, it's presented as a command. Let's go to Luke 21.36. You have those old scripture cards, those memorization cards. This was one of the memory cards that we emphasize so often back in the day, I guess they would say. In Luke 21, verse 36, watch you therefore and pray always that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of God. We're not going to stand before the Son of God collectively, but you will be called into an individual accounting. Now let's turn to Revelation 3 and verse 3. You could do a scriptural Revelation 3 and verse 3. You could do a search on any search engine of Bible nature or with a concordance. First of all, you can use the word watchman. You can use the word watch. In the Old Testament, it's generally watchman. In the New Testament, it's generally watch. We just read, watch and pray always, that you may be worthy to escape the things that are going to come upon the earth. In Revelation 3.3, the message to Sardis, remember therefore how you have received and heard and hold fast and repent. If therefore you shall not watch, I will come on you as a thief, and you shall not know the hour that I will come upon you. Now time after time in the New Testament, we define the commandment to be watchful in one of the principal places. And this place is a very comforting place.

In Scripture, let's turn to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, but at the times and seasons, brethren, you have no need that are right unto you. There was a sense of urgency in Paul's epistles, and of course, we know that 2 Thessalonians was written to somewhat settle the church down because false letters were being circulated as saying that the kingdom had already come. And I guess you conclude from that, you missed out too bad. But Paul sets them straight that the falling away had to come first. So we're 2,000 years approximately down the road from the time that Paul penned his epistles. The times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that are right unto you for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. And there are people who have spent a lifetime trying to figure out exactly when Christ is going to come. And some people have a graph laid out longer than this podium about when Christ is going to come and all the details. Yet the Scripture says he comes as a thief in the night. For when they shall say peace and safety, and they're not saying peace and safety right now, you're hearing the first part of Matthew 24 that you're hearing of wars and rumors of war and wars ever knocking on the door and war is raging in some parts of the earth already. But a peace is a coming, but it will be a pseudo-peace. When they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them and as a travail upon a woman with a child, and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overcome you as a thief. And I wonder if that is the case.

So some people are talking about there's a different spirit moving in the nation. Well, there I gave a sermon several months ago about the clash of two ideologies. We have the ideology of the left, we have the ideology of the right, and never the twain shall meet it appears. You know, some people talk about, well, if times get rough enough, people are going to turn to God. Well, even after the trumpet plagues began, as you read about in Revelation chapter 9, they begin with the trumpet plagues. And the last couple of verses there in chapter 9 says that, and they were repenting not of their sins, even though they were they were seeing and hearing about all of the things that were happening, especially to the environment, to the waters, and to the peoples of the land. But you, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. You are all the children of light and the children of the day. We're not of the night nor of darkness. Are we really turned on? Are we filled with zeal? Do we understand? Do we discern?

The signs of the times.

Therefore, do not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober. And that word sober actually means watchful. For they that sleep sleep in the night, and they that are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, watchful, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation. I talk about at times the great broad picture, the big picture burning brightly in your mind. What is that big picture? The big picture, of course, is a kingdom of God, and the kingdom is a coming. But notice this. See, hope, hope of salvation. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13, the last verse, 1313, that now buys these three faith, hope, and charity. The greatest of these is charity. In one place he writes that hope, you're saved by hope. Why do I have hope? Because I have faith. I believe that what God has said in his word is true, and I receive it not as the word of man.

It is the word of God that is being declared unto you, Sabbath after Sabbath, for God had not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore, comfort yourselves together and edify one another, even as you also do. Build each other up. Do not tear each other down. Do not run surveys to see who's just groanled. We know that Israel was one of the reasons why they went into captivity was because they murmured against God time after time. Concerning the state of the world, there are two basic views. One is the world is getting better and better. You'll hear that on the news, oh, we're not like we used to be.

And then you hear on the other hand, well, I wish we had to get old days again. I wish things were the way they used to be. Well, used to be is gone, but we have a choice whether we're going to be children of the day or children of the night. There are four basic ways that humans attain knowledge. Empiricism, that's knowledge through the five senses. Human experience, experiential knowledge. Human reasoning, putting two and two together. And revelation through the inspired word and spirit of God. What does God say about this world? Is the world getting better and better? Let's look at 2 Timothy 3.13, back a few pages. Sorry, back forward a few pages to 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 1.

2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 1. This notes also that in the last days perilous time shall come. Then it describes the various behaviors that are going on. Terrible things. It's like reading the front page of the paper. Papers are basically extinct today, gone out of style. And we get our news, if we have any news, from the television. I read an article in the last several hours in which they had this program going in Australia where there was a host. And the host ran six months through artificial intelligence. And the audience was not even aware that the host was not real.

And I told you about, there's on YouTube there are videos of Baron Trump singing all kind of religious songs. There are videos of Donald Trump and Baron Trump singing religious songs. It's got their picture imposed on their bodies, their faces, and they're singing these religious songs. It is unbelievable. It's scary. And they're talking about how artificial intelligence will be the undoing of humankind. So, brother, there is a lot to be concerned about in this world. And if we can't be awakened by what is happening, though, we do live in this little cocoon in which basically we are protected from what is really taking place in this world. Now verse 13, but evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. So is the world getting better? No. Indeed, it's not. The scripture says in the New Testament in the Gospels, as it were, in the days of Noah, so shall it be the coming of the Son of Man. In 1 John 2 and verse 15, forward a few pages to 1 John, one of the general epistles. John, the apostle, whom the Lord loved, to lean on his breasts during the Passover supper, 1 John 2, verse 15.

Which thou forsaken the right way, and now are gone astray, following the way of Balaam, the son of Bozor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness. But what's reviewed for his iniquity, the dumb donkey, speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest. I'm reading from Peter on 1 John 2, 1 John 2, 15. 1 John 2, 15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world are less of the flesh, the less of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the less thereof. But he that does the will of God abides forever. The watchman's message must be framed in a way that it challenges the mind and heart of the hearer.

Here's an example of a roadside warning. A driver was driving along the road, and there appeared a very noticeable sign saying, The end is near. A little father down the road, the sign read, The end is near, beware. He thought to himself, What kind of wacko put up these signs? A little farther, the sign read, You are much closer to the end. The end is nearer, and then suddenly, when it is too late, the sign read, Bridge out, but it was too late as he crashed into the water below. A simple sign stating, Bridge out two miles ahead, would have prevented the driver from crashing.

See how the message is framed means a lot to the way it's received and the way it's acted upon.

One could say it is a matter of semantics, but it goes way beyond semantics. The gospel message is a message of hope, with our hearts and minds fixed on the outcome, with the big picture burning brightly. Let's quickly note what the Apostle Paul says about hope. This 1 Corinthians 13, 13, which I've already quoted, now abides these three. It is preceded by whether there be prophecies and so on, and these two shall pass away. But these three things, faith, hope, and charity, will endure to the end, and charity is the greatest one of these. Both faith, hope, and charity looks to the past or the future. They look to the future. Hope should permeate, as we've read from 1 Thessalonians 5, 8, put on the helmet of salvation, which is hope, that hope of the big picture of God burning in our minds. The message must strike accord with the hearer in such a way that it shallons to the depth of his being as to whether these things be true. It is called the Berean attitude. It says in Acts 17, let's turn to Acts 17 and read that because a critical point with regard to rightly dividing the word of truth, there has to be the element of human reasoning based on the word of God. I said, human reasoning, maybe I should have just said, you have to reason based on the word of God. Not your reasoning, not just your thinking. Your reasoning has to be based on scripture.

So, Acts 17, verse 1. Now, when they had passed through Amphibilis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica. There was a synagogue there of the jeers, and Paul, as his manner was, went unto them in three Sabbath days, as his manner was, when did he meet?

On the Sabbath day. He reasoned with them out of the scriptures, opening in a legend that Christ's much needs have suffered and risen again from the dead, and that Jesus whom I preach unto you is Christ. And of course, some of them believed.

Later on in the chapter, it talks about the searching the scriptures daily, whether these things be true, and that's what we have to do. We have to reason apart from the wisdom of man, and through the wisdom of God, and through the scriptures. So, where did Paul go? He went to the marketplace. He went to where the people were. He challenged the philosophers on Mars Hill, the intellectuals of the day. He went to the synagogues. To people who were at least should be familiar with the prophecies concerning Jesus. And once again, note, he reasoned with them out of the scriptures. It is the Word of God and the Spirit of God that convicts a person of the truth.

Although I've been listening to the World Tomorrow broadcast for a couple of years, beginning somewhere around 5960, it was January and February of 1963. I was teaching and coaching in a high school in Winona, Mississippi.

And I really got down to very serious study. And I was teaching the teen Sunday school at morning and teaching what they call BTU Bible Training Union at night on Sunday night. But I was getting the literature now from the worldwide Church of God from Ambassador College. In my study, there were four questions, four themes, if you will, that were continually repeated. Why were you born? What do you mean, salvation? What is the kingdom of God? And what is true repentance? As I searched the scripture being guided by these booklets, I became convicted. So the message must challenge a person's belief system to the point that they're moved to open the Bible and see for themselves what it really says. Most people, this morning, our time around 2.33 o'clock a.m., the funeral of Pope Francis was held in the basilica in Rome. They have more than one basilica, whatever that is.

And they said that thousands upon thousands of people were there, plus those who were tuned in by television mainly, some maybe by radio. But the message must challenge a person's belief system to the point that they're moved to open the Bible and see what it really says. So virtually every person who picks up a Bible today, they go under the assumption that man has an immortal soul. That's not even a question to them. And they talk about the triune God. The triune God means Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all one, and they manifest themselves according to the situation. Well, the incarnation of Jesus Christ and the resurrection and the ascension back to heaven threw that into a cotat for anybody who has even remotely eyes to see, ears to hear. You do not have an immortal soul. And to say that you have an immortal soul is an affront to God. So you're challenging the very reason he came, and that is to bring everlasting life to those who believe in Jesus Christ and the total package that goes with it.

So the message must challenge a person's belief system to the point—this is the third time that we said this—that are moved to open the Bible and see for themselves what it really says. The message must have a sense of urgency. Remember the famous account of the handwriting on the wall in Daniel chapter 5? And Daniel in the build, Shazra saw this handwriting, and he was troubled by the handwriting. Many, many, Techo Eufarson. Finally, they called Daniel to interpret it, and Daniel said, here's what it means, O King. You have been weighed in the balance and found wanting, and tonight the kingdom is going to be rended from you, taken away from you, and be given to another. And that very night, the Medo-Persian army came in. Under the gates, they had drained the viaducts, the rivers, and came in under the gates into Babylon, and Bill Shazra was killed. The handwriting is on the wall.

And when was it? Today, tonight. You're going to have to give an account, Bill Shazra. Therefore, a sense of urgency must be a part of the message, for we never know when the bridegroom will knock on our door. Yeah, well, two thousand years down the road from Paul's epistles, when he wrote like in 1 Thessalonians that the time might be tonight, and for many of us, it might be tonight. Probably not, but it could be. A sense of urgency. We don't know when the bridegroom is going to knock on the door. We don't know where or how we shall draw our last breath. Let's look at Luke 12 and verse 16. Luke 12 and verse 16. Luke 12 and verse 16.

And he spoke a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentiful. And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do? Because I have no room where to bestow my fruits. What was me? And he said, This will I do. I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there will I bestow all my fruits and all my goods. And I will say to my soul, my being, my essence of my being, I will say to my soul, You have much goods, and You have laid up for many years. Take Your ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto Him, You fool, this night Your life essence shall be required of You. Then who shall these things be? Who's going to own it then? Which You have provided. So he that lays up treasure for himself and not rich toward God, He's going to pay the price, as did the rich man there.

This means that we must order our priorities right and must put first things first. I'm sure everybody in here basically can quote Matthew 633. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things should be added to you.

This means that we must order our priorities right and put first things first. The watchman must not get discouraged and quit because people do not respond. How many people respond to the message that goes out? Well, very few. Let's go back to Ezekiel 33 once again. Hopefully this can never be said of us. In Ezekiel 33, beginning in verse 30.

Also the Son of Man, the children of your people still are talking against you by the walls, and that more properly translated about you by the walls, and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you and hear what is the word that comes forth from the Lord. Well, some may say, Well, let's go hear that main babbler today. I bet he doesn't have anything to say. It'd be the same old, same old.

That's not the way that God looks at it, and we should not look at it that way either. And they say, Come unto you as the people comes. They sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but they will not do them, for with their mouth they shall show much love. But their heart goes after their covetousness. Of course, covetousness is called idolatry in the scripture. And lo, you are unto them as a very lovely song, of one that has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument. For they hear your words, but they do them not. And when this shall come to pass, lo, it will come. Then shall they know that a prophet has been among them.

So, brethren, we must not get discouraged and quit because people do what they do and respond the way they respond. We're all in the role of the watchman for our lives. It is so easy for the very body of Christ to lap into some kind of spiritual sleepwalk when they begin to take things easy and take things for granted. Oh, yes, we take things for granted. Get slack on Bible study, prayer, meditation. Let someone else think for us. The watchman that stands before you has the responsibility of crying aloud and sparing not, as it says in Isaiah 58. But the listener has the responsibility to watch for himself when all is said and done. It will be you standing for the judgment seat of Christ. Each one of us was entered into the covenant of sacrifices daily standing before the judgment seat of Christ, as it says in 1 Peter 4, 17. Judgment is now upon the house of God. The books are open to us and we are without excuse.

We need to understand our personal responsibility. Once we have tasted a good gift, there is no turning back to the way of the world.

Yes, the watchman has responsibility, but we also have the responsibility of striving to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Remember when Satan came to Jesus Christ as we read from Matthew 4? When the tempter came, Jesus' response was, for it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Let's note now Ezekiel 9. Turn back a few pages. We're talking about now personal responsibility. For you to be a watchman.

In Ezekiel 9, he cried also in my ears with a loud voice, verse 1. He cried in my ear, saying, cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, so all the leadership, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand, and behold, six men came from the way of the inner gate, higher gate, which lies toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand, and one man among them was clothed with linen, where the rider's acorn by his side. And they went in and stood beside the brazen altar. You won't hear this passage of Scripture read tomorrow. In the churches of the land. No, they will avoid this like the plague. And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the carom, whereupon he was to the threshold of the house, and he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the rider's acorn by his hand. And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. And to the others, he said, In mine hearing go you after him through the city, and smite, let not your eyes spare, neither have you pity, slay utterly old and young, both maids and little children and women. But come not near any man upon whom is the mark, and began at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men, which were before the house. Of course, one account in Ezekiel talks about the ancient men looking at the rising sun and doing the sunrise service, as they call it.

So the ministry strives to serve as a watchman for your life essence, your eternal life, brethren. That's what's at stake. It's very serious business. I stand before you, Sabbath after Sabbath, and hope and pray that we are opening our hearts and minds to God's truth and that you are internalizing it and acting upon it.

One final verse. Hear the words of Christ. This is Revelation 3.20. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him and will sup with him and he with me. And the Scripture says, today if you would hear your voice, or his voice, today if you would hear his voice, harden at your heart.