Church Sermon - September 4, 2005

Rev. Bernt P. Tweit

Epistle Lesson; Romans 13:1-10
Gospel Lesson; Matthew 18:15-20
Sermon Text; Ezekiel 33:7-11

If you look at the picture on the front of our bulletin this morning, you will see a picture of a watchtower. This watchtower is one that has been preserved. It is a watchtower that was used back in the 1900’s in the forests of northern Wisconsin, Minnesota, Washington, Oregon, and California.

Lookout towers were very critical, back in those days. These lookout towers stood one hundred feet above the ground. It was a very small room, just seven feet by seven feet. And, inside of that 49 square foot structure, a person could stand or sit, and see out of the windows, as they look out in every direction.

Whenever a watchman saw smoke, the watchman was to radio the dispatcher, so that people could be sent out to suppress that fire. For, wherever there is smoke, there is fire. The job of the watchman was very critical.

Now let’s say that the watchman fell asleep. While the watchman slept, smoke began to rise and that fire got out of control. Whose fault would it be, if that watchman didn’t sound the alarm? It would be the watchman’s fault of course.

Let’s say that the watchman did his job. He saw smoke rising and he called the dispatcher. Let’s say the dispatcher said, "No, there simply could not be a fire there."

Now, whose fault would it be? It would not be the watchman’s fault, because he did the job of warning the people.

That is the introduction I had prepared over a week ago for my sermon, but in light of our current events that happened this past week, with Hurricane Katrina, I want to add this introduction, as well.

Up to this point, in the Gulf of Mexico, hurricanes that have come through that area have been compared to Hurricane Camille that came through in 1969.

Hurricane Camille came ashore in Pass Christian, Mississippi. On the evening before Hurricane Camille landed, the police chief, from Pass Christian, Mississippi, went along the Gulf Coast, warning people about the impending dangers of Hurricane Camille. The police chief’s name was Jerry Peralta. As he came to the downtown, plush hotel, in his city of Pass Christian, he noticed that there were 20 people who had gathered together for a hurricane party. He warned them to leave. Hurricane Camille was right on their doorstep. Those people said that they were not going to leave. They were going to ride out the storm and party through it.

He took down all of their names and wrote down their next of kin. Just a few hours later, as Hurricane Camille came ashore, that three-story hotel was gone. All that was left was the foundation. Those people all perished.

The police chief had done his job, he warned the people of the impending danger, but they simply didn’t listen to him.

Today it is us who have been called to be watchmen. We are to be like that person standing out in that lookout tower. We are to be like Police Chief Jerry Peralta.

That is the very first thing that God tells Ezekiel, as He calls him to be a watchman. He says, "Hear the word I speak."

As watchmen, we are to know what it is that God is saying to us. And, as watchmen, we are to know what it is that God presents to us in His Word. That goes all the way back to the day of our baptism. In our baptismal text, we are told to be watchmen, as we listen to the Word of the LORD. For, it says that we should be brought up in the true knowledge and worship of God, be taught the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and the Lord’s Prayer. And, as we grow in years, we receive the Holy Scriptures that we may grow up to live a godly life, to the praise and honor of Jesus Christ.

As watchmen, as we hear the Word of the LORD, we are to know what God’s Word simply says - to know the Ten Commandments, because the Ten Commandments tell us what we are to do and what not to do. It sharpens our conscious. We are to know the Lord’s Prayer and to know what it means. And, we are to know the Apostles Creed, because in the Apostles Creed, we are reminded that God, our Heavenly Father, created us. We are reminded that Jesus is true God and true Man. And that He went to the cross for us. Through His suffering, death and resurrection, we have the forgiveness of sins. And also, we are reminded of the Holy Spirit - the One who brings us to faith through His Word, through baptism, and through the Lord’s Supper.

As watchmen we are called to listen to the Word of the Lord. Now notice, the title given to Ezekiel, as he is called to be a watchman. He is called, "son of man." Ninety-three times in the book of Ezekiel, God calls Ezekiel "son of man." Every time God called Ezekiel that, it was to be a reminder to him of who he was. He was a son of man. His parents gave birth to flesh. Flesh gives birth to flesh. It was Ezekiel’s sinful parents who conceived and bore a sinner. Every time God called Ezekiel that, he was to be reminded that he was a sinner, who by the grace of God had been called to faith, in the promise of the coming Messiah.

You and me, as watchmen, are also called sons and daughters of men. Through those words God is reminding us, who it is that we are. It is our sinful parents who conceived and gave birth to sinful human beings. And it is only by the grace of God that Holy Spirit has called us to faith, to believe in Jesus, as our Savior, through His Word, through baptism, and through the Lord’s Supper.

We have been called to be watchmen, may we first of all listen and hear the Word of the LORD, as God speaks to us in His Word.

Remember the job of the watchmen in the lookout tower. It was to look for smoke and to warn others about it. Remember the job of Police Chief Gerry Peralta, in Pass Christian, Mississippi. He came and warned the people of the danger of Hurricane Camille. That is also what we have been called to do, as well. That is why God has raised up pastors to be watchmen. That is why God has raised up parents, grandparents, and children to be watchmen, so that we point out sin, so that instead of walking away from the cross of Christ, we walk back into the loving arms of Christ at the cross.

Martin Luther, as he was talking about this section of scripture said to pastors, "If you are in the ministry, and you see that you have rascals, and fornicators, adulters and robbers in your parish, you must say, ‘since this is my duty I will point out sins to peasants and noblemen, and rebuke them for these, without paying attention to their complaints when they say, ‘look here. You are defaming me.’ For if I held back, I would make myself guilty of your sin. Why should I go to hell for you?’"

Yes, we are all called to be watchmen. It is our right and our duty, out of love, to point out sin, as people are erring.

It is here in this beautiful section of scripture that God reminds all of us what His Will is for all people. In verse eleven God gives us an Old Testament command of love, which He also shares with us in the New Testament. Here in verse eleven, God says, "As surely as I live, 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."

In the New Testament, God said the very same thing in 1 Timothy 2:4. He says, "God wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

It is God who has called us to be watchmen. We are watchmen who warn other people to repent and to turn from their sinful ways. As we do that, and as people point out my sin as well, that is God’s Will for His children. May we turn from those sinful ways that we are clinging to. May we turn around and run back into His loving arms, knowing that is the very reason why He went to the cross for us. Through His shedding of His blood, our sins are freely and graciously forgiven.

Therefore my dear Christian brothers and sisters in Christ, I close with words that Paul once shared with a young pastor Timothy that are also good for us to hear as well. "Watch your life and doctrine closely. Preserve in them, because if you do, you save both yourself and your hearers."

God grant this unto all of us for Jesus’ sake.

Amen.

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