Lesson Three: “God’s warning about warning”

Text: Ezekiel 3:15-19

Intro: Last week we saw that the Old Testament prophets were "missionaries" to Israel and other nations. Jeremiah 26:4-5. Isaiah said, "here am I send me"; Jeremiah said, “I tried to quit but could not"; and today we see that Ezekiel "stood in the gap." Ezekiel 22:30. Note: God calls Ezekiel the same title that Jesus refers to Himself: Son of man.

1. God made, called, Ezekiel to be a watchman. Ezekiel 3:17a. In the Old Testament God called specific prophets to be watchmen as previously stated.

• God told Ezekiel to warn the people. Ezekiel 3:17b. Not an easy calling.

• God told Ezekiel that he was accountable to warn the wicked. Ezekiel 3:18

• God told Ezekiel that if he warned the people he would be "free." Ezekiel 3:19

• God told Ezekiel to also warn the righteous. Ezekiel 3:20-21. This can be harder than warning the wicked. See 1 John 5:16

• Ezekiel had an awesome responsibility. Ezekiel 22:30; 24:24

2. God has always made a way for mankind to be spared = forgiven. Hebrews 9:20

• The Old Testament believers were in the dispensation of atonement. Hebrews 10:3-4

• The New Testament believers are in the dispensation of justification. Hebrews 9:12; Romans 4:25; 1 Peter 1:19; Revelation 1:5

• The Old Testament believers were under the law. Romans 8:3

• The New Testament believers are under grace. Romans 6:1, 15, 18

3. God calls every believer in the New Testament dispensation to warn the lost. John 15:16

• Jesus sends us into the world. John 17:18

• We are to warn, tell, everyone. Mark 16:15

• The church is to go warn all the world. Acts 1:8

• Someone is begging us to warn the lost. Luke 16:27-28

• We also will give an account. Acts 20:26-27 = Paul understood the Implications of Ezekial 3:18. Wow!

Conclusion: If these truths don't motivate us to do missions, what will?