The Burden of a Watchman

Intro

Text - Luke 21.34-36

Luke 21:34–36 NKJV

34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Title - The Burden of a Watchman

Background

Jesus was giving His discourse on end-time events

He exhorts His disciples to watch and pray

The Main Point

Watching and praying should be the most important activity for Christian in the end-time

“that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things”

to escape - to avoid

counted worthy - have the strength to escape

watch therefore and pray!

Watching is no longer a communal responsibility

of one person for the sake of a city, village, family

Jesus makes watching a “personal responsibility”!

every disciple must first of all wath over his/her own faith

Sermon Points

Responsiblities of a Watchman

The burden to speak the truth

Ezekiel 3:17–20 NKJV

17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: 18 When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. 20 “Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.

the watchman has a reponsibility to speak God’s word, whether people will receive them or not

The burden to discern activities

Illustration

2 Samuel 18.24-27 - David’s watchman knows how to read people from afar

Ezekiel 33:1–4 NKJV

1 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, 3 when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, 4 then 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.

Illustration

Isaiah 21.5-10

The burden to understand the time

watchmen are especially appointed to read the time for the people of the city

Isaiah 21:11–12 NKJV

11 The burden against Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?” 12 The watchman said, “The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; Return! Come back!”

The End-time Watchman

Jesus taught His disciples how to “watch and pray”

A watchman looks up - to God’s redemption

Luke 21:25–28 NKJV

25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

a watchman looks for “signs” around and observes everything that is happening

Example - a security guard

a watchman’s ultimate goal is to see the Lord coming in His glory!

Jewish believers looked forward to the Messiah’s arrival

early Christians anticipated the Lord’s return

a faithful and wise servant works in anticipation of his mater’s return

Matthew 24:45–51 NKJV

45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

A watchman knows - the Scripture

Luke 21:29–31 NKJV

29 Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. 31 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.

a watchman wants to “know what the Scriptures says”

EXAMPLE - what does the Scripture say about -

this coronavirus disease pandemic

the USA

NOTE - ON CORONAVIRUS

Revelation 6:7–8 NKJV

7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.

the pale horse rider is called “death” followed by “hades”

they are given power to kill a fourth of the earth - by sword, hunger, death (plague, pestilence), by the “beasts of the earth”

25% of human population is up to 2 billion!

beasts - animal-borne diseases

plague - pandemics

[SEE ILLUSTRATION - PANDEMICS OF THE 20TH CENTURY]

See - Ezekiel 14.12-23

when God judges sin, one man’s righteousnes CANNOT save others!

God mentions 4 severe judgments

God comforts a “remnant”!

See - Leviticus 26.21-22 - God sends wild beasts

rob you of children,

destroy livestock,

make you few in number,

make your highways desolate

A watchman takes heed pays attention to himself

Luke 21:34–36 NKJV

34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

take heed means “to beware”

a watchman is watchful of his own actions, in connection with the coming of Christ (that Day)

Conclusion

Watchfulness is the “new attitude” we all must learn.

Respect the “watchmen” of our time, and learn from them

Hebrews 13.17

Be a watchman or watcher for your family, for yourself

observe the world around

know your Bible

beware of your actions, way of life

watch and pray!

we have one goal - TO HAVE THE STRENGTH TO ESCAPE ALL THESE THINGS AND TO STAND BEFORE THE SON OF MAN!