Are you a Watchman?
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· 33 viewsA watchman is a true follower of Christ. Someone who dedicated to His purposes and unwavering in their faith.
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Transcript
A pastor was walking down the street one beautiful day when he noticed a very small boy trying to press a doorbell on a house across the street. But the doorbell was too high for the little boy to reach.
The pastor decided he should lend a hand. So he crosses the street, goes up to the house and rings the doorbell.
He bends down to the little boys level, smiles and asks, “And what do you say now, little man?”
The little boy said, “Now we run!”
Things are not always what they appear!
It would appear that things are a bit chaotic in the world we live in right now. When we turn on the news channel, listen to the radio, check our social media we are bombarded with problems. I wondered to myself the other day how many times over this last year I heard the word “covid”. It’s enough times that I would be just fine never hearing it again!
There are so many political issues, opinions, ideas, and perspectives out there that it’s hard to know what to believe anymore. In fact, it can feel so overwhelming at times that we just don’t want to hear anymore or see anymore.
When difficult times come we have an opportunity to think about God. To ask, “God, what’s going on? Are you seeing what I am seeing? Is this all part of your plan?” All too often people question God and look for the answers in all the wrong places. We do a google search, we talk to friends, we can even make the mistake of doing everything except for turning to the foundation of truth…the Word of God.
If ever there was a time that we needed to know if God is in control, it’s now. We need to know how WE are to act or react to the things that are going on around us right now.
I want to tell you today, in case you didn’t know, something is happening behind the scenes.
Things are not as they appear.
God is NOT defeated. Jesus is STILL King. The enemy is NOT gaining ground against the Kingdom of God. The church is NOT dying. True believers are NOT backing down.
OUR church is not giving up. How could we? We are THE light in the darkness. We have the way, the truth, the life that the world desperately needs.
It may appear that the world doesn’t want what we have, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need it.
Just because my daughters don’t like taking medicine doesn’t mean that I’m going to stop giving it to them and let them stay sick!
When Jesus was eating with the scum of the earth and the pharisees questioned Him, He reminded them that the healthy don’t need a doctor, the sick do! (Matthew 9:12)
No, things aren’t as they appear. When we look at our world we should not be discouraged or upset - we should see opportunity!
You see, it’s a matter of perspective. We should see the world through the eyes of the Father. Instead of frustration we should feel compassion.
Over the next weeks we are going to preach a series of sermons about what it means to be a Watchman in the Kingdom of God. Here’s one of our key scriptures:
7 “So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me.
God, throughout history, has called on His people to be Watchmen.
We are to keep watch, to peer into the distance, to observe, and we are called to stand for what is true.
We must never waiver from our post.
We are called to sound the alarm and warn people when they are going astray because we are motivated by the love of Christ which creates in us a desire to love others.
We have a job to do in this world. We aren’t living now by accident. God has appointed us to be here now. His chosen people.
His chosen watchman.
A watchman is a true follower of Christ. Someone who is dedicated to His purposes and unwavering in their faith.
Today I want to ask three questions that will help identify if we are Watchmen for God.
I believe this is a message of Hope. We have a reason to have joy in the midst of what seems to be chaos.
Before I get to the first question I want to take you to the Bible. Right before Jesus was taken as a prisoner He took His disciples to a garden to pray. Let’s read from Matthew 26
36 Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.”
37 He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed.
38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
39 He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
40 Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour?
41 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”
42 Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.”
43 When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open.
44 So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again.
45 Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46 Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”
Here’s the first question I want to ask today...
Are you Awake?
Are you Awake?
Jesus went to the garden to pray. He was about to endure the cross and take on the sin of all generations. He said His soul was CRUSHED with grief. Which meant He was extremely burdened and sad for the lost world.
This is a critical point in the life of Christ. Up until this time He was celebrated as a healer, teacher, maybe even regarded the Messiah, but it was all about to go the way He knew it would.
Hundreds of years before Jesus was born it was prophesied that the true Messiah was going to pay the ultimate price.
3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
Jesus knew these scriptures. He would have memorized them and even taught from them in the synagogue. Jesus knew that in order to fulfill the plan that was set in motion to restore humanity that He would have to humble himself, take up the cross, and die a criminals death.
He was in the garden praying. He was in torment over the state of the world. He made a decision that He would willingly lay His life down for the sake of the world. It was the only way to make sinners righteous.
21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
This is the gospel. This is important. This is why we are here today. We should never diminish the decision Jesus made in the garden that evening. He could have said no. He could have returned to heaven and left us alone. But He chose to love the unlovable.
Our only responsibility is to recognize we are sinners in need of a Saviour. We must trust that the sacrifice Jesus made was enough to make us righteous. Then we need to repent. Turn from our old ways and turn to Him. He is our only hope.
As the weight of the world was on His back He asked Peter, James and John to WATCH and Pray with Him. It was a simple request. He asked the three to stay awake and keep watch with Him. In the hour of His greatest need the Lord wanted those with a sympathetic understanding to be praying with Him.
He wanted them there with Him. Think about what that really means. To me is shows the character of Jesus. He values relationship. It’s important to Him. Did He need these men there with Him watching and praying? No…but He wanted them there.
Jesus wants to be in direct fellowship with us. Just as a shepherd tends his sheep, the Lord is mindful of us. He wants to guide, speak, and have a deep relationship with us.
We are not alone because He wants to be with us! We are only alone if we chose to reject Him.
The three followers couldn’t keep their eyes open. For whatever reason they couldn’t do what Jesus asked. Three times they fell asleep.
Peter who just hours before promised Jesus that if everyone else leaves you, I will NEVER leave you couldn’t follow a simple request to stay awake.
You cannot be a watchman if you are asleep.
Right now in this world we need people who are AWAKE not WOKE. Have you heard that term? “Woke” means that we have arrived at some communal cultural knowledge - it’s really accepting everyone and everything ACCEPT Christians and God. In my opinion being woke is no different than being BLIND to the truth.
We need to be awake not woke!
Awake to the Truth found in the Bible.
Awake to the Fact that Jesus is Alive.
Awake to See that the World is in Need of a Saviour.
Awake to Know that We are messengers to share the Good News.
Awake and communing with Jesus.
Awake to rejecting the depravity of this world and embracing Holiness that comes from God.
Jesus told those three followers to stay awake - to watch and pray. He still wants us to watch and pray with Him.
How do we stay awake? It’s so incredibly easy if we are willing to make it priority in our lives.
We listen for His voice - He will speak as we read and meditate on His Word
We Pray 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - NEVER STOP PRAYING
Without daily devouring His word and without praying we will NEVER stay awake.
The world will do it’s very best to distract. To get you to forget about Christ. To get you to take your eyes off the truth in the Word. With every day we neglect our quiet time…we don’t read the Bible…we don’t pray…we don’t worship…we don’t gather in His house…we get more and more tired..worn down…defeated. And eventually we fall asleep.
It’s time to WAKE UP! If we are watchman we must see the world through Christs eyes and carry a burden for the lost. We must earnestly pray and seek God each and every day. EVERY SECOND counts.
Are you awake?
The second question I would ask today is...
Are you Ready?
Are you Ready?
I watchman must we awake and they must be ready.
46 Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”
47 And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people.
48 The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.”
49 So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss.
50 Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him.
51 But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear.
Judas was part of the inner circle of Jesus. We don’t really know much about him. If you read the gospels you can find records of how each of the disciples were called to come with Jesus, but your won’t see anything about Judas except that he was with them. His second name Iscariot means “man of Kerioth” which was a small town in Judea. That’s about all we know about his past.
There are all kinds of theories as to why he did what he did, but for today I want to focus on the fact that he really didn’t understand what it meant to be a watchman.
He was with Jesus daily, heard the teaching, saw the miracles, and yet he had this wickedness in his heart that would lead him to betray the Lord. He was just pretending to follow Christ.
Contrast him to Peter. Peter was all in with Jesus. He walked on water with Jesus. He promised to never leave Jesus. He even told Jesus that he was willing to give up his own life for Jesus.
But when given a simple command to watch and pray, Peter failed. Even with all his zeal he couldn’t follow the will of God.
Both of these men were called to be watchman but when the time came they weren’t ready. They didn’t rise to the occasion. Neither set an example of what it means to be a faithful watchman.
We should take a lesson here from both men.
1) Watchman cannot only pretend to be committed. They can’t just do the bare minimum to try to meet some basic requirements of being a follower of Christ. If we are pretending we aren’t ready and we will end up betraying Jesus.
2) Watchman must know the will of God so they are ready to do the right thing when the time comes. They can’t be lazy in their understanding. If we don’t know God’s will then we aren’t ready.
Pretending will only get you so far.
There’s a movie called “Spies like Us” - Now I’m not recommending we all run home and watch the movie…but there’s a scene was pretty funny.
The two spies were pretending to be doctors. Doctor, Doctor, Doctor. Everyone believed they were doctors. They got so far as to be standing over a sedated person they were supposed to be operating on. They had a book under the table they were reading as they started the procedure. The other doctors watched on as these guys made mistake after mistake. He almost cut the chest when trying to operate on the appendix. As he moved the scalpel the other doctors were shaking their heads until they found the right spot.
They were found out and comedy ensued.
You know, you might be able to pretend for a while, but one day the truth will come out. We must be grounded in our faith or else when a little pressure is applied we might just find that we have been pretending.
It’s hard for me to not see this year or so as a test to see who’s really committed to Christ. The body of Christ seems to have fallen away from our normal ways of Worship.
It’s heart breaking for me to think of all the people who no longer gather together on Sunday morning. I hear EVERY week people telling me they watched online. I am very thankful that we have the technology to broadcast. My only sadness is that I always envisioned the broadcast as a missionary outreach. Not an excuse to miss meeting and worshipping together.
I have wondered if all those people who stopped attending church have remained faithful in their serving, giving, study, their devotion or if they are getting sleepy?
I think we can fall into one of three categories:
1. Follower who has an intimate thriving relationship with Christ who knows Gods will because they have hidden His word in their hearts.
2. Follower who is just going through the motions. They are on the fence when it comes to the real issues. One foot in the world…one foot in the church. They are pretending.
3. Follower who has a zeal and desire for God. they believe but they don’t meditate and pray. They don’t know the will of God.
Where do we fit in? There is only one group who is truly READY.
Judas was just pretending to follow Christ.
Peter on the other hand was a true follower, but he didn’t know the will of God. He wasn’t ready to do the RIGHT thing when the time came.
Peter, was unable to stay awake earlier, now when the action started was wide awake! And He was ready to defend Jesus.
50 Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him.
51 But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear.
Now…here with have a ready watchman!
We are Americans. We shoot first ask questions later! Live free or Die trying!
Watchman have to be more like Peter…right? Well, no.
Jesus didn’t need a defender. Being a watchman doesn’t mean that we are just good soldiers. Being a watchman means we know the will of God.
Listen, GOD IS FIGHTING the battles that need to be fought. Being a ready watchman means we are looking to Christ. It means we are watching His example.
52 “Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword.
It’s real tempting to argue on social media. It’s actually real tempting to have our guns by the door…just in case. But is this what it means to be a watchman for Jesus?
I really think being a ready watchman means that we are READY to share the gospel and show the gospel in our daily lives. That if we are truly following the example of Jesus that we will counter the darkness with LIGHT. Take the high road instead of getting down in the dirt.
It’s really all about loving our neighbors EVEN when they aren’t lovable.
One of my good friends was telling me about his job and how he just wants to tell them to take a hike with all the requirements that just seem ridiculous to him. I listened to the complaining and then I was super impressed because he finished up by saying that when he is upset he remembers the fruits of the spirit.
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
This is the description of a READY watchman. They are full up of the fruit of the spirit. They aren’t pretenders or crazed soldiers. They are people who are in love with Jesus and that love spills over to other people.
We need to be ready to show the world who we really are and what we have found in Christ. They must know there is a difference.
Let God fight the battles.
Here’s a news flash…we have already won!!!
As watchman we must be ready to proclaim the truth in love at every opportunity. That is God’s will!
In order to do this we must put on the armour of God.
Paul tells the Ephesian church to put on truth, peace, faith, salvation, the word of God, and prayer if we are going to join in what God is doing.
Paul encouraged the Ephesians while he was in CHAINS! Didn’t look like he was winning the battle when he said these words:
19 And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.
20 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.
Are we ready to be in chains to fulfill the will of God? Are we ready? Or are we just pretending to follow until the times get hard.
We must be awake and we must be ready. My final question for today is..
Are you Watching?
Are you Watching?
This is probably the most obvious task for a watchman. Why do they need to stay awake and remain ready? Because they need to be watching.
What are we supposed to be watching for? Let’s do back to something Jesus told Peter, James and John that night.
45 Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
He was telling them to stay awake and to watch. For what? Right in the middle of verse 45 Jesus said it… But LOOK - the time has come.
Everything God allows to happen will work to accomplish His plan on earth and in Heaven. That moment when they were coming to take Jesus away…Jesus saw that the time had come. That God was going to do something.
I’m telling you today, something is coming. Are you watching? Being a watchman means you are looking ahead to the time with Jesus is coming back for the church.
42 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.
13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.
If we are awake. If we are ready. Then we will be watching for the Son of Man to return and we will be urgently trying to gather up as many people as we can.
Watching is working! You can’t watch from the sofa. You watch from the front line.
We have work to do…don’t diminish the value of your life. I can’t overstate that fact that part of God’s plan to restore humanity to Him includes all of us doing our part.
Watchmen let people know what’s coming!
We have a responsibility to share the truth.
I encourage you this morning to open your eyes to the reality that God is calling you to be His watchman.
It’s time to wake up - pray, seek, and know God. Know the truth. Get it settled in your heart. Never waiver from faith in God’s Word.
It’s time to get ready - ask the Lord for direction. Get your desires lined up with His desires. Allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you about what, where, when, and how.
It’s time to watch - time to put our hands to the plow. When everything says to back down - step up!
Get to work in sharing the good news. Even if the world rejects.
Remember Paul who was in chains was praying for more boldness to proclaim the truth so that all men might be saved. The boldness to do God’s will already landed him in prison and yet we was praying for MORE boldness. Can we say the same thing about our walk?
Jesus is coming back for those who believe. There is a heaven to gain and a hell to fear. Are we doing enough to let those who we are called to love know?
My desire this morning is to encourage you. Not to make you feel bad for falling asleep, not being ready, or failing to watch. I want to lift you up to know that it’s not too late.
Now is the time. You are God’s chosen watchman.
Are you ready to stand up?
Will anyone stand for Christ this morning?
Who will be the watchman?
Will God’s watchman please stand up?
Let’s pray.