Meditations in Ezekiel

1.  The Requirement for a Spiritual Watchman

Ezekiel 33:1-2 – “Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman . . . .”

2.  The Reality of the Spiritual Watchman

Ezekiel 33:2 – “Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman . . . .”

Ezekiel 33:7 – “So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.”

Hebrews 13:17 – “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”

Weekly Sermon

James 1:25 reads, “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

In James 1:22 God’s Word delivers an instruction and an admonition concerning our right relationship toward God’s Word, saying, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”  The positive instruction is that we are ever to pursue being doers of God’s Word.  The negative admonition is that we are never to be hearers only of God’s Word, deceiving our own selves thereby.  In order to emphasize and explain this admonition, James 1:23-24 presents an illustration concerning those who are hearers only of God’s Word, and not doers also, saying, “For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” 

Then in direct contrast to the hearers only of God’s Word, James 1:25 describes those who are doers also of God’s Word and pronounces a promise of the Lord’s blessing upon them, saying, “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”  Grammatically, James 1:25 can be divided into four parts.  First, there is the description of daily study – “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty.”  Second, there is the description of diligent submission – “And continueth therein.”  Third, there is the description of dedicated obedience – “He being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work.”  Finally, there is the declaration of divine blessing – “This man shall be blessed in his deed.”

Weekly Sermon

This sermon is a companion to a previous sermon:  Which Is Able to Save Your Souls - James 1:21-22 (Part 1)     

James 1:21-22 reads, “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

In the opening portion of this paragraph (verses 19-20), we receive an exhortation concerning right relations with those around us.  As a whole, this exhortation indicates that we should deny the ways of selfishness in the manner that we relate to one another.  Yet selfishness is the natural principle of our hearts.  Thus in order to deny our selfishness and in order to relate aright toward one another, we must be delivered from the natural characteristic of selfishness in our hearts and from the spiritual corruption that flows out of it.  Yea, our soul, our inner man, needs deliverance from its own, naturally selfish and sinful desires.

So then, by what means can we obtain this spiritual deliverance from the natural corruption of selfishness in our hearts?  James 1:21 gives the answer, saying, “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.”  The conjunction “wherefore” with which this verse begins connects it directly to the exhortation of verse 19 and the explanation of verse 20.  Because self-denial in our relations with others is not natural to our selfish hearts, and because the wrath that naturally flows out of our selfishness does not produce the righteousness of God, we need to be delivered from the selfish corruption of our hearts and to be transformed unto the spiritual character of righteousness.  Even so, the closing line of James 1:21 reveals that the Holy Word of God is able to accomplish this deliverance for our souls. 

Yet this verse does not specifically refer to God’s Word as the Holy Word of God, but as the engrafted Word of God.  In so doing, it indicates that the message of this verse is for those who are already saved eternally through faith in Christ.  The Word of God is not engrafted (or, implanted) in the hearts of lost sinners.  The Word of God is only engrafted (or, implanted) in the hearts of God’s children.  Therefore, the deliverance about which this verse speaks in this context must not be viewed as the salvation of our eternal souls from eternal condemnation to hell.  Rather, the deliverance about which this verse speaks in this context must be viewed as the salvation of our inner character from the corruption of selfishness. 

Grammatically, James 1:21-22 can be divided into three parts, each providing us with an instruction.  First, there is the preparatory instruction to repent of sin – “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness.”  Then there is the central instruction to receive the Word – “And receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.”  Finally, there is the extended instruction to respond in obedience – “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”  Thus the path of deliverance from the selfish corruption of our hearts and of transformation unto the spiritual character of righteousness can be summarized with three words of instruction – repent, receive, respond.  Central to all of this is our relationship toward God’s Word.  We must repent of anything contrary to God’s Word.  We must receive the truth and wisdom of God’s Word.  We must respond obediently to the instruction of God’s Word.  In the first part of the message, we considered the first of these truths – that we must repent.  Now in this second part of the message, let us consider the second of these truths – that we must receive.

Weekly Sermon

James 1:12-18 reads, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.  Do not err, my beloved brethren.  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.  Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”

With James 1:12-18 we come to the third paragraph of this epistle.  Again we remember that the Holy Spirit inspired purpose for this epistle is to provide pastoral counsel for a spiritually mature walk in the believer’s life.  Even so, this third paragraph gives counsel concerning a right motivation for endurance in godliness, concerning a right attitude toward the Lord our God, and concerning a right understanding of temptation to sin. 

The first sentence of the paragraph (verse 12) immediately promises a sure blessing upon those who are faithful to endure the trials of life through an obedient love unto the Lord.  Then the remainder of the paragraph extensively presents a serious warning for those who fall away at sinful temptation through the enticement of their own selfish desires.  Primarily, this paragraph is intended to motivate us unto faithful endurance in godliness through love for our Lord.  Yet because we so often fall into sin under life’s trials, this paragraph adds a warning against blaming the Lord our God for the temptation unto which we yielded.  Thus the admonition is pronounced in the midst of the paragraph, “Do not err, my beloved brethren” (verse 16).

Overall, this paragraph presents five truths for our consideration.  These five truths are arraigned in order to move our understanding from the outside toward the center.  Thus the first and fifth of these truths speak concerning our motivation for endurance in godliness.  Then the second and fourth of these truths speak concerning our attitude toward the Lord our God.  Finally, the third and central truth speaks concerning our understanding of temptations to sin.

Outlines in Psalms

“To the chief Musician.  A Psalm of David.”

  I.  The Lord does completely know me. (Psalm 139:1-6)
 II.  The Lord is continually present with me. (Psalm 139:7-12)
      III.  The Lord has wonderfully created me. (Psalm 139:13-16)
      IV.  The Lord does abundantly care for me. (Psalm 139:17-18)
             V.  I stand contrary against the Lord’s adversaries. (Psalm 139:19-22)
            VI.  I submit consistently unto the Lord’s examination. (Psalm 139:23-24)

Outlines in Psalms

“A Psalm of David.”

  I.  The Plea of the Lord’s Servant (Psalm 141:1-2)
 II.  The Passion of the Lord’s Servant (Psalm 141:3-4)
III.  The Perspective of the Lord’s Servant (Psalm 141:5-6)
IV.  The Perseverance of the Lord’s Servant (Psalm 141:7-8)
V.  The Petition of the Lord’s servant (Psalm 141:9-10)

Weekly Sermon

This sermon is a companion to two previous sermons:  Consider Your Priorities - Haggai 1:5    
                                                                                       Consider the Lord's Pleasure - Haggai 1:8      

Haggai 2:10-19 reads, “In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy?  And the priests answered and said, No.  Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean?  And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.  Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.  And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD: since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty.  I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD.  Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD’S temple was laid, consider it.  Is the seed yet in the barn?  Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.”

In the opening portion of Haggai 2:15, the Lord our God instructed His people in that time, saying, “And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward.”  Again in the opening portion of Haggai 2:18, the Lord instructed them, saying, “Consider now from this day and upward.”  Finally, at the end of Haggai 2:18, the Lord instructed them, saying, “Consider it.”  Yet what specifically were they to consider?  In Haggai 2:15-17 the Lord focused their attention upon His hand of chastening in their lives, saying, “And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD: since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty.  I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD.”  This is what they were to consider – the Lord’s chastening upon them and the Lord’s purpose in that chastening.  In like manner, we ourselves today must consider our Lord’s purpose in His hand of chastening upon our lives.

Weekly Sermon

This sermon is a companion to five previous sermons:  In the Way of This Life - Psalm 119:1    
                                                                                       In the Ways of Our Lord (Part 1) - Psalm 119:3    
                                                                                       In the Ways of Our Lord (Part 2) - Psalm 119:3    
                                                                                       In the Ways of Our Lord (Part 3) - Psalm 119:3    
                                                                                       In the Ways of Our Lord (Part 4) - Psalm 119:3    

Psalm 119:1-3 reads, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.  Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.  They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.”  To this Psalm 119:29-30 adds, “Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.  I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me.”

In Psalm 119 we encounter the words “way” and “ways” eighteen times and the word “path” two times, indicating that the pathway of our lives is an important subject of this psalm.  With the phrase “in the way,” Psalm 119:1 introduces us to the first category of truth concerning this subject matter – the way of this life.  Thereby we learn that we all must travel along the pathway of this life, and that we all must deal with the matter of challenges, choices, and consequences in the way of this life.  With the phrase “in his way,” Psalm 119:3 introduces us to the second category of truth concerning our walk along the pathway of life – the way of our Lord.  Even so, the intention of this psalm is to exhort us and encourage us to choose the way of our Lord as the direction of our daily walk.  Yet this psalm also employs the word “way” in relation to a third category of truth – the way of sin’s lies.  Even as the psalm exhorts us and encourages us to walk faithfully in the way of our Lord, it also exhorts us and encourages us to depart away from the way of sin’s lies. 

Already in our study concerning the ways of our Lord, we have learned that there is a need for rejection, that is – for rejection of the ways of sinful iniquity.  Even so, Psalm 119:1 declares, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.”  Herein we find that those “who walk in the law of the LORD” are also those who walk “undefiled in the way.”  In like manner, verse 3 declares, “They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.”  Indeed, those who walk in our Lord’s ways are also those who do not involve themselves in sinful iniquity.  Thus in verses 29-30 the psalmist made his request and expressed his commitment, saying, “Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.  I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me.”  The psalmist had made his determined choice to walk in the way of truth as revealed in the Lord’s Holy Word.  In union with this choice, he also desired to be kept away from “the way of lying.”  Now, in this context this phrase, “the way of lying,” is not referring to the personal practice of speaking lies.  Rather, this phrase is referring to the way of sin’s lies and falsehood.  Even so, in verse 101 this way is described with the phrase, “every evil way;” and in verses 104 & 128 this way is described with the phrase, “every false way.”  So then, what is involved for us to depart away from the ways sin’s lies even as we walk in the ways of our Lord?