You were born with a God-given way of viewing life
You have been endowed with the Holy Spirit and His gifts
You have the ministry gifts equipping you for your purpose
In the Old Testament scripture, God's call to Israel was never about exclusive favoritism or a declaration that they were better than other people; He found a man. (Abraham) Instead, it was to be a life of illumination and demonstration—a nation to be a living, breathing canvas of God's character, justice, and love to the surrounding world.
Isa 42:6-7 6 "I, the Lord, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness. I will take you by the hand and guard you, and I will give you to my people, Israel, as a symbol of my covenant with them. And you will be a light to guide the nations. 7 You will open the eyes of the blind. You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons. NLT
Their failure:
Instead of drawing nations to God, Israel’s compromise made them indistinguishable from the cultures around them. Instead, they profaned God's holy name, causing outsiders to mock or misunderstand God's character.
Obedience brought blessing and security, while persistent rebellion would lift God's hand of protection, leaving the nation vulnerable to geopolitical ruin.
As a result, God allowed foreign empires to conquer Israel and scatter its people, physically removing them from the Promised Land and dismantling the kingdom because it had ceased to fulfill its purpose.
Today we have the same calling to be a living, breathing canvas of God's character, justice, and love to the surrounding world.
Matt 5:14-16 14 "You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. NLT
Today I want to look at 4 scenarios in Scripture to help us understand our calling!
Ezek 33:1-20 33 Once again a message came to me from the Lord: 2 "Son of man, give your people this message: 'When I bring an army against a country, the people of that land choose one of their own to be a watchman. 3 When the watchman sees the enemy coming, he sounds the alarm to warn the people. 4 Then if those who hear the alarm refuse to take action, it is their own fault if they die. 5 They heard the alarm but ignored it, so the responsibility is theirs. If they had listened to the warning, they could have saved their lives. 6 But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn't sound the alarm to warn the people, he is responsible for their captivity. They will die in their sins, but I will hold the watchman responsible for their deaths.'
The KJV says, “their blood will be on your hands!
7 "Now, son of man, I am making you a watchman for the people of Israel. Therefore, listen to what I say and warn them for me. 8 If I announce that some wicked people are sure to die and you fail to tell them to change their ways, then they will die in their sins, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. 9 But if you warn them to repent and they don't repent, they will die in their sins, but you will have saved yourself. 10 "Son of man, give the people of Israel this message: You are saying, 'Our sins are heavy upon us; we are wasting away! How can we survive?' 11 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die? 12 "Son of man, give your people this message: The righteous behavior of righteous people will not save them if they turn to sin, nor will the wicked behavior of wicked people destroy them if they repent and turn from their sins. 13 When I tell righteous people that they will live, but then they sin, expecting their past righteousness to save them, then none of their righteous acts will be remembered. I will destroy them for their sins. 14 And suppose I tell some wicked people that they will surely die, but then they turn from their sins and do what is just and right. 15 For instance, they might give back a debtor's security, return what they have stolen, and obey my life-giving laws, no longer doing what is evil. If they do this, then they will surely live and not die. 16 None of their past sins will be brought up again, for they have done what is just and right, and they will surely live. 17 "Your people are saying, 'The Lord isn't doing what's right,' but it is they who are not doing what's right. 18 For again I say, when righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and turn to evil, they will die. 19 But if wicked people turn from their wickedness and do what is just and right, they will live. 20 O people of Israel, you are saying, 'The Lord isn't doing what's right.' But I judge each of you according to your deeds." NLT
The Silenced Warning to the Wicked
The Scenario: God commands the watchman to warn a wicked person of their impending judgment, but the watchman fails to speak up. Audience: (They never receive the warning). Result: The wicked person dies in their sin. They are still held personally responsible for their actions. Result for Watchman: Guilty of blood. God holds the watchman morally accountable for their silence, treating them as accomplices to the spiritual death.
Today’s Scenario (The Silent) The Scenario: You have a non-believing coworker or friend who is making highly destructive life choices (destroying their marriage, cheating or drowning in severe bitterness) or openly mock God. You feel a strong Holy Spirit prompting to speak up, but you remain silent because of fear of awkwardness or social rejection.
Result: They continue down a path of spiritual blindness and face the natural ruin of their choices. The Result for you: Disobedience and missed opportunity. While you don't lose your salvation, you carry an internal heavy weight of knowing you prioritized your comfort over their eternal or earthly well-being.
The Rejected Warning to the Wicked
The Scenario: The watchman faithfully delivers the message, clearly warning the wicked person to turn away from their evil lifestyle. Audience: Refusal to repent. The wicked person hears the truth but chooses to ignore it and continue in their ways. Result: The wicked person dies in their sin. Their judgment remains entirely intact. Results for the Watchman: Cleared of guilt. The watchman has fully discharged their duty, saved their own life, and bears no responsibility for the other person's destruction. Today’s Scenario (The Rejection) The Scenario: Driven by genuine love, you courageously share the gospel or a gentle moral warning with an unbelieving friend. They mock you, call you "close-minded," and completely reject what you say.
Results: They remain in their spiritual state, but they have now clearly heard the truth. Results for you: Your conscience is completely clear. You did exactly what God asked. Your success was defined by your obedience to speak, not their choice to listen. You can pray for them with a peaceful heart.
The Silenced Warning to the Backslider
The Scenario: A person who was previously living righteously turns away from God and begins committing sins, and the watchman fails to warn them. Audience: N/A (They never receive the warning). Results: The backslider dies in their sin. Crucially, all their past righteous deeds are forgotten and do not save them from judgment. Results for Watchman: Held liable for death. Just as with the wicked, the watchman is penalized for failing to intervene and protect a soul that was slipping away.
Today’s Scenario: The Silenced Warning to the Backslider (The "None of My Business" Trap) The Scenario: You notice a close Christian friend—someone who used to love God—gradually slipping away. They stop attending church, start compromised habits, or begin rationalizing an ungodly lifestyle. Instead of intervening, you tell yourself, "It's none of my business; I don't want to lose their friendship."
Result: They drift completely into a backslidden state, their faith becomes a shipwreck, and they suffer the agonizing consequences of hidden sin. Result for you: You failed to love them truly. You chose to let them walk off a cliff quietly rather than risk a difficult conversation. James 5:19-20 My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, 20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins. NLT
The Heeded Warning to the Backslider
The Scenario: The watchman notices a righteous person stumbling into sin and faithfully warns them to turn back to God. Audience: Heeds the warning. The backslider listens, repents of their recent sins, and corrects their path. Result: The backslider lives. Their life is preserved, and their relationship with God is restored. Results for the Watchman: Saved. The watchman successfully fulfills their purpose, resulting in salvation and life for both parties.
Today’s Scenario: The Heeded Warning to the Backslider The Scenario: You notice that same Christian friend drifting. You ask them out for coffee, look them in the eye, and gently say, "Hey, I love you, and I've noticed you're pulling away from God. Is everything okay? I'm worried about you." They break down, confess their struggles or hidden sins, and turn back to God.
Result: Their spiritual life is rescued, their relationship with God is restored, and a major tragedy is averted. Result for you: You fulfilled the watchman's highest calling. You operated exactly as James
Gal 6:1-2 6 Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. NLT
Conclusion: Like the nation of Israel, God is holding us accountable to the Word of God, if we stay silent, we will be held accountable!
Mark 16:15-18 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. KJV
