The season of Lent is a time for self reflection, a time for us to look at our lives and our part in putting Jesus on the cross. Two weeks ago we were reminded of the fact that we are in this world because God created us and everything we have in this world is truly God’s, on loan to us to use in service to others and in such service we are serving God. Last week we were reminded of how the way of the world is that we constantly question God and His Word so that we would rather live as we want, that is we desire to live according to our inborn sinful nature. This week our texts reminds us that God’s desire is that all people are saved and so He gives us instructions on how we are to care for the spiritual well being of each other, calling each other to repent.
Our text reminds us that God’s desire is that all people are saved, beginning at verse ten, “10And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus have you said: ‘Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we rot away because of them. How then can we live?’ 11Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?” (v. 10-11). Because we are conceived and born in sin, because every intention of our hearts is evil all the time, because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, because no one is righteous, no not one, in order for people to be saved God tells us that they must turn from their evil ways.
God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. God’s desire is that all people are saved. Contrary to what some teach, God does not predestine anyone to hell. As a matter of fact, no where in the Bible can you find God’s desire to condemn anyone, Rather God’s desire is that all people are saved and in order for people to be saved they must repent.
Moving back to the first verses of our text we hear what we might label as the work of the pastor. Verse seven: “7So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 8If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 9But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul” (v. 7-9). God, speaking to Ezekiel, and we might say by extension to pastors tells us that the pastor must preach the law and the Gospel.
As a review, let me remind you that the law shows our sins. The very purpose of the Law is to show us our sins. The Law is not meant for us to find some grey area, nor to find some loop hole. The purpose of the Law is to show us our sin, our unworthiness before God.
The purpose of the Gospel is to show our Savior. It is the Gospel that stirs in us our repentance, not the Law. The Law, by itself will lead either to despair, that is that there is no hope, or to works righteousness, thinking we can do something to save ourselves, to earn our salvation. It is the Gospel, the good news that our sins have already been forgiven that moves us to confess our sins, to repent and be given forgiveness of our sins.
So, God, speaking to Ezekiel and again by extension to pastors, tells us that if the pastor preaches the Law and the Gospel and the parishioners do not repent, the blood is on their own head. Indeed, neither Ezekiel, nor any pastor can make people repent and believe. All we can do is preach the Law and the Gospel.
On the other hand if the pastor fails to preach law and Gospel and the parishioners do not repent, their blood is on his hand. Here pastors are encouraged to preach, not a theology of glory, that is that God wants you to be rich, powerful and famous, but rather a theology of the cross, that is a theology of sin and death, of blood being shed, of suffering and dying, of God giving the life of His only begotten son for us on the cross.
Continuing on in our text we are encouraged then to trust in the Lord. “12And you, son of man, say to your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he transgresses, and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it when he turns from his wickedness, and the righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness when he sins. 13Though I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, yet if he trusts in his righteousness and does injustice, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered, but in his injustice that he has done he shall die. 14Again, though I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ yet if he turns from his sin and does what is just and right, 15if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks in the statutes of life, not doing injustice, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 16None of the sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he shall surely live.” (v. 12-16). Simply stated, God tells Ezekiel that if the righteous trust in themselves they shall surely die. We cannot save ourselves no matter how good we might think we are. On the other hand, he also says that if the wicked turn from their sins and trusts in the Lord they shall surely live. If the Law works contrition and the Gospel works repentance and faith then there is salvation.
After all this, there is an accusation brought against the Lord. “17“Yet your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just,’ when it is their own way that is not just. 18When the righteous turns from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it. 19And when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he shall live by them. 20Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his ways.”” (v. 17-20). The people say that the way of the Lord is unjust.
God’s response is that the way of the Lord is just, both to the righteous who turn from their righteous ways and are then condemned and to the unrighteous who turn from their evil ways and are saved. Notice salvation is for all who put their trust in Jesus alone. The bottom line if you will is that each will be judged according to his own heart; whether one has faith or has no faith.
What does this mean? First and foremost God speaking to us through His Word to Ezekiel reminds us that His desire is that all people are saved. From the very beginning, from creation, death was never a part of God’s plan. Death entered because of sin. Indeed, God’s initial demand of perfection continues today and so, because we are conceived and born in sin, God’s solution was to send His only begotten Son, to live perfectly for us in our place. Jesus lived perfectly, took our sins, suffered and died paying the price for our sins and rose defeating sin, death and the devil. The forgiveness He earned is ours and is for all people of all places of all times. Truly, all we can do is refuse and reject His forgiveness which is what we do when we fail and refuse to confess our sins.
Thus, God calls our pastors to preach both the law and the Gospel. Our pastor is to preach to us so that when we listen we are to hear him speaking personally to us, or rather, better said, we are to hear God speaking personally to us through the word and mouth of our pastor.
We must hear the law, that is that we are sinners. If we fail to hear the law, if we fail to hear that we are sinners we may believe we are good people and then we would have no need for a Savior, this is what we call a theology of glory. And yet, we must never hear the law without hearing the Gospel. We must hear the pastor preach the Gospel, that is the good news of Jesus. We must hear of Jesus’ perfect life lived for us in our place. We must hear of His suffering, death and resurrection for us. We must hear of His forgiveness of sins. As we hear the Word of the Lord, as we hear law and Gospel, the Holy Spirit works through that Word to give us the gifts God has to give, forgiveness of sins, faith, life and salvation. Indeed, it is not the pastor who gives faith, but it is God who gives faith and He does so through the means of the read, spoken and preach Word, His Word.
As we are given faith, as we repent and are given forgiveness of sins. As we are given forgiveness of sins, God’s desire is that we are ready to call others to repentance. And as we call others to repentance, we do so, not in a way in which we stand in judgement but rather in a way of care and concern, recognizing our own sin and the forgiveness we have been given and wanting to share that forgiveness with others. We become the means through which God brings the means of grace to others, as always, pointing them to Jesus.
And as they hear the Law, as they are contrite because of their sins, and as they confess we must be ready to comfort others with the Gospel. As we began hearing, God’s desire is that all people are saved, thus His desire is that all people hear His Word, confess their sins, and be given forgiveness, faith, life and salvation, and His desire is that as we have been given His gifts we share those gifts with others and invite them to come and hear and see that the Lord is good especially in His Divine Service.
God called Ezekiel and told him that he would be accountable for sharing His Word. Today God calls pastors to share His Word and will and God will hold pastors accountable to preach both law and Gospel. And so as we hear and believe, God also calls us to our vocations wherein He will also hold us accountable for living lives of faith, for always being ready to give an answer for the hope, that is the certainty of our salvation in Jesus, and for inviting others to come and see and hear of the good news of Jesus.
This morning, God is speaking specifically to the prophet Ezekiel, and today to pastors, but also indirectly to all of us. The fact is that we are to warn others of their sin so they repent and comfort them with the Gospel of forgiveness and salvation, because God’s will is that all are saved. Thus we rejoice in our salvation, God’s gift to us. And we desire as God desires, to share that good news, that salvation with others as we live as priests in the priesthood of all believers. My prayer continues to be that God would stir in us and work in and through us all, even through our times of being not so good witnesses so that we may grow in our own faith life through His Word, so that we might share that good word with others that is that we are always ready to give an answer for the hope and certainty we have so that through our answer God may bring even more to salvation, and that praise and glory may be given to His Holy name. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.
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