Opening Prayer
Lord, let Your Word penetrate to the very marrow of our bones. Amen.
Text: Ezekiel 3:17-21
“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: 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. 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. 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. Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul.”
Devotion
It is our duty to say to the unconverted: “You are on the way to eternal death.” We dare not be silent about it, for then we would be guilty of the loss of their souls. “If you are not converted, you cannot be saved; you are heading to hell in your service to sin. You must never imagine that you shall be saved in this way. The devil will keep assuring you and giving you hope, but God’s Word shows clearly that you are on the path of eternal grief. Should the righteous God spare obstinate sinners? Then He would be unrighteous like them! Or should the ungodly and worldly be able to enter into His holy heaven? Then heaven would be a home for ungodliness! Understand that it is the devil and not God who gives you the hope of salvation in the midst of your impenitence. Recognize that this hope is a lie and will rob you of eternal happiness! O soul of man, created for heavenly glory and eternal life in communion with God, will you plunge yourself into endless pain for the sake of a little time of wicked and impure enjoyment? You shall be cast out into eternal fire, as long as you do not repent from the heart to the Lord, your God!”
This should be said to you as loudly and clearly as possible. Otherwise we would be false prophets and servants of the devil. But it should not simply be said out of duty; even a hireling in God’s house could do that much. But it should be said from a heart that cares for you and feels sincere pity for you, from the love of Him who offered His life and blood for you. When I put myself in your place, you are weighed down with Satan’s bonds and are busy rushing to hell, the edge of the eternal abyss ever nearer without your seeing it, and you are blind to your danger and estranged from your God, who loves you and has a heaven full of blessedness for you: then it burns in my heart, and I cannot be silent. Then I must cry out: “Repent, repent! Walk no longer on that path; stop for Jesus’ sake, save your soul! Don’t you see the danger? Don’t you feel that you are unhappy? Be silent, listen to the Lord’s voice; come back to your God!” – And I will take you out of the devil’s power, free you from your spell by the Word of life, rip you from the murderer’s hands by the power of the Spirit and carry you into Jesus’ arms. – O repent, so that you may be saved! Come, and stay on the path of righteousness, and you shall live!
I myself must be lost if I did not warn you. You must die in your sin and be eternally condemned if you do not repent, but the Lord wants to reach your soul by my hand. If I did not warn you, then how should I answer Him? O repent, and stay on the path of righteousness, that you might live!
Closing Prayer
Lord, great and good Shepherd of Israel, give us a heart like Yours, a pastor’s mind and a prophet’s tongue by Your Spirit. Lord, convert and save the erring for the sake of Jesus Christ, and keep the righteous from falling back into sin again. Amen.
Hymn
O therefore seek our Lord, the Christ;
Be not by Satan’s ways enticed,
To earth no longer clinging;
Deny yourself e’en unto death
With prayer and hope and steadfast faith,
Your thanks to God then bringing.
O dearest Savior, Jesus Christ,
All sin’s desire drive from our breast,
Show us Your light and favor;
Your Holy Spirit to us send
That He may guide with gracious hand
To heaven’s joy forever.
Ægidius: Paa Jorden er en liden Hjord L 495:8-9 tr. DeGarmeaux;
tune: Kommt her zu mir (ELH 189); alternate hymn: Come, O Come, Thou quickening Spirit ELH 438