11/27/21 The Watchman

I would to speak to you about the importance of passing on the Gospel of our Lord (Matthew 28:18-20). I likened it to passing the baton in a relay race. And in this likeness, it takes training and practice. However, it does not take a seminary degree, long hours of writing papers and sitting for an oral exam. Your teacher is the Holy Spirit as He reveals GOD’s story to you in your life.

As a Christian, you naturally carry the moniker of a disciple and this is at varying levels. Just like being on a sports team, you play on the same team, wear the same jersey but have different talents/positions to play. You have differing gifts. (I refer you to 1 Corinthians Chapter 12) for further study and discussion.  But a Christian disciple is not only a title you carry, it is your primary responsibility. I know, you have enough to do, too may titles, too much responsibility already. But this position requires that you be discerning, watchful, keeping your Biblical and spiritual sensitivity alert.

Go to Ezekiel 33:1-6 then pull the verses of Matthew 28 and Ezekiel together. You are a disciple; you have a responsibility to tell others about the Gospel. As a Watchman/Watchwoman your job description gets added to; now you are to look out into the land and discern what is coming against the Church from the land/culture. Is there something that stands against the Gospel that imperials or distorts Truth that could press in? Jude, verse 3 – “Beloved, although I was very eager to write to about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you to contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints.”

Now turn, as a Watchman/Woman and look within the city/church. Are we supporting the Gospel, helping those in need, praying for the nation and the world, training others to go out, welcoming others who are seekers? Or… are we one-hour-a-week Christians?

“Come on Bob, you are making this into something that most people are not intended to obtain.”

Go with me now to Revelation 3:14-22. Here we see the Church at Laodicea, the last Church in the Church Age.  It is a church that had lost its Watchman.  Here is a church that thought it had it all, yet its heart had turned lukewarm, it could neither refresh nor soothe, it did not worship to honor nor give glory to GOD, it did not study nor spread the Word… it  was a church that compromised with the world, the flesh and the devil.  The Watchmen were silent, the disciples never left the gates, few new people came to her because she just was there. Yet our Lord says, “repent” (READ VERSES 19-22).  You see, the Church is us, made up of disciples and watchmen. It does not exist only in one spot; it walks with the disciple and stands with the Watchmen and wears the “full armor of GOD’ (Eph 6:12-20).

I leave you with this thought, since you are called by His Name, Christian, you are both a disciple and Watchman. As you go in life, keep a warrior’s eye, discerning the enemy without and keep him from entering in. Search for him within yourself. Hunt him down and discard him… then search for what he has been feeding on and do the same.

From the Pulpit,

Rev. Bob Ret. (yet still in His service)