Saturday after the Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on September 30, 2023 by under
Scripture: Ezekiel 3:17-21 (NKJV)
3:17 “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: 18 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. 19 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.
20 “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. 21 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
God has a right to His expectations. He is holy, He is benevolent, and He is our almighty Maker. He has every right to expect sinners to hear and repent. He has the right to expect His servants and messengers to do as they are commanded. And He has every right to hold all of us accountable for our carelessness, disobedience, and selfishness.
We are not God; we are His servants. He gives us responsibilities, but He also commands us to carry those out with faith and humility. If others sin, that does not justify our sins. If others wrongfully cause us to suffer, that does not change the fact that our Lord calls us to faithful service and patience under trials.
Our whole life as Christ’s people is to live, love, and work as He has taught us, observing all that He has commanded. We are to help sinners. We are to love our enemies. We are to endure crosses. We can expect good from Him, but He tells us plainly that we can expect difficulties in this world. In Philippians 4 St. Paul teaches about peace and contentment in all circumstances as we serve the Lord. And his inspired words culminate in verse 13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Whether we are called to preach, teach, and warn, or to hear, serve, and obey, God is loving in His holy will for us. He strengthens us in faith and protects us during suffering, all so that we may be saved by His grace in Jesus Christ crucified.
Collect: Lord, we pray Thee, that Thy grace may always go before and follow after us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
