27th January 2025

27th January 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Ezekiel 20:1-44 focus v1-4)


Message (Alan Burke) 


I learnt when I was a wain that the easiest thing to do was just say sorry and get it over and done with even if I wasn’t. I might have told you that before. The reason why it comes to mind is I’m sure that you’ve been in a situation that someone has come to you and you know fine well they are not sorry, they might nod and smile but they are there because they want something from you. Here as we come to Ezekiel 20 remember the people had just been told by the Lord to lament. What were they to lament? It was their sin. Now a group of elders come to Ezekiel and they come to inquire of the Lord, while in chapter 9 it had been the civil leadership, here it is the religious leadership, these are the the spiritual leadership of God’s people in Exile. 


If we only read v1 we might think, good they have finally got the message but in how the Lord responds to them it makes it clear that they hadn’t. They were not looking to the Lord in repentance, lamenting their sin instead they are coming to the Lord thinking that things are on the up, that the Lord would do the needful for them because they were a special people, a chosen people and they believed everything was starting to fall together, they were going to be released from their captivity and back at home soon enough. 


You might say sure there is nothing said of their inquiry of the Lord, the text is silent on what they asked for but the response from the Lord makes it clear that they hadn’t understood anything, the significance of what had happened, look at what the Lord says in response to them coming v3, As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me, declares the Sovereign Lord.’


These elders who came to the Lord we might want to give a pat on the back and sure at least they came what more does the Lord want, like sure if someone comes to worship it can only be a good thing, give them a pat on the back for it. The problem was and is for us today is that anyone who comes to the Lord failing to hear and respond to the word of God then they will rightly face his judgment. Failing to hear and respond brings the Lord’s derision. Think to what they are doing, even though the Lord has told them time and again that they need to repent they in effect have done what they can do to explain it away.


For all of us, if you’re at home unable to get to worship because of age and infirmity or if you’re out every Lord’s day morning and evening what we must do is hear the word of the Lord and respond appropriately. What we need to do is hear it, respond accordingly trusting in Jesus for our salvation and live as response. Nothing else will do. We might think that it doesn’t really matter but it does, for all who refuse to hear and fail to respond they will face the consequences of that, his judgment but for all who hear and respond the receive his amazing grace that would save wretches like you and I.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q 98. What is prayer?
A. Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies.
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