Human Responsibility Before God
in fact God says to Ezekiel warn the nation if they heed you then that's great I'm paraphrasing if they don't need you I won't hold you responsible I will hold them responsible in fact the section is in Ezekiel 33 1 to 5 I'll just read verse 4 then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning if the son rather the sword comes and takes him away his blood shall be on his own head now what's the point here Paul is doing something that is so contrary and so revolutionary when we consider our own era both within the church and outside of the church he is telling persons individuals image-bearers that they are responsible to God now that always doesn't always happen in the church visa vie hyper-calvinism we so amplify sovereignty that we neglect responsibility and sinners are never being told never being exhorted never being yelled at and shouted at that they are responsible for their continual rebellion against God for their continual rejection against the Son of God we try to hide behind divine sovereignty or rather sinners if you give them that opportunity we'll hide there every time oh well God's predestined God zlatyk God God God's God's sovereignty I just don't know if I don't let them do that brethren to reject Jesus Christ means that you are responsible for what you have done
Responsibility in the Broader World
now when we extrapolate this principle into the larger world I think that this is fundamentally an issue today every problem everybody has is everybody else's fault not according to the Apostle Paul you made your bed now lay in it if you are rejecting the Lord God Most High whether it be gospel or whether it be some other area of your life trying to portray everybody else as the reason why you're in dire straits that ultimately is going to come back to bite you so
Call to Own Your Guilt
may I in which all of us with the nicest gym face I can to accept your responsibility before a holy God he is the moral governor of the universe and we do not have the right to try to hide to try to evade or to try to blame everybody else well Paul you weren't clear enough well Paul you were a bit forceful Paul you said things that I didn't really care about that's not supposed to happen own it if you're a rebel sinner this morning if you are not a believer in Jesus Christ there is one person in this room you can blame it ain't me it's you if you are the kind of person that always tries to evade responsibility by pointing the spotlight at others may I again encourage you to knock it off the Most High God is not to be trifled with the Most High God saw Adam and Eve when they covered themselves and they hid among the trees the Most High God knows the sorts of games that you are playing the Most High God knows the sorts of ways that you are trying to evade your responsibilities again may I encourage you lay down your arms lay down your weapons lay down all those things that you used to rebel against God Almighty wave the white flag and surrender to him not any man not any person not bow the knee to other people but bow it to King Jesus Christ confessing him as Lord and Savior
Psalm 2 and the Nations
this was David's exhorted sortation to the nations around Israel to the pagan nations around Israel the David say well you know they're on their own they've got their Moloch they've got their bail they've got all these other things do you understand that's why Paul can tell you when you're eating at somebody's house you don't have to ask them if it was this steak offered up to an idol you don't have to do that way because there's really no bail there's really no mohawk these are statements of men's imagination and so David doesn't reason well the nations around us they have their own gods now no he says to the judges he says to the kings of the earth he says to the civil authority that were parallel to him him in Israel then elsewhere in the pagan world and he tells them to kiss the son lest he be angry and you perish in his way when his wrath is kindled but a little he ends that 2nd Psalm on a beatitude blessed are all those who put their trust in him
Gospel Invitation to Sinners
this is absolutely imperative if you are a sinner here this morning not picking on you I'm a sinner too I wasn't one who grew up and oh boy I'm just gonna decide to follow Jesus that ain't my story whatsoever but I am appealing to you today if you are not saved please don't blame your parents please don't blame your pastors please don't blame some experience you had in the third grade dream your self and listen to the reality
Isaiah's Invitation: Come and Be Filled
God the Lord addresses the nations in the prophet Isaiah he says look unto me all ye ends of the earth for I am God and there is no other Christ says to weary heavy laden sinners come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest what is that invitation and in Isaiah the prophet at chapter 55 ho everyone who thirsts let him come you who have no money you have no note no wages or whatever come and buy and eat take the refreshing water of the gospel the nourishing milk of the gospel the exhilarating wine of the gospel it's all yours without any payment it's because of grace it's because of kindness it's because of mercy it's because of loo our God is so don't blame anyone rather flee to the Lord Jesus and find that mercy find that grace find that peace with God that surpasses all understanding it is most blessed and most excellent so