Sermon Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32 Repent and Live

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Beaver Dam and Pitts Creek Churches

Sermon Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32 Repent and Live

September 21, 2014

There is an old story you have probably heard. Johnny is a 5^th grader. One day at school his teacher asked, “Johnny, where is your homework?” Johnny replied, “I don't have it.” So the teacher asked, “Why don't you have it, Johnny?” And he said, “Because my house was too noisy last night.” “Why was your house so noisy?”, the teacher asked. “Because the TV was too loud?”, Johnny replied. “But couldn't you have asked someone to turn the TV down?”, the teacher asked Johnny. To which he replied, “How could have I asked someone to turn the TV down? I was the only one in the room!”¹

We all want to blame our problems on others. It makes us feel better. We will get to this, but first let's pray.

“New every morning are your mercies, Lord. Your steadfast love stayed with me through the night and greets me as I rise this day. This morning, I remember and give thanks for parents and grandparents, for teachers and friends in generations past who showed your love and told your stories to me. I pray that I will also share this faith with a new generation so that our praise of you continues forever. I will not be idle today, but will find a way to do whatever work you set before me with a glad and generous heart. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen”.²

^NIV Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-28 1The word of the LORD came to me: ² "What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: "'The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'? ³ "As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. ⁴ For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son-- both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.

²⁵ "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear, O house of Israel: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? ²⁶ If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin, he will die for it; because of the sin he has committed he will die. ²⁷ But if a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. ²⁸ Because he considers all the offenses he has committed and turns away from them, he will surely live; he will not die.

The people of God in the sixth century before Christ were living in exile in Babylon. There cities, farms, homes and lives had all been destroyed. The prophets of God had made it very clear that the people had brought this on themselves by not following God. The had not taken care of the poor, the needy, the widow, the orphan, and the alien. Rather, they hoarded their wealth and eventually lost it.

Now a generation had passed and the people still found themselves in exile. It seemed that they were being punished for the sins of their parents, and considered this unfair. They had a saying which described their situation. “The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.” The Law of Moses seemed to support this idea.

Exodus 20:4-6 ⁴ "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶ but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

So the people of God in exile believed that they were being punished for what there parents did. They thought that they were innocent victims. Today in America many people are encouraged to think of themselves as victims. If you are a victim, we are told, then fairness requires that you be compensated. And this is exactly what the people of God in Babylon wanted. They wanted compensation to pay for the unfair treatment they had experience by suffering for what a previous generation had done.

But this is not God's way. God sent a prophet, Ezekiel, to explain to the people his way. Ezekiel told them that God will bless everyone who turns to him and away from their evil ways. Their behavior alone determines what God will do. What their parents did is of no concern to God. But the people thought this was unfair. They thought they had suffered because of what their parents had done. They considered themselves victims and wanted to be compensated.

But Ezekiel told them that everyone received the same deal from God. Turn from sin and return to him and you will be blessed with a good life. Your parents may have turned their back on God and lost everything they had. Or your parents may have turned toward God and be richly blessed. It didn't matter to God. All that matters to God is that you turn from sin. And if you do not, you life will be cursed. If you do your life will be blessed. You are no victim. Your life is up to you and your relationship with God. Ezekiel explained it like this.

Ezekiel 18:5-13 ⁵ "Suppose there is a righteous man who does what is just and right. ⁶ He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor's wife or lie with a woman during her period. ⁷ He does not oppress anyone, but returns what he took in pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. ⁸ He does not lend at usury or take excessive interest. He withholds his hand from doing wrong and judges fairly between man and man. ⁹ He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live, declares the Sovereign LORD. ¹⁰ "Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these other things ¹¹ (though the father has done none of them): "He eats at the mountain shrines. He defiles his neighbor's wife. ¹² He oppresses the poor and needy. He commits robbery. He does not return what he took in pledge. He looks to the idols. He does detestable things. ¹³ He lends at usury and takes excessive interest. Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he will surely be put to death and his blood will be on his own head.

So, we are responsible for what we do. The righteousness of our parents will not cover our sins. But what if we repent and turn to God? Let's go back to Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 18:14-18 ¹⁴ "But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things: ¹⁵ "He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor's wife. ¹⁶ He does not oppress anyone or require a pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. ¹⁷ He withholds his hand from sin and takes no usury or excessive interest. He keeps my laws and follows my decrees. He will not die for his father's sin; he will surely live. ¹⁸ But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people.

If we do what is right. If we turn to and follow God, the promise of scripture is that we will be richly blessed with a good life. Ezekiel concludes his argument this way.

Ezekiel 18:21 ²¹ "But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die.

But the people considered this to be unfair and they argued with the prophet.

²⁹ Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Are my ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust? ³⁰ "Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. ³¹ Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? ³² For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!

This offer is made to us too. Repent, turn away from evil and turn to God, and you will be blessed with a good life. This promise is offered to everyone. You are not a victim of the mistakes of others. Any problems you now have are your responsibility, because you have turned away from God. So turn around, go back and be obedient to God and live a blessed life. Let's pray.

Lord Jesus we thank you for offering the gift of forgiveness to everyone. We know that it is unfair to offer this gift to the undeserving. But you are not a God of fairness. You are a God of unmerited grace. You love us and will not let our failings come between us and you. So we pledge to follow you and to obey your command to love one another. Amen.

1 http://www.hope1032.com.au/shows/on-air-guide/morning-devotions/blaming-others/

2Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year A, Volume 2 © 2014 Westminster John Knox Press p175.