Welcome to the Banner of Truth. The following program of inspiration is brought to you by the Free Reformed Church, with locations in Monarch, Lacombe, and Calgary. And now, the Banner of Truth, with Pastor Jack Shuman. Our scripture reading this morning is taken from the prophecy of Ezekiel chapter 33. We read the verses 21 through 33. And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten. Now the hand of the Lord was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came, and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning, and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb. Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land, but we are many, the land is given us for inheritance. Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood, and shall ye possess the land? Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbor's wife, and shall ye possess the land? Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, As I live, surely They that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beast to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence. For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease, and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through. And then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate, because of all their abominations which they have committed. Also thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD. And they come unto thee as the people cometh. and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them. For with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument. For they hear thy words, but they do them not. And when this cometh to pass, lo, it will come, then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them." So far the reading of the Word of God. The text for the sermon this morning is verses 30 through 33, where the Lord reveals to Ezekiel what lives in the hearts of those who heard him preach. Dear friends, appearances can sometimes be deceiving. This is true in many contexts, but it is also true in the context of the Church. The evangelical landscape today is dotted with many large so-called mega churches seating literally thousands upon thousands of people. Some of these churches have multiple services, even services on Saturday nights in order to accommodate all of the people who come. But what percentage of these people are true believers? What percentage of people listening to my voice this morning are true believers? Well, we cannot say for sure, only the Lord knows what lives in the heart. But experience in the Word of God teaches us that not all who claim to be believers are true believers. Now this was also true during the time of Ezekiel. Ezekiel was the son of a priest who was carried captive to Babylon in the year 597 BC, when he was about 25 years of age. Five years later, the Lord called him to be his prophet. and he prophesied to the Jews in Babylon for about 20 years. We do not know much about Ezekiel. One thing we do know about him was that he was a gifted speaker. Many people came to hear him. According to verse 33, he was to all who heard him as a very lovely song of one that had a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument. Then one day the Lord spoke to Ezekiel and revealed to him what was in the hearts of his hearers. Ezekiel could not know this in and of himself, but the Lord knows and sees all things, even what lives deep down inside of our hearts. And since Ezekiel was his servant, the Lord was pleased to tell him. Well, what did the Lord tell him? What was in the hearts of Ezekiel's hearers What was their true spiritual condition? And what lessons can we learn from this today? This is what we hope to learn in our sermon this morning. The theme for the sermon is the Lord reveals to Ezekiel the true spiritual condition of his hearers. And we'll see that he acknowledges their outward enthusiasm, he exposes their inward hypocrisy, and he predicts their eventual admission. The year was 586 BC. Ezekiel, along with thousands of other Jewish captives, had been living in Babylon for some 10 years. Although they were captives, life for these captives was reasonably good. They owned their own homes. They even had their own farms. Some even became rather wealthy. Spiritually, however, things were very dark. This is not what one might have expected. One might have expected that after the captivity, the people of Judah would have repented of their sin and walked in the ways of the Lord. But such was not the case. They were as wicked as always. In chapter 12 of Ezekiel's prophecy, verse 23, God describes the people as rebellious. They have eyes to see, he says, and see not. They have ears to hear, and they hear not. And their leaders were not much better. Although they periodically came to Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord, God informed Ezekiel that they had idols in their heart. Then one day a stranger came to call. He had come from Jerusalem. He informed Ezekiel that the city which had been besieged by Nebuchadnezzar had fallen. The entire city, including their beloved temple, had been destroyed. We read of this in 2 Kings 24 verses 11-17. Nebuchadnezzar it says, King of Babylon came against the city and his servants did besiege it. And Jehoiachin, the king of Judah, went out to the king of Babylon, he and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers, and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign. And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon, king of Israel, had made in the temple of the Lord, as the Lord had said. And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths. None remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land. and he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them, the king of Babylon, brought back, captive, to Babylon. Well, the news that Jerusalem had finally fallen came as quite a shock. to the Jewish captives in Babylon. You see, for years they held out the hope that soon they would be able to return to the promised land and pick up where they left off, even though Ezekiel assured them time and time again that that would be impossible. Now that Jerusalem was destroyed, they were all alone. There was no way they could ever go back. Then something amazing happened and something rather unexpected. The Jews in Babylon took a renewed interest in the things of the Lord, especially in the preaching of Ezekiel. Prior to this time, no one took Ezekiel very seriously. They largely dismissed his prophecies as mere parables. His warnings of destruction were taken to refer to events far off in the future. But almost overnight, Ezekiel's popularity skyrocketed. We read in our text that the people were talking against him by the walls and the doors of the houses. Some have interpreted this to mean that the people spoke negatively about Ezekiel. That is, that they complained about him and talked about him behind his back. They base this on the fact that the Hebrew preposition that is used here is often translated against. They spoke against him. But this preposition can also be translated about, which I think fits better with the context. The people of Judah were not so much talking against Ezekiel, but rather about him. Ezekiel, it seems, became the number one topic of conversation. Whenever the people had opportunity, they spoke about him. They raved about his sermons. Every time there was a worship service, they spoke to one another saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. And they came to him in droves. Well, how do we explain this sudden change of attitude? Was the Lord sending a revival among his people? Were the Jews in Babylon returning to the religion of their forefathers? Was there a renewed hunger and thirst for the word of God? Oh, if only that was the case. But it was not. Why then were they flocking to hear Ezekiel preach? Because they were captivated by his style. He was to them, God says, as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument. And so they came to him in droves. There are still many people like that today. There are people who will go to a church for no other reason than that the preacher is interesting to listen to and easy to follow. He is a dynamic speaker, we say, someone who can really get and hold your attention. Now friends, while it is a great blessing to a congregation when their minister is a gifted speaker, that is not the most important thing. The most important thing is not how a man preaches, but rather what he preaches. If a man is a gifted preacher, that is a great blessing. If a man preaches the truth, that is an even greater blessing. And that is where the people of Judah went wrong. They were attracted to Ezekiel's style, but they disregarded his message. And the Lord knew this, and therefore he proceeded to inform his servant what lived in their hearts. And we turn to that under our second point. Things were really looking up for Ezekiel. For several years he had preached, but very few listened. Now they were coming to him in droves. On the outside, it looked as though the Lord was working a revival among his people, but this was not the case. How do we know? We know this because of what we read in verses 31 and 32. There the Lord says to Ezekiel, And they come unto thee as the people cometh. and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them. For with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness." We learn here what lived in the hearts of the people who came to hear Ezekiel preach. Outwardly they seemed to have a real hunger for the word of God. They talked about Ezekiel whenever they had the opportunity. They flocked to him in droves and encouraged others to come along with them. They spoke kind words to him. On the way out of church, they all said, thank you for the wonderful sermon, Pastor. Beautiful message, Pastor. I was really blessed this morning, Pastor. But it was all a sham. And why was it a sham? Well, Ezekiel gives two reasons here. First, their hearts were full of covetousness. To covet means to desire, even to lust after something or someone that is not yours. It could be anything. It could be something material. A car, a house, a boat, an RV, a piece of jewelry, an item of clothing. It could also be a person. For example, another man's wife or another woman's husband. Or perhaps even a woman that you don't know walking down the street. This is what the people of Judah were doing. They were coveting. Oh yes, they were listening to Ezekiel's sermons. They were drinking every word in. But the whole time they were thinking about the house they wanted to build. The business venture they were going to pursue. the cow or sheep that they wanted to buy. Outwardly they appeared to be listening, but inwardly their hearts were full of covetousness. Does that describe anyone listening to my voice this morning? My friend, do you habitually think about material things when you are in church, listening to the sermon, or perhaps when you are praying to God? If so, God says your religion is a sham. Oh, you may come to church faithfully every Sunday. You may sit in your pew. You may appear to be listening. But if your heart is full of covetousness, it means nothing. You are a hypocrite. Your religion is a sham. But the Lord gives another reason why their religion was a sham. It is this, they did not do what Ezekiel said. Oh yes, they listened to him, and they did so gladly. but they didn't do what he said. And what was Ezekiel telling the people to do? Well, we read about that earlier in this chapter in Ezekiel 33 verses 10 through 16. There, starting at verse 10, we have a record of the response of the people to the preaching of Ezekiel. And they ask this, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, How should we then live? The people heard Ezekiel preach against their sins. They also heard him preach about the impending judgment of God. And hearing these things, they asked, How shall we then live? In other words, they asked the same question which the Jews asked on the day of Pentecost. What must we do to be saved? What must we do to avoid the wrath and judgment of God? And this is what Ezekiel was to tell them. We read of that in verse 11. Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Ezekiel's message was very simple. He was to tell the people to turn from their wicked way and live. He was to tell them that they had to be converted. Those who did would live. Those who did not would die. So we read in verses 13 through 16, When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered, but for his iniquity that he hath committed he shall die for it. Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die, if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right. If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him. He hath done that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live." Ezekiel here sets before the people two options. If they did not repent, but instead trusted in their own righteousness and continued on sinning, they would perish. But if they did repent, and if they demonstrated this in their life by restoring the pledges and by returning the goods he had stolen and by walking according to the commandments of God, then he would live. Now this is what Ezekiel preached. He urged the people to turn from their sins, to repent and believe. But the people did not listen. They came to Him in droves. They listened to Him with rapt attention. But they did not do what He said. My friends, does that describe any of you this morning? How many times have you not heard the Word of God preached, either on the radio, on television, or even in your own local church? What has been the effect of this preaching? How have you responded to the ministers who have brought the Word of God faithfully to you every Sunday? Have you listened to them? Have you done what they said? Have you made the necessary changes in your life? Have you repented of your sin? Have you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ? Oh, if not, you are no different than the people of Judah. They came in droves to hear Ezekiel preach. They drank in every word that proceeded from his mouth. They even talked about the sermon during the week with their friends. But they did not do what he said. They did not repent of their sin and turn unto the Lord. And as a result, their religion was a sham. Oh, my friends, is that true of any of you? Do you take the preachers of the Word of God seriously? More importantly, do you take the Word of God seriously? Oh, if not, then listen to me. For there will come a day when you will, only then it will be too late. And that leads to our third and final point. The people of Judah did not take Ezekiel seriously. It came to him to be entertained and nothing more. The Lord knew this. Therefore he assured Ezekiel that one day they will realize that everything that he said to them was true. We read in verse 33, the Lord says to Ezekiel, And when this cometh to pass, lo, it will come, then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them. The Lord here is referring to what he said in verses 25 through 29. After Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and took the rest of the people captive, he left the poorest of the people in the land in order to cultivate it. After a while, however, these people began to believe that the land was theirs. But God said no. And this is what he commanded Ezekiel to say to them. Wherefore say unto them, thus saith the Lord God, Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood, and shall ye possess the land? Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbor's wife, and shall ye possess the land? Say thou thus unto them, thus saith the Lord God, As I live, surely they that are in the waste shall fall by the sword. And him that is in the open field will I give to the beast to be devoured. And they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence. For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease, and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through. Then shall they know that I am the Lord, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed. Here the Lord makes it abundantly clear that although he had left some of the people in the land, the land was not theirs. They did not deserve it. They ate meat with blood, something that was forbidden by the law of Moses. They continued to worship idols. They shed innocent blood. They worked abomination. They defiled each other's wives. Rather than inherit the land, therefore, the Lord says they will be severely punished. They will be killed by the sword. They will be killed by wild animals and pestilence, and their land will be made desolate. And when all this transpires, God says, then they will know that a prophet hath been among them. In other words, then they will know that everything that Ezekiel said was true. Oh, my friends, there's a strong warning here to all those who do not take the word of God and the servants of God seriously. One day all of the prophecies of the Word of God, also those concerning the final judgment, will be fulfilled. And this will all take place on the Day of Judgment. Then the Word of God and the servants of God will be vindicated at last. Then it will be clear for all to see that the servants of God were not lying, they were not telling mere fables, but that they were right and everything that they said was true and according to the Word of God. Only then it will be too late. For then those who refuse to repent and believe when they have the chance will be cast into hell and there they will remain to all eternity. Will you be one of them? My friend, are you a hypocrite this morning? Are you pretending to be someone you're not? Are you going to church and speaking highly of the sermons without doing what the Word of God says? Do you walk out of church and tell the minister what a wonderful sermon it was without making the necessary changes in your life? Oh, so I say to you, repent, turn from your evil ways and resolve by the grace of God to live a new and holy life. Oh, but someone says, well, Pastor, I've been playing the hypocrite for so long now. Is there still hope for me? My friend, there certainly is. The Lord is willing to have dealings also with hypocrites. He met Nicodemus by night, who was a hypocrite. He ate in the home of Simon the Pharisee, who was a hypocrite. He even celebrated the Passover with Judas Iscariot, who was probably the biggest hypocrite of them all. And why did he do this? Because he wanted to show them that he was willing to have dealings with their soul. The Lord Jesus never ever turns anyone away, not even hypocrites. All are invited to come to him and be saved. Will you do that this morning? My friend, do not hide your hypocrisy any longer. There's no use. The Lord knows and He sees all things. He knows what lives in your heart. He sees right through you. And therefore, I say to you, stop play-acting. Stop playing games. Stop the charade. Confess your sin to the Lord. Beseech Him for His forgiving grace. Let the wicked forsake His way and the unrighteous man his thoughts. and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Amen. Dear friends, this radio broadcast is not meant as a substitute for worshipping in a faithful Bible-believing church. If you are not currently worshipping in such a church, you are welcome to join us for our services in Monarch, Calgary and Lacombe. It's a great encouragement to us when we hear from our listeners. If you have been blessed by the message you have heard this morning, or if you would like a free CD of the message, please write to the Banner of Truth, Post Office Box 220, Fort McLeod, Alberta, T0L0Z0, or you can call me direct at Area Code 403-553-3400. For your information, these messages are also being posted on the internet. Enter www.sermonaudio.com in your search engine and search on the banner of truth. If you are in the Calgary area, our church is located right across from the Blackfoot Inn on the corner of Blackfoot Trail and Glenmore Trail. For directions to the church, please call the church office at 254-6591. If you would like more information about our churches, please log on to our denominational website at www.frcna.org. And now, until next week, may the Lord be with you all. Thank you for listening to the Banner of Truth. For more information about the Banner of Truth and the Free Reformed Churches, visit our website at frcna.org. Our services are held every Sunday in Calgary at 9.30 and 2.30, in Lacombe at 10 o'clock and 3 o'clock, and in Monarch at 10 o'clock and 7 o'clock. Pastor Jack Schumann can be reached at 403-553-3400. Join us again next week, at the same time, for the Banner of Truth. you