Teachings

"Watch Out!"

Ephesians 5:8-17

By Robert D. Pace

Today's message deals with three ways that Christians should commit to spiritual watchfulness.  Christians must diligently watch over their soul; They must lovingly watch over the souls of fellow Believers; and they should watch over unregenerate souls.

 

I.          The Christian Must Watch over His/Her Soul

 

Christians are vulnerable to Satan's snares when they fail to maintain watchfulness.  That's why Scripture provides much exhortation for Christians to guard against Satan's temptations and traps:

 

Matthew 25:13 says: "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come."

 

Mark 13:33 says: "Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come."

 

Jesus said in Luke 21:36, "Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."

 

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 16:13, "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong."

 

1 Thessalonians 5:6, "So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self‑controlled. (7) For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night."

 

And then John warned in Revelation 3:3, "Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you."

 

The Bible reveals that it takes more than simply praying the "Sinner's Prayer" to overcome the world.  It takes a deep commitment from the heart toward Christ and faithful devotion to His Word and will.

 

Normally, people don't backslide in a day; it's one step at a time:

 

1.         It begins by being slack in one's personal devotion toward Christ.

 

2.         It grows by allowing one's heart to be drawn toward a sinful affection.

 

3.         It continues by surrendering a deeply held conviction.

 

4.         It manifests by yielding to a temptation.

 

5.         It concludes with being trapped.

 

(Illustration)  Strict aeronautic precision is required to safely and accurately guide large commercial aircrafts onto runways.  When a 747 jet approaches its landing site the timepieces must be coordinated with the tracking computers with pinpoint precision.  A miscalculation of even a tenth of a second could misguide the aircraft by two miles.

 

In order to overcome in life Christians must stay on course.  What are the best ways for Christians to guard against Satan's traps and keep one standing firm with Christ?

 

1.         Live with the constant awareness that Satan looks for someone to devour.

 

2.         Regular times of prayer.

 

3.         Personal holiness.  This involves constant realization of Christ's lordship over every area of one's life.

 

4.         Faithfully study the Scriptures.

 

5.         Stay active in a ministry of your local church.  The easiest people for Satan to trap are the idle members of the church.

 

(Transition)  Second, Christians should not only watch over the welfare of their souls they should lovingly watch over the welfare of fellow Christians.

 

II.        Christians Should Watch over the Welfare of Fellow Christians

 

The Bible clearly defines the responsibility Christians have in watching over one another.  We can't idly sit by and watch others fall into Satan's snares.  Our love for God and our fellow man must motivate us to rescue erring believers.

 

I'm not suggesting that Christians police their ranks or become spiritual watchdogs.  We're not to become Christian constables.  But we are soldiers that need to encourage one another and help one another maintain vigilance within the ranks.

 

Let's examine what the Bible delineates about watching over fellow Believers:

 

A.        First, God sets ministers in Church to watch over the souls of men.

 

The Lord said in Ezekiel 3:17: "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me."

 

And Hebrews 13:17 says: "Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an  account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you."

 

These Scriptures show the minister's responsibility to oversee and verbally warn Christians, and the Christian's responsibility to observe God's proclaimed Word.

 

If you've wondered why New Testament writers repeatedly exhorted and cautioned fellow Believers it's because Apostles are uniquely qualified to do so.  It's an apostolic assignment.  And there are ministers today uniquely discerning and adept at keeping the Church on course.

 

Paul's letters to the Corinthians embodied a large amount of admonition and correction.  He addressed cliques, doctrinal error, improper worship, immorality, and social dysfunction.  But every caution and reprimand from Paul was motivated by love and mutual edification. 2 Corinthians 10:8, "For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it.

 

B.        Secondly, Christians must watch over fellow Christians.

 

Galatians 6:1 says: "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.  But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted."

 

And James 5:19 says: "My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, (20) remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins."

 

There are several ways Christians can watch over the souls of fellow believers:

 

1.         Hold your close Christian friends accountable by talking with them frequently about their devotion to Christ.  Ask them how God is speaking to them during their devotions and prayer time.  Inquire if they are struggling with temptation, trial, or relationship.

 

2.         If you notice a fellow believer missing church, call them and encourage them.

 

3.         When you see a fellow believer sinning try to meet with them. Include a testimony of your past struggles with sin and share how God gave you power to overcome.  Challenge them to draw close to God and invite His help.

 

4.         Doing something, when you see a believer struggling with sin, is always preferable to doing nothing!

 

(Transition)  Third, I want to discuss the responsibility Christians have to warn and watch over unbelievers.

 

II.        The Christian's Responsibility to Watch over Unbelievers

 

Christians are heaven's ambassadors that God's uses to share the testimony of Christ's grace and love.  One of the primary ways Christians are to watch over unbelievers is by evangelizing them.

 

(Illustration)  A Jew brought the Gospel to Rome; a Roman took it to France; a Frenchman introduced it to Scandinavia; a Scotsman evangelized Ireland; and an Irishman made the missionary conquest of Scotland. No nation ever received the Gospel except at the hands of outsiders.

 

God has a three-step plan for reaching unbelievers with the Gospel:

 

A.        Recognize God has sovereignly opened the doors of evangelism for the Church.  The fields are white, the fish are in the ocean, the pearls are scattered, and God is waiting on us.

 

The Lord has some interesting words concerning the harvest of souls in the last days.  In Matthew 13:30 and Revelation 14:14‑16, Christ referred to the end of the age as the "harvest."   This refers to a time when many souls would be swept into the kingdom.  That means the closer we draw to Christ's Coming the greater the opportunity for reaping souls.  Since Bible prophecy indicates these are the end-times we must work with urgency and expectancy.

 

2.         Secondly, pray for the unconverted.  The wheels of evangelism turn on the power of intercession.  Heaven responds to prayer.

 

3.         Thirdly, be willing to enter the harvest field.  In Luke 14:23 Christ commanded all believers to: "Go and compel them [unbelievers] to come in that My house will be full."

 

(Illustration)  Years ago a boy fell into a well.  Almost instantly $40,000 was raised to bring in rescue equipment.  In 1937, Amelia Earhart, was announced lost.  During the next ten days over $2,500,000 was spent searching for her.  How much more should Christians value man's eternal soul?

 

Jesus said in Mark 8:36‑37, "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?  Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?"

 

Conclusion

 

Believers must prioritize personal vigilance, lovingly watching over fellow believers, and prioritize reaching unbelievers.

Copyright © 2009 by Pulpit Today
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