The Call to Righteousness: A Lifeline for All. Ezekiel 33:10-16
Good Morning
Stand with me and lift your bible and repeat after me.
This is my Bible.
I am what it says I am.
I can do what it says I can do.
I am going to learn how to be what it says I can be.
Today I will learn more of the word of God.
The indestructible, never ending, living word Of God.
I will never be the same.
I will never be the same.
In Jesus Name
Amen?
Before you sit down, say good morning to your brothers and sisters.
Open your Bibles to Ezekiel 33:10-16 and say, “Amen” when you are there.
Read with me.
.
"Son of man, say to the Israelites, 'This is what you are saying: Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live?'"
Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?'
Therefore, son of man, say to your people, 'If someone who is righteous disobeys, that person's former righteousness will count for nothing, and if someone who is wicked repents, that person's former wickedness will not bring condemnation. The righteous person who sins will die for it, and the wicked person who repents will live because of it.'
But if a wicked person turns from their sin and does what is just and right, they will live. None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. They have done what is just and right; they will surely live.
Yet your people say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' But it is their way that is not just.
If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, they will die for it. And if a wicked person turns away from their wickedness and does what is just and right, they will live by doing so.
Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' But I will judge each of you according to your ways, O house of Israel.'"
Good morning, Church.
We find ourselves today in the book of Ezekiel, a powerful text that speaks to the very heart of God's justice, His mercy, and His longing for us to turn from sin and experience life in Him.
Ezekiel 33:10-16 contains a solemn yet beautiful invitation from God to every person caught in the weight of their own mistakes, failures, and sins.
The Lord doesn’t delight in punishment. Instead, He calls us to repentance and restoration.
Today, I want us to reflect deeply on these verses.
It’s easy to feel weighed down by our mistakes and our past, but God’s desire is to give us a future, a future that begins with one simple but powerful act: turning to Him.
1. The Weight of Sin: A Heavy Burden
In the opening verse, the people of Israel cry out:
"Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them. How can we live?" (Ezekiel 33:10).
Have you ever felt that weight?
The burden of sin that drags you down, the guilt that makes it hard to breathe, the shame that holds you back from moving forward in life.
It’s a weight that can feel impossible to shake off.
Whether it's sin we commit directly, or the brokenness of a world filled with injustice, we all know what it feels like to be stuck in despair.
When people come to this point—when they feel trapped, lost, or overwhelmed—the cry is the same: How can we live?
It's the cry of a person who has reached the end of their own strength, their own willpower, and their own solutions.
But here's the good news: God has the answer to this question. He has not left us without hope.
2. The Compassion of God: A Father’s Heart
God responds with a powerful declaration:
"As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live."* (Ezekiel 33:11).
This is the heart of the Gospel! God’s justice is real, but His mercy is even greater. God does not delight in punishing anyone. He does not want to see anyone perish, and neither should we. His desire is that we turn from our destructive ways, that we embrace His love, and that we find true life in Him.
The Lord is calling us, not with a voice of condemnation, but with a voice of invitation—Turn, return, and live.
God’s mercy is not passive. It's active. It’s an invitation to experience new life through repentance, which simply means turning away from sin and turning toward God.
Imagine for a moment: If God, who is holy and just, calls us to return to Him, how much more should we desire to turn back to Him? It’s not out of fear but out of love. Just as a parent longs for the return of a wayward child, God’s heart beats for our return. He calls us to life, to hope, to transformation.
3. The Power of Repentance: A Lifeline to Life
The call is clear: “Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:11).
Repentance is not just a one-time act but a radical shift in direction—a decision to turn away from everything that leads to death and turn toward the source of true life: Jesus Christ. When we make this decision, we receive the gift of grace and forgiveness, not because we deserve it but because God is good.
Consider John Newton’s story again. A man who trafficked in the pain of others, a man whose heart was hard and cold, but when he encountered the transforming grace of God, his life was never the same.
That hardened man became a vessel of God's mercy, a preacher of salvation, and a writer of the hymn "Amazing Grace," which still resonates today: “I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind, but now I see.”
This is the power of repentance—it changes everything.
No matter how far we’ve gone, how much we’ve messed up, God’s grace is greater.
When we turn, God remembers our sins no more. The old is gone, and the new has come. You are made new in Christ.
4. God’s Justice and Mercy: The Two Sides of the Same Coin
God makes it clear that His judgment is based on what we choose today, not what we’ve done in the past:
"If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, they will die for it. And if a wicked person turns away from their wickedness and does what is just and right, they will live by doing so." (Ezekiel 33:18-19).
We are each responsible for our choices. But the good news is that God offers us the chance to choose life, no matter where we’ve been.
If you’ve been living a life apart from God, today is the day to choose Him. It’s never too late to turn to Him.
God's judgment is fair, but His mercy is overwhelming. When we repent, we choose life. When we choose to walk in His ways, we experience the fullness of His love and His peace.
No sin is too great to be forgiven.
No heart is too hardened to be softened by His grace.
Let me share a final story of transformation. There was a man named Tony who found himself lost in a life of addiction, poor choices, and broken relationships. He had hit rock bottom, and he could no longer bear the weight of his sin. One evening, at a friend’s insistence, Tony entered a church service. He didn’t expect much—he was just looking for a way to fill the emptiness.
But during the message, the words pierced his heart. As he heard of God’s grace, Tony realized that there was a lifeline being thrown out to him. It wasn’t about his past; it was about what he could choose in the present moment. He chose to turn.
That night, Tony knelt and gave his life to Christ. And in that moment, something changed. He was forgiven. He was freed. He began a new life, one filled with purpose, peace, and joy.
Today, Tony is a thriving leader in his community, helping others who are lost, just as he once was.
Tony’s story is not unique. It's the story of every person who has ever encountered God’s mercy and responded in faith. It’s your story if you choose to turn today.
God is calling you today. If you feel the weight of your sins, the burden of your past, He is inviting you to lay it down.
The call to repentance is a call to life. Don’t let your past define you. Let God’s mercy define your future. Repent and turn to the One who offers forgiveness, peace, and eternal life.
I want to invite you, right now, to respond to God’s call. If you have never given your life to Christ, or if you have wandered away and want to come back, this is your moment.
You don’t need to carry that weight any longer. You don’t need to live in shame, guilt, or fear. Today, you can turn and live.
If you feel God’s tug on your heart, I want you to come forward. Lay down your burden at the feet of Jesus. Repent, believe, and be made new.
Let’s pray together.
*Father, I come before You today acknowledging my sins. I know I cannot carry this burden alone. I ask for Your forgiveness, and I choose to turn to You. I place my faith in
you.”
