The Call To Righteousness: A Lifeline For All. Ezekiel 33:10-16

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.

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"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.