Rev. Cary M. Richert
3^rd Sunday in Lent (C)
March 11, 2007

GOD’S PARADOXICAL JUSTICE
Ezekiel 33:10-20

          Being associated with the rich and famous isn't always what it's cracked up to be!  Consider the prophet Ezekiel.  It's highly likely the prophet was included among the aristocracy of Judah, deported and taken into exile by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar around 598 B.C.  In exile, Ezekiel lived in southern Mesopotamia - modern Iraq - where he was called by God to be a "watchman" for his countrymen ... to blow the trumpet to warn the people of the Lord’s coming sword of judgment against the people's sin.

          Remember that ancient Israel had fallen deeply into the sins of idolatry, unfaithfulness, disobedience, hard-heartedness, spiritual rebellion, and more.  As a result, the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. (He) rejected all the people of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunderers, until he thrust them from his presence. [2 Kings 17:18-20]

Today's text speaks strong Law and beautiful Gospel, as it reveals the paradoxical nature of God's justice and salvation.

          Israel's captivity and deportation caused them to become aware of their sin.  Their Big Question in today's text is a question any person aware of their sinfulness and of God's righteous judgment of sin would ask:  How then can we live? [v. 10]   Sin brings death, physical and eternal, as Ezekiel had so emphatically spoken earlier:  The soul who sins is the one who will die, [Ezekiel 18:4, 20].   Yes, the Big Question for every sinner in the matter of their eternal future is always:  How then can we live? [v. 10]

          God answers His people, then and now:  As surely as I live, 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, O house of Israel? [v. 11]   God desires that we turn away from sin, and that we turn to righteousness, for  God desires our life, not our death.

          On the surface, it sounds like we can earn life for ourselves by our own righteous living, by our efforts at leading good lives, by accumulating a storehouse of good works that deserve God's reward of eternal life.  Through the prophetic watchman, Ezekiel, God explains that,

8     The righteousness of the righteous amounts to nothing if he gives himself to unrighteousness, and

8     The sinner won’t perish on account of his sin, if he turns from his wickedness and pursues righteousness.

What does this mean for us today?  First, our text reminds us how gracious and merciful God is.  When the burden of our sinfulness weighs us down, as well it should at times, rather than sink into despair and ask ourselves, "How then can I be accepted by God and live?" we're drawn to His promises in Christ, who Himself is our righteousness, and who bore God’s wrath and punishment of our sin in our place.

Second, our text reminds us that God is righteous in His judgment and judges each one of us individually [v. 20].  And here's where the paradox of God's justice emerges.  God's justice is rooted in the merits of His only-begotten Son, Jesus, and not in the good works of sinful man.  To which the world says, the way of the Lord is not just. [v. 20]   But the justice of the Lord is just.  For He alone is perfectly just!

The self-made righteousness of those who consider themselves worthy before God, when mixed with the evil of unbelief, will count for nothing in God's manner of justice.  Without faith it is impossible to please God, [Hebrews 11:6].   The evil of unbelief cancels out all attempts at self-justification and leaves a person standing before God "guilty as charged" for their sin, eternally condemned no matter how good and kind their works appeared on earth.

On the other hand, the wickedness of a person's sin will be overlooked completely by God if, by faith, that person throws himself completely at the mercy of God and trusts in the merits of Christ alone for forgiveness and salvation.  By virtue of faith and trust in Jesus, none of the sins he has committed will be remembered against him.  He has done what is just and right; he will surely live. [v. 16]   The paradox of God's justice is this:  If we're saved, we're saved by God's grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ, apart from our good works.  If we're condemned, we're condemned because of our lack of faith and because of the sins we’ve committed.  To which the world says, the way of the Lord is not just. [v. 20]   But the justice of the Lord is just.  It can be no other way!

Once, when Alexander the Great laid siege to a city, he had a great lamp set up.  He kept it burning day and night as a signal to the besieged.  He sent word to the people of the city that, while the lamp was burning they had time to be saved by surrendering.  But once the lamp was put out, the city and all who were in it would be mercilessly destroyed. ¹  

God has set up His light, the light of the cross of Jesus Christ, Himself the Light of the World.  Although people aren't able to save themselves by the good work of "surrendering," they do need the saving message of the Gospel.  Like the ancient prophet Ezekiel, God's watchmen today invite people to come to the Light of God's grace and mercy, the Light of Jesus Christ, where the wickedness of the most wicked may be forgiven and where the righteousness of Christ may become their own saving robe of righteousness.

May we heed carefully the words of the ancient watchman and prophet, for a day is coming, unannounced, when, in a sense, Alexander the Great's light will go out, when God will call all to account as they stand before the righteous Judge, when the Lord will say to each one either, Well done, good and faithful servant!  Come and share your Master's happiness, [Matthew 25:23]  or, Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, [Matthew 25:41]. 

Dear friends in Christ, when the weight of your own sin presses heavy on you, as it seems to have been on the ancient Israelite exiles, remember that the treasures of God - forgiveness of sins, life and salvation - are there to bring peace and healing.  Treasures that flow from the cross of Jesus Christ.  Treasures hidden in simple, unexpected, paradoxical places:  God's Word of promise, water, bread and wine.  Treasures that are present here in the Lord's house every time we gather as His people to receive them in faith and respond in unending praise and thanksgiving! 

In the name of Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  AMEN.

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NOTES

(1)   D. Burgess, Encyclopedia of Sermon Illustrations, St. Louis: CPH, 1988, 205.