ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS ASSEMBLIES OF GOD – MORAL RESPONSIBILITY DEMANDED

TOPIC: MORAL RESPONSIBILITY DEMANDED

Memory Verse: Ezekiel 18:32 – For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye (KJV).

Lesson Bible Text:

Ezekiel 3:16-27; 18:1-32

Lesson Central Truth:

Followers of Jesus Christ are responsible to walk in holiness.

Today’s lesson continues to explore the significance of Ezekiel’s call and ministry within the prophetic office. In this part of the story, the focus shifts to responsibility–Ezekiel’s responsibility to the people he was called to reach, and their individual responsibility to return to God with repentance and obedience in response to Ezekiel’s prophetic warnings. As believers, we must realize that God holds each person accountable for his or her actions and choose to live righteously.

1. WARNING OF IMPENDING DOOM

A. Appointed To Watch And Warn – Ezekiel 3:16-21

B. Waiting For The Message – Ezekiel 3:22-27

2. PRINCIPLE OF INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY

A. Righteousness Rewarded – Ezekiel 18:1-9

B. The Next Generation – Ezekiel 18:10-18.

3. THE LORD IS JUST

A. Every Person’s Sin Is Their Own – Ezekiel 18:19-20

B. The Past Does Not Dictate The Future – Ezekiel 18:21-32

1. WARNING OF IMPENDING DOOM

Ezekiel 3:15-27

Seven days after Ezekiel’s inaugural vision,️ God spoke to him again. Ezekiel heard God’s word for the people. We should take note of many voices speaking to us. The source of the word we hear in our lives matters a lot. God is the real source of the word Ezekiel heard. God told Ezekiel that He had made him a spiritual watchman for the people, and that if he failed to warn them when danger was approaching, he would be held accountable for the lives that were lost. Conversely, if he did raise the alarm, and the people did not listen, then their deaths would be on their own hands. The responsibility of the watchman was to watch and to warn. The responsibility of the people was to listen to the watchman and act accordingly. Each believer must understand that we are watchmen appointed by God to warn the lost about the coming judgment and encourage them to accept God’s offer of salvation through Jesus Christ.

“You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.” ~ Martin Luther. We must take responsibility of our actions and inactions. Every believer is called to warn those in their circle of influence of the dangers of sin. How many of us encounter men and women who need the gospel, yet never warn them of their spiritual jeopardy? To what degree are we accountable to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with our friends and coworkers? Yet as we see in Ezekiel, sinners are not the only ones who need a warning. The Lord exhorted Ezekiel that He must also warn the righteous who stray from the right path. “If righteous people turn away from their righteous behaviour and ignore the obstacles I put in their way, they will die” (Ezekiel 3:2). Believers are accountable for their disastrous choices if they abandon God and embrace sin. It is a great responsibility to deliver God’s Word to others. As spiritual watchmen, we must always be on duty and ready to sound the warning.

God’s messengers must always wait on God for His message. Note that God’s message is not ours and we must stand to speak out God’s Word the way He gave it to us. As spiritual watchman, Ezekiel was not to speak extemporaneously, from his own heart, or at his own discretion. He was to wait on a word from God, that way, whenever Ezekiel spoke, he could speak with the authority that accompanied God’s words. God’s greatest desire is for the lost to hear the message of redemption and accept Jesus as their Saviour and a return to the Lord for those who have turned away after accepting Him as their Saviour. God made the greatest investment in the redemption of humanity. He gave His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus, so people would not die in their sins and unrighteousness. The Lord wants the lost to respond to His message with repentance and faith. Be the voice that always bring forth God’s mind to His people at any given time.

Ezekiel 18:1-18

Ezekiel challenged an idea that was popular among the Judean exiles, the notion that they were suffering for the sins of their ancestors and not their own. This idea was summarised in a pithy proverb which said, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste” (Ezekiel 18:2). The sour grapes proverb made it seem that each person was being punished for the sins of the parents. They were made to feel that righteousness was unattainable. No one could come into a relationship with the Lord. They believed they were being punished for their parent’s sins, and that there was no escape. Such an idea was not without foundation. The book of Exodus 20:5 stated that God lays “the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected–everything children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.” The Israelites were taking one single verse and using it out of context to support their own sinful stance. If we continue to read Exodus 20:6, the Scripture says, “But showing steadfast love to the thousands generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.” The exiles completely ignored the second part of the Lord’s statement found in Exodus 20:5-6. They also forgot Deuteronomy 24:16 which says, “Parents shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their parents; only for their own crimes may a person be put to death.” The implication here is that the righteous shall be rewarded and same for the wicked. It is the soul that sins that will die. God deals with us on individual basis. So, we must live right and encourage our household to also live for Him.

God reminded His people through Ezekiel that every individual in every generation makes personal decision about serving or rebelling against God. Having righteous parents does not guarantee righteousness for the next generation, nor dies Having unrighteous parents mean one is doomed to live apart from God. Each person makes his or her own decision about accepting the salvation and life offered through Jesus Christ. If you feel that you have come from an abusive family, or that you had ungodly parents, do not assume that you are destined to the same fate as they are. You are an individual, and you determine your own course in life. If you want to trust in the Lord Jesus as your Saviuor, then don’t let anyone else hinder that decision. Righteousness has a generational blessings for that righteous individual and same with sin having generational curses for that sinful individual who refused to accept Jesus as Lord and personal Saviour. The Lord said in Deuteronomy 30:19 – “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” We are responsible for our own actions, and it is our responsibility whether or not we choose life or death. The Lord gives a choice though; therefore, choose life!

Ezekiel 18:19-32

Ezekiel wanted the Jewish exiles in Babylon to understand that God would justly hold them accountable for their own sin if they did not turn to God in repentance. God is just and He does not punish anyone for what their ancestors may or may not have done. God certainly punishes sin, but He does not punish anyone for someone else’s wrongdoing. “The one who sins is the one who dies. The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own goodness, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness” (Ezekiel 18:20). Do not allow a bad situation to cause you to transfer responsibility and blame to someone else. Do not believe the lie that your ugly situation is entirely someone else’s fault and that there is nothing you can do about it. Do not believe the lie that you are an innocent victim of an unfair God. As believers, we must understand and believe that God’s judgement is always justly measured out to each individual person.

Ezekiel continued his explanation of God’s justice by declaring that one’s past actions would not absolutely dictate a person’s future. God would evaluate choices they made going forward. “If wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my laws and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die. All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done” (Ezekiel 18:21-22). Our sinful past lives can not stop our present repented lives to achieve a glorious future. God is not always happy with the death of a sinner. His Great desire is for everyone to come back to Him with full repentance ie turning away from sin and having loyal obedience to God. We must note that God is just to judge people for their own sins, but He is also ready to forgive those who turn in repentance. God honours true repentance and genuine faith.

Lesson Action Word

As believers, we are called to be watchmen for those around us, both in the Church and outside the Church. We must sound the warning of the consequences of rebellion against God. Be loyal to God in every opportunity you have to share the gospel to others.

Lesson Prayer Point

Father, help us to be the watchmen we need to be, so that we will speak the Word of truth in love to people around us in Jesus Matchless Name. Amen!

Remain blessed as you join us in our Sunday school both online and at any Assemblies Of God Church close to you as we study together under the Feet of the Master.

Share your contribution and as well ask your question from the lesson.

Shalom!