Pastor’s Page | May 14th, 2026
Sermon Prep (Read Ezekeil 2)
Have you ever had to stand watch? The idea is that you are on a post and it is your duty to keep your eye open for approaching danger or threats and if something happens, you let someone know. So, for example, if you are standing watch on the ship’s deck, and you see smoke coming out of an opening, then it is your duty to tell someone about it. Or if you see a troublemaker (aka drunken sailor) coming up the gangway and he is cursing, trying to start fights with people, then it is your job to stop him and to notify the Master at Arms (ship police). Better yet, if you are told that the gangway is messed up and that if you walk on it, it will collapse and you will experience a horrific painful fall into nasty black water of the dock, and you see the captain of the ship starting to walk your way. Do you tell him?
Now if you are standing watch and you are tired and you decide to take a nap, then let’s just say that you will soon be standing in front of the captain getting ripped to shreds. Or if you see that drunken sailor coming up the gangway, and you don’t want to confront him because you know he is not the nicest of people, and then he ends up punching the Captain? Who gets in trouble then? Or best yet, if the captain falls into the water because you didn’t tell him about the gangway being compromised, then you are the one who is heading to the brig.
In Chapter 3 of our study on Ezekiel, the prophet is still experiencing the vision of Chapter 1 and the call of Chapter 2. In Chapter 3 he is given the commission as a watchman for Israel. It is his duty to tell the people of Israel who are in captivity in Babylon that they have wandered from God and He is disciplining them. It is not a pleasant message, and they are not pleasant people, but Ezekiel has been called to be a faithful watchman. A watchman was someone who stood on the wall and told the people of approaching danger. The sad thing here is the danger the people of God need to watch for is God Himself.
A couple of things to notice as you study this chapter. First, notice how before he is commissioned as a watchman, he must first digest the scroll that God gives him. What role does the vision in Chapter 1 connect to the scroll in Chapter 3? Also, what attitude do you think is necessary for Ezekiel to have in order to be a\ watchman? Something to pick up on is the way that Ezekiel is both angry at what he sees in the people, but also heartbroken by it as well. Yet, before he speaks to them, he spends 7 whole days with them. Why is this important? Why not just grab a megaphone and start preaching angrily at them? Something to consider, as Christians we are called to be ambassadors for Christ. What is the difference between being an ambassador and a watchman?
Also, notice the responsibility that is placed upon Ezekeil to tell the people all that God has told him to tell. What are the consequences if he refuses to tell them all that God has told them? What does this say to our tendency, as ambassadors, to only focus on one aspect of the Gospel message? Some preach only gloom and doom; others preach only love and grace. Why are both needed? Also, if we truly believe that need for Christ and the consequences for refusing Him, and we then refuse to tell others about Him and His grace, what responsibility do we then bear?
March Sermon Series
“Crazy Times and a Steady God”
05/17 - Preaching to a Decaying Culture - Ezekiel 3
05/24 - Preaching Vividly - Ezekiel 4-5
05/31 - Preaching through Calamity - Ezekiel 6-7
Devotional Daily Reading Plan
Updates, Thoughts and More
It is hard to believe that our Upward season is already ending. It has been a great season and what a blessing it has been to watch these kids grow, not only in basketball but in their faith. This Saturday is the last games, so if you have not seen these kids play, come out and watch them this Saturday. The kindergarten – 1 st graders play from 9 to 11. The 2 nd and 3 rd graders play from 11 to 1 pm. The 4 th and 5 th graders play from 1 to 3 pm. Our Upwards awards banquet will be on May 19 th at 5:30 pm in the CLC. We still need volunteers to help serve and set up and clean up. For more information, contact our children’s director Izzy at Izzy@actonmethodist.com.
This Sunday is graduation Sunday and we have 5 graduates from high school and college. We are super proud of all the hard work they have put in to make this possible. We will be recognizing them in the service as well as having a special reception in the CLC in between services.
VBS has been scheduled for June 15-18. Registration is now open. We will be having a volunteer meeting within the next few weeks. Please keep your eyes and ears open for more details.
Now it is time for my basketball soapbox moment. I love to watch physical basketball, but these refs are allowing way too much physical play to happen but only with certain players. I feel sorry for poor Wemby of the Spurs. He is starting to get the Shaq treatment. That is where you are so big and dominant that the refs allow the other team to hang all over you and hit you on just every play. The other day he lost his temper and threw a vicious elbow. His ejection was warranted but watch the replay and you will see one Timberwolves player had his arm in a wrestling move and another player was basically getting a piggyback ride on him. Yet not one foul was called (except for the elbow…and it was a nasty elbow.) I am rooting for the Spurs to win games 5 and 6. Also, not only do I hope that the OKC Thunder sweep the Lakers, I hope there is a close up of Lebron James crying. (I am not a Lebron fan…as you can see).
What’s Going On This Week
Thursday (05/14)
Civic Chorus Concert — 7:00pm
Saturday (05/16)
Upward Basketball Games — 9am-3pm
Mother’s Day Luncheon — 11am
Sunday (05/17)
Worship — 9am & 10:30am
Graduation Sunday
Monday (05/18)
Stitching Angels — 1:30pm
Church Council Meeting — 6:30pm
Tuesday (05/19)
Men’s Prayer Breakfast — 7:30am
Upward Banquet — 5:30pm
Wednesday (05/20)
Prayer Warriors — 9:00am
Sip And Share — 10:00am
Youth and Kids — 5:00pm
Table Talk — 5:00pm
Choir — 7:00pm
Joke of the Week
A preacher giving a long-winded sermon finally says, “I’m sorry I talked so long. I left my watch at home.” A voice from the congregation says, “There’s a calendar behind you.”
Memory Verse of the Week
“But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself.”
~Ezekiel 3:19 (NIV84)
Quote of the Week
“What right do we have to make God out to be someone other than He really is in order to make people like Him more? Honor God by declaring the truth about Him.
~Jim Elliff
