Truth Hurts

Sermon on Ezekiel 2:1-3:15

[Many thanks to Brother WeiZheng for this translation]

Peace to all, brothers and sisters. The theme of today’s sermon is “The truth hurts”. I’m sure you have all heard of this phrase before. “良药苦口利于病，忠言逆耳利于行。” As people in the olden days say: “medicine benefits your health, and truth benefits your soul”. An effective medication might not be pleasant, it may be bitter, but it helps the sick to recover. Likewise, the truth may not be pleasant to listen to, and may cause displeasure. However, such words may help to correct or rectify actions. I’m sure the meaning of this statement can be experienced in our daily lives.

In today’s bible passage, Prophet Ezekiel is faced with the same scenario. God has given a medicine that is hard to swallow. Of course, Ezekiel is not the one taking this medication. He was responsible for feeding the medicine. However, when the medicine is bitter and difficult to swallow, it becomes unbearable for both the person taking the medicine and the person giving the medicine. I’m sure a lot of parents can identify with that. Feeding someone the medicine can be harder than eating it. Ezekiel was called by the Lord to be a messenger of the news to the Israelites. Further details of this message will be further explained in subsequent sermons. However, I can reveal that Ezekiel’s message was largely about God’s trial on them, and about impending disasters. Simply put, these are things that people do not want to hear. From the Scripture, the message would lead to reactions of “lament, mourning and woe”(2:10). The medicine is bitter, and the truth hurts. Ezekiel’s message was a real warning, a medicine that was beneficial. Hence, it was a message that the Israelites found hurting. Ezekiel was responsible for administering this bitter medication; and he would definitely have his reservations about it. It was a difficult task. Feeding the medicine can be more difficult than swallowing it. Yet, God entrusted this difficult responsibility to Ezekiel. I feel this big responsibility is very meaningful. I am sure we are all very familiar with Moses’ calling. Today we will look at Ezekiel’s calling. How did God delegate such difficult responsibilities to Ezekiel? I would like to raise up three points.

Firstly, God was being honest with Ezekiel. Usually, if you were to give someone a difficult task, you will usually say only the good aspects of it. You will not say “the odds are against you, there’s no point doing it at all. The whole process is laden with problems and no benefits. Would you like to do it?” If you were to ask in this manner, who on earth would want to do it? Isn’t it almost like shooting yourself in the foot? However, this was the sort of honesty that God had with Ezekiel. 2：3He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. 4The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn.

God told Ezekiel that the people will not listen. These people will not listen to God, let alone His instructions or the prophets. God likened them to thorns and thistles. These people had thorns on them. Ezekiel was bound to be hurt.
God described them as a rebellious nation. God was telling Ezekiel that this task was bound to fail. As a speaker or a messenger, it is the greatest failure if no one bothers to listen. However, God was being honest to Ezekiel in this aspect on what he was to face. This was His task for Ezekiel. This is the first point, that God was being completely honest with Ezekiel.

On the surface, God’s honesty was enough for Ezekiel to reject this responsibility. They are a stubborn group of people anyway. They will not listen to Ezekiel or God’s message. What is the point of Ezekiel speaking to them? Why not give up from the start, at least he could save on his transportation. After reading what about God’s task for Ezekiel, I thought likewise. Especially in the last verse: 3:15 I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Aviv near the Kebar River. And there, where they were living, I sat among them for seven days—deeply distressed. I was thinking, instead of carrying out this task with so much “distress”, why not just give up from the start? However, there is a second point to this responsibility. Ezekiel had no choice when God called him as God’s call was a command. We might think that the stubbornness of the Israelites were reason enough for Ezekiel to refuse this task. However, the passage brought up the same point three times. Regardless of the Israelites’ reactions, regardless of the result, this was something that Ezekiel had to do. 2：5 And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them. 7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. 3：11 Go now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says,’ whether they listen or fail to listen. Whether they listen or fail to listen. Whether they listen or fail to listen. Whether they listen or fail to listen. God said the same thing to Ezekiel three times. It doesn’t matter how the Israelites would react to it; Ezekiel was still required to carry out the task. A doctor’s responsibility is to administer the medicine to a sick person. A prophet’s responsibility is to pass on a God’s message to the sinners. Whether they listen or fail to listen, that is not important at all. Yes, the speaker has a sense of self achievement if he has listeners. As a pastor, I definitely hope that people will listen to my sermons. However, I still have to say what I have to say even if no one listens to me. It is the responsibility of the Israelites to listen, but the responsibility of Ezekiel to speak to them. Hence God said to Ezekiel: 2:8 But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” Ezekiel didn’t have a choice. If he did not accept this task, he would be like the rebellious Israelites. Therefore, Ezekiel had to submit to God. Whether or not the Israelites listen, Ezekiel had to deliver the message.

The two points that I just mentioned gave me a huge inspiration. Whether it’s the worship ministry, or cell activities, I often need people to step up to serve in the church. At times, in order for someone to accept a responsibility more readily, I would have to beautify the task a little bit. I would speak less of the difficulties, and mention more of the good aspects. I would bring up the benefits of such, and say: Let’s work for a better future. However, the work in the church is not always plain sailing. Some people are resistant to change, some people are withdrawn; being rebellious is not just a characteristic of the Israelites only. From the two points raised in the passage, I have been reminded about being forthcoming. Honestly accepting that some responsibilities is only about giving without any receiving anything in return. Honestly accepting that at times, the more diligent you are, the more resistance you will get. Accepting the fact that people opinions are deeply ingrained and are impossible to change; you can only manage it with a lot of patience and understanding. The passage reminded me – whether or not people listen, I have to say what I have to say. As for serving in church, regardless of the result, if it is God’s calling, we have to do it. I can be forthcoming with people about the situation in church; but when it comes to things that we have to do, we do not have a choice but to follow God’s directive.

The two points mentioned above sound rather depressing. The task is difficult, yet there no way of rejecting it. Is doing God’s work really such a painful affair? Thankfully, there is a third point from the passage: though the task is tough, God will prepare his servant. Ezekiel did not bear the burden of the task alone, but he relied on God’s strength. In the passage, we can see how God encourages Ezekiel. 2：6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. God repeatedly told Ezekiel not to be afraid or terrified. No matter how resistant or stubborn the Israelites are, Ezekiel had the encouragement and comfort from God. 3:8 But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. 9 I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. God not only gave me strength, but courage as well. God wanted Ezekiel to be more thick-skinned than the Israelites. Previously, I did not understand what it means to be hard-headed. Now, I do. God could make Ezekiel as hardened as the Israelites were. 9 I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. God could enable Ezekiel’s perseverance to triumph over the Israelites’ stubbornness. God make Ezekiel thick-skinned and full of perseverance; there was no stopping him. He was indeed the bane of a rebellious nation. God not only gave Ezekiel courage, but also perseverance. God also gave him the most important preparation: God allowed Ezekiel to experience the message entrusted to him.

Ezekiel was not the person eating the medicine, he was the one responsible for feeding it. However, God instructed Ezekiel to eat this message first. 3：3 Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth. 3：10 And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you.  God wanted the person feeding the medicine to eat it first. The messenger had to first understand the hurting truth. When Ezekiel ate it and it tasted like honey in the mouth. Though the medication is bitter, though truth can be painful to hear, Ezekiel was now able to understand the gravity and value of this message. Just like how God’s Law is being praised in the book of Psalms, when you understand His command, even if the message might be stern, it is ultimately beneficial. Ezekiel was able to understand this message, and this was the most important step in God preparing him to face the Israelites. The best salesmen are those that truly believe in the product. Similarly, the best messengers are those that truly believe and treasure the value of the message they bring. No matter how many obstacles there are, Ezekiel will be determined to deliver this message.

Early day prophets and believers are not the only that have been called by God. Each and every one of us is called to be messengers for God. Just like how God tasked Ezekiel with a responsibility, God called every follower of Christ in the same way. This process includes the three points from today’s sermon. Firstly, God’s words are . From Acts of the Apostles, we know that evangelism will be difficult. Rejection and stubbornness are part and parcel of mission work. God’s words are honest. Secondly, God’s call is a command. It is the responsibility of others to listen, but it is our responsibility to speak. Of course, everyone has a different style of evangelism. However, Evangelism is a mandatory mission of the church. God did not give us a choice. We give medicine to the sick, and we deliver God’s word to the sinners. God’s words are honest, and it is a command. Lastly, though the task will not be easy, but God will adequately prepare us. The best preparation from God is to give us a taste of His goodness. The medicine may be bitter, but the effects are sweet. God's truth may hurt, but to the one who obeys, he is like “a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither” (Psalm 1:3). We love the gospel, and hence we love telling people about it. May we let Ezekiel’s calling become our encouragement, reminding us to strive continuously in our mission.