The text before us this morning (Ezekiel 2:1–3:15) records Ezekiel’s call to ministry. Like many of the prophets, he was called to a ministry in which he was told that few would listen to him. But his call was to be faithful, not to be “successful.” His call can be summed up with the words of 2:7: “And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house.” “Success” would not be gauged in the number of conversions he saw but in his faithfulness to the message God gave him to preach.
But what would empower Ezekiel for this task to which the Lord had called him? The answer is given at the outset of the text: “As he spoke to me, the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet” (2:2). His ministry was a Spirit-empowered ministry.
The role of the Spirit in the believer’s ministry has been debated for a long time. Did the Spirit indwell old covenant believers, as he certainly does new covenant believers? There are different opinions on that question. Regardless of your answer, it certainly appears that there is something quite different about the ministry of the Spirit post-Pentecost. Under the old covenant, the Spirit came upon and empowered particular people for specific ministry tasks, especially the task of preaching truth to God’s people. But the prophets held out hope for a day when the Spirit would be poured indiscriminately on all God’s people (Joel 2:28–29). This was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. The new covenant believer, therefore, has the same power in gospel proclamation that Ezekiel had in his ministry—and, therefore, the same responsibility. We are, in that sense, all “prophets” with the responsibility to share God’s truth with a world in need of the gospel.
The promise of the Spirit teaches us at least two important, seemingly contradictory, truths.
On the one hand, the promise of the Spirit reminds us that gospel preaching is far easier than we often think. We sometimes imagine that we cannot possibly be effective in sharing the gospel with unbelieving friends and family. We convince ourselves that we don’t have sufficient knowledge and that we will not be able to answer tough questions. In short, we believe that our incompetence will place an immovable barrier to gospel witness.
When we are tempted to think that way, we need to be reminded that God is not limited by our weaknesses. He can save—and often does save—despite our incompetence. In fact, it is often precisely in the face of our incompetence that God chooses to highlight his glory. In biblical terms, it is through the foolishness of the cross that he brings people to himself. We may feel incompetent to answer every objection that will be raised to truth, but our task is not to answer every question but instead to simply preach the simple truths of the gospel and trust the Spirit to effectively save those whom he will save.
On the other hand, the promise of the Spirit reminds us that gospel preaching is far more difficult than we might think. At least, this is true when we are tempted to think that it is our brilliance and our clever answers that will save people. We cannot convince people of truth by our apologetic brilliance. Unbelievers are dead in trespasses and sins and only the power of God’s Spirit can regenerate them. If we rely on our own ability, we will never realise effectiveness in ministry. We must, instead, preach the simple truths of the gospel while praying passionately that God will bless our feeble efforts with eternal fruit.
This does not mean that we do not take care in our gospel preaching to present the gospel in a way that is clear and free of unnecessary offence. The message of the cross is offensive as it is, and we must be careful of erecting unnecessary stumbling blocks in the way of those with whom we are sharing the gospel. As Paul said, we should become all things to all people so that we might by all means save some (1 Corinthians 9:22). And yet we must do so with the full realisation that the work of the Spirit is necessary in the heart of anyone who will submit to the gospel. Salvation is ultimately God’s work.
As you meditate on Ezekiel 2:1–3:15 this morning, thank God for the gift of the Spirit. Pray for the ability to faithfully share the truth of the gospel with full reliance on the Spirit to produce persevering fruit.
