Hearts of Stone: God’s Judgment is About Redemption, Not Destruction | Lent Week 2
At Watsonville Church of the Nazarene (WatsNaz), we believe that God’s judgment is not about condemnation—it’s about redemption. In this week’s message, we explored Ezekiel 18, where God sets the record straight about His justice. The Israelites believed they were suffering because of their ancestors’ sins, but God challenged this misconception. He made it clear: each person is responsible for their own heart, and His discipline is meant to bring renewal, not ruin.
Understanding God’s Judgment
Too often, we misunderstand God’s discipline, much like the Israelites did in Ezekiel 18 and even Jesus’ disciples in John 9. When Jesus encountered a man born blind, His disciples asked, “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2). They assumed suffering was always a punishment, just as Israel did. But Jesus corrected them:
"Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him." (John 9:3)
This is the heart of God’s judgment—not punishment for the sake of punishment, but a call to transformation and new life.
Growth Requires Change
To help illustrate this, we looked at the story of Wrexham AFC, a struggling soccer team that was bought by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. If the team wanted to rise in the rankings, the owners couldn’t keep things the same—they had to fire coaches, release players, and rebuild the team for success. This process wasn’t about destruction, but renewal. God’s discipline works the same way. Hebrews 12:6 reminds us that "the Lord disciplines those He loves." His correction may feel painful, but it is never pointless. Just as a gardener prunes a tree so it can grow stronger, God refines us to remove what is holding us back from the fullness of life in Him.
A Call to Humility and Repentance
We also explored a powerful example from Donald Miller’s Blue Like Jazz. At a college known for its anti-Christian culture, a group of believers set up a confessional booth—but instead of hearing the confessions of others, they confessed the sins of the church. They apologized for hypocrisy, judgmental attitudes, and ways Christians had failed to reflect the love of Jesus. This act of humility and repentance opened hearts and led to unexpected spiritual conversations.
What if we, as a faith community in Watsonville, took the same posture? Instead of pointing fingers at the world, what if we asked God to change us first? What if, instead of blaming culture, we took responsibility for how we can be better witnesses of His grace?
Turn and Live
At WatsNaz, we want to be a Bible-based, Spirit-filled church that doesn’t just talk about faith but lives it out. God’s heart is clear in Ezekiel 18:32: "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live." This is our invitation—to embrace God’s refining work, to repent, and to live fully in His grace.
Join the Conversation
If you missed this week’s message, we encourage you to watch the full sermon below and reflect on how God is inviting you to repent and live.
📍 Looking for a family-friendly church in Watsonville? Join us at Watsonville Church of the Nazarene—a community church serving South Santa Cruz County, Freedom, Corralitos, Pajaro, and the Monterey Bay area.
👉 Visit us this Sunday for worship services in Watsonville and be part of a church that seeks to see heaven on earth in our community
Questions:
Personal Responsibility: Are there areas in your life where you’ve blamed others instead of taking responsibility? How does God’s invitation to repentance give you hope?
God’s Judgment & Redemption: How does seeing God’s judgment as redemptive rather than punitive change your view of Him? Can you think of a time when His correction led to growth?
The Church’s Role: How can our church take a posture of humility and repentance like in Blue Like Jazz? What practical ways can we reflect God’s grace in our community?