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The instructions for observing Rosh HaShana are simple:

In the seventh month, on the first of the month we are to have a day of rest; it’s a day for us to remember; and we make a tru-ah (literally we “make a sound”); and have a holy assembly. We don’t do any ordinary work; and we present an offering by fire to the Lord.

This morning I want to focus on one of these instructions – we are to make a sound.

Moses didn’t specify what kind of sound we are to make. However, the tradition became that the sound is the sound made by blowing the shofar.

My message today: Hear the sound of the shofar, and blow the shofar for others to hear.

The sound that the shofar makes is a loud sound. It’s a serious sound. It’s a warning sound.

We need to hear this loud, serious, warning sound because it’s so easy for us to become complacent – about relating to the living God the way we should, and living for God the way we should.

The sound of the shofar calls to us to be aware of the living God, to return to Him, to get right with Him, to get close to Him, to do the things He wants us to be doing, to focus on our true spiritual condition.

What does the Lord want us do be doing? Spiritual living. Holy living. Consistently resisting sin and temptation. Righteous living. Consistently doing the right things. Having a clean conscience.

And He want us to seek Him – all the time. To be praying to Him. Talking to Him. Hearing from Him by reading His Word and thinking about it.

He wants us nurture our inner life with Him.

He wants us to listen to Him teaching us truth in our inner being.

He wants us to praise Him.

He wants us sing to Him with our heart.

He wants us to thank Him frequently, and for everything.

He wants us to seek first His kingdom – not our interests, our agenda – but His interests, His agenda.

He wants us to pour our time, talents and treasures into building Messiah’s Community and serving the Lord’s people who are part of it, in whom He is living.

He wants each one of us to be His priests, His ministers, His servants. If we have a regular job – we are the Lord’s ministers there. The people there are our flock. We pray for them. We look for ways to tell them about Messiah. We model what a man of God, a woman of God, is like.

If we are in school – we are the Lord’s servants there. The people there are our mission field. We pray for them. We look for ways to tell them about Messiah. We model what a man of God, a woman of God is like.

Respond to the sound of the shofar. Then make the sound of the shofar for others to hear.

Tell them the truth. Tell them that God is real. Alive. Powerful. Holy. Three yet One. A God who can intervene, help, save and deliver.

Tell them that all people are fallen, sinners, estranged from God, alienated from the One who made them; headed to Hell, not Heaven, to death, not life.

Tell them that God loves them and wants to rescue them from death and Hell so they can live forever with Him in a new and perfect universe.

Tell them that this world will not last forever; that there will be a day of judgment.

Tell them they need to humble themselves and repent.

Tell them that the Son of God left Heaven, lived a perfect life, died to reconcile them to God, was resurrected, raised from the dead, ascended to Heaven, to the right hand of God the Father, where He is right now – wanting people to know Him, receive His Spirit, and receive His grace and help, salvation and everlasting life.

Consider these words from the prophet Ezekiel: If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the shofar and warns the people, then if anyone who hears the sound of the shofar does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the shofar and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the shofar, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.

We are not living in the days of Ezekiel. However, this same warning applies to us. The sword is still coming – for everyone. Death and judgment are coming. However, salvation and Heaven and eternal life are coming for those who turn to Messiah Yeshua.

If we claim to be believers, we are watchmen. If we call ourselves Christians and Messianic Jews, we are watchmen. We must blow the shofar and warn people what’s coming – or the Lord will hold us accountable and we will suffer consequences.

It’s not enough to hear the shofar. Each one of us must blow the shofar.

If we truly hear the shofar, we will blow the shofar.

If we are not blowing the shofar, it’s because we don’t hear the shofar.

Are you hearing the shofar? Are you blowing the shofar?