Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Get Attention:

Today in the world of business, much is said about branding; in the realm of SEO and Social Marketing, executives are hammered with the verbiage of establishing a brand, and unifying company image.

Today in the world of business, much is said about branding; in the realm of SEO and Social Marketing, executives are hammered with the verbiage of establishing a brand, and unifying company image.

Raise Need:

May I submit to you today that God calls us to much the same in our personal walk with Him?

May I submit to you today that God calls us to much the same in our personal walk with Him?

Orient Theme:

What if your life could be google-searched?

That's a scary thought, isn't it?

If your life was exposed, would it betray the fact that you are a Believer in Jesus Christ?

Can others see His unified mark upon your soul? or would they find someone who's focus on God has been drowned out in pursuit of other worldly allurements?

What if your life could be google-searched?

That's a scary thought, isn't it?

If your life was exposed, would it betray the fact that you are a Believer in Jesus Christ?

Can others see His unified mark upon your soul? or would they find someone who's focus on God has been drowned out in pursuit of other worldly allurements?

State Purpose:

Simply put, are you bearing in your body the branding marks of the Lord Jesus Christ, or are you bearing the Marks of Man?

If you'll let me, I believe that from this passage of Scripture I can help you:

Simply put, are you bearing in your body the branding marks of the Lord Jesus Christ, or are you bearing the Marks of Man?

If you'll let me, I believe that from this passage of Scripture I can help you:

Main Thought

Discern the deadly differences between the receiving the Wisdom of God or the Mark of Man.

Sub-Introduction

Connecting Context:

In ; ; and 20:10, the beast from the earth is called “the false prophet.”

Rev. 19:20

The dragon or Satan is the counterfeit Father (“I will be like the Most High”), “the beast” is the counterfeit Christ, and the false prophet is the counterfeit Holy Spirit.

This completes the satanic trinity.

One of the ministries of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Christ and lead people to trust and worship Him ().

The false prophet will point to Antichrist and his image and compel people to worship Satan through “the beast.”

[Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 606.]

I. Looking Like the Lamb, Speaking As the Dragon ().

A. This Monster's Uprising from the Earth:

State Point -

This second beast comes up out of the earth whereas the first beast had risen out of the sea

Anchor Point -

Verse one states that this beast is "another," that is, it is another of the same kind of beast as the first monstrous and devilish leviathan of the first ten verses

Validate Point -

Some have seen this beast as having his ministry limited to a focused location under the global reach of the first beast (i.e. A. T. Robertson alluded to the possibility that he will arise from somewhere within Asia Minor).

Explain Point -

That he arises out of the earth tells us that he has a certain commonality with those whom he aims to deceive.

They to are of the earth, or earthy, and will readily and blindly trust this false miracle worker's lies.

B. This Monster's Disguising:

State Point -

This second beast will be the master of disguise, so much so that even Holmes himself wouldn't recognize this Moriarty!

Anchor Point -

Notice these two key words to support this: he has two horns, whereas the first beast had ten; the description is given by John as being only from the neck up, whereas the first beast's entire body was in purview; Here, our focus is drawn to his horns, and his mouth; his horns are like a lamb; and his speech is as a dragon.

Validate Point -

You'll never know that this beast is deadly by how it looks.

The only way to tell, with extremely careful discernment, is by what it says.

Explain Point -

When this monster arises, no one will look at it and immediately think, "That's a dangerous beast."

It will look very well and good on the outside appearance.

It will not be until this beast opens its mouth, that the truth can be discerned (by those who have God's wisdom) that its lies will have been forged in the very pits of hell itself!

[Apply Point] -

See the teachings of Christ in .

Application:

"It's not that I don't trust anyone, but I don't trust just anybody."

We as God's people will one day judge the Angels (),

...how much more the things of this earth?

Be careful who you listen to, watch, learn from, and are influenced by, because their tongue will act like a rudder to your life-ship, and if you are careful, you'll fall asleep at the watch, and wind up like the Titanic!

The pagan god of the Sea, Titan, certainly claimed his vessel, plummeting it to the depths of the sea, so likewise will the false god of this earth claim his own unsuspecting victims.

Transition:

When this monster comes to the stage of humanity, it will look as innocent as baby Jesus must have looked when He lay in that lowly trough as a helpless infant; yet, this false-lamb will be speaking with the serpent's forked Dragon-tongue, set on fire of hell.

Now let's consider his authority and influence.

II.

Exercising Authority & Exerting Influence ().

A. The Source of His Authority ().

State Point -

The ultimate source of this beast's authority is the Dragon.

Anchor Point -

Notice that verse two states that he exercises "all the power of the first beast."

Validate Point -

That word power means "authority."

Every bit of what this second beast does stems from all that was imparted to the first beast in verses one through ten.

This beast will be the devils marionette puppet.

This is the Antichrist's "Yes Man."

The scheme hatched in the abyss will surface through the first beast who will then have his minister of deception perform all his bidding.

Explain Point -

The Dragon is the one whom John recorded gave the first beast EVERY BIT of his power.

Without the Dragon, the Antichrist is NOTHING!

[Apply Point] -

The same applies here.

Without the Antichrist, this False Minister is NOTHING!

You see, God had His Two Prophets back in chapter 11, and here, now we see the devil's counterfeits.

The Dragon himself imitating God the Father, the Sea-Beast imitating God the Son, and the Earth-Beast imitating God the Holy Spirit.

Herein is seen the Satanic Trinity.

B. Influencing the World to Idolatry ().

State Point -

The whole purpose of this counterfeit is to dupe the world of men and women, whom Jesus came to save, into bowing the knee before a false god, who really is none other than the Devil himself.

Anchor Point -

Verse twelve continues on to reveal that as this second monster exercises his demonic authority, he does so to cause the earth-dwellers to bow down and worship the Antichrist.

Validate Point -

This is done through one act in particular: The Reincarnation of the First Beast (which was covered previously, see message on verses one through ten above).

Explain Point -

Out of all that John could have said about the First Beast's greatness and power, it is this one aspect that he provides by divine inspiration.

This is the token.

This is the tool.

This is the thing that will stop the Earth-dwellers dead in their tracks, and cause them to fall to their knees in wonder and adoration before this "Satanic Head Now Wounded" to death and then healed back to seeming life.