Sermon Tone Analysis
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`PRAY
Today we’re starting our, ‘What would Jesus say series’
What would Jesus say to someone who wishes God would make himself clearer?
I think this is the question behind many of our questions about God.
I remember being in an English lesson at high school
and we were having a debate at our table about the existence of God.
Being the only Christian at the table,
I was determined to prove everyone on else wrong,
prove there was a God.
On and on the debate went on,
the teacher even joined in, and then came a challenge..
Well, if there is a God,
ask him to open the classroom door in an unexplained manor!
I was on edge.
Do I pray, and see what happens,
I’d never seen God do weird miracle type stuff before,
so it probably wouldn’t happen I thought.
Would they then not believe there was a God?
But I was stuck,
I could hardly say, well God wont do that,
why wouldn’t he reveal himself in that really
clear and easy way?.
He hardly wants people to know him if he wont reveal himself clearly!
I had failed.
I’d lost the argument.
I’d not managed to convince anyone of God.
But then, the door flung open.
Everyone on my table stopped in silence.
No, it can’t be!!!
Yes, it was -
Stuart was late again and entered into the classroom
in his usual arrogant fashion!
N
I’d failed.
Why didn’t God make himself clearer!
It’s the same question behind so many prayers people pray.
Did you know that over 50% of the UK pray during a crises.
That’s a lot more than just those who profess a faith!
They are the please help prayers.
My daughter is sick.
My husband is cheating.
Our debt is out of control.
Please help me Lord, and if you answer,
I’ll follow you with the rest of my life.
If God, you answer my prayer,
if you make yourself clear by helping me, then I’ll believe in you.
If God would just stand on the corner of my street and say hello,
then I would believe in Him.
Why doesn’t he make himself clearer.
It seems like a fair question.
I too left my English lesson that day wondering the same thing.
Why did God not make himself clear to my friends?
Well I think we need to step back slightly to answer the question.
And yet I still knew God to be very real, very clear in my life.
How can that be.
When we ask that question, there are, I think, 2 assumptions we have already made.
Let’s think about the assumptions I, and I suggest we all make when we sometimes or often wonder why God doesn’t amke himslef clearer.
The assumption is 2 fold.
1 - We would categorically believe if we saw signs from God.
God made clear in the Bible
Like answered miraculous prayers or classroom doors opening.
1 - We would catagorically believe if we saw signs from God.
Like answered miraculous prayers or classroom doors opening.
2 - we are assuming God isn’t making himself clear - what if he is, but we are ignoring him?
SO that’s what we’re going to think about now in 3 points.
We’re going to look at the...
1 - The problem with signs from God
2 - The problem with us
Why signs, wonders and even answers to prayers don’t work anyway
3 - The wonderful clarity of God
Why you can know God clearly
RE Lesson - why wouldn’t God give us a sign, door opens
Why doesn’t he answer my pleas for help when someone is ill or I’m in debt.
Why doesn’t God make himself clear?
Firstly then...
1 - The problem with signs from God
This whole question is nothing new.
In fact, in the time of Jesus,
you would have thought there was no better time to live if you wanted God to make himself clear.
God, had become a man in Jesus.
He literally was standing at the corner of streets saying hello.
History records the life of Jesus,
and unsurprisingly,
the people of the time wanted to know if Jesus really was the son of God.
Make yourself clear they would say.
Have a look on the screen, this is the historical account recorded in the book of
What was Jesus’s point.
The reference to the sign of Jonah, is simply Jesus predicting his death for 3 days before he rises again.
In other words,
Jesus fulfilling the promises of the Bible,
that God has made himself clear and we can have a relationship with him.
Jesus is the only sign that will help or work to make God clear.
How do we know that... well just before they ask for the sign,
matt 15
Jesus has fed the 5000 people with 7 loafs of bread a few fish.
Don’t look for signs says Jesus, they wont convince you.
In fact I’m doing signs and miracles everywhere and you still need to see more!
In other words,
the Pharisees and Sadducees
(who are all Religious leaders)
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