A Clear Message For A Confused World
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Intro
Intro
Text - ;
8 For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?
Title - Sounding Forth A Clear Message
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
Title - Sounding Forth A Clear Message
Background
Background
Paul was comparing speaking in tongues with other gifts such as revelation, knowledge, prophesying and teaching
Speaking in an unknown tongue, without an interpretation, is sound a trumpet without a clear message.
Paul’s message was clear: have your tongues interpreted, or remain silent.
Sermon Points
Sermon Points
An “unclear message” contributes to the chaos in the battlefield.
An “unclear message” contributes to the chaos in the battlefield.
Why is the world in such a confused and chaotic state?
Jesus saw Israel like sheep without a shepherd.
Israel was guided by leaders.
The Church DOES NOT KNOW her true spiritual condition
- she is blind to, or at least ignorant of, her own condition
Good is Looking from the Outside
Good is Looking from the Outside
Note - “thinking outside of the box” paradigm
During a battle, only those who are looking from the outside know the overall condition in te battlefield.
Soldiers in thick of the battle don’t know the overall situation. They rely on the “trumpeters” (old school) to give them sound signals.
God knows the real situation in the battlefield of life…
God knows the real situation in the battlefield of life…
Because He is outside of the box, so to speak
Jesus is “outside the box”
Jesus is “outside the box”
- He stands outside the door knocking
- Jesus was tempted yet without sin
God has sent us a Message for our day
God has sent us a Message for our day
It is a Message not formed inside the denominational confusion!
It is a Message not formed inside the denominational confusion!
John was sent to Patmos - away from the churches - so that Christ can give him the message for the 7 churches of Asia.
The messages to the 7 churches were not influenced by human emotions and ideas
It is a Message from God, but already contained in the Scripture.
It is a Message from God, but already contained in the Scripture.
God had to bring Martin Luther outside of the Roman Catholic theology in order for him to see God’s clear message of justification!
God had to bring John Wesley outside of the Anglican theology in order for him to see God’s clear message - sanctification as a second work of grace in the believer’s life.
God had to bring William Branham outside of pentecostal theology in order for him to see God’s clear Message -
a message of restoration
a message of perfection
a message of preparation for the Rapture
We KNOW it is a clear message from God because…
We KNOW it is a clear message from God because…
It gives light to the present spiritual condition of Christianity
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
It guides us back to biblical teachings (prophetic, apostolic)
God has a clear message for the world, but is it delivered as clearly as God would have it?
God has a clear message for the world, but is it delivered as clearly as God would have it?
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
How can we give a clear message for this confused world?
1.) We must give a clear testimony of our experience with God
1.) We must give a clear testimony of our experience with God
1.) a clear encounter with God
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—
2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—
3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
John knows Jesus was
John knows what true fellowship means
- make your calling and election sure
- make your calling and election sure
2.) We must give a clear testimony of our experience in the Word
2.) We must give a clear testimony of our experience in the Word
6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
John knows what it means to walk in the light
John knows what it means to acknowledge one’s sins
Look - the pharisees gave a confusing testimony among the Jews
3.) We must give a clear understanding of Christ’s work
3.) We must give a clear understanding of Christ’s work
1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
John understands that Christians can still commit sin
John understands the power of the cross to everyone who believes
4.) We must give a clear understanding of the world’s condition
4.) We must give a clear understanding of the world’s condition
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
John understands what happens when we get attached to the things of the world
18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.
John understands the spirit of the antichrist
John understands some “went out” from them
Summary
Summary
If we want to bring people to a genuine conversion in Christ, we must clarify the message of the message first in us.
A clear message is a message that came from God, not produced inside the religious system.
A clear message is a message delivered through sanctified lives.
Jesus said, “for their sakes I sanctified myself” ()