[Biblemat] S:> To Whom Are You Listening?
Ethan R. Longhenry
disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com
Mon Nov 19 09:47:28 CST 2007
http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/outlines/index.html
To Whom Are You Listening?
I. Introduction
A. Importance of source work in life
1. When statements are made, people normally want to understand
what authority under girds the statement
2. On what basis is the statement made?
3. Where did you get your facts?
B. The validity of statements are often predicated on the source
1. Sometimes "mama" is a good source
2. Sometimes one would require a scholarly source
3. It is never good, however, to be called out for using an
improper or misinformed source!
C. This is also important in spiritual matters
1. What's the source of the spiritual belief?
2. What provides its foundation?
D. There is also a deeper matter: what is the source that you
turn to?
1. The sources that people seek for spiritual guidance are
often quite telling
2. Where do you go for spiritual guidance?
3. In short, in spiritual terms, to whom are you listening?
II. A Critical Question
A. This is no inconsequential matter
1. To whom one listens is a matter of importance
2. It often dictates how one acts
B. There are many sources to which people today turn and listen
1. Many trust in televangelists or people they hear on
television
2. Others look to a pastor or representative of a denomination
to guide them
3. Many look to other religions and their claims
4. Our society is obsessed with science, and not a few look to
what science teaches to guide them
5. Many look to family members or friends for answers
6. In our postmodern society, a lot of people do not listen to
anyone-- they trust their own conscience to guide them
C. As can be expected, different advice leads to different actions
1. All kinds of people act quite differently on the basis of
the differing advice they receive
2. Some may feel justified in their conduct because some
"authority" approved it (cf. 2 Timothy 4:3-4)
3. Human beings seem supremely qualified in finding different
ways to rationalize behavior they desire to perform
D. What, then, are we do to in such an environment?
1. To whom shall we listen?
2. Should we accept the things said by any of the people we've
mentioned?
3. Who should be the source of authority?
III. 1 John 4:1-6
A. As Christians, we naturally turn to God as our authority
1. If we believe that He is our Creator, has a plan for us,
loves us, and is the One True God (Genesis 1:26-27,
Ephesians 3:11, Hebrews 12:4-13), then we naturally turn to
Him for guidance
2. We can pray to Him for wisdom (James 1:4-5)
3. But how can we make sure that we are truly listening to God?
B. John answers this question in 1 John 4:1-6
C. 1 John 4:1-3
1. John establishes that we cannot believe every spirit-- there
are many false spirits about (v. 1)
2. There is an imperative for us, therefore, to "test the
spirits" (v. 1)
3. In context, the matter of dispute is the nature of Jesus--
those who accept that He came in the flesh speak from God,
those who deny it speak as of the world (vv. 2-3)
4. Those who deny that Jesus came in the flesh represent the
spirit of the antichrist (v. 3)!
D. 1 John 4:4-6
1. John continues by asserting the supremacy of God over the
evil one (v. 4)
2. Verse 5 important: those who deny Jesus in the flesh are from
the world, speak as the world, and the world hears them
3. Contrast: "we" are from God, and those who know God listen to
"us" (v. 6)
4. Those who do not listen to "us" are not of God (v. 6)
5. Thus, John establishes, one is able to discern the spirit of
truth from the spirit of error (v. 6)
E. What does this all mean?
IV. Application
A. John provides a layout for understanding
1. John speaks, in context, regarding those who taught docetism
2. We should not limit application, however, only to that issue
3. Knowledge of God manifest in whether one observes the
commandments (1 John 2:3-6)
4. If one believes that Jesus came in the flesh, but practices
immorality or teaches another type of false doctrine, such
persons do not really know God and 1 John 4:1-6 equally
applies!
B. John establishes the need to test everything according to God's
standard
1. The need to "test the spirits" (1 John 4:1)
2. How can we know what is really from God?
3. That which is in accordance with that which has already been
revealed-- the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
C. Presence of Conforming Error
1. This "testing" is so necessary on account of the presence of
the spirit of error in the world (1 John 4:1, 6)
2. The error at his time, as established-- docetism
3. 1 John 4:5 is illustrative: docetism flourished because it
made "more sense" to the Greek world around the Christians
4. God "appearing" but not really being flesh was more appealing
than understanding that Jesus was God in the flesh!
5. Error is often clear because those who teach it appeal somehow
to worldly desires or expectations
6. As 1 John 4:5 says, those in the world (cf. 1 John 2:15-17)
speak as the world and the world listens
7. The world listens because it is not uncomfortable and it
suits its desires!
D. Truth
1. Those who are "of God", however, speak the truth
(1 John 4:1-6)
2. Even if the world is appealing, God is stronger (1 John 4:4)!
3. John speaks of "we"-- "we" speak, and those who listen to God
hear (1 John 4:6)!
4. While "we" in grammatical context would refer to the Apostle
and his audience...
5. ...we must make sure that we are really in the "we"!
6. Many read this passage and automatically assume that they are
included
7. How can this be confirmed?
E. We may know if we are party with the Apostle by understanding to
whom we listen!
1. "We" are those who walk with Christ and do His commandments
(1 John 1:5-2:6)
2. "We" are those who listen to God (1 John 4:6)!
3. If we are going to be a part of that "we", we must be the
ones listening to God and listening to those who teach
God's truths!
4. If we believe the truth, and preach the truth, we may know
the spirit of God from the spirit of error-- those who teach
the truth with us versus those who teach anything contrary
(cf. Galatians 1:6-9)
V. The Contrast
A. The question, then, returns to us-- to whom are we listening?
B. A spirit of error?
1. Do we follow after a spirit of error?
2. Do we listen to a source that is in the world, speaks as the
world, and to which the world listens?
3. Do we uncritically just accept what is said or do we test
the spirits as Bereans, searching the Scriptures to see what
is so (Acts 17:11, 1 John 4:1)?
C. A spirit of truth?
1. Do we listen to God?
2. Do we listen to those who accurately convey God's truth?
3. Are we willing to listen, even when the message is hard to
swallow, and requires us to change to conform to Christ
(Galatians 2:20)?
4. Are we willing to hear the message, even with its unpopular
parts and hard expectations?
D. There is no middle ground-- we must choose!
E. Let us seek to listen to God and His Word today!
F. Invitation/songbook
Ethan R. Longhenry/ disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com
Evangelist, church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio
(http://www.norwalkchurch.org)
Website: http://www.deusvitae.com
AIM: Deus Vitae / ICQ#: 28317056
MSN Messenger ID: deusvitae at hotmail.com
Yahoo! Messenger ID: discipuliiesus
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