WHAT A CHRISTIAN HEARS—Luke 8:16-21
The sincerity with which we approach God’s voice.
The manner/way/sincerity in which we listen affects our Christian witness.
Jesus told the multitude that the way in which they listened to Him was of utmost importance to their witness.
A sincere Christian witness is based/dependent upon a particular manne/quality of listening.
What does a sincere Christian witness hear?
1—A sincere Christian witness hears that...
ENLIGHTENMENT Takes Priority(:16)
—Explanation:(:16) Witness
:16—“Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, in order that those who come in may see the light.”
Mankind’s enlightenment of God’s design is a command!
Argumentation:
Mat. 28;18-20—“And Jesus came up & spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven & on earth. “Go therefore & make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father & the Son & the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; & lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””
Acts 1:8—“...you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; & you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, & in all Judea & Samaria, & even to the remotest part of the earth.”
—Illustration:
Nightime/Jimmy leaving the fellowship at the pond house/No light beside shed/Falls/No Light=stumbling/ENLIGHTENMENT Takes Priority
Needed to see where he was going
—Application:
?Jesus’ ELIGHTENMENT taken Priority?
?You Heard/Heeded God’s voice & Is your witness sincere?
2—A sincere Christian witness hears that...
DISCLOSURE Takes Priority(:17)
—Explanation:(:17)
:17—“For nothing is hidden that shall not become evident, nor anything secret that shall not be known & come to light.”
Apparent & experienced Judgment...Categorization by God into Saved—Unsaved, Committed—Uncommitted, Loved—Unloved, etc...
Though Christ’s identity was veiled while on earth, He was never fully hidden revealed.
—Argumentation:
Acts 17:26-28—“& He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, & the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him & find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live & move & exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His offspring.’”
Deut. 30:11-14—““For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. “It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us & make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ “Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us & make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ “But the word is very near you, in your mouth & in your heart, that you may observe it.”
—Illustration:
Car purchase/Hidden charges revealed on the bottom line & in my monthly payment!/DISCLOSURE takes priority
—Application:
?Jesus’ DISCLOSURE taken Priority?
?You Heard/Heeded God’s voice & Is your witness sincere?
3—A sincere Christian witness hears that...
POSSESSION/Stewardship Takes Priority(:18)
—Explanation:(:18)
:18—“Therefore take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him shall more be given; & whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.”
—Argumentation:
Mk. 4:24—“And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it shall be measured to you; and more shall be given you besides.”
Jn. 15:2—“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit.”
1Cor. 3:18—“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become foolish that he may become wise.”
—Illustration:
Vacation rentals/e-mail—We can put you up/I Call—‘Sorry the 15th is taken!/POSSESSION Takes Priority/Someone else has possession
Farmer/Wants to plant corn/Has machines, labor & seed/But no land!/POSSESSION Takes Priority
—Application:
?Jesus’ POSSESSION taken Priority?
?You Heard/Heeded God’s voice & Is your witness sincere?
4—A sincere Christian witness hears that...
MISSION Takes Priority(:19-21)
—Explanation:(:19-21) Distractions
:19—And His mother & brothers came to Him, & they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd.”
:20—“And it was reported to Him, “Your mother & Your brothers are standing outside, wishing to see You.”
:21—“But He answered & said to them, “My mother & My brothers are these who hear the word of God & do it.”
Jesus did not attend to His fleshly family’s desires but God’s desires to seek & save that which was lost—Lk. 19:10
—Argumentation:
Lk. 19:10—“For the Son of Man has come to seek & to save that which was lost.”
1Jn. 4:9-10—“By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us & sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
—Illustration:
My Wife/Hopeless shopper/Goes in for one item & literally returns with an entire cart full/Distraction from family/MISSION should take Priority
Phone calls during supper/Time with family interrupted/Phone off hook/MISSION takes Priority
—Application:
?Jesus’ MISSION taken Priority?
?You Heard/Heeded God’s voice & Is your witness sincere?
5—A sincere Christian witness hears that...
FAMILY Takes Priority(:19-21)
—Explanation:(:19-21)
:19—And His mother & brothers came to Him, & they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd.”
:20—“And it was reported to Him, “Your mother & Your brothers are standing outside, wishing to see You.”
:21—“But He answered & said to them, “My mother & My brothers are these who hear the word of God & do it.”
Not flesh but Spirit/Brother, Sister & Body of Christ/Children of God
Not abandonment of flesh & blood but an aloofness/distance.
—Argumentation:
Lk. 14:26—“If anyone comes to Me, & does not hate his own father & mother & wife & children & brothers & sisters, yes, & even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.”
Lk. 11:27-28—“And it came about while He said these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice, & said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, & the breasts at which You nursed.” But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, & observe it.”
Heb. 2:11-12—“For both He who sanctifies & those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, “I WILL PROCLAIM THY NAME TO MY BRETHREN, IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING THY PRAISE.”
Jn. 1:12-13—“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
—Illustration:
Me & Miller married/I gravitated towards her family/Spent majority of my time with them/New life(married) & new ideals/Likewise when we become married our Christian FAMILY Takes Priority
—Application:
?Jesus’ FAMILY taken Priority?
?You Heard/Heeded God’s voice & Is your witness sincere?
—CONCLUSION—
Action:
A sincere Christian witness hears that...
ENLIGHTENMENT Takes Priority(:16)
DISCLOSURE Takes Priority(:17)
POSSESSION Takes Priority(:18)
MISSION Takes Priority(:19-21)
FAMILY Takes Priority(:19-21)
Presented 04/14/02pm to:
Providence Baptist Church
975 Providence Road
Whigham, GA 31797
