THE PROBLEM OF FALSE PROPHETS
Text: 1 John 4:1-21
Original Letter circling the Internet:
The date of the attack: 9/11 - 9 + 1 + 1 = 11.
September 11th is the 254th day of the year: 2 + 5 + 4 = 11
After September 11th there are 111 days left to the end of the year.
119 is the area code to Iraq/Iran. 1 + 1 + 9 = 11
Twin Towers - standing side by side, looks like the number 11.
The first plane to hit the towers was Flight 11.
There are more. . . . . . .
State of New York - The 11th State added to the Union
New York City - 11 Letters
Afghanistan - 11 Letters
The Pentagon - 11 Letters
Ramzi Yousef - 11 Letters (convicted or orchestrating the attack at the WTC in 1993)
Flight 11 - 92 on board - 9 + 2 = 11
Flight 77 - 65 on board - 6 + 5 = 11
Response from David Pawson:
WOW, I’m a goner! There are 11 letters in the name "David Pawson!" I’m going into hiding NOW. See you in a few weeks.
Wait a sec...I just realized "YOU CAN’T HIDE" also has 11 letters! What am I gonna do? Help me!!! The terrorists are after me! ME! I can’t believe it!
Oh darn, there must be someplace on planet Earth where I could hide! But no!!!! "PLANET EARTH" has 11 letters, too!
I know, the Red Cross can help. No they can’t... 11 letters in "THE RED CROSS," I can’t trust them.
I would rely on self defense, but "SELF DEFENSE" has 11 letters in it, too! Can someone help? Anyone? If so, send me email. No, don’t! "SEND ME EMAIL" has 11 letters!
Will this never end? I’m going insane! "GOING INSANE"??? Eleven letters!!
Nooooooooooo!!!!!! I guess I’ll die alone, even though "I’LL DIE ALONE" also has 11 letters!
Oh boy, I just realized that America is doomed! Our Independence Day is July 4th . . . 7/4 . . . 7 + 4 = 11!
P.S. "Foolishness" also has 11 letters.
There are all kinds of false prophets spewing out foolishness. Esp. with the 9-11 anniversary many are looking for spiritual light, for comfort. How can we not be duped into believing every "spirit" inspired claim?
A. Proof: The Call to Verify the Prophet
1. Don’t be fooled: People are not very discerning
2. But verify every “spirit-inspired” claim
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1 Jn.4:1
B. The Test: How to verify
1. Substance: What is being taught.
a. The teaching about Jesus Christ
This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus has come in the flesh is from God but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God… 1 Jn 4:2-3
b. That Jesus is human and yet divine is foundational to Christian teaching.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us… John 1:1-14
c. Victory: Don’t fear the false prophets
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 Jn.4:4
2. Response: What is the outcome.
a. Rejection of the core truth regarding Jesus
They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. … whoever knows God listens to us…. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth from the spirit of falsehood. 1 Jn.4:5-6
be extra careful of what the world accepts as truth...
"the world listens to them"
Who are listening to?
b. Rejection of a life of love
Dear friends let us love one another for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins… 1 Jn.4:7-10
c. Rejection of community.
We loved because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen… 1 Jn.4:19-20.
