1 Corinthians 14:7 – 8
1 Samuel 4:1 – 11; 7:2 – 11
I believe that everyone here will agree that every sound carries some sort of message. For instance, if your teenage child slams the door of his/her room, it carries the message of someone that is angry. Or, if you asked your children to wash the dishes and the next moment you hear glass breaking, you know you are now less one glass. Or, if your husband is playing soccer outside with the kids and you hear again glass breaking, you know they kicked the ball through the window. When you hear a gunshot, it carries the message of trouble somewhere.
But I believe also that you will agree that sometimes it is very difficult to hear the right message. For instance, sometimes we hear a loud bang and then we are confused about the meaning because it could be a gunshot, or a cracker or even a car backfiring. But the important point hat I want to stress is that every sound carries a message, whether that message is positive or negative. In the same way the sound of our voices do carry a message. Just by hearing one’s voice, you can tell if that person is happy, sad, irritated or angry.
If I look at God’s Word, it seemed to me that sound has always played a vital roll to bring over a message.
Isaiah 13:4 (NIV)
John 3:8
Jesus is saying that every one that are born of the Spirit, is suppose to make a sound, just like the wind is making a sound. All of us, which are born of the Spirit, are suppose to bring forth a sound that carries a message. I believe with my whole heart that there is a sound in the church of God that needs to be heard again and with that sound comes a message, which the world is longing for.
1 Corinthians 14:7 – 8
Just here is the biggest problem in the church today, namely a distinction in the sounds. Unfortunately there is no distinction in sound between the church and the world. The same sounds we hear in the world are also being heard in the church. The same sound of corruption; the same sound of gossip; the same sound of backstabbing; the same sound of children and woman abuse. There is no distinction in sound. How can we prepare if we cannot hear the right sound.
I believe that the sound that is being heard today is the sound of men and not the sound of God anymore. This is very clearly illustrated in 1 Samuel 4 & 1 Samuel 7. (Give a short account of these two chapters – sound of men = fill the enemy with fear – sound of God = defeats the enemy – also 2 Kings 7:6 – 7).
2 Samuel 5:24
Ezekiel 10:4 – 5
I believe the sound that needs to be heard again is the sound of the glory of the Lord. But the question I want to answer is, what is the message of this sound?
1. It is a message of victory.
Psalms 126:1 – 3
There was a sound of joy in their mouths and it carried the message that God has done great things.
Unfortunately the sound of the church today is not a sound of joy and victory anymore.
Exodus 32:17 – 18
The sound of God’s people were a false sound. The sound of the church today is also a false sound. We make the sound of joy but the message we carry is a sound of defeat and of despair.
It is time for the real sound of joy with the real message of victory to come back in the church.
2. 2 Chronicles 23:10 – 13
This in fact is a very negative part of Scripture but I have seen something in here about the sound that need to be heard. In this Scripture we find Athaliah, the mother of king Ahaziah. After the king has died, his mother decided to rule over Judah so she tried to kill all the royal family. But Jehoshabeath, the sister of the king, took Joash his son, and hid him for six years from Athaliah. When he was only seven years old the people decided to crown him as king over them.
Verses 10 & 11
Now listen for this is important – vers 12. The moment she heard the sound of the people she knew the message – a king is crowned. Let me tell you, it is time for the world to hear again the sound of the King of kings being crowned. In fact it is time for the church to crown his King again.
Psalms 66:1 – 2
Psalms 95:1 – 3 & 6 – 7
I am asking the question – can the sound of the King being crowned be heard in our church and in our lives? But listen what happened. The moment Athaliah heard the sound of crowning, the first thing she did she went to the temple, the house of God. Maybe this is the main reason why people do not come to the church anymore.
Nehemiah 4:20
A sound that carries the message that the King of all kings is being crowned as King again.
3. Exodus 28:33 – 35
The sound of the bells. Do you know what message this sound carries? It has the message of someone in the presence of God busy serving. In the Old Testament only the high priest could enter in the presence of God. For this reason he had to have bells on his robe so that the people could hear that he is in the presence of God serving them. The moment the bells were silent they knew he died. Let me tell you, in too many churches the sound of bells became silent.
God, help us that people may once again hear the sound of bells in our lives. Help us that people once again can receive the message of someone in your presence serving You and serving others.
Bring back the clear sound of bells back in your lives and your church.
4. Acts 2:2 & 6
(NIV & Living Bible)
There was a sound that carried a message and that message was so beautiful that people came running because it was a message they all have been waiting for. Do you know what was this message? Listen carefully: the message was – God loves you – you are acceptable for God regardless of all your sins.
Acts 2:2 speaks of a sound that was heard and this sound was heard throughout Jerusalem and the people came running to this sound. You must understand, there was about 5000 people gathering together and it was exactly the same 5000 people that only 53 days ago shouted: Crucify Him! Crucify Him! It was also this same group that turned their backs on Jesus. It was this same group that laughed at Him while He was carrying His cross. It was this same group that spit on Him and hit Him while He was passing by. It was this same group that falsely accused Him and lied to bring false evidence against Him.
But on the day of Pentecost there came a sound out of heaven that carried the message: I do not care about what you have done or who you are because you are special and precious in My sight and I love you. The moment these people heard this message 3000 came to the Lord in one day and after that the Bible tells me that God added daily people to His church.
Unfortunately the message of the church today is: I’m Roman Catholic, I’m Baptist, and I’m a Presbyterian.
We need the sound of John 3:16 back in our church. The sound of God is a sound that says you are precious in My sight. It is a sound that proclaims the love of God.
1 Corinthians 14:7 – 8
1 Corinthians 14:11 (NIV)
That is why so many people are still strangers to God.
What sound can be heard in your live? Is there a difference between the sound in your live and the sound in the world?
What sound can be heard at you workplace? In your marriage? In your business? Among your friends? In your house where you are alone with your family? In your church?
