The Sound Of The Church

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