Sermon Tone Analysis
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I have missed seeing several of you as I was out & some of you were out last week.
I’m grateful many of us are able to keep up with each other through social media like YouTube, Facebook, & Twitter.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could have 1 site where all that info is put together?
They might call it YouTwitFace.com.
As a matter of fact…it exists!
Last week Dr. David Nelms shared about how God is growing disciples all over the planet.
If you weren’t here, I encourage you to watch the video or listen online at Fellowshipofmadison.com.
2 weeks ago TJ taught on 1 on the scariest parables that I know of - the parable of the seed & soils.
I need to recap some of that in order to catch the context of where we are going today.
Just before we do I need to ask you a question: Are you a Genuine Disciple or Just Disguised?
How can you be sure you ARE a disciple of Jesus?
Today we are going to figure that out.
PRAY
To recap, Luke 8:1-2 tells us that Jesus was going town to town proclaiming the good news along with his 12 apostles and several women.
Jesus spoke about seeds that fell on 4 different types of soil.
And evidently, Jesus told the story & walked off the stage, leaving the people scratching their heads…wondering what this was all about.
The disciples of Jesus weren’t sure what it meant either…so later they asked Him to explain the story.
Jesus began with these words…
Luke 8:10 (NIV)
10 …“The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, “ ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’
In other words, the secrets of the kingdom had not been given to everyone to understand.
The message of Jesus was still somewhat secretive at this point.
Beneath the camouflage of the parable Jesus points to the reality that just hearing God’s Word - even giving it a thumbs up - is not enough.
Jesus is the farmer throwing the seed out on different kinds of soil.
The good soil represents His true disciples.
His true disciples will won’t fall away due to persecution.
His true disciples won’t get tangled up in worldly worries, riches, or pleasures on earth.
He is calling His disciples to an incredible task…to bear spiritual fruit - that their lives would produce more life!
In fact, at another time Jesus tells His disciples they will do greater things than HE did!
That's not quality but quantity.
Some bowed their knee to Jesus when He walked the earth, but MANY would bow with the coming of the Holy Spirit and the obedience of his disciples.
They will produce much fruit!
With that context Jesus explains how that will happen.
Luke 8:16 (NIV)
16 “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed.
Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.
What’s the POINT of a LIGHT?
It helps people to SEE.
Hiding the lamp in a place where it can’t be seen defeats the whole purpose of lighting it in the first place.
The purpose of light is to REVEAL, not CONCEAL.
The light of Jesus and His message wasn’t something to be hidden, but something to be shared with others who have been wandering in the dark.
A few years ago we took some students to Cathedral Caverns in Alabama.
At one point they turn off ALL the lights and you can’t see your hand in front of your face.
If we tried to get out of there it would be impossible.
But 1 small light seemed to spread throughout the cave.
THAT LIGHT could have led us to safety…but without it there was no chance.
Question: Do you HIDE the LIGHT?
Or do you SHINE the LIGHT wherever you go? Do your words, actions, & attitudes point to the LIGHT of Jesus…or does it leave people wandering in the dark?
Luke 8:17 (NIV)
17 For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.
What does THIS mean?
This is a tough verse to interpret in context - one that I’ve wrestled with all week.
Many who interpret this verse quickly point out that God knows all our hidden words & agendas and that a judgment day is coming in which our hidden thoughts, actions, & attitudes will be exposed - brought out into the open.
While the Scripture DOES teach this in 1 Cor.
4:5, this doesn’t seem to be what Jesus is talking about at this time.
In context, Jesus has just mentioned the importance of not hiding the light.
The light is something good - not something to be hidden or concealed, but something that is to be brought out into the open.
It is here where the synoptics help give us more insight into what Jesus means.
In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus uses this same language as he talks about the future persecution of His disciples who take His message to others.
Matthew 10:26–27 (NIV)
26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.
27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.
The disciples of Jesus were to take His teachings which He had told them in the dark and speak in the daylight.
The secrets He had ‘whispered’ in their ears were to be proclaimed from the rooftops.
His disciples weren’t chosen to SIT & SPECTATE as Jesus ministered…All this time He had been preparing THEM to take the LIGHT of His Word into a DARK world…knowing it could cost them greatly.
That’s the difference between a Genuine Disciple those who are Just Disguised: Obedience to Shine the Light, even if it costs you.
Even when persecution came to the 1st century disciples…when they had to run for their lives - they didn’t hide the light.
They continued to shine the light everywhere they went.
Acts 11:19 (NIV)
19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews.
Although many only shared with others like them - Jews sharing with Jews…at least they shared Jesus with others!
Acts 11:20-21 (NIV)
20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.
21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
God was with them and they impacted many people for eternity as they shared His light with others!
Ed Stetzer - leader within our denomination - recently wrote these words
Francis of Assisi is attributed the statement: "Preach the gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.”
I’ve seen it on Facebook about a billion times.
I can appreciate living in such a way that our lives point to the person and work of Jesus.
However, two basic problems exist: 1) Francis never said it, and 2), the quote is just not biblical.
Saying “preach the gospel; when necessary, use words” is a lot like saying “feed the hungry; when necessary, use food.”
So too, YOU weren’t chosen to sit & spectate.
We are chosen to take the Light of Jesus into the Dark world too.
And some of you are getting it!
Joseph, a teenager from the camp I spoke at is coming to understand this.
A couple of days ago he sent me a message asking me to pray as he goes back to the town he grew up in.
He hasn’t seen many of those friends for years and he’s been catching up online.
Here’s what he wrote:
With talking to them and catching up I can realize that probably only two of them at the most are saved.
And I feel like this is just God at work for Him to enter all of these peoples lives, but He's gonna be doing it through me!
I'm super exited, but I'm much more scared.
I've never done anything like this before, I've already started praying about it…I just wanted to message you because I feel like God is wanting me to share the Gospel with some people.
Are you a Genuine Disciple or Just Disguised?
Is okay to be scared, but it’s NOT okay to cover up the light & disobey.
With that in mind, are you preparing to share the Light of Jesus with others?
When is the LAST TIME you shared your faith in Him? Are you a Genuine Disciple or Just Disguised?
Next Jesus gives a sober warning to His disciples.
Luke 8:18 (NIV)
18 Therefore consider carefully how you listen.
Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”
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