Sermon Tone Analysis

! Introduction:

Before we get to the reasons of why we should study prophecy lets first look at the manner in which prophecy is not to be studied…  The purpose of prophecy *is not *to provide *entertainment *or to merely *satisfy *the believer’s *curiosity *about the future, *but* to *reveal the glory of His Son *and to provide *motivation for godly living*, in light of Christ’s soon return.

*/Paul writes saying that /*/"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, *looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ*" (Titus 2:11-13, NKJV) /

            Pastor Bryan is going through the book if Revelation on Saturday nights, it is fascinating, intriguing, etc.  but, what is it doing to you?

Is it motivating you to godly living, or is it satisfying your curiosity?

Is it comforting you, cleansing you, and even warning you? 

!! A.           Three Reasons Why We Study Prophecy.

!!! 1.            Prophecy comforts us (1Thess.4:13-18

/esp.v18/).

!!!! a)            When we sorrow, and lose hope (1Thess.4:18

/see also John 14:1-3/).

!!!!! (1)           *Death is inevitable.*

We often teach about /Christian living/ but not about /Christian dying/.

Paul thought it was important for these young believers at Thessalonica to understand death and what happens after death.

The one distinguishing difference between a Christian funeral and non-Christian funeral is /hope/.

There is no hope for the person who dies having rejected Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior…

*Paul writing to the Ephesians about their life before Christ said *"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest… *then Paul goes on to say in v.12 *"remember that you were at that time separate from Christ… having no hope and without God in the world.”

(Ephesians 2:1-3, 12, NASB95)

!!!!! (2)           *I Have A Reason For My Hope:* It is an unshakable hope.

It is a hope based on something eternal and all-powerful.

It is a hope founded on good evidence.

!!!!!! (a)           The primary reason I’m hopeful today is that I know that I have a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.

My relationship with Jesus Christ gives me an open door to everything that God has promised to His people in His Word.

It puts me into direct access to all the resources I will ever need, for any and every circumstance.

!!!!!! (b)           That does not mean that I am in denial about bad circumstances.

I live in the real world and have real problems just like everybody else.

But I refuse to be defeated by bad circumstances.

They do not have a hold on me */Donna – Gion Beray/*.

!!!!! (3)           Our hope is an anchor, which means it is not movable or shakeable.

Our hope is embodied in Christ Himself, who serves as our great High Priest, forever interceding before God for us.

*The author of Hebrews says, *“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us” (6:19–20).

*In his first epistle, the apostle Peter offers as further proof of the security of our hope:* Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to *a living hope *through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you greatly rejoice, *even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials*.

*Our hope comes from God, God is the source of our hope…* *Psalm 43:5 says,* “Why are you in despair, O my soul?

And why are you disturbed within me?  *Hope in God*, for I shall again praise Him, the help of my countenance, and my God.”

*Our hope is reasonable, not irrational; it isn’t based on how the stars line up.

The apostle Peter said, *"You must worship Christ as Lord of your life.

And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.”

(1 Peter 3:15, NLT)

!!! 2.            Prophecy cleanses us (1Jn 3:1-3).

!!!! a)            */“/*/Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies Himself” (v.3)/.

!!!!! (1)           *Hope is guaranteed by purity.*

When you live with the goal of meeting Jesus Christ face to face, that will have a purifying effect on your life.

When you meet Him, He will evaluate your work and then reward you (1 Cor.

3:10–15).

But it’s possible you could lose your reward, so “watch yourselves, that you might not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward” (2 John 8).

!!!!! (2)           I know our Lord could return at any time, so my goal has been to live in such a way that when I face Him I can offer Him my pure life.

!!!!! (3)           I don’t want to have any reason to be ashamed at Christ’s coming.

I want to be doing that which honors and pleases Him.

I want to be living a pure life.

If your focus is on Jesus Christ, you will live a pure life and will be able to say with the apostle John, “Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev.

22:20).

!!!!! (4)           The Thessalonian church was a great church.

When Paul wrote to its members, he never reprimanded them; he just instructed and commended them.

*One of his commendations was this:* “We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope … [knowing you] wait for His Son from heaven” (1 Thess.

1:2–3, 10).

!!!!!! (a)           Are you in that waiting mode?

Are you living as if Jesus could come in the next moment?

Are you living in such a way that if He did come you would be pleased to have Him examine your life?

You need to live every moment as if He might be here the next, for He might do just that.

!!!! b)            Purifying Yourself Leads To Obedience To God. 

!!!!! (1)           A Person /Must Profess/ that Jesus Christ is Lord (Romans 10:9-10), but not all those who call Him Lord will enter His Kingdom either (Matthew 7:21; Luke 6:46)

*Jesus said that* "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’

And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’"

(Matthew 7:21-23, NKJV)

*He also said *"Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46, NKJV)

* *

*A Cathedral in Germany displays and engraving which says,*

*“Thus speaketh Christ our Lord to us:*

*‘You call me Master and obey me not.

You call me light and see me not.

You call me the way and walk me not.

You call*

*me life and don’t live with me.

You call me wise and follow me not.

You call me fair and love me not.

You call me rich*

*and ask me not.

You call me eternal and seek me not.

If I condemn you, blame me not.’”*

!!!!! (2)           If you are calling Him Lord but living in rebellion & disobeying God you are on shaky ground!

!!!!! (3)           /“Saying without doing”/ (empty words) is not enough, just as /“hearing without obeying”/ is not enough.

!!!!! (4)           Doing the will of God is what counts (*Matthew 21:28-32* /Parable of the two sons/).

!!!!!! (a)           Matthew 7:21 cf.

John 3:36 those who say ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not obey

*After giving a long list of “the deeds of the flesh* … which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these,”

*Paul declares *“that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God …Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal.

5:19–21, 24).

!!!!! (5)           The one who is truly saved cannot continue in a pattern of unbroken sin.

!!!!!! (a)           Obedience *(1Jn.1:6,

2:3-4; 2:29, 3:3)*.

!!!!!! (b)           1 John 1:6 /those who say they have fellowship with God yet walk in darkness/

!!!!!! (c)           1 John 2:4 /those who say they know Him but do not keep His commandments/

!!!!!! (d)           1 John 4:20 /those who say they love God yet hate their brother/

(i)             Every man who has the hope of seeing Jesus, everyone who looks for His coming walks with a greater degree of purity than with which he would otherwise walk.

(ii)            Living in the constant awareness that the Lord’s coming is at hand has a definite effect on the way one lives.

(iii)           Whether you subscribe to a Pre-Tribulation, Mid-Tribulation, or Post-Tribulation Rapture, when you read Jesus’ words concerning the end times, you cannot come to any other conclusion than to say He wants us living each and every day looking for His coming.

!!!!!! (e)           Cleansing ourselves from the filthiness of the flesh & spirit (2Cor.7:1):

(i)             */Filthiness of the flesh/*/ –/ some pet sin that feeds the old nature.

(ii)            */Filthiness of the spirit/*/ – /an attitude that is sinful.

/ /

(iii)           */Perfecting holiness in the fear of God/ *- /“Holiness”/ refers to separation from all that would defile both the *body *and the *mind*.

Complete or perfect holiness was personified only in Christ, therefore *believers are to pursue Him *(3:18; Lev.

20:26; Matt.

5:48; Rom.