Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

How does it make you feel with the title of this sermon?

How does it feel if I was to say to you that you are a god?

Would that sit well with you?

Why doesn’t it sit well with you?

What makes you feel uncomfortable with this thought?

Now you might think that I am blaspheming, or that I am sharing something that is an apostasy or heretical.

But in fact, Jesus talks about this.

Jesus here is referring to the verse that was shared in the Scripture reading.

But, what does He say?

Jesus doesn’t call it blasphemy, why?

Because He said those that received God’s message were called ‘gods’ and that they were set apart and sent into the world.

Jesus is ‘the’ Son of God, we are still His children but we must never forget the clear distinction of those that are God’s true children and Jesus reveals to us more on that as we read further.

The distinction that Jesus shares to us of those that are God’s children are those that does the work of the Father as well as we abide in Him.

The role of a Christian is an important one especially in this day and age, because we are the ones to bring knowledge and understanding through the inspiration of God’s Word and His Holy Spirit.

Unfortunately, many Christians today are distracted rather than abiding in the Life Giver, they are led astray to by the social and economic climate of this world.

Christians nowadays abide in the Father and they abide in the world.

But this is not what God intended for His children.

For we are to do the Father’s work and

So, to surmise John 10:34-37:

Receive God’s message

Set apart and sent into the world by God.

Does the work of the Father.

Abides in the Father.

How many of you are fulfilling this?

If you are, do you consider yourself now as gods?

Or a child of God?

But, let’s elaborate more on this verse, because Psalms 82 has a lot more to say.

Psalms 82

Let’s have a read of Psalms 82

Q: How many times is God or gods mentioned here in this chapter?

Most people would acknowledge that God or gods is mentioned 4 times in this chapter (would you agree?), but what is interesting is that there is more than 4.

In fact, there is a fifth mention of God in this verse and we’re going to discover where, we’re also going to dissect this chapter and try to understand it a bit more, you see, I find this chapter important as I feel it deals with end time themes.

I am going to use a translator and convert only the words that that mention God or gods.

As you can see, there are 5 mentions of God/gods in this chapter, but Psalms 82:1 provides both you and I an insight into the setting of the scene of Psalms 82.

Understanding verse 1.

So, let’s explore verse 1 and try to understand what this verse is trying to tell us.

‘Elohim’ stands in the congregation of the ‘el’; He judges among the ‘elohim’

So, if we were to translate this into English it would mean this:

God stands in the congregation of the god; He judges among the gods.

Does that make sense?

How do we interpret congregation of the god?

How would we reword that because it doesn’t make sense in English?

Most modern translators would interpret god or ‘el’ as ‘divine assembly’ or ‘assembly of God’.

NKJV & KJV states congregation of the mighty, NLT states heaven’s court, NASB states God’s own congregation.

Either way, there is an assembly of God’s people.

But why is God standing in that assembly?

Why is He judging among the gods?

What imagery comes to mind with God standing in the midst of an assembly, where God is judging?

Where do we find the connection?

When I read this verse, I can’t help but notice a similar scene. in Daniel 12:1-3

I can’t help by notice the similarity with Psalms 82:1

In Revelation 20:11-15 we also find God judging as well, however, here is the million dollar question, who is God judging with?

Who are the ‘el’ (god)?

In Daniel and Revelation references, we find that God is with the saints and in Psalms 82:1 it says God judges among the god/mighty.

Could this mean that we are gods?

Q: What does that mean?

God judges among the god/mighty?

My message today is ‘you are gods?’

Are these verses connecting us to the idea that God’s people; the saints, are gods?

Is the divine assembly or the assembly of God referring to some judgement where God judges among His children?

Are you ready to be god?

How about this, are you ready to be a Christian?

The rest of Psalms 82

We understand that we are all created, and that there is no possible way that we can be a god because the rest of Psalms 82 describes our flaws.

Verse 2 we judge unjustly.

Verse 5 we do not know or understand, we walk around in darkness and we live in an unstable world.

Verse 7 we are not immortal and we die like the rest.

There is no equal with the Living God nor are we perfect and loving like our Father in Heaven.

However, we are children of God and on this earth we represent the Father as His children that should follows His will.

We have received God’s message, we are set apart and sent into this world, to do God’s work and to abide in Him.

Ambassadors our individual role

Paul states that as God’s children, God is pleading through us to this world to help save those that are lost, those that are need of a Saviour.

Those that Jesus is calling.

James tells us this in James 1:27

However, this is a role as an individual, to walk righteously and judge justly because there will come a time, where all that we have experienced and learnt on this earth will be used to judge the whole world when God judges among His children.

Who are the judges?

But what is fascinating is the second part of Psalms 82:1, you see it’s interesting to know that we as Christians are considered ‘elohim’, which is very weird of course, but let me share to you something very interesting in this word, because there is another reference to as ‘elohim’ in the Bible that connects it to His children.

Have a read of Exodus 21:1-6

Exodus 21:1–6 (NKJV)

1 “Now these are the judgments which you shall set before them: 2 If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing.

3 If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him.

4 If his master has given him a wife, and she has borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself.

5 But if the servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ 6 then his master shall bring him to the judges.

He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.

Find which word would have Elohim?

The word for Elohim in Exodus 21 is ‘judges’!

The judges in these instances were to help make the decisions for cases brought by the people.

They were the ones who were designated to uphold justice and counsel the congregation to do right and to uphold the law of God.

The judges were to direct the hearts of the sinner to Christ, they were the representatives of God’s sovereignty.

I mean when we think about a judge, who do they represent?

What do they uphold?

What are their roles in our system?

Although, Jesus does say Matthew 7:1-3

Jesus also says in John 7:24

That is, our judgement should not be something that would put people down; a judgement of condemnation, our judgement should be ones that would help uplift and help others; encouraging judgement.

One that benefits the one being judged to help them have a relationship if God.

It’s easy for people to make judgement on others but what are you really doing when you make those types of judgement?

What are you really saying?

Is it to uplift and encourage of downtrodden and discourage?