“A VOICE IN THE NIGHT” I SAMUEL 3:1 THE SUN BADE FAREWELL O THE DAY LIGHT HOURS, AND THE SHADOWS OF NIGHT CAME CREEPING IN SILENCE WAS THE SIGNATURE THAT THE LONG NIGHT HAD BEGUN. THE LAST CHILD HAD LONG SINCE BEEN TUCKED SAFELY IN BED, AND HOURS HAD PASSED SINCE THE LAST FLICKERING LAMP SUCCUMBED TO THE DARKNESS OF NIGHT. ALL WAS STILL ACROSS THE LITTLE LAND OF PALESTINE. OUT OF THE QUIET DARKNESS YOUNG SAMUEL HEARD A CLEAR VOICE CALLING HIM. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, NOW SAMUEL DID NOT YET KNOW THE LORD, NEITHER WAS THE WORD OF THE LORD YET REVEALED UNTO HIM V.7. THEREFORE HE WAS CONFUSED UNTIL HE RESPONDED TO THE VOICE’S FOURTH CALL. THE VOICE IN THE NIGHT WAS THE VOICE OF GOD CALLING HIM TO A NEW AND GLORIOUS LIFE. IN THE DARKNESS OF SIN’S NIGHT, GOD’S VOICE SPEAKS TO YOU THIS MOMENT. LIKE SAMUEL, YOU MAY NOT YET KNOW THE LORD, BUT HE SPEAKS TO YOU NEVERTHELESS. LISTEN TO THE CALL OF GOD AS HE BECKONS. I. THE VOICE OF CONSCIENCE WHEN THE ACCUSING RELIGIONISTS HAD BROUGHT THEIR FINAL CHARGE AGAINST THE FALLEN WOMEN IN THE TEMPLE AND CHRIST HAD INVITED THE PERSON WHO WAS WITHOUT SIN TO CAST THE FIRST STONE, JOHN RECORDS, THEY WHICH HEARD IT, BEING CONVICTED BY THEIR OWN CONSICIENCE, WENT OUT, ONE BY ONE, BEGINNING AT THE ELDEST, EVEN UNTO THE LEAST; JOHN 8:9 (FROM THE PULPIT TO THE DOOR). THAT WHICH CONVICTED AND REPRIMANDED THEM WAS THEIR OWN CONSCIENCE. APART FROM WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS AND APART FROM WHAT THIS PREACHER MAY PREACH, THERE IS ONE VOICE YOU CANNOT ESCAPE, AND THAT IS THE VOICE OF YOUR OWN CONSCIENCE. A. THE VOICE OF CONSCIENCE CONDEMNS WHEN THE PRODIGAL SON HAD DISGRACED HIS FAMILY, LOST HIS WEALTH, AND DISSIPATED HIS YOUTH, THE VOICE THAT CONDEMNED HIM WAS THE VOICE OF NEITHER MAN NOR GOD; IT WAS THE VOICE OF HIS OWN CONSCIENCE. THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE REASONS WHY CONSCIENCE CONDEMNS. FIST, IT CONDEMNS BECAUSE OF THE DEEDS YOU HAVE DONE. THE GUILT FEELINGS THAT FOLLOW THE DEED ROB YOU OF ANY REAL AND ABIDING JOY. SECOND, BECAUSE AS THE PRODIGAL SON, YOU KNOW A BETTER WAY OF LIVING, YOUR CONSCIENCE SPEAKS TO CONDEMN YOU. THIRD BECAUSE YOU KNOW GOD IS DISPLEASED, YOUR CONSCIENCE CONDEMNS, JOHN 3:36. B. THE VOICE OF CONSCIENCE BRINGS CONTRITION WITHOUT CONTRITION, CONSCIENCE WOULD BE DESTRUCTIVE, AND THAT IS NEVER GOD’S INTENTION. IT IS MEANT TO PRODUCE A SORROW UNTO REPENTANCE. PETER REMEMBERED THE WORD OF JESUS, AND HE WENT OUT AND WEPT BITTERLY, MATT. 26:75. WHY DOES CONSCIENCE LEAD TO CONTRITION? I SUGGEST THREE REASONS, BECAUSE OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF SIN, BECAUSE OF THE SHAME PRODUCED BY SIN. YOU MAY ATTEMPT TO RUN FROM GOD AS DID JONAH OR HIDE FROM GOD AS DID ADAM AND EVE, BUT YOU CAN NOT ESCAPE NEITHER HIM NOR YOUR CONSCIENCE. EVERYWHERE YOU GO, YOU TAKE YOUR CONSCIENCE WITH YOU, AND AS A HOUND OF HEAVEN IT FOLLOWS YOU NIGHT AND DAY. IT CALLS YOU FROM THE DARKNESS OF SIN’S NIGHT INTO THE LIGHT OF GOD’S GRACE. II. THE VOICE OF INFLUENCE THE VOICE OF INFLUENCE IS OFTEN DISTURBING. PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE TO HEAR THIS VOICE. THEY DO NOT LIKE TO BE REMINDED THAT THEY HAVE AN INFLUENCE FOR WHICH THEY ARE ACCOUNTABLE. BUT THE VOICE SPEAKS NEVERTHELESS. A. THE VOICE OF INFLUENCE REMINDS YOU OF YOUR INFLUENCE ON OTHERS FOR NONE OF US LIVETH TO OURSELVES; AND NO MAN DIETH TO HIMSELF, ROM. 14:7. THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF INFLUENCES. CONSCIOUS INFLUENCE IS THE KIND ANDREW BROUGHT TO THE EAR OF PETER WHEN HE LED HIM TO JESUS. YOU ARE AWARE WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO USE THIS POWER ON OTHERS; YOU CAN CONTROL IT AT ALL TIMES. BUT THIS IS NOT THE GREATEST PORTION OF YOUR INFLUENCE. UNCONSCIOUS INFLUENCE IS THE KIND PETER HAD ON JOHN AT JESUS GRAVE. JOHN PAUSED ON THE OUTSIDE, PETER RUSHED IN, JOHN, HE SAW, REJOICED, AND BELIEVED, WITHOUT A WORD OR GESTURE HE UNCONSCIOUSLY INFLUENCED JOHN TO COME IN AND SEE AND BELIEVE. FOR THE SCRIPTURE SIMPLY SAYS, THEN WENT IN ALSO THAT OTHER DISCIPLES WHICH CAME FIRST TO THE OPEN TOMB AND HE SAW, AND BELIEVED, JOHN 20:8. PERHAPS FOR EVERY PERSON YOU INFLUENCE. CONSCIOUSLY YOU INFLUENCE TEN OTHERS UNCONSCIOUSLY. YOUR ACCEPTING SALVATION TODAY WOULD INFLUENCE OTHERS OF WHO YOU WILL HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE UNTIL THE JUDGMENT. BUT YOUR STAYING ON THE OUTSIDE MAKES OTHERS FEEL COMFORTABLE IN THEIR UNSAVED CONDITION. B. THE VOICE OF INFLUENCE ASSERTS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR OTHERS PEOPLE HAVE NEVER LIKED TO HEAR THIS TRUTH. THEY HAVE ALWAYS TRIED TO AVOID THE FACK THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OTHERS. WHEN ASKED ABOUT HIS OWN BROTHER WHOM HE HAD SLAIN, CAIN SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS AND SAID TO GOD, AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER? GEN 4:9. THE ANSWER COMES ACROSS THE AGES; YES YOU ARE YOUR BROTHER’S KEEPER. THE VOICE OF INFLUENCE MAY BE THAT OF A YOUNG CHILD IN YOUR HOME SPEAKING OF JESUS, THE BIBLE, OR THE CHURCH. JESUS REMINDS US OF THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT IS OURS. IT WERE BETTER FOR HIM THAT A MILLSTONE WERE HANGED ABOUT HIS NECK, AND HE CAST INTO THE SEA, THAN THAT HE SHOULD OFFEND ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES, LUKE 17:2. III. THE VOICE OF WISDOM WISDOM DECLARES THAT THE ONLY WISE THING TO DO IS TO ACCEPT CHRIST AND THUS NOT RUN THE RISK OF AN ETERNITY IN HELL. JESUS WAS A PRACTICAL MINDED MAN. HE PRESENTED THIS MATTER ON A PROFIT AND LOSS BASIS. FOR WHAT WHALL IT PROFIT A MAN, IF HE SHALL GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD, AND LOSE HIS OWN SOUL, MARK 8:36. CHRIST IS SAYING, IN THE PROFIT COLUMN PLACE THE WHOLE WORLD, AND IN THE LOSS COLUMN, PLACE YOUR SOUL. YOU COULD NEVER BALANCE A SET OF BOOKS LIKE THAT. YOU WOULD COME OUT FAR IN THE RED, (YOU ARE BANKRUPT). A. THE VOICE OF WISDOM SPEAKS OF THE INFINITE VALUE OF YOUR SOUL. CHRIST SAYS THAT NOTHING IS OF ENOUGH VALUE TO GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR YOUR SOUL. GOD PRIZES YOUR SOUL ABOVE ANYTHING ELSE. THE ONE THING GOD CONSIDERED WORTHY OF HIS SON’S DEATH WAS A HUMAN SOUL, JOHN 3:16. ACTUALLY, YOU DO NOT POSSESS A SOUL, YOU ARE A SOUL. THIS THING THAT WE CALL A SOUL IS REALLY YOU. THE YOU THAT LOVES, HATES, FEARS, THINKS, FEELS. THIS IS THE YOU THAT IS INDEPENDENT OF YOUR BODY. YOU POSSESSS A BODY AS A SPACE SUIT IN WHICH YOU MUS LIVE IN AS LONG AS YOU ARE ON THIS PLANET EARTH. BUT YOU DO NOT NEED THIS BODY TO LIVE. THE GENESIS ACCOUNT TELLS US THAT GOD CREATED MAN A LIVING SOUL, GEN 2:7. B. THE VOICE OF WISDOM POINTS OUT THE FOLLY OF SPIRITUAL DEATH. EVEN GOD ASKS, WHY WILL YE DIE O HOUSE OF ISRAEL? FOR I HAVE NO PLEASURE IN THE DEATH OF HIM THAT DIETH, EZEK 18:31-32. THE GREATEST ACT OF FOLLY A PERSON CAN COMMIT IS TO DIE AND GO TO HELL. THERE IS NO EXCUSE. GOD HAS DONE ALL THAT HE CAN DO TO SAVE YOU. IF YOU INSIST ON GOING TO HELL, YOU MUST STEP OVER THE CROSS OF CHRIST, A CHRISTIAN HOME, CHRISTIAN FRIENDS, AND THE BIBLE, YOU MUST CLOSE YOUR EARS TO GOSPEL PREACHING, TURN YOUR BACK ON CHURCHES ALL AROUND YOU, AND RENDER FUTILE THE PRAYERS OFFERED ON YOUR BEHALF. YOU CAN GO TO HELL, BUT WISDOM SAYS THIS IS YOUR MOST FOOLISH MISTAKE. C. THE VOICE OF WISDOM ACKNOWLEDGES THE PLIGHT OF YOUR PRESENT CONDITION. IN YOUR PRESENT CONDITION YOU ARE LOST ROM. 3:10 AND CONDEMNED. YOU DO NOT NEED TO WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE A BROKEN PERSON OR GUILTY OF SOME GREAT SIN OR UNTIL YOU DIE. THE BIBLE MAKES IT CLEAR THAT YOU ARE CONDEMNED ALREADY, JOHN 3:18 AND WISDOM SAYS YOU SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THIS FACT. A MAN AWAITING EXECUTION ON DEATH ROW DOES NOT NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THE POISON IS INJECTED INTO HIS BODY TO BE CONDEMNED. HE IS CONDEMNED ALREADY, DEATH ONLY SEALS THAT CONDEMNATION. IV. THE VOICE OF GOD MORE LOUDLY; MORE AUTHORITATIVELY AND MORE PERSUASIVELY; THAN THE VOICE OF CONSCIENCE OF INFLUENCE OR WISDOM CALLS THE VOICE OF GOD. AND THE SPIRIT AND THE BRIDE SAY, COME AND LET HIM THAT HEARTH SAY, COME. AND LET HIM THAT IS ATHIRST COME. ANY WHOSOEVER WILL; LET HIM TAKE THE WATER OF LIFE FREELY, REV. 22:17. A. THE VOICE OF GOD SPEAKS OF YOUR INABILITY TO JUSTIFY YOURSELF IN HIS SIGHT, ROM 3:20. IT SPEAKS OF YOUR INABILITY TO SAVE YOURSELF THROUGH WORKS EPH. 2:8-9 OR SINCERITY, PROV. 14:12. B. THE VOICE OF GOD TELLS OF YOUR ACCOUNTABILITY SO THEN EVERY ONE OF US SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF TO GOD, ROM. 14:12. YOU ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR DEEDS, MATT 12:36, AS WELL AS FOR YOUR REJECTION OF CHRIST, MATT 10:32. C. THE VOICE OF GOD PROCLAIMS CHRIST’S AVAILABILITY. BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK, IF ANY MAN HEAR MY VOICE, AND OPEN THE DOOR, I WILL COME IN TO HIM, AND WILL SUP WITH HIM, AND HE WITH ME, REV. 3:20. EACH OF THESE VOICES BECKONS YOU TO LEAVE THE DARKNESS OF SIN’S NIGHT AND TO ENTER THE LIGHT OF GOD’S SALVATION. TODAY IF YE WILL HEAR HIS VOICE, HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS, HEB. 4:7. I CAN HEAR MY SAVIOR CALLING, TAKE THY CROSS AND FOLLOW ME. THO HE LEAD ME THREW THE GARDEN, I’LL GO WITH HIM ALL THE WAY. HE WILL GIVE ME GRACE AND GLORY; HE WILL KEEP ME, ALL THE WAY. WHERE HE LEAD ME IS WILL FOLLOW, WHERE HE LEAD ME I WILL FOLLOW, I’LL GO WITH HIM ALL THE WAY.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Nov 2014 22:59:04 +0000
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