Welcome to Refinery Life Australia.
This week we are starting a series titled Voices of the World.
The focus is on sharing the good news of Christ.
Today we are talking about Quiet Voices.
Text
1 Corinthians 14:10 (AMP)
10 There are, I suppose, a great many kinds of languages in the world [unknown to us], and none is lacking in meaning.
Scripture Reading
Romans 10:12-17 (AMP)
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile; for the same Lord is Lord over all [of us], and [He is] abounding in riches (blessings) for all who call on Him [in faith and prayer].
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord [in prayer] will be saved.”
14 But how will people call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher (messenger)?
15 And how will they preach unless they are commissioned and sent [for that purpose]? Just as it is written and forever remains written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”
16 But they did not all pay attention to the good news [of salvation]; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”
17 So faith comes from hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the [preaching of the] message concerning Christ.
Prayer
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
Introduction
In every age there have been significant voices in the world.
In our age these voices can be heard as we read the newspapers, listen to the radio, watch television, or even when we think of the condition the world is in.
The Bible also has much to say about voices.
Sometimes the sounds we hear when we listen to the voices of the Bible or the voices around us may be pleasant.
These voices may be like music, or waves in the ocean, or rain.
But some of these voices might be unpleasant sounds, arguing, crying, or screams of anguish.
When the Bible speaks of voices, it may be speaking of the voice of John, one crying in the wilderness, or of Jesus crying with a loud voice, or of a prophet’s voice, or of Peter’s or Paul’s voice.
Our text today tells us that there are many kinds of voices in the world.
- The voice of human need.
- Much of human need is physical.
Millions of people are desperate for physical help, the hungry, the sick, the abused, the oppressed, the imprisoned.
For example, something as senseless as illiteracy can make people silent victims.
Around the world as many as a quarter of all people cannot read or write.
Many of the illiterate in third world nations are virtually slaves.
They are in debt most of their lives and find it difficult to pull themselves out of the hole.
Such people are forever hungry, diseased, afraid, and unhappy.
But some are grimly determined to rise out of their condition.
The voice of their own human need cries out to us.
B. If we listen we can also hear the voice of spiritual need.
These are the people who are searching for help, the ones who are hungry for fellowship.
They are looking for answers to the cause of life and suffering and even death.
Some are guilt laden.
They are disrupted by the loss of self respect, always on the defensive, disturbed and confused, seemingly unable to rebuild their lives.
Some time ago a man took his own life.
Beside him was this note, “When man has lost God, then there isn’t much to live for.” We hear the voice of spiritual need.
Within other people there are tiny civil wars going on.
These people seem possessed by hostility, and are ready to explode.
They harbour feelings of anger, bitterness, or selfishness, with little or no time for God.
With millions of physically and spiritually needy people all around us, we must as Christians hear their voices.
This is the voice of human need, let us heed it.
2. The voice of a sinful world.
A voice is calling us to bring a message of release, freedom, and redemption from sin.
The Lord’s Prayer shows the necessity of our sins being forgiven.
Luke 11:2-4 (AMP)
2 He said to them,
“When you pray, say:
‘Father, hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
3 ‘Give us each day our daily bread.
4 ‘And forgive us our sins,
For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us [who has offended or wronged us].
And lead us not into temptation [but rescue us from evil].’”
This implies, just as Jesus said, that the world is a servant of sin in John 8:34.
Romans 3:9 says we are all under sin.
Pauls spoke of the law of sin and death in Romans 8:2 but was quick to admit that sin dwelt in him and unforgiven sin would pay its wages, death.
And so the world today seems to shout again and again regarding our Saviour, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
The sinful world goes on searching in sinful pleasure, in money, in materialism, but fear and frustration remain.
The inner civil wars bring despair.
As the world continues in its sinful way, there is a loss of fellowship with God.
There is darkness and death.
A former buddhist priest who had been saved testified, “I have come out of darkness and sin.”
But one who had not been saved by Christ, an old Indian, said as he lay dying, “It is so dark. Wont someone come tell me how to die?”
These are some of the voices of the sinful world.
Let us heed God’s voice as we consider our mission to this world.
3. The voice of Christian faith.
- Into the confusion of sinful living and human need comes the voice of the Christian faith.
This is the voice of our Saviour Himself, as it were, the voice of God.
And above the jungle of confusion, we hear the call of faith.
- Only our Christian faith can give an adequate picture of humanity.
It is our faith that tells us of sin and this proneness to hate and war.
But it is from that picture that something worthwhile can arise if we have God’s help.
2. Only our Christian faith can give us an adequate picture of God.
He is not remote, rather, He is the one who took action about human rebellion.
He came in Christ.
3. Only our Christian faith brings humankind and God together.
Conclusion.
The voices of the world speak to us in their own quiet way.
And so perhaps we have been able to hear these quiet voices, the voice of human need, the voice of a sinful world, and the voice of the Christian faith.
But could it be that we have not really heard?
Or perhaps in our hearing we have not really cared.
We must seek to be responsive.
We must be willing to see the faces of the people of the world and hear their voices.
Then we must respond with love and caring.
The Christian response for some who have heard these voices will be, “Yes, I will care. I will pray, give, feel, learn, share.”
In other cases the Christian response will be, “Yes, I’ll go, I’ll go to a friend.
I’ll share my Christian faith. It is not possible for me to reach around the world, but I’ll find one lonely child or one needy person, or one lost person. And I’ll wipe the tears off that one, or share the loving Christ with that one who is near.”
Perhaps there are now some who can say, “Here I am Lord. Send me wherever you wish, anywhere in the world.
I will follow You wherever You lead.”
Perhaps you can say , “I see, Lord, and I care, and I am available to share. I surrender. I give my life to You to serve wherever You need me.”
Perhaps you are able to say, “I now choose Your will instead of mine in everything I do for the rest of my life.”
Have you made a decision about these things?
If you have share it, share it with your church family, share it with anyone that will listen.
As we close now, share you inner decision with the church and receive prayerful, loving support.
Until next time
Stay in the Blessings
I really want to encourage you to be diligent with your Bible study time, because God has so much more for us than we can get from just going to church once or twice a week and hearing someone else talk about the Word.
When you spend time with God, your life will change in amazing ways, because God is a Redeemer.
Theres nothing thats too hard for Him, and He can make you whole, spirit, soul and body!
You’re important to God, and you’re important to us at www.refinerylife.org
When it comes to prayer, we believe that God wants to meet your needs and reveal His promises to you.
So whatever you’re concerned about and need prayer for we want to be here for you! Or even if you just want to say Hi, you can contact us
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