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SERMON DATE AND TITLE: 20161016 THE AGE OF SUPERFICIALITYThis page streams the audio-only sermon, when available, in downloadable SWF flash format. It begins playing shortly after opening this page
Senior Pastor Phil Roland
Pastor Ray Scott
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THE AGE OF SUPERFICIALITY THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE SERMON STARTER
Superficiality is the curse of our age. Our culture's demand for instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. We have birthed several generations of shallow, narcissistic people who are fragile and need coddling and placating. Counseling Centers all over the country are offering specialized services for people who are traumatized by scary clown costumed Halloween celebrants. A college campus was graffitied by a chalk welding adolescent who wrote "TRUMP" all over campus property. College officials hurriedly set up special counseling posts all over the campus to aid "traumatized" students. Millennials cannot handle civil political or religious discourse. It upsets them, because they cannot defend their prejudices. Political Correctness was born out of the outcries of offended millennials. There is a sort of societal OCD that calls for people to walk on eggshells for fear of offending someone. After all, no one must ever be discomforted. Millennials are those who reached adulthood by the turn of the century. Currently, there are 75.4 million millennials where there are 74.9 million boomers. Baby Boomers were born during or just after WWII. In a YouTube video last month, Courtney Plunk with the student group PoliTech posed the following questions to her fellow Texas Tech University (millennial) classmates: Who won the Civil War? Who is the vice president? Who did we gain our independence from? The answers were depressingly bad, with several students saying the South had won the Civil War — “That was the Confederates, right?” — and many admitting total historical ignorance. The subjects with which the students were familiar: MTV’s “Jersey Shore,” and Brad Pitt’s wives.
SERMON STARTER, Superficiality, cont. p. 2
Today's cultural shallowness is especially reflected in our entertainment. The World Wrestling Entertainment group presents scripted made-for-television shows with predetermined outcomes. Many of the wrestling moves are rehearsed and choreographed so that the entertainers aren't physically hurt. Our desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deeply spiritual people. My sermon today explores the need for a deeper spiritual relationship with Jesus and that our relationship with one another becomes deeper, more loving and more nourishing. May we be a people who are growing in the Lord.
Pastor Phil <><<
October 16, 2016 - Sheepfold Ministries Pastor Phil Roland
THE AGE OF SUPERFICIALITY THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE EZEKIEL 13:8-13
"Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for spiritually deep people, who love both God and mankind." Pastor Phil, Adapted <><<
John 7:24 (NIV)
Ezekiel 22:28 (NKJV) Hebrew, Prophet = נָבִיא = naw-bee - Bubble Forth, Speak Forth
I. A PROPHET IS ONE WHO PRESUMES TO SPEAK FOR GOD 8 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you," says the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 13:8 A. One Hundred Percent Accuracy is Required - Deut. 19:20 B. False Prophets were Stoned C. Today's "Mediacrats" and Politicians are False Prophets 1. Prophet is one who stands in the place of God and speaks 2. They speak unsubstantiated lies to the people
II. FOUR TESTS OF A PROPHET: TRUE OR FALSE A. Does Their Prophesy Come to Pass? Deuteronomy 19:20 not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.'" B. Do They Confess Jesus Christ is Come in the Flesh? 1 John 4:1-3 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world." C. Do They Deceive the Gullible for Money? Acts 8:18,19; 14-24 "And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, "Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit."
D. Do Their Lives Show Any Fruit of the Holy Spirit? Gal. 5:22,23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."
III. FALSE PROPHETS DECEIVE W/ POPULAR DELUSION - v. 10a 10 Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, 'Peace!' when there is no peace--and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with untempered mortar-- 11 say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. There will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it down. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 1. They tickle the ears of their hearers 2. Predictions about security and safety must be truthful B. A prophetic lie is cleverly wrapped in a grain of truth 1. Seduction is like that "The worst deceived are the self deceived." Dr. Robert Frost
III. TWO ANALOGIES FOR FALSE PROPHETS - v. 10b ". . .and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with untempered mortar-- 11 say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. There will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it down. A. WALL - They built Walls to keep out Truth 1. In ancient cities walls were an important fortification 2. Walls kept the people in and intruders out 3. Lying false prophets built worthless walls B. UNTEMPERED MORTAR - Wall looked good on the Outside 1. Sand without Lime 2. Mud without Straw or Hair C. Lies of false prophets left people unprotected 1. Assyria eventually took the Northern Kingdom 2. Babylon eventually took the Southern Kingdom
IV. POLARITY INCREASING BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARK 18 But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. 19 The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble. Proverbs 4:18-19 A. Evil will increase in our depraved culture as End Times approach 1. Christians will become more and more unpopular 2. The world will become more and more evil
THE AGE OF SUPERFICIALITY, cont., p.3
B. Increasingly Difficult to keep yourself unspotted from the world 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1:27 1. We may be IN the world, but we are not OF the world 2. The Kingdoms of this world are destined to Fall C. The Kingdoms of our God and King will last forever - Rev. 11:15 15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" 1. To which Kingdom do you adhere to? 2. This temporal world is passing away 3. Keep your eyes on Jesus
SCRIPTURE CHORUS: 21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD. Numbers 14:21
THE AGE OF SUPERFICIALITY Ezekiel 13:8-13
Psalm 24:3-4
1 Samuel 16:7 (NKJV)
James 1:23-24 (NKJV)
Matthew 23:27-28 (NKJV)
Proverbs 31:30 (NKJV)
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NKJV) Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn - Hastiness and superficiality are the psychic diseases of the 20th century.
April 10, 2011 pastor Phil Roland, Sheepfold Ministries
DISCERNING A FALSE PROPHET DEUTERONOMY 18:15-22 "The conditions for fulfilling Jesus' Great Prophesy in Matthew 24 are stacking up. God's people will do well to stay close to Him and keep their personal affairs in order. Keep your eyes on Jesus." Pastor Phil
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves." Matthew 7:15
FOUR TESTS OF A FALSE PROPHET I. DOES THEIR PROPHESY COME TO PASS? Deut. 18:20 "But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.'" "But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.'" B. C.T. Russell's Watch Tower's False End of the World Predictions 2. Published Dates are 1914, 1918, 1925 and 1975 C. Harold Camping First Predicted the End of the World in 1994 1. Dates were "Between Sept. 5th and 27th" 2. Uses Subjective, "Eisegetical Biblical Interpretations 3. Reads INTO Allegories and Parables
II. DO THEY CONFESS JESUS CHRIST COME IN THE FLESH? "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world." 1 John 4:1-3 A. C.T. Russell's Jehovah's Witnesses DENY Jesus is God/Man 1 John 1:7 "For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist." 1. Key to understanding is His name: Jesus/Christ a. His name, "Ya-shuah" is a human name, "Victory" b. His name, "Me-shea" is divine, "Anointed One" c. Together, "Jesus Christ," Human-Born, Anointed One
DISCERNING A FALSE PROPHET, cont., p.2
2. J.W. Teaching denies Jesus' Deity while on earth "while Jesus was on the earth he was not a deity. He was a man. Jesus was not part God and part man. He was not a god-man or demigod." 3. Falsely believe that He "gave up" His heavenly nature "upon his becoming human Jesus left off his heavenly nature." 4. Reference: http://e-watchman.com/jehovahs- witnesses/jehovahs-witnesses-deny-the-deity-of-christ.html B. False Prophets are directed by the Anti-Christ himself 1. Directs all worship to himself 2. Pure Idolatry Usurps Spiritual Worship 3. Appeals to the idea of Universalism 4. Jesus is a prophet or a god, but NOT the only god C. False Prophets often DENY Jesus is come in the flesh "Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 1. They are often Anti-Trinitarian 2. They Deny and twist scripture to fit their own doctrines 3. They Deny established Christian Teaching a. Nicene Creed b. The Apostle’s Creed "And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, "Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit." Acts 8:18,19; 14-24 1. Israel's enemies offered him money to prophesy 2. They believed they could seduce him with silver 3. Wished to pay him to prophesy against God's people 4. Found himself unable to do so B. All False Prophets have a self-promoting financial "hook" "They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet. 17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. 2 Peter 2:15-17 (NKJV) 1. Harold Camping's latest End-of-World prediction 2. He has a financial motivation / "Hook" 3. If the world ends, money won't be needed anymore DISCERNING A FALSE PROPHET, cont., p.3
4. Listener asks Camping on Family Radio broadcast, "If the Lord DOESN'T come on May 21st, will you give the old people, who have sent you their life savings, their money back?"
IV. DO THEIR LIVES SHOW ANY FRUIT OF GOD'S SPIRIT? "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." Gal. 5:22,23 A. What about the False Prophet's personal traits? 1. Meekness - Eg. Robert Schuller's Attack on Airline Steward a. Flight Attendant filed suit against Schuller in 9/97 b. "Don't your know I am the famous Robert Schuller?" 2. Mercy. . .Pure in Heart. . .Peacemakers. . .Persecuted 3. See Matthew 5:4-10 B. Jesus warns us to use discernment about False Prophets Matthew 7:16-20 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
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