THE URGENCY OF KNOWING THE TRUTH
REVELATION 1:3
Introduction:
Jesus came to His home town and entered the synagogue and open God’s Word and began to read, Luke 4:16, “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.”
This is the place where He was not readily accepted, yet He knew the need of these people hearing and knowing the Word of God. This was an URGENT NEED and the Lord treated it as such.
Today the need is even more urgent than at any time in history. Paul wrote in Romans 13:11, “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” The NEED TO KNOW IS MORE URGENT NOW than at any time since God created this world.
I. THE BLESSEDNESS OF BEING INFORMED
A. Blessed is he that reads the words of this prophecy, Luke 4:16, “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.”
1. Moses read the Word of God before the people, Exodus 24:7, “And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.”
2. Joshua faithfully read the Word of God, Joshua 8:34, “And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.”
3. The effect of reading the Word of God, 2 Corinthians 3:2, “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:”
a. Lives were blessed, 2 Chronicles 31:10, “And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.”
b. Men are blessed who keep the sayings of the Word of God, Revelation 22:7, “Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.”
B. Blessed is he that hears the words of this prophecy, Luke 11:28, “But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.”
1. Not everyone who claims to be a Believer will hear God, Matthew 7:21, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
2. Blessed are those that hear and seek the Lord with their whole heart, Psalms 119:2, “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.”
a. Faith is seen in the doers of the Word, James 1:22, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
b. Those who not ONLY HEAR, but also KEEP those things, Romans 2:13, “(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.”
II. THINGS WHICH MUST SHORTLY BE DONE
A. To show His SERVANTS, Revelation 22:6, “And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.”
B. To PREACH the SAYINGS of this prophecy, Revelation 22:10, “And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.”
1. Jesus sent His disciples to preach, Matthew 10:7, “And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
2. Jesus Himself preached, Matthew 4:17, “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
3. Jesus sent His Church to preach, Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
4. Paul admonished Timothy to preach in season and out of season, 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
a. WARNING every man, Colossians 1:28, “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:”
b. NOT JUST at home, but to every tongue and people, Revelation 14:6, “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,”
C. Another Gospel is being preached by Satan’s emissaries, Galatians 1:9, “As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
1. Our enemy works hard, 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
2. The Devil is aware of the time, Matthew 8:29, “And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?”
CONCLUSION:
The TIME is SHORT and the HARVEST IS PLENTEOUS, Matthew 9:37-38, “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” Are we praying and preaching?