they were offended at Him. 4 Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house."

(Last Week) III. We get offended/stumble when God’s Words & Works are at odds with our Expectations and Experience

A. We have difficulty learning from those close to us because of pride, cover-ups, comparison, complaints/faults, and lack of discernment

B. Instead of getting angry at God or His messenger (Js 1:13,19)  humbly listen (1:19), repent, accept (1:21) and DO the new (1:2)

Jas 1:21 lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

C. It’s never to late to do the right thing, God specializes in picking us up after we stumble (1Jn 1:9) (cf Jn 7:5 - Ac 1:14)

1Cor 14:3 he who prophesies speaks edification (Eph 4:16,29) and exhortation (Heb 12:5) and comfort  (1Th 5:14) to men.

IV. A Prophet is someone who communicates the WILL of God (Word Input Logic Leading) to people hard of hearing

Ex 7:1 So the LORD said to Moses: "See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.

Ac 7:37 Moses said to the children of Israel, ‘The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear

1Co 14:37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.

De 13:5 But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the LORD your God… to entice you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst.

A. Prophets are sent to people insensitive to the will of God, who aren’t seeking God’s will but “alternatives” to self-sacrificially following Christ; who don’t want to hear what God has to say (that conflicts with that they’re doing), otherwise they won’t need a prophet.

2Tim 4:3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. NIV

B. Prophets will get negative responses because people don’t want to change (hardened by the deceitfulness of sin {power/pleasure/possessions}; self-image {I’m not that bad”}; pride {“I know better than you, my authorities, God”}) and will be shot, rejected, ridiculed (guilt-blame balance).

Mt 5:11 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12  "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

C. A prophet must speak out of love of God, obedience and a concern for glory demonstrating God’s faithfulness and their own (Heb 13:17)

Isa 6:8 Also  I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me." 9 And He said, "Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ 10  "Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed."

Jer 1:8 Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you," says the LORD. 9 Then the LORD put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me: "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. 10 See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant." 17  "Therefore prepare yourself and arise, And speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before their faces, Lest I dismay you before them. 18 For behold, I have made you this day A fortified city and an iron pillar, And bronze walls against the whole land,  kings, princes, priests, people 19 They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you," says the LORD, "to deliver you."  5 Thus says the LORD: "What injustice have your fathers found in Me, That they have gone far from Me, Have followed idols, And have become idolaters?  6  Neither did they say, ‘Where is the LORD,  11…My people have changed their Glory For what does not profit. 13  "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Ezek 2:3 I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me…5 "As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse—for they are a rebellious house—yet they will know that a prophet has been among them  8  "But you…hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you." 3:7 "But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted. 8  "Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads. 9  "Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house." 10…receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears. 11 "And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,’ whether they hear, or whether they refuse." 33:5  ‘He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. 6‘But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned,…he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.’

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:

1. What should be the goal of reproving? How do you know if the person has heard you? Why would you think they rejected the message?

2. If you have to raise the volume to get through  (like in child training) what does that tell you about the person/issue? What helps?

3. How much of a relationship do you need with someone in order to be used by God as a prophet in his life?

4.What are some of the ways that prophetic speaking can go wrong, and how can we safeguard against them?