IT’S TIME TO LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD
MARK 1:3
1. INTRODUCTION. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE AS A PEOPLE HAVE LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD. IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS ERA, WE LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD, CRYING OUT FOR JUSTICE AND EQUAL RIGHTS. IN POLITICS, WE LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD BY DEMANDING THE RIGHT TO VOTE. IN THE BUSINESS WORLD, WE LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD BY PROTESTING FOR THE RIGHT TO PAID THE SAME WAGES FOR THE SAME WORK AS OTHERS. IN ACADEMICS, WE LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD BY CRYING OUT THAT EDUCATIONAL SEGREGATION WAS UNFAIR, WHICH LED TO THE LANDMARK CASE IN THE SUPREME COURT; BROWN VS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WHICH RULED FAVORABLY THAT EDUCATIONAL SEGREGATION WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, THEREBY GRANTING BLACKS THE SAME RIGHTS AS OTHERS TO BE EDUCATED EQUALLY. HOWEVER, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT WHEN IT’S TIME FOR US TO LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD, MANY VOICES ARE SILENCED, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY ARE AFRAID OR EMBARRASSED TO BE ON THE FRONT LINE FOR JESUS. BUT, I MUST HASTEN TO TELL US TODAY WITH STRONG CONVICTION THAT IN THE PERILOUS TIMES THAT WE ARE LIVING IN, IT’S TIME TO LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD!
2. THE TEXT. THIS FIRST CHAPTER OF THE BOOK OF MARK PROVIDES US WITH THE INAUGURAL INTRODUCTION OF JOHN THE BAPTIST, THE FORE RUNNER OF JESUS, CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, “PREPARE YE THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.”
a) JOHN WAS BAPTIZING IN THE RIVER JORDAN.
b) BAPTISM WAS NOTHING NEW TO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY. IT WAS A CEREMONIAL ACT OF CLEANSING.
c) THERE WAS NO SALVATION IN THE BAPTISM OF JOHN, BUT HE WAS BAPTIZING BECAUSE OF THE NEFARIOUS ACTIVITIES OF MAN.
d) JOHN WAS SIMPLY PREPARING THE WAY FOR THE ONE WHO WOULD COME AFTER HIM, AND THAT WAS JESUS!
e) IN OTHER WORDS, JOHN WAS LETTING HIS VOICE BE HEARD.
f) MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THERE MUST BE SOME JOHN THE BAPTIST IN ALL OF US.
g) IT WOULD BE ILL ADVISED TO BE SILENT WHEN IT COMES TO JESUS.
h) JESUS SAYS IN MARK 8:38, “WHOSOEVER THEREFORE SHALL BE ASHAMED OF ME AND OF MY WORDS IN THIS ADULTEROUS AND SINFUL GENERATION; OF HIM ALSO SHALL THE SON OF MAN BE ASHAMED, WHEN HE COMETH IN THE GLORY OF HIS FATHER WITH THE HOLY ANGELS.”
i) THEREFORE, YOU AND I MUST UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS TIME TO LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD!
3. THE WILDERNESS. THE WILDERNESS WAS A DESERT WASTELAND. AND MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THIS WORLD IS A WILDERNESS.
a) THE THRUST OF HIS MESSAGE WAS REPENTANCE.
b) AS WE OBSERVE THE CHAOTIC CONDITIONS OF THIS WORLD, THERE NEEDS TO BE GLOBAL REPENTANCE!
c) MAN IS LIVING ANY WAY THAT HE DEEMS RIGHT, BUT THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT THERE IS A WAY THAT SEEMETH RIGHT UNTO A MAN, BUT THE ENDS THEREOF ARE THE WAYS OF DEATH.
d) MURDER AND SENSELESS VIOLENCE CONTINUE TO SOAR TO NEW HEIGHTS.
e) CHILD SLAVERY IS AN IMMORAL ENTERPRISE, WHERE MANY ARE GETTING RICH, WHILE ROBBING OUR YOUTH OF THEIR YOUTH!
f) SEXUAL PROMISCUITY IS EVERYWHERE PRESENT.
g) SAME SEX MARRIAGES ARE THE ORDER OF THE DAY.
h) WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES HAS CREPT INTO THE FABRIC OF SOCIETY.
i) CON-MEN AND WOMEN ARE SWINDLING MANY OUT OF THEIR LIFE’S SAVINGS.
j) POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS CORRUPTION PERVADES OUR COMMUNITIES LIKE CANCER, AFFLICTING ALL WHO STAND IN THE WAY.
k) MUCH NEEDED MEDICAL ATTENTION IS UNAFFORDABLE TO THOSE WHO NEED IT.
l) IN A COUNTRY THAT HAS PLENTY, THERE ARE MANY WHO GO TO BED HUNGRY EVERY NIGHT.
m) WE LIVE IN A WORLD OF METICULOUS MANIPULATION.
n) IN A COUNTRY THAT PROMOTES JUSTICE FOR ALL, WITNESS THAT LADY JUSTICE, WITH SCALES IN HER HANDS, WEARING A BLINDFOLD, IS GUILTY OF PEAKING THROUGH THE BLINDFOLD, AND CONSEQUENTLY, WE ALL DO NOT GET JUSTICE!
o) MANY OF THOSE WHO HAVE, HAVE PLACED THEIR FEET OF SUCCESS ON THE THROATS OF THOSE WHO HAVE NOT.
p) WE NEED TO STOP SAYING THE CLICHE WITH RELIGIOUS PIETY, “WHAT WOULD JESUS DO,” AND STAND FIRM ON THE PRINCIPLES OF WHAT JESUS DID.!
q) YES, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IT’S TIME TO LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD!
4. PREPARING THE WAY. JOHN WAS NOT ASHAMED TO LET HIS VOICE BE HEARD.
a) HE PREPARED THE WAY FOR JESUS’ FIRST COMING.
b) YOU AND I HAVE THE ARDUOUS RESPONSIBILITY OF PREPARING THE WORLD FOR HIS SECOND COMING.
c) WE ARE LIVING IN AN AGE WHERE MANY DO NOT CARE HOW THEY LIVE OR HOW THEY DIE.
d) THERE ARE A HOST OF INDIVIDUALS WHO GIVE NO THOUGHT TO GOD.
e) BUT I COME TO SERVE NOTICE THAT THE SAME GOD THAT THEY ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT, THEY WILL ONE DAY STAND BEFORE HIM.
f) THERE ARE THOSE IN THE CHURCH WHO ARE SEEMINGLY UNCONCERNED ABOUT THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE LORD.
g) BUT I COME TO TELL US TODAY THAT JESUS SAYS IN REVELATION 22:12, “AND, BEHOLD, I COME QUICKLY; AND MY REWARD IS WITH ME, TO GIVE EVERY MAN ACCORDING AS HIS WORK SHALL BE.”
h) IT IS OUR PLIGHT TO SOUND THE ALARM, LETTING OUR VOICES BE HEARD, TELLING THE WORLD THAT JESUS IS COMING BACK; OR WE WILL GO TO WHERE HE IS.
i) AND MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I’D RATHER MEET HIM AS FRIEND, OPPOSED TO MEETING HIM AS JUDGE!
j) JOHN SAYS PREPARE THE WAY, SYMBOLIZING MAKING THE ROAD SMOOTH FOR THE KINGS ARRIVAL.
k) YOU AND I SHOULD BE ENDEAVORING TO MAKE THE ROAD SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE FOR HIS RETURN!
l) NO MEMBER OF ST. MARK CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT ST. MARK DOES NOT CONCENTRATE ON EVANGELIZING THE LOST.
m) IT IS MY JOB AS YOUR PASTOR TO PREPARE YOU TO PREPARE OTHERS!
n) THEREFORE, WE MUST GET BUSY AND LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD.
5. THREE POINTS/CONCLUSION. YES, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE WOULD DO WELL TO REMEMBER THREE THINGS…
a) ONE, LETTING OUR VOICES BE HEARD IS AN INVITATION, COMPELLING OTHERS TO COME TO JESUS. JESUS SAYS IN LUKE 14:23, “ AND THE LORD SAID UNTO THE SERVANT, GO OUT INTO THE HIGHWAYS AND HEDGES, AND COMPEL THEM TO COME IN, THAT MY HOUSE MAY BE FILLED.”
b) TWO, LETTING OUR VOICES BE HEARD IS AN INVITATION TO LEARN OF JESUS. JESUS SAYS IN MATT. 11:29, “TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU, AND LEARN OF ME; FOR I AM MEEK AND LOWLY IN HEART: AND YE SHALL FIND REST UNTO YOUR SOULS.”BECAUSE YOU CANNOT SHOW WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW!
c) THREE, LETTING OUR VOICES BE HEARD IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS THAT GOD THROUGH JESUS WILL SATISFY OUR EVERY NEED. PHILIPPIANS 4:19, “BUT MY GOD SHALL SUPPLY ALL YOUR NEED ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES IN GLORY BY CHRIST JESUS.”
d) SO MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, TELL THEM THAT HE IS…
• A WAY WHEN THERE SEEMS TO BE NO WAY
• WATER IN DRY PLACES
• BREAD IN A STARVING LAND
• SHELTER IN THE TIME OF A STORM
• A BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS
• A SHIELD AND BUCKLER
• FRIEND THAT STICKETH CLOSER THAN A BROTHER
• PARDON FOR THE PRISONER
• A CONQUEROR FOR THE CAPTIVE
• A WELL THAT NEVER RUNS DRY
• THE ANSWER TO EVERY QUESTION
• KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS
• THE FIRST AND THE LAST
• THE RIGHTEOUS REDEEMER
• THE VICTORIOUS VICTOR
• STRENGTH IN TIMES OF WEAKNESS
• HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS
• JOY IN TIMES OF SORROW
• PRAISE IN THE MIDST OF MY PAIN
• CONQUERED DEATH, HELL, AND THE GRAVE
• HE DIED, BUT ROSE AGAIN!
