2018.08.00 - Revelation & Knowledge (Voice of God)

     I.        The Voice of The Shepherd

a.   John 10:27My sheep hearmy voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and my Father are one. KJV

                                              i.     Hear– 

1.   NT:191 akouo (ak-oo'-o); a primary verb; to hear (in various senses): KJV - give (in the) audience(of), come (to the ears), ([shall]) hear (-er, -ken), be noised, be reported, understand. 

                                            ii.     Voice– 

1.   NT:5456 phone (fo-nay'); probably akin to NT:5316 through the idea of disclosure; a tone (articulate, bestial or artificial); by implication, an address (for any purpose), saying or language:  KJV - noise, sound, voice.

b.   My sheep, KNOW ME.  They are not of the clan that know OF Me but rather know Me personally.  The knowledge we have of Christ should extend past what we have been told, to what we have personally experienced.

c.   Knowing about Christ is one thing, knowing Him personally if a life, rather eternity changer

                                              i.     Acts 19:13Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva , a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are   ye? 16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. KJV

  II.        What I Have Seen Versus What I Have Heard

a.   Would you rather have heaven explained to you or experience it for yourself?

b.   While God doesn’t want us to get lost in experiences and the emotional “high” of being with and near Him, we CAN experience His Presence in greater ways as we learn to walk with Him.

c.   Peter had heard what others were saying but made a determination of the matter based on what he himself had experienced

                                              i.     Matthew 16:13When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. KJV

d.   Saul –Paul 

                                              i.     Acts 9:1And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. 3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. KJV

                                            ii.     Acts 26:1Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself: 2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews: 3 Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. 4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews KJV

                                          iii.