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How can you identify a false prophet? In some instances, time will tell, as it did in the case of Hananiah in yesterday’s devotion. There are modern day examples of that. I don’t know how many different dates the Jehovah’s Witnesses have said the end of the world was coming, but as you can see, it hasn’t happened yet. Some false prophets are easy to identify by their inaccuracies.

About 20 years ago, a fellow named Gene Robinson was making headlines. He was an openly gay, practicing homosexual who left his wife in order to live with his male lover. He was the first openly practicing homosexual to be elected bishop in the Episcopal Church. In an address he delivered in Massachusetts, Mr. Robinson made this statement: “Interestingly enough, in this day of traditional family values, this man that we follow was single, as far as we know, traveled with a bunch of men, had a disciple who was known as ‘the one whom Jesus loved; and said, ‘my family is not my mother and father, my family is those who do the will of God.’ None of us likes those harsh words. That’s who Jesus is, that’s who he was at heart, in his earthly life.”  (WorldNetDaily.com 4/3/5) Mr. Robinson was suggesting that perhaps Jesus was homosexual.

Here’s the problem with false prophets. They will say “Thus says the Lord.” They claim to speak for God. But is the message they proclaim truly what God has said? In the case of false prophets, the answer is always NO! And how can we know whether or not someone is speaking the truth? When it comes to spiritual matters, it is simple. We ask one little question: “What does the Bible Say?”

That is the basis for judging whether or not a message is from God. What does the Bible Say? We have the source at our disposal. We can check it out for ourselves. And God even gives us instructions for trying to discern whether or not someone is a false prophet.

Deuteronomy 18:20-22 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.” You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.

False prophets are not a new problem. Already at the time of the Exodus warnings were given against these folks, and how to determine who was telling the truth. The instruction here was the same thing Jeremiah said: If what they say doesn’t happen, the message is not from God.

Be observant. Listen to what is being said. Is the person giving glory to God or himself or herself? Is the message consistent with the one passed down to us through the written Word, or does the message contradict what God has already said? For example, Bishop Robinson, in trying to justify his own sinful behavior, suggests that Jesus may have been homosexual. But Jesus would not have discarded or gone against any of God’s Laws.

Matthew 5:17-19 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

A stern warning to false prophets. God’s Word is consistent. God does not change. He always condemns sin. He still does today. But He has provided us a solution. False prophets will tell you to go ahead and indulge your sinful desires, claiming they are no longer sinful. That is a false solution. The only real hope we have is found in what God did for us in Jesus. He took our sins of Himself in order to pay the penalty we deserve. He gives us His righteousness instead so that we can be at peace with God.

False prophets encourage you to remain in your sin, saying there will be no consequences. God tells us to leave our lives of sin and trust in what Jesus has done to restore us as God’s dearly loved, forgiven children.

A few more thoughts on this tomorrow.

Jeremiah was a prophet who took a lot of abuse. The people of Israel didn’t like the message he was proclaiming, that they would be carried off to Babylon because of their disobedience to God. They didn’t like the message, so they took it out on Jeremiah, the messenger. Along comes this fellow named Hananiah who brings a different message:

Jeremiah 28:2-4  “This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.  Within two years I will bring back to this place all the articles of the LORD’s house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and took to Babylon.

Two prophets – conflicting messages. How do you know which one is telling the truth? In response to Hananiah’s prophecy, Jeremiah said, “I hope you are right. But time will tell, won’t it? Soon enough the people will know which of us is speaking God’s message.” In fact, just a few verses later we read:

Jeremiah 28:15-17 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The LORD has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies. Therefore, this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. This very year you are going to die, because you have preached rebellion against the LORD.’” In the seventh month of that same year, Hananiah the prophet died.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we had definitive answers like that today about whether or not someone was a false prophet? Wouldn’t it be nice if all those prophesying lies in God’s name would be struck down? Yes, it would make it a lot easier to know who was telling the truth, but since it does not appear that God is using that approach these days, we need to be discerning. We need to figure out who is telling the truth and who is not.

I guess it helps to know what makes someone a “prophet.” We normally think of someone who predicts the future when we hear that word, don’t we? But the way the Bible uses the term, what it actually means is “spokesman” or “spokesperson.” A prophet in the Bible is someone who speaks God’s Word. Sometimes that includes revealing events that will happen in the future, but the primary task of a prophet is to speak the message God gives him to speak.

A false prophet, then, is someone who says “this is what God says” but says things that did not come from God. Instead of pointing people to the God who condemns sin and sent His Son to take the punishment for the sins of the world, false prophets lead people away from the love and mercy and grace and forgiveness that is found only in Jesus Christ.

False prophets are an ongoing problem, and will be until our Lord returns. I’ll share some more of my musings on this topic in the days ahead.

1 Peter 2:21-25 God called you to endure suffering because Christ suffered for you. He left you an example so that you could follow in his footsteps. Christ never committed any sin. He never spoke deceitfully. Christ never verbally abused those who verbally abused him. When he suffered, he didn’t make any threats but left everything to the one who judges fairly. Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross so that freed from our sins, we could live a life that has God’s approval. His wounds have healed you. You were like lost sheep. Now you have come back to the shepherd and bishop of your lives.

Peter reminds the recipients of this letter that Jesus suffered. Not only did He suffer, but He did so on their behalf. Jesus suffered brutal behavior at the hands of others, not for what He had done, but for what everyone else has done. Peter lists the reason Jesus did this as being twofold: “Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross so that freed from our sins, we could live a life that has God’s approval.”

First of all, Jesus wanted to free us from our sins. His wounds provide that healing for us. By faith, we lay hold of what He did for us. In response, with hearts full of gratitude, you and I are to live a life that has God’s approval. That means we should no longer let sin be the master over us. We are sheep that have been found by the Good Shepherd. We should let our thanks show by staying close to that Shepherd, letting Him lead and guide us.

The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want He makes me down to lie
In pastures green; He leadeth me The quiet waters by.

My soul he doth restore again And me to walk doth make
Within the paths of righteousness, Even for his own name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk in death’s dark vale, Yet will I fear no ill;
Four thou art with me, and thy rod And staff me comfort still.

My table thou hast furnished In presence of my foes;
My head thou dost with oil anoint, And my cup overflows.

Goodness and mercy all my life Shall surely follow me;
And in god’s house forevermore My dwelling place shall be.

Lutheran Worship #416

1 Peter 1:3-9 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! God has given us a new birth because of his great mercy. We have been born into a new life that has a confidence which is alive because Jesus Christ has come back to life. We have been born into a new life which has an inheritance that can’t be destroyed or corrupted and can’t fade away. That inheritance is kept in heaven for you, since you are guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of time. You are extremely happy about these things, even though you have to suffer different kinds of trouble for a little while now. The purpose of these troubles is to test your faith as fire tests how genuine gold is. Your faith is more precious than gold, and by passing the test, it gives praise, glory, and honor to God. This will happen when Jesus Christ appears again. Although you have never seen Christ, you love him. You don’t see him now, but you believe in him. You are extremely happy with joy and praise that can hardly be expressed in words as you obtain the salvation that is the goal of your faith.

“…you have to suffer different kinds of trouble for a little while now…”

We have seen all kinds of tragedies in our lives. Wars. School shootings. Planes flown into buildings. Other buildings bombed. Covid-19, West Nile Virus, anthrax scares, cancer,  heart attacks, car crashes … the list goes on and on.

Some catch phrases the media likes to use after a significant tragedy is “This changes everything” and “our world will never be the same.” While not diminishing the impact of any tragedy, life here on earth is always about change.

But as followers of Jesus, we cling to the one that will never change.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

No matter the troubles that come into your life, you are no less a loved child of God. The death of Jesus Christ has made full payment for the sins of all people. The cleansing from sin that you received in your Baptism does not disappear. Your faith and confidence in God should not change, either.

“We have been born into a new life which has an inheritance that can’t be destroyed or corrupted and can’t fade away. That inheritance is kept in heaven for you, since you are guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of time.”

We will have trouble in this world. Peter wrote these words to people who were suffering all kinds of trials. His reminder to them was that God’s love for them in Christ does not change, no matter what may happen to them here on earth. And that love will be fully known when we join our Lord in the place He has prepared for us. This confidence is ours because we know that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.

John 13:36-38  Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

Peter wants to be with Jesus, bragging that he would lay down His life for Jesus. He didn’t know that is exactly what it would take. And Jesus predicts that Peter would deny even knowing Jesus before the night was over. Yet there is a hint of mercy and forgiveness and restoration here. He tells Peter that He would follow Him later. Peter would indeed lay down His life for Jesus. Peter’s death would not be to pay for sin, like the death of Jesus, but he would give His life telling others who Jesus is and what He did for all people.

In the verses that follow this, the beginning of chapter 14, Jesus explains a little more about where He would be going. After His death and His resurrection, He would be returning to heaven, His Father’s house, where He would prepare a place for His followers, so that you and I can be where He is. This is when Thomas says,

John 14:5-6 Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”  Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Remember, all this is being said before the crucifixion, before the resurrection. As the evening progressed, the disciples watched in horror as everything unfolded. Peter took a stand in the Garden of Gethsemane, chopping off a guy’s ear, but later he denied that he knew Jesus. Jesus was paraded back and forth between Pilate and Herod, enduring brutal beatings and false accusations. They watched Him nailed to the cross. They saw Him die. He was buried. But there was something better coming, something Jesus wants to share with everyone. Not only did He lay down His life for you. He took it up again on the third day for you and all people, giving us the certainty of life forever with Him.

https://www.google.com/search?q=resurrection+scene+from+the+passion+of+the+christ&rlz=1C1ONGR_enUS969US969

John 13:31–32 Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.

I came across a quote years ago from and old Lutheran song writer, a fellow by the name of Johann Sebastian Bach:  “The aim and final reason for all music should be nothing else but the glory of God and the refreshment of the spirit.” 

 That reminded me of an old Gospel Song, “To God be the Glory.”

To God be the glory great things He hath done,
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son.
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,  
To ev’ry believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes, 
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.  

Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, let the earth hear his voice
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father thro Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He hath done.

About fifteen years ago Cheryl and I were getting ready to leave town for a vacation. It was late July and we were going to meet some friends for a week at South Padre Island. We had just finished packing the car when I got a phone call that one of the members of my congregation had been hospitalized in Dallas. We go right through Dallas on our way to South Padre, so I decided to make a hospital visit before we left town.

When we arrived, I parked in the garage, went to see the member, had a devotion and prayed with him, and then went downstairs. In those days, if you went to the information booth they would validate parking tickets for clergy so that you didn’t have to pay. I waited in line, got to the front and handed the lady my ticket and asked her to validate it for clergy parking.

I mentioned I was going on vacation to the beach, right? I was wearing shorts, sandals and a brightly colored Hawaiian shirt. The large lady standing behind the booth had her hair pulled back in a bun, was wearing reading glasses on the end of her nose, and had a stern look on her face. She slowly scanned me up and down, took note of what I was wearing, and with her voice dripping with skepticism she asked me a two word question: “You Clergy?”

I realized the situation, how things looked, but I simply replied, “Yes, ma’am, I am.” She leaned forward and looked me straight in the eye and said, “I’m going to be talking to Jesus tonight and I’m going to ask Him about you.”

I immediately leaned in toward her and smiled and said, “I’ll be talking to Him, too.”

With that, she smiled and laughed and validated my ticket so I could be on my way.

I guess I could share some thoughts about not judging a book by its cover, but remembering that story reminded me of the importance of our prayer life. I find myself talking to Jesus throughout the day. I thank Him for being my Lord. I ask Him for help on my projects, especially when I am having trouble. I thank Him when He helps me get things done. I pray for friends and family members. I pray for those who have not yet come to believe in Him. And I thank Him for dying to pay for my sin and rising to assure me of life everlasting.

Prayer is simply talking to God. I’ll be doing that again today, including this evening. I wonder if that lady from the information booth is still doing that. How about you?

1 Thessalonians 5:17 pray continually;