TEXT:  John 3:19-20

INTRODUCTION:

A.      WHAT IS THE MOST HATED THING IN THE WORLD? Greed, war, poverty?

B.      STRANGE, THE MOST HATED THING IS GOD'S WORD.

          1.       OT prophets( Jer. 5:31;  Isa. 30:9-10 ).

          2.       Characters( 2 Chron. 18:7;  Acts 7:57 ).

          3.       People hate to hear the truth about themselves( Gal. 4:16 ).

C.      ATHEISTS AND RELIGIOUS PEOPLE SOMETIMES HATE GOD'S WORD.

D.      WHY?

I.      THE WORD DESTROYS THOSE WHO OPPOSE IT.

A.      THE PROMISE OF JESUS( Matt. 24:35 ).

B.      VOLTAIRE'S PROMISE.

C.      JEZEBEL'S REBELLION AND ELIJAH'S PROMISE( 2 Kings 9:36-37 ).

D.      1 Pet. 1:25.

II.     THE WORD SHOWS US WHAT WE REALLY ARE.

A.      FEW PEOPLE LIKE TO HAVE THEIR SHORTCOMINGS EXPOSED.

          1.       Sin thrives in the dark( Eph. 5:7-12;  1 Thess. 5:4-7;  John 3:19 ).

          2.       Sin contrasts with the light( John 3:20;  Eph. 5:13 ). Seen easily in contrast.

          3.       Sinners hate the light.

B.      LIGHT IS IN THE WORD AS IT TELLS OF JESUS( John 1:4-9 ).

C.      HE LIGHTETH EVERY MAN( John 8:12 ).

D.      THE WORD ENABLES US TO BE LIKE HIM( 2 Cor. 3:18,  4:3-6 ).

E.      FOR THOSE WHO LOVE DARKNESS  THE WORD IS HATED.

III.    THE WORD DEMANDS A CHANGE.

A.      PEOPLE DISLIKE CHANGE.

B.      THE NEED FOR CHANGE:

          1.       Sin( Rom. 3:23;  6:23;  Isa. 59:1-2 ).

          2.       Matt. 1:21.  Save from sins, not in sins.

          3.       The first command of the gospel( Acts 2:38 ).

C.      SIN MUST BE ELIMINATED( Rom. 6:1-2;  Col. 3:5-10 ).

D.      A CRUCIFIXION OF SELF( 1 Pet. 4:1-2 ).

IV.   THE WORD TELLS US WHAT TO DO.

A.      A DEFINITE STANDARD OF RIGHT AND WRONG.

          1.       The gospel is to be obeyed( 2 Thess. 1:8;  Heb. 5:8-9 )

          2.       No leeway( Gal. 1:6-9;  2 John 9 ).

B.      THERE ARE NO OPTIONS( Matt. 7:21 ).  NOT MERE SUGGESTIONS.

C.      THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME CONFUSION( Luke 6:46 ).

V.    THE WORD SHALL JUDGE US.

A.      WE DON'T LIKE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR ACTIONS.

B.      THERE WILL COME A TIME WHEN WE MUST ANSWER

          ( Eccl. 12:13-14;  Heb. 9:27 ).

          1.       What is going to be judged?( 2 Cor. 5:10 ).

          2.       What is going to be the standard( John 12:48 ).

          3.       Who is going to be judged?( Acts 17:30-31 ).

VI.   THE RIGHTEOUS LOVE THE WORD.

A.      Psa. 19:7-11.

          1.       It is a pattern for my life( 2 Tim. 3:16-17 ).

          2.       In it is God's power to save( Rom. 1:16-17 ).

B.      Psa. 119:97.  SWEETER THAN THE HONEYCOMB.

CONCLUSION:  HOW DO YOU REGARD GOD'S WORD?