The Bitter
Sweet Message

All will hear the message

`All the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.' (Isaiah 52:10) `What they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.' (Isaiah 52:15)

`In the last days the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.' (Isaiah 2:2)

The question, however, is not who has heard the message, but who has believed the message.

Why could they not
understand the message?

`For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. - For God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.' (1 Corinthians 1:18)

`He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so that they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn . . . and I would heal them.' (John 12:40)

`For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness that was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.' (1 Corinthians 1:21-23)

What relation do we
bear to the message?

`For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?' (2 Corinthians 2:15,16)

`You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.' (2 Corinthians 3:3)

How will rulers
respond to the message?

`Kings will shut their mouths because of Him.' (Isaiah 52:15)

`We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age, or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.' (1 Corinthians 2:6)

Why did some not
appreciate the message?

`The flesh counts for nothing.' (John 6:63)

This they could not accept for . . .

`They loved praise from men more than praise from God.' (John 12:43)

`In Him we live and move and have our being . . . We are His offspring.' (Acts 17:28)

`I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.' (Romans 1:16)

`Truth is that which they do not desire. They cannot desire Christ because they follow their own way and own will. They do not see anything in Christ that they should desire Him.' (KC45.1)

Why does the message have
no impact on some?

`The message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard it did not combine it with faith. (Margin: they did not share in the faith of those who obeyed.)' (Hebrews 4:2)

How do we hear the message?

`Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.' (Romans 10:17)

What is the substance
of our message?

A Message About Jesus

`And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.' (Colossians 4:3)

`To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.' (Colossians 1:27)

`He came as a witness to testify concerning the light - For it is light that makes everything visible.' (John 1:7; Eph 5:14; See John 8:12)

`When the Counsellor comes . . . He will testify about Me.' (John 15:26)

`Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.' (Acts 8:35)

A Message About God's Character

`I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your failthfulness in heaven itself.' (Psalm 89:1,2)

`But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.' (2 Corinthians 2:14)

A Message Calling Us To Worship

`The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my Father's God, and I will exalt Him.' (Exodus 15:2)

A Message About What God Has Done

`Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done, and proclaim that He is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for He has done glorious things; let this be known to the world.' (Isaiah 12:4)

`The man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus has done for him.' (Mark 5:20)

`I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which He is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us . . . according to His compassion and many kindnesses.' (Isaiah 63:7)

A Message Calling For Repentance

`Blessed are the poor in spirit . . . those that mourn . . . the meek.' (Matthew 5:3-5)

`Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.' (Acts 3:19)

`Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.' (Luke 24:47)

`Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near [and] produce fruit in keeping with repentance. Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him [See Luke 1:77]. ' (Matthew 3:2,3; See Matthew 4:17)

`I desire [you to show] mercy, not [just to offer a meaningless] sacrifice.' (Matthew 9:13)

`To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.' (Proverbs 21:3)

`He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.' (Micah 6:8)

A Message Of Pardon And Peace

`Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.' (1 Timothy 1:15)

`I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.' (Luke 5:32)

`In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your salvation, but you would have none of it.' (Isaiah 30:15)

`Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on Him, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.' (Isaiah 55:7)

`You will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.' (Luke 1:77)

`If only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me . . . the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.' (Acts 20:24)

A Message of Hope

`Now, just now, we are to proclaim present truth, with assurance and with power. Do not strike one dolorous note; do not sing funeral hymns. The message to be proclaimed for this time is, "Strengthen ye the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees. Say unto them that are of a fearful heart. Be strong, fear not. Behold your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you.' (BCL126.5)

A Message Of The Kingdom

`Jesus travelled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God.' (Luke 8:1)

`Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.' (Acts 19:8)

`Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.' (Luke 9:60)

`Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ``The kingdom of God is near you.'' ' (Luke 10:9)

A Message Calling Us To Seek God

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.' (Isaiah 55:6)

A Message Calling For Submission

`O Lord, truly I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.' (Psalm 116:16)

A Message Calling For Change

`Our duty to obey this law is to be the burden of the last message of mercy to the world.' (19MR182.7)

`No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or know Him.' (1 John 3:6)

`Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and judgement to come.' (Acts 24:25)

`In the testimonies are specified the very sins of which they are guilty; hence they have no desire to read them. The work the Lord would do to set the churches in order is not done, because the individual members - and especially the leaders of the flock - would not be corrected.' (1SM47)