Series: The Man in the Mirror
Coastland revival centreMan in the Mirror
Living a life of Change
James 1:23-24 - Anyone who listens to the Word, but does not DO what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
INTRODUCTION:
A very well known song sung by Michael Jackson, the lyrix goes like this:
I'm Gonna Make A Change, For Once In My Life
It's Gonna Feel Real Good, Gonna Make A Difference, Gonna Make It Right . . .
As I, Turn Up The Collar On My Favourite Winter Coat, This Wind Is Blowin' My Mind
I See The Kids In The Street, With Not Enough To Eat,
Who Am I, To Be Blind? Pretending Not To See Their Needs
A Summer's Disregard, A Broken Bottle Top, And A One Man's Soul
They Follow Each Other On The Wind You' Know , 'Cause They Got Nowhere To Go
That's Why I Want You To Know
Chorus:
I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways
And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change
Of all of the inventions created by man, none is more unique or as interesting as the mirror.
The Characteristics of a mirror: (3”R”’s)
1. OBJECT OF REFLECTION - (WEERKAATSING) - A mirror is unique in that it is able to formulate an image that is identical to the observer. A mirror will only show what it sees and reflects the identical image, back to the observer. No matter how hard you look for someone else, you will only see yourself.
Mat 7:3-5 En waarom sien jy die splinter in die oog van jou broeder, maar die balk in jou eie oog merk jy nie op nie? 4 Of hoe sal jy vir jou broeder sê: Laat my toe om die splinter uit jou oog uit te haal, en kyk, in jou eie oog is die balk! 5 Geveinsde, haal eers die balk uit jou oog uit, en dan sal jy goed sien om die splinter uit die oog van jou broeder uit te haal.
Mat 7:3-5 Why do you stare from without at the very small particle that is in your brother's eye but do not become aware of and consider the beam of timber that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, Let me get the tiny particle out of your eye, when there is the beam of timber in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first get the beam of timber out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the tiny particle out of your brother's eye.
2. OBJECT OF REALITY. (WERKLIKHEID) - The mirror cannot create, it can only reveal that which already exists. It has no ability within itself to correct or change what it sees. Only the looker can change and/or correct what he sees.
Paul writes - AMPL - 1Co 13:12 For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly known and understood [by God].
1Cor 13:12 Want nou sien ons deur ‘n spieël in ‘n raaisel, maar eendag van aangesig tot aangesig. Nou ken ek ten dele, maar eendag sal ek ten volle ken, net soos ek ten volle geken is.
3. OBJECT OF REVELATION. (OPENBARING) - A mirror shows things about your personal appearance that would otherwise be unnoticeable to you. For instance, if you wake up in the morning, and your hair is standing on end, you will not know it or notice it until you look in the mirror
As jy opstaan in die oggend (hare is deurrmekaar) salig onbewus TOTDAT / Soos ‘n TIENER wat reg maak om uit te gaan en sy meisie te ontmoet . ontdek ‘n puisie ….
2 Tim 3;16-17 …later
The songwriter says the following;
a. I MADE A DECISION - I’m gonna change
I’M GONNA MAKE A CHANGE / EK GAAN VERANDERING MAAK
Die LIED begin met die WOORDE …. I’M GONNA MAKE A CHANGE FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE … 2 BETEKENISSE / 2 MEANINGS
a. I HAVE NEVER MADE A CHANGE BEFORE, and want to make one NOW
b. I WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE, and this is gonna be FINAL, never to be repeated again. (Once and for All)
The WORD “MAKE” is a VERB, a DOING WORD …. ACTION WORD
My THOUGHTS-my ACTIONS- my HABITS-my VALUES –my DESTINY
"But be ye DOERS of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in this deed" Jam 1:22-25
Jam 1:23-24 Want as iemand ‘n hoorder van die woord is en nie ‘n dader nie, dié is soos ‘n man wat sy natuurlike gesig in ‘n spieël sien; 24 want hy sien homself en gaan weg en vergeet dadelik hoe hy gelyk het.
a. My decision was based upon a PERCEPTION - I saw what the WORLD looked like ; BROKEN, LONELY, HURTING and NEEDY PEOPLE …. I WANT TO MAKE THAT WORLD a better place.
b. I'm STARTING With The Man In The Mirror
I'm Asking Him (THAT MAN)To Change His Ways
And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change
The Word of God is our mirror. Hebrews 4:12-13 tell us: "For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do"
Heb 4:12 Want die woord van God is lewend en kragtig en skerper as enige tweesnydende swaard, en dring deur tot die skeiding van siel en gees en van gewrigte en murg, en is ‘n beoordelaar van die oorlegginge en gedagtes van die hart.
verse 12 = the Word of God is a "discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart". Just as in the natural we see what our natural faces look like when we look into the mirror, our thoughts and heart stand exposed before the mirror of the Word of God.
1. What REFLECTION do I see?
2. What REALITY do recognised ?
3. What REVELATION do I get ?
1. What REFLECTION do I see ? - When you look into the natural mirror and see that something is wrong with your appearance, you will immediately decide upon a course of action to correct the problem. We as the people of God must also decide upon a course of action once we see that something is not right in our lives. The course of action we take should not be decided upon nothing less than the word of God.
VOORBEELD/EXAMPLE :
Luk 18:10 "Twee mense het na die tempel toe gegaan om te bid. Die een was ‘n Fariseër en die ander een ‘n tollenaar.Luk 18:11 Die Fariseër het gaan staan en by homself so gebid: ‘O God, ek dank U dat ek nie soos ander mense is nie: diewe, bedrieërs, egbrekers, en ook nie soos hierdie tollenaar nie. Luk 18:12 Ek vas twee keer in die week en ek gee ‘n tiende van my hele inkomste.’
Luk 18:13 "Maar die tollenaar het daar ver bly staan en wou selfs nie na die hemel opkyk nie. Hy het bedroef op sy bors geslaan en gesê: ‘O God, wees my, sondaar, genadig.’
Luk 18:10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men; extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' 13 "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' 14 "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
DIE FARISEER - het te min in die spieel gekyk en te veel na sy buurman gekyk (nooit sy hoogmoed raakgesien nie) -
DIE TOLLENAAR / TAXCOLLECTOR - He just looked in the mirror and saw HE DOES NOT QUALIFY , but asked for GRACE
Jesus in giving the sermon on the mount said, ; - "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in they name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" Matthew 7:21-23
When you stand before the Lord, you will not be standing in relation to others, but you will be standing in relation to yourself and the works that you have done in your body. This can be further seen in 1 Cor 3:11-15,
"For no other foundation can any man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath build thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."
1Co 3:11 Want niemand kan ‘n ander fondament lê as wat daar gelê is nie, dit is Jesus Christus.1Co 3:12 En as iemand op dié fondament bou goud, silwer, kosbare stene, hout, hooi, stoppels—1Co 3:13 elkeen se werk sal aan die lig kom, want die dag sal dit aanwys, omdat dit deur vuur openbaar gemaak word; en die vuur sal elkeen se werk op die proef stel, hoedanig dit is.1Co 3:14 As iemand se werk bly staan wat hy daarop gebou het, sal hy loon ontvang;1Co 3:15 as iemand se werk verbrand word, sal hy skade ly; alhoewel hy self gered sal word, maar soos deur vuur heen. 1Co 3:16 Weet julle nie dat julle ‘n tempel van God is en die Gees van God in julle woon nie?
James said that the man who is just a hearer "beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was". He sees that something needs to be done, but he only "sees" it.
IS JY IEMAND WAT ‘n VERSKIL MAAK ?- People of this type are those who are sitting back waiting for the Lord to make the difference, when the Lord has commissioned us to go out and make the difference in word, deed, and action.
2. What REALITY do recognised ?
The Word of God reveals you just as you are; not your intentions, nor yet even your well wishes, but you as you are.
Abraham - reality ….justified by faith …. REALITY CHECK …I am a LIAR
David – Man after God’s own heart … reality check …. I am an adulterer and a murderer
Thomas- reality – I am a doubter
Peter – reality check - I am someone who denies my Lord (
THE SAME PETER is able to say in Act 2:38 And Peter answered them, Repent (change your views and purpose to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting it) and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of and release from your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Act 2:38 En Petrus sê vir hulle: Bekeer julle, en laat elkeen van julle gedoop word in die Naam van Jesus Christus tot vergewing van sondes, en julle sal die gawe van die Heilige Gees ontvang.
3. What REVELATION do I get ?
The Word is truly a revelation because it shows us for what we were, what we are in Christ, and what we shall be if we be faithful to the end. The Word of God will show you every inch of your life that needs correction.
Paul stated in 2 Tim 3:16,17 = "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works" ….. DIE HELE SKRIF DEUR GOD INGEGEE …..
Nuttig tot LERING; TEREGWYSING; VERMANING , ONDERWYSING IN GEREGTIGHEID …..
The Word of God will keep you in check by showing you what you need to straighten out in order to be perfect before the Lord. …..verse 16 it said "for instruction in righteousness". The problem is not the instruction, but the ability to act upon what has been given. Going back up to verse 14 we see Paul further instructs Timothy to ….."... continue thou in the things which thou hast learned...." 2 Timothy 3:14
2Co 3:18 And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.
CONCLUSION ;
Rom 6:1 WHAT SHALL we say [to all this]? Are we to remain in sin in order that God's grace (favor and mercy) may multiply and overflow?