Grace World Outreach Church
Pastor Daniel K Norris
SHATTERED
Breaking Through The Noise
“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Co 13:11–12, ESV).
No matter how clear we think we see things, we are not seeing the big picture.
“A mirror dimly” is a word picture.
Ancient mirrors were not like modern mirrors; they were made of polished bronze or a similar metal. They were imperfect. You could make out your form and see an image, but you also saw the mirror itself— its imperfections, coloring, and distortions affected what you saw. It was not the same as seeing things face to face.
3 Radical Thoughts To Break Through The Noise
First Radical Thought.
1) WE SEE THINGS NOT AS THEY ARE BUT AS WE ARE
“For now we see in a mirror dimly”
World View - our philosophy of life
Your world view
- Governs how you live
- Defines why you live
- What you live for
- What you appreciate
- What you reject
- What you are passionate about
- What you detest
What things have shaped your worldview?
1 Thes 5:23 teaches we “Spirit, Soul, and Body.”
Your Spiritual Lens
“Your view of God is the most important thing about you” - Tozer
What You truly Believe
What You truly Value
Your spiritual lens shapes your identity, your purpose, and your behavior
Your spiritual lens is the foundation of everything in life
Your spiritual lens is shaped by your upbringing, your community and culture, your church, doctrine, etc
James 3:1 (ESV) Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
Jesus warned teachers about teaching falsely, especially to children. Bad thoughts about God can cripple an individual for life.
Your Soul Lens
mind, will, emotions
What you think deeply
What you feel deeply
What you desire most
Your Physical Lens
Shaped by your interactions with the world around you
Governed by your 5 senses
James 1:14 (ESV) 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
For the most part, our worldview has been shaped backward; we began with the Physical (what seemed good), which shaped our desires, controlled our emotions, and dominated our thoughts. These things become what we worshiped, believed and valued.
Remember we see things NOT as THEY ARE, but as WE ARE
Second Radical Thought
2) YOUR PERCEPTION SHAPES YOUR REALITY, BUT IT DOES NOT CHANGE REALITY
“…Now I know in part”
A Postmodern World View teaches that your view of truth is truth
When we make the mistake of thinking our VIEW is truth, we fall into pride and set ourselves up for a fall.
OT example: Aaron and Miriam take offense at Moses
“Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” (Nu 12:2).
“Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. 7 Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. 8 With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord.” (Nu 12:6–9).
God calls the dreams and visions a riddle // Paul calls them a dim mirror
God says Moses sees and hears clearly
What was Moses’s secret for seeing through the riddle or dim mirror?
Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. (Nu 12:3).
It Takes Humility To
1) acknowledge I don’t know it all
2) acknowledge I don’t know what I don’t know
3) acknowledge I need help
Third Radical Thought
3) TRUE REPENTANCE IS AN INVITATION TO EXCHANGE MY WORLD VIEW FOR HIS WORLD VIEW
"but then face to face…then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known"
Can we break through the noise?
14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Co 3:14–18, ESV)
God wants you to see Him, yourself, others, and the world around you clearly… but it requires Humility and Repentance.
Humility - is the ability to see yourself as you truly are, not less and not more, but acurately
Repentance - is a complete change of heart and mind that results in a complete transformation.
Pauls says when we humble ourselves and repent, four things take place.
Vs 16 - The veil is lifted
Vs 17 - We are set free
Vs 18 - We see His glory
Vs 19 - We are transformed
What do I need to do?
1. Humble Yourself (I don’t know, what I don’t know)
2. Repent (be transformed by the renewing of your mind)
3. Praise (Lift up your eyes, to where your help comes from)
Pray:
Lord, I want to see you, not as I was taught, not as I want, but as you truly are. I want to see you with an unveiled face. That means humbling myself, taking down the veil I hide behind, and being honest and transparent with you. I repent. I don’t know what I don’t know. I don’t see things as you see them. Transform me by your Spirit through the renewing of my mind.
Amen