Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

We are surrounded by relationships.

We find relationships with in our families, our careers, our neighborhoods, our schools, and the list could go on.

Some of those relationships are strong and others just there.

Some of those relationships are good, while others not so much.

Most all, if not all of our relationships, can be categorized into three categories: our relationship with God, our relationship within our family, and finally our relationship with others.

Over the next three weeks we’ll continue our current series, A Return to Holiness, and more specifically about sins of relationships.

Where I could begin with our relationships with others or the home, but I believe the most important relationship that any of us will ever have is with the Lord.

If we do not get our relationship with God in order first, the other relationships within our life, family or others, will never be in right alignment.

So begin there.

We begin with the question, Am I in a right relationship with God or are there areas that need to be addressed?

Opening Passage

Outline

How do you know if you are in a right relationship with God?

There are several questions that one needs to ask themselves and then honestly answer the questions for themselves.

So, what are these questions that one must ask to see whether they are in a right relationship with God?

Our relationship with God begins with a relationship with Jesus.

We must ask questions that deal with our relationship with Jesus first.

A right relationship with God begins with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ

1.

You must ask the question, do I know Jesus or do I know of Jesus?

a.

You can believe in God (Jm 2:19)

b.

You can acknowledge who Jesus is (Mt.

8:28-29)

c.

But do you believe in Jesus

Many within and without the church find themselves calling themselves, “Christian,” but in reality they are lost.

They have fallen into the trap, I was born Christian.

Or I have been to church my whole life and of course I’m saved.

However, what we find within the Scripture, as we just read, that you can believe in God and acknowledge Jesus and who He is, but this does not equate salvation.

It is more than just believing about or acknowledging Jesus, but it is when you believe in and trust in Jesus Christ through faith (abandonment of self and surrendering of self to Jesus).

2. You must ask the question, if I only know of Jesus, then how do I get to know Jesus?

a.

For one to know Jesus, they must first acknowledge they are a sinner (Rm 3:10, 23)

b.

For one to know Jesus, they must second confess and repent of their sin (1 Jn 1:9; Lk 24:47)

c.

For one to know Jesus, they must place their faith in Jesus for the remission of sin by calling on His holy name (Jn 1:12-13; 1 Ti 2:5; Rm 10:13; Ac 4:12)

3.

You must ask the question, if I know Jesus, am I public about my faith in Jesus?

a. Have I been public through the obedience of believer’s baptism (Mt 28:19; Ac 8:36-37)

b.

Have I been public through sharing my relationship with Christ to others (Mt 10:32-33)

Not only must we be sure of our relationship with Jesus Christ to be in a right relationship with God, we must understand...

A right relationship with God is continued through faithfulness

For one to be in a right relationship with God, they must be obedient to the Word of God.

They must be a faithful to God.

They must be faithful in all areas.

As we look through Scriptures, we must ask the question, Am I faithful?

1. Am I faithful in bible study (Ps 119:11; Jsh 1:8)

One cannot truly call themselves faithful to God, nor claim a right relationship with God, without a consistent dose of God’s Word being in their life.

Without us knowing the Word of God and allowing that word to penetrate our heart, how do we know when we have sinned.

The Word of God teaches what is right and what is wrong.

We should be committed to a daily practice of studying the Word of God.

How often do you spend reading the Word.

As God told Joshua as He was giving Him His charge to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it (Jos 1:8 NASB).

Can it truly be said of you, of me, that our delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His Law he meditates day and night (Ps 1:2 NASB), or that the Law of our God is in our hearts that we shall not stumble in our daily walk with Him (Ps 37:31).

Do we love and allow our minds to fixate on the Word as the Psalmist write, How I love Your Law!

It is my meditation all the day (Ps 119:97 NASB).

2. Am I faithful in prayer (1 Th 5:17; Php 4:6)

How often do you spend time with God in prayer?

Paul wrote to the Thessalonian believers:

He again wrote to the church at Philippi, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let you requests be known to God (Php 4:6 NASB).

3. Am I faithful in service (Eph 2:10)

Are you serving faithfully within the body of Christ?

There is an 80/20 rule within the church that is not a good rule.

The rule states that 80% of the church rest on the work and giving of the remaining 20% of the church.

However, this is not what God wants from His children.

He has created us to serve.

He has created us to minister.

These gifts and talents that God has given and each and everyone of us was purposeful and intentional.

It was not for nothing.

As the apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesian believers:

4. Am I faithful in worship attendance (Heb 10:25)

5. Am I faithful in giving (Mal 3:8-10)

One would naturally know that stealing and robbing is wrong.

It would be even more obvious that robbing God would be the utmost wrong.

However, we find people do this every day without any conviction.

As the prophet Malachi spoke to the Israelites, Will a man rob God?

Yet ye have robbed me.

They are like many in the church, maybe even you here today, are asking the question, Wherein have we robbed thee?

God has an answer.

They then and many today, are robbing God in the same way, in tithes and offerings.

Notice God’s distinction between the tithe and offerings.

Many today see them as the same, but as found within the Scripture, God makes it plain, they are not.

If one is to be faithful to God, they must faithfully give.

They must faithfully give their tithe (1st 10% of their first fruits not the leftovers) and they must faithfully give an offering, anything above and beyond the tithe.

When one withholds their tithes and offerings from God, they rob God, rob themselves of God’s favor (v.10), and worst, find themselves under the judgment of God (v.9)

6. Am I faithful to obey (Jn 14:15; 1 Jn 2:5-6)

7. Am I faithful all the way (Dt 6:4-6; Jm 2:10)

.

Am I faithful all the way (Dt 6:4-6; Jm 2:10)

Conclusion

I conclude with this.

I ask that everyone bows their head and closes their eyes and forgets about everyone else within the sanctuary.

I want you take every other relationship that you have, family, friends, co-workers, husband, wife, children, grand children, boyfriends, and/or girlfriends and remove them from your mind.

I want you to place yourself in a room by yourself.

I want you to envision standing in a room and there is no one in that room but you and God.

The purpose of this encounter is to discuss your relationship with God.

He’s going to answer two questions for you: He will answer the question if you even have a relationship with Him and how well that relationship is going.

How will He answer the first question, the most important question, Do you have a relationship with God?

That is answered by the question, do you know of Jesus or know Jesus?