Sermon Tone Analysis

Day 244

Micah 5:1-7:20; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; Proverbs 21:17-26

God wipes out the shadow of our past - He “pardons sin” (Micah 7:18).

He shines in the light of His future – “We will be “clothed with our heavenly dwelling” (2 Corinthians 5:4).

From this standpoint of privilege, we are called to fulfil our responsibility: to be soldiers of Christ (Proverbs 21:22).

Day 245

Isaiah 1:1-2:22; 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2; Psalm 105:1-11

The ministry of Isaiah calls for reality, for transformed lives.

this renewal of our lives can only be achieved through the power of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We don’t have the power to change ourselves.

It is in Christ that we become “a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

This great Gospel blessing gives us much reason for praising the Lord and giving thanks to Him (Psalm 105:1-2).

Day 246

Isaiah 3:1-5:7; 2 Corinthians 6:3-7:1; Psalm 105:12-22

“Those who are left … will be called holy” (Isaiah 4:3).

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14).

The Lord is calling His people to holiness.

They are not to be in bondage to the world and its way of living.

Even though the Lord’s people are “few in number”, they have this encouragement – they are protected by the Lord: “Do not touch My anointed ones, do My prophets no harm” (Psalm 105:15).

Day 247

Isaiah 5:8-8:10; 2 Corinthians 7:2-16; Psalm 105:23-36

“The holy seed will be the stump in the land” (Isaiah 6:13).

God preserves the faithful remnant, the remnant of faith.

“If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all”(Isaiah 7:9).

What or who can keep us firm in the faith?

– “Immanuel (God with us)” (Isaiah 7:14).

In the face of much opposition, we could easily become discouraged, “But God … comforts the downcast” (2 Corinthians 7:6).

To those who turn to Him, God brings His comfort.

To those who turn from Him, He sends His judgment (Psalm 105:28-36).

Day 248

Isaiah 8:11-10:19; 2 Corinthians 8:1-15; Proverbs 21:27-22:6

Who is Jesus Christ?

What has He done for us?

God’s answer to these questions is found in Isaiah 9:6 – “He will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” and 2 Corinthians 8:9 – “our Lord Jesus Christ was rich, yet for your sakes, He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.”

We have true riches when we know God: “Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all” (Proverbs 22:2).

Day 249

Isaiah 10:20-13:22; 2 Corinthians 8:16-9:5; Psalm 105:37-45

Jesus Christ was filled with “the Spirit of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:2).

It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we are to live for Christ.

As we give ourselves to the Lord in service, our first priority is “to honour the Lord Himself.”

We do this as we “show our eagerness to help” (2 Corinthians 8:19).

We, who have been so richly blessed by the Lord, are to live in obedience to Him out of joyful gratitude to Him, our Saviour (Psalm 105:42-45).

Day 250

Isaiah 14:1-16:14; 2 Corinthians 9:6-15; Psalm 106:1-15

Christ came to destroy the evil one, Satan – to bring him “down to the grave, to the depths of the pit” (Isaiah 14:12-14).

Satan seeks to impoverish our lives.

God, however, is very different.

He gives us His “surpassing grace.”

This is given to us in His Son, our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s “indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:14-15).

God’s gift of grace is so great that it surpasses our capacity for praising Him – “Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare His praises?” (Psalm 106:12).

Day 251

Isaiah 17:1-19:25; 2 Corinthians 10:1-18; Psalm 106:16-31

Much of the “oracle concerning Egypt” (Isaiah 19:1) speaks of the negative aspects which are associated with the nation of Egypt.

Nevertheless, there is a Word of hope at the end of this oracle (Isaiah 19:18-25).

In 2 Corinthians 10:15-16, Paul expresses the hope that “our area of activity among you will greatly expand, so that we can preach the Gospel in the regions beyond you.”

It is so important that we do not write people off, that we do not give up hope, that we continue to believe that God can turn things around for His glory and for the salvation of men and women.

The story which is told in Psalm 106:16-29 is one which makes us wonder, ‘Can this situation be turned around?

Is there any hope?’

In Psalm 106:30-31, we catch a glimpse of hope, it is hope “for endless generations to come.”

Day 252

Isaiah 20:1-23:18; 2 Corinthians 11:1-15; Proverbs 22:7-16

The people of God live in a situation of conflict.

We are at war with the enemy.

Nevertheless, we need not be afraid.

The enemies of the Lord will be brought to nothing: “Babylon has fallen, has fallen!

All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground!”

(Isaiah 21:9).

“Look at the land of the Babylonians, this people that is of no account!”

(Isaiah 23:13).

There will be “false apostles”, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:13).

We must not become discouraged.

We must not say, “There is a lion outside!” or “I will be murdered in the streets!” (Proverbs 22:13).

We must remember that “the Lord … frustrates the work of the unfaithful” (Proverbs 22:12).

Day 253

Isaiah 24:1-26:21; 2 Corinthians 11:16-33; Psalm 106:32-39

“Lord, … all that we have accomplished You have done for us” (Isaiah 26:12).

“I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised for ever … ” (2 Corinthians 11:30-31).

The way of pleasing God is the God-centred way of living.

The way of angering the Lord (Psalm 106:32) is the way of self-centredness.

The words of Psalm 106:32-39 are full of self – “they … they … they.”

It’s all about them.

The only references to God are descriptions of their refusal to do God’s will (Psalm 106:32-34).

Day 254

Isaiah 27:1-28:29; 2 Corinthians 12:1-10; Psalm 106:40-48

Isaiah 28:29 contains a great description of God – “The Lord Almighty, wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom.”

Paul speaks, in 2 Corinthians 12:7, of “surpassingly great revelations.”

Whenever God reveals an increased measure of His wonderful counsel and magnificent wisdom, He wants us to remain humble, resting only in His grace and power (2 Corinthians 12:9) and not in any supposed achievement or attainment of our own.

He wants us always to say, from the heart, “Praise be to the Lord” (Psalm 106:48).

Day 255

Isaiah 29:1-30:18; 2 Corinthians 12:11-21; Psalm 107:1-9

“In repentance and rest is your salvation” (Isaiah 30:15).

Repentance is an ongoing part of our Christian experience – 2 Corinthians 12:21 emphasizes the need for continuing repentance.

We have been saved.

We continue to sin.

We must seek, by God’s grace, to maintain our repentance.

Rest is part of our redemption in Christ.

To be “redeemed from the hand of the foe” (Psalm 107:2) means the beginning of rest, the beginning of deliverance from the oppressor.

This does not mean that the perfect state has been reached.

Still, there is “wandering in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle” (Psalm 107:4).