Sermon Tone Analysis

Our Response to the Truthfulness of God

Our God is the god of truth; and all of His ways, works, and words are within the realm of truth.

Number One Headline - WE SHOULD STUDY THE WORD OF TRUTH

Number One Headline - WE SHOULD STUDY THE WORD OF TRUTH

Personally I like the way the KJV (the 1769) puts it a little better:

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

We as the church of God are called to do what?

We are to called to rightly divide the Word of truth.

I want to go a bit on a tangent here and I need some feedback from you guys.

I am going to deal with two words and I want some feedback on their meanings.

Eisegesis

Eisegesis

What does this word mean?

Eisegesis is the thought process by which when we have an idea or a point of theology and we go to the Scriptures to support a particular view.

There is two types of preaching.

I like to bring them into perspective.

Topical

Expositional

what are the differences in these two?

In topical a preacher has an agenda of something he holds to and he presents this topic and then he grabs scripture from all over the Bible to support his supposition.

Expositional is where a text is approached with no prior inclination in a desire to reap and to grasp that particular texts meaning.

Not to impose, but to expose.

Expositional is where a text is approached with no prior inclination in a desire to reap and to grasp that particular texts meaning.

Not to impose, but to expose, I.E.

Expositional.

So the opposite term to Eisegesis is Exegesis.

To be Exegetical is to leave the text in its form and in an effort to grasp the truth that is contained within it.

This is to rightly divide the Word of truth.

We are not to add to the Word.

We are not to add our own idealogical presuppositions to the text at hand but are to rather grab the heart of that text and glean from its intended point.

We need to constantly be rightly dividing that which we study, not seeking to add our own agenda to what is intended.

We have to consistently study and glean from the text at hand as we seek to conform to it.

When we see the word Blessed we need to see that to be “Blessed” is to enjoy well-being in every part of life.

So, the man who stays away from wickedness is Blessed.

The righteous are to be described by what He avoids, what he does not listen to.

The verbs “walks”, “stands” and “sits” are typical marks of a downward progression.

We can walk away from God and not seek Him

We can stand in defiance against God in an effort to “stake our claim”

I wonder how many of us, even into our adolescence would adamantly oppose our authority in an effort to rebel against their authority.

Even as adults, we tend to want to fight back when we are told that we are in the wrong.

How many times do we preach that we were doing the right thing and often times we come up with statements that supposedly defend our position.

We are all natural liars.

Outside of the endearing work of the Holy Spirit we cannot fathom truth.

Truth is a word that we can merely seek out.

Absolute truth is what comes from the exposing of Holy Scripture.

We struggle in giving it that rite as we stammer and come up with our own form of justification.

The gospel isnt ala carte’, it resounds with conviction that primarily deals with our hearts.

The heart of flesh is something that we desire, one that realizes how much we need grace.

Outside of the inner working of the Holy Spirit we cannot grasp the weight of our own sin.

Truth is the absence of our opinion on a matter.

God doesnt ask us whether or not He is just.

He doesnt ask whether a murderer needs a pardon.

He is the epitome of truth.

We need to be faithfully attentive to that and we need to leave our own opinions at the door.

Because truth is something that we can only see in Christ, we need to cling to it and display a heart that reveres it and pray that we would steadily progress towards that knowledge.

We have no knowledge outside of that which we have been taught.

How are we to face the law of the Lord?

This can seem daunting and I think its a subject that we spend far too little time regarding.

We need to understand that we have to see the law as the impending requirement for our redemption.

Outside of the fulfillment of this law we would utterly never attain or be able to remotely grasp the weight that it can put on our soldiers.

The jews today are bound by the law according to their regimented forms of religiousity but in fact even they have changed them in an effort to make their lives somewhat live-able.

By in large they no longer sacrifice the lamb, and they state that they dont have to as long as the temple is not in service.

They were told the truth and yet they rejected it because, and I dont want to sound harsh here but they were not the elect.

Now, Im not stating that no jew will inherit the mercy of the creator, but what I am saying is that apart from the mercy of the Father and the saving grace of the Son they will not be able to experience the work of the Holy Spirit.

Truth is demanded by God and through His perfectly just nature.

We need to continually see the cross and be reminded that our redeemer hung on it in a full extension of the mercy towards us.

What does God promise to us who give the proper place to His Word in our lives?

He promises that we will prosper.

I think we often get off on the wrong foot when we hear that word but we need to understand that prosperity is not necessarily the padding of our financial status but it is that our lives are going to be marked by the grace and mercy of Christ.

Ezra was a diligent hearer and doer of the Word, and thirdly he sought to teach others to do as He did.

We need to know the law and understand that a true believer’s heart will be reconciled through repentance and to hang to Jesus as we become partakers at the table of the sacramental elements.

How are we to practice the law in the New Testament age?

Well for starters we need to be consumed in study with the Word of God.

If we are not willing to put in the work and the time it takes to study then how are we to partake of the elements and the benefits that come with saving grace.

Im not talking about reaping benefits due to the work.

We are to focus our hearts in a state of true reverence for all that has been done on behalf of us.

Not as followers of the law so that we may partake but seeking forgiveness because we know we cannot achieve redemption in our own strength.

We cannot provide conviction to others.

We can scare and woefully worry others into making a statement.

The evidence of our lives is the evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit.

We have to seek and be willing to study God’s Word and then not merely keep it locked up, but demonstrate this effect to those around us, spiritually and physically.

It is our responsibility as believers to not only be students now, but also we are to be teachers later.

When you are given a gift it can be multiplied to help others.

Teaching can sound daunting when you look at the nature that we possess, but if we are waiting on a day in which we are “ready” then actually that moment is the day when we die and we enter into the glorification state.

We need to find someone, maybe a peer or a friend.

Someone who seems possibly in the same position as we are, or perhaps were at one time.

Go and latch on to them and both parties will reap the benefits of it.

We do not need to look around at others and weigh their knowledge and see if we match up to their character.

We need to look to the cross and the Christ who lost His life on it.

We should pray to understand God’s Truth

I was talking with an older gentleman earlier this week and we were talking about reading and studying doctrine and I offered up something that I am going to study in the very near future and told him about it and I was asking him about what books he was reading right now and what doctrines was he working through and he informed me that he never really got too deep into studying things that were seemingly over his head.

I sought to encourage him and in a effort to not overwhelm him I told him to start with something simple and suggested for him to study and learn the meaning of the term “Lordship Salvation” and study it until he could define it to anyone he met.

He said he would and I would encourage any and all to do the same.

And then later, find someone else to pass that baton on to.

We are given knowledge by the Word, and we have a responsibility to point others to that same knowledge.

Psalm 25:4-5

The path is the conduit

The conduit is the means.

Understanding is something that occurs in a moment but often times has to be put together over time.

We want to have everything now and not have to wait.