Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Introduction
Pray help me to be honest with myself this morning!
Marathon runner with two gallons of water
What does the rulebook have to do with it?
The runner is missing the bigger picture!
It may be lawful, but its not going to help you and will even hinder you!
Here’s the thing....we do the same thing as the runner did in our Christian lives…we ask the wrong question.
So keep this scenario in mind and I want to show you how we can be just like the runner sometimes
How many of you have faced a desicion before and you thought, “I wish the Bible just told me exactly what to do in this situation.”
As a general rule, we like things to be cut and dry
Right vs. Wrong, Good vs Bad, This is the best approach vs. Worst approach
Not just in morality, but in other areas of life as well
We get personal trainers
This is the best way to learn guitar
We like cut and dry
The Bible is very cut and dry on specific issues:
The Bible has something to say about morality
Most of us could probably agree on several things
People don’t generally go ask their pastor if:
Kill friend who kicked my dog
Cheat on my spouse because I’m frustrated with them
Steal from company to buy a new tv
I just love the way my new car looks, can i bow down and worship it?
You probably wouldn’t ask these questions, because the Bible is pretty cut and dry on these issues on what is right and wrong
Between right and wrong, is this vast unknown area called “Gray Area?”
Some of you are like “no, please don’t talk on the gray area!”
But this is so important to us as Christians, and this is where we can so easily ask the wrong question!
Going back to the runner… “Where in the Bible does it say that this decision or this action, or this activity is a sin?”
When it comes on deciding what to do in the gray area, we ask ourselves this question: Is it a sin?
If that is your approach to the gray areas in life…you are asking the wrong question
So how do we navigate through life in these gray areas, and make the right decisions?
The apostle Paul gives us some principles to live by that I’ve framed into questions that we can ask ourselves in making some of these decisions.
I want to give us some thoughts to think about and some questions to ask that help us in making some of these decisions.
The Bible may not be specific on most of the decisions you will have to make in life…but it does give us principles to live by.
Title of Sermon: Navigating The Gray Areas
But before I do that, just to bring context to the sermon this morning…and give name to some gray areas we live with:
What are some Gray Areas?
I want to clarify that I’m not making a judgment statement on these areas I’m going to mentions…I’m not saying whether its good or bad, or whether you should or shouldn’t do them.
These are based off of conversations I’ve had with others, that are trying to find answers
But before I do that, just to bring context to the sermon this morning…what are some gray areas that I might be talking about this morning:
Modesty..what’s acceptable to wear, and whats not
Drinking
Smoking
Giving an answer that is not directly a lie, but is a deceitful
Examples of Gray Areas
Modesty..what’s acceptable to wear, and whats not
Drinking
Smoking
What kind of language do you use
Giving an answer that is not directly a lie, but is a deceitful
What kind of language do you use
Music
Music
Entertainment
Entertainment
How you spend your money
buying a lottery ticket
How you spend your money
How you spend your time
How you spend your time
And are two unhealthy approaches that we can have towards the gray areas in our life.
God doesn’t care about my decisions in the gray area
God cares about me doing the things He says to do, and abstaining from the things he says not to do, but this middle ground, God is kind of out of the picture…I have to make my own decisions.
God cares deeply about every aspect of your life
He’s not peeking over your shoulder like a controlling God
He cares about every detail of your and my life
That’s why I can pray about everything because he cares about everything
There are no consequences
What you sow you will reap....good for good and bad for bad, but the middle ground is kind of untouched
There are consequences for every decision you make…there is no neutral ground!
The things we consume and put into our body will affect us
The entertainment we allow into our homes will effect and shape the way that we think and perceive things
The way we speak, the way we dress, the activities we involve ourselves in will not only impact us but will impact how others perceive us and relate to us.
The way that I spend my time and money will affect how fruitful I can or can’t be for the kingdom of God.
Some consequences may be good, and others may be bad…the point is that they do have consequences
Story of outhouse (George Washington)
So I want to give us 5 right questions to ask that will help navigate us in making the right decisions when the answers aren’t so clear
Principles laid out by the Apostle Paul
Will this build me up or tear me down?
Paul is saying, “It’s not just about whether it is lawful....You should ask yourself this question:
Let me bring some context to this
The Corinthians got so caught up on the principle of freedom that Christ brings that they were misconstruing it.
Paul had brought to them this incredible gospel of the freedom that is found in Christ!
Saved by grace through faith
We are secure in Christ
We aren’t judged based on our performance!
The Corinthians got so caught up on the principle of freedom that Christ brings that they were misconstruing it.
They had this saying “All things are lawful!”
They were like the runner saying, “show me where it says in the rulebook that I can’t do this?”
Paul is saying, “It’s not just about whether it is lawful....You should ask yourself this question:
Paul is saying, “It’s not just about whether it is lawful....You should ask yourself this question:
1.
Will this build me up or tear me down?
Is this going to help me love others?
Is this going to help me love others?
Is this going to help me love others?
Will this enhance my spiritual life?
Will this cultivate godliness?
Is this going to help me love Christ?
Is this going to help me love Christ?
Does this draw me closer to Christ?
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