Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Welcome

Series Recap

Advent, longing

Anthony and Stephanie along with their little girl Emilia Elise Negron, born yesterday at 3:13 PM

Today we will be in Isaiah 35

Pray

Introduction

Today’s passage in a beautiful description of this end scene.

It’s the glorious conclusion of a drawn out conflict but I’m concerned that we won’t taste its sweetness unless we understand and feel the desperation that precedes this description.

We could simply read the end how it ends, as though you read the last few pages of a book but your emotions will be unaffected.

Imagine this scene: A loving husband and wife sit in a bar listening to a guy play the piano.

Anything - does this create any emotion, - NO

But if I tell you the story from the movie La la Land - Of a man names Sebastian, a struggling Jazz artist, and woman named Mia, an aspiring actress, who fall in love, each pursuing their dreams.

There are highs and lows surrounded by a soundtrack that almost won them an oscar for best picture - In the end the woman leaves for France and man chooses to stay behind.

The passing of time leads them in different directions until the movie ends with Mia walking into a club with her unknown husband as a famous actress and Sebastian sitting at the piano sadly playing a song as he thinks about how his life would be different had he gone with her to France.

There’s a longing and sadness and then the movie ends.

Desire for a sustained sweet joy

is a description of the final scene in human history.

It is a picture of our promised eternal home for those who trust on Jesus and follow him.

The scene described in this chapter is part of a larger story across time.

It isn’t a description of some far away place but it describes our lives, all of human history, and how this will ultimately come to completion.

Give away the ending without describing the conflict - falls flat

Danger of sugar high then crash - merry Christmas, happy holidays, smiles and eggnog or my preferred, coquito

Danger of sugar high then crash - merry Christmas, happy holidays, smiles and eggnog or my preferred, coquito

Desire for a sustained sweet joy

Desire for a sustained sweet joy

Good News | God’s Perfect Creation

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep.

And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

God is present, before time, before the earth, skies, and heavens were formed - God has always existed.

God formed and filled the earth over 5 days and said his creation was good

God created mankind on the 6th day and said it was very good.

Prefect Relationships:

God and Mankind enjoyed a perfect relationship

Mankind enjoyed a perfect relationship with each other

Mankind enjoyed a perfect relationship with God’s creation (animals, plants, atmosphere, etc)

The danger is that we move to quickly on from this point

From nothing - God created everything and said it was good, very good

This part may feel like a fairy tale of a happier place and long, long time ago.

We live in a jaded culture and time.

Some might call it realism while others may call it pessimism but in the end - we can’t imagine anything truly and fully good.

Yet, the Bible describes just that - a perfect good place where nothing bad exists.

Bad News | Man’s Rebellion

Then appears a crafty serpent who deceives mankind into disobeying God’s one command to not eat of one tree in the Garden of Eden.

This disobedience exchanged God’s rule and authority for Satan’s rule.

We said we would prefer to listen and trust the crafty serpent rather than our Creator, God.

Relationships become unraveled

Broken relationship between God and mankind

Broken relationships between mankind

Broken relationship between mankind and creation

Default Setting - Sin

This brokenness exists because of mankind’s disobedience and it becomes the default setting for all mankind

Explain default setting - when you buy a new phone or a computer it comes pre-programmed.

Because of sin

Some may argue - no, people are naturally good.

Country artist, Luke Bryan has a title song called, “Most “People are Good.”

I believe most people are good

And most mama's oughta qualify for sainthood

I believe most Friday nights look better under neon or stadium lights

I believe you love who you love

Ain't nothing you should ever be ashamed of

I believe this world ain't half as bad as it looks

I believe most people are good

I believe most people are good

And most mama's oughta qualify for sainthood

I believe most Friday nights look better under neon or stadium lights

I believe you love who you love

Ain't nothing you should ever be ashamed of

I believe this world ain't half as bad as it looks

I believe most people are good

Bible says in “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world.

Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.”

Our default setting is brokenness, rebellion - sin

Children

How many of you have needed to teach your children to disobey?

Have you ever said, “Listen, little Johnny, when Mommy and Daddy say no you can ignore us and do whatever you want.

Part of the fun for a parent is saying the same thing over and over again.

Sometimes, when I ask you who did something you can just lie about it or blame it on your little sister.”

Same Starting Point

Here’s what I want you to see.

We all have the same starting point in life concerning our relationship with God, each other, and creation itself - brokenness.

This is where things begin and this brokenness leads to a spiritual and physical death.

Two Paths

lays out two paths for us in light of our present state.

describes the end result of one path and describes the end result of the other path.

1) The wages (earned result) of sin is death ()

2)The free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

()

END OF THE ROAD

Which road are we on today?

Which path do we want want to travel.

Our Way or God’s Mercy

a) Our Way Leads to Destruction

Read & Highlighted Portions

“The wages of sin is death ()

shows us what will become of everyone who buys into the world.

For phrases describe God’s Wrath:

God is Enraged (2): “The wrath of God will explode upon the world like the bursting dam, with the mountains dissolving in mudslides of human blood.”

Raymund Ortlund