Sermon Tone Analysis

We live in a culture where image is everything and substance nothing.

We live in a culture where a new beginning is far more attractive than a long follow-through.

Images are important.

Beginnings are important.

But an image without substance is a lie.

A beginning without a continuation is a lie.

Peterson, Eugene H.. Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at Its Best (p.

68).

InterVarsity Press.

Kindle Edition.

Many of us can remember when we decided to accept Jesus into our life.

It was an exciting day.

I can remember it like it was yesterday.

I remember my Dad baptizing me as I stood on a block so people could see me.

The water was cold but it was a wonderful night.

I remember it was during that evening I had communion for the first time.

But as I grew there were many day that the world became more important than my faith in Jesus.

It was more important that the world saw me as cool.

I had a great start.

I needed to work on my follow through.

Most of the time I had the right look.

I looked like a good preachers kid.

I went to church.

I sang with great pride the old Hymns.

I even gave to the offering.

Problem was the image was good but underneath I was not what I needed to be.

When I read the quote I could relate.

We must learn to live by the truth, not by our feelings, not by the world’s opinion, not by what the latest statistical survey tells us is the accepted morality, not by what the advertisers tell us is the most gratifying lifestyle.

Peterson, Eugene H.. Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at Its Best (p.

87).

InterVarsity Press.

Kindle Edition.

So here is the other problem.

We have become good at taking.

Wait it is better to say we have become experts at take the worlds opinion, the stats, and applying them to our walk with God.

Now it is not that these stats aren’t helpful they can be.

The problem is they have become often more important than our faith in God.

We also have began to let the world be our moral guide rather than the Word of God.

TV has become the authority for how we see the world.

REALLY have we got to this point.

The outside is a lot easier to reform than the inside.

Going to the right church and saying the right words is a lot easier than working out a life of justice and love among the people you work and live with.

Showing up at church once a week and saying a hearty Amen is a lot easier than engaging in a life of daily prayer and Scripture meditation that develops into concern for poverty and injustice, hunger and war.

Peterson, Eugene H.. Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at Its Best (p.

68).

InterVarsity Press.

Kindle Edition.

Because we have let the world to take a high place of authority for what is right and what is true we have allowed our faith to not much more than a nice thing to do once a week.

Is this all you want from a relationship.

I know for me it is my desire to have deeper relationships.

I want my relationship with each of you to be more than an acquaintance that I see.

I want my relationship my kids to more, I want my relationship with Ardell to be more.

But why when it comes to God who sent his son into the world to pay the price for my sin and to offer victory over death we only want a surface relationship.

Why would we let the world set the rules, why would we let the world dictate right and wrong.

Why have we let the History Chanel be the authority on faith and the Life of Jesus.

Why do let sitcoms determine our moral compass or advertising agencies tell us what is the most important things.

I know sports is more important than our eternal destiny, or the latest number one song helpful is gaining true understand.

I know we can place our complete trust in politicians of whatever strip or philosophy to want the best for us.

But do you real know that God wants so much more for you.

He wants you to have so much a deeper understanding of this world.

What a simple verse.

But it is filled with so much.

humble ourselves

pray

seek

turn

hear and heal

What is this amount to in your life?

It is going deeper.

It is digging deeper than the surface.

It means the your relationship with is God is more than Sunday.

It letting God into your work, your relationship with your loved one, into your raising of your children.

Into all of your life.

What it is making your relationship with God more than two strangers passing in the night.