Sermon Tone Analysis

! This Is the Message

 

!!

The Message is not a Discovery by Man

1.       Man did not discover God as an archeologist discovers findings.

a.       Romans 3:10-11 – “There is not who seeks after God”

b.       Isaiah 31:1 – Man discovers the world and trusts in it.

c.        Genesis 3:8-10 – The Lord went looking for Adam saying, “Where are you?”

2.       God Himself bridged the infinite gap that was between God & Man!

a.       Religions are the useless attempt of man trying to reach the infinite God.

1)       Man tries to touch God by his works or self.

2)       Adam and Eve /covered themselves/

b.       Christianity is the infinite God reaching down to man through Jesus Christ.

1)       Luke 19:10 – /"for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."/

2)       The parable of the lost sheep – Matthew 18:11-14

3)       We can touch God through faith in Jesus.

!!

The Source of the Message is Jesus Christ.

“This is the message which we have /heard// from Him/ and declare to you.”

1.

Only God can reveal God

a.       John 1:18 – No one has seen God at any time.

The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared [Him].

1)       Moses seen the “after glow” – Ex. 33:18-23

2)       Jesus demonstrated & brought forth-full revelation of who God is.

b.       Hebrews 1:1-2 – God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by [His] Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds.

c.

When they heard Jesus speak they heard the voice of God.

2.       Christians must obey God

 “/to hear/,” means to give head and obey – continue to obey

a.       John 18:37 – “Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

b.       John 10:27 – “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

c.        "He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God"

3.       Christians must proclaim the gospel of God.

a.       “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” – Mark 16:15

 

!

The Substance of the Message, “God is Light”

!! God is Light.

–         God is light & in Him is no darkness – 1 John 1:5

–         The Lamb of God is the light in heaven – Revelation 21:22-23

–         Jesus said, “I am the light of the World” – John 8:12; 9:5

–         The light of the knowledge of God is seen in the face of Christ – 2 Corinthians 4:6

–         Jesus Christ lights every man that comes into the world – John 1:9

–         Believers are said to become “children of light” through belief in the Light, Jesus Christ Himself – John 12:36

–         Believers have been transferred from the dominion of darkness into the Kingdom of Christ – Colossians 1:13

–         Believers are now the light of the world – Matthew 5:14-16

–         We are His disciples and are to become more like Him, /reflecting /His light – 2Corinthians 3:18

–         So, Whatever light is and does, the believer is /to be and do.

/

–         When we were saved, God called us out of darkness into His marvelous light – 1 Peter 2:9 

–         We have became sons of light – 1Thessalonian 5:5

 

LIGHT IS & DOES SEVERAL THINGS

1.

Light is clear & pure.

It is clean, that is, good, right, and true.

·         For you were once darkness, but now [you are] light in the Lord.

Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness, righteousness, and truth) – Ephesians 5:8-9 NKJV)

2.       Light penetrates, cutting through and eliminating darkness

·         You are all sons of light and sons of the day.

We are not of the night nor of darkness – (1 Thessalonians 5:5 NKJV)

3.       Light guides, directing the way to go, leading us along the right path.

·         "I have come [as] a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness – (John 12:46 NKJV)

4.       Light exposes & strips away the darkness

·         "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

"For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed – (John 3:19-20 NKJV)

5.       Light warns of dangers that lie ahead in a persons path 

·         And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose [them].

For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.

But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.

Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light."

(Ephesians 5:11-14 NKJV)

6.

Light protects a person from the dangers of darkness

·         The night is far spent, the day is at hand.

Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light – p (Romans 13:12 NKJV)

 

!! Morally –

1.       “Light” refers to purity & holiness

2.        “Darkness” refers to sin or wrongdoing – Romans 13:11-14…1Thess.

5:4-7

a.       “In Him is no darkness at all” /There is no sin or wrong doing in God/

b.

No such thing as dirty light

!! Intellectually – Light is Truth.

1.

Light is Biblical truth – John 14:6 /I am the way, the truth & the life./

2.       Darkness refers to error or falsehood.

a.       Psalm 119:105…Proverbs 6:23…John 1:4; 8:12

!! John gives us three pictures of God from Christ’s revelation.

1.       God is a Spirit

2.       God is light.

3.       God is love.

!! Those who dwell with God dwell in light.

1.       John 8:12

2.       John 12:46

 

!

The Deception of Men

!! “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness…”                           1:6

1.

The world is full of darkness.

2.       Some claim fellowship with God, yet they walk in darkness – 2 Corinthians 6:14

3.       We lie and do not practice the truth – Matthew 7:21-25…Titus 1:16…James 1:22…Revelation 21:8

!! “If we say that we have no sin…”                           1:8

1.

The denial of the sinful root or nature – Psalm 51:5…Ephesians 2:1-3

2.       Passing the buck – Adam & Eve did this

a.

Not willing to accept our won blame, seeking to blame others

3.

This is self-deception – the truth is not in us.

!! “If we say that we have not sinned…”                   1:10

1.

The denial of sinful acts

2.       We make God a liar

a.

The Word’s of God