Sermon Tone Analysis

Gift: Favor or item bestowed on someone

Chris Church, “Gift, Giving,” ed.

Chad Brand et al., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 650.

1jn.4.7-10

My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God.

Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God.

The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love.

This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him.

This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God.

Eugene H. Peterson, The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2005), 1 Jn 4:7–10.

John 4:10 (ESV)

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

John 7:37–38 (ESV)

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’

”

Jeremiah 2:13 (ESV)

for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Jeremiah 17:13 (ESV)

O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be put to shame; those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living water.

What is living water? a symbol for salvation, and a true knowledge of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

(Judas asks: “Lord, how is it you will manifest yourself to us…and not the world?)

Wisdom & Understanding

Solomon to God:

“And now here I am: GOD, my God, you have made me, your servant, ruler of the kingdom in place of David my father.

I’m too young for this, a mere child!

I don’t know the ropes, hardly know the ‘ins’ and ‘outs’ of this job.

And here I am, set down in the middle of the people you’ve chosen, a great people—far too many to ever count.

9  “Here’s what I want: Give me a God-listening heart so I can lead your people well, discerning the difference between good and evil.

For who on their own is capable of leading your glorious people?”

Counsel & Might

Job.12.13

The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language (Chapter 12)

True wisdom and real power belong to God; from him we learn how to live, and also what to live for.

The gift is promised in Is.9.6

Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language (Chapter 9)

For a child has been born—for us!the gift of a son—for us!He’ll take over the running of the world.

His names will be: Amazing Counselor,Strong God,Eternal Father,Prince of Wholeness.

Knowledge & Fear of The Lord

English Standard Version (Chapter 2)

My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,2  making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;3  yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,4  if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,5  then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.

God’s Word translation

My son, if you take my words ⌞to heart⌟ and treasure my commands within you, if you pay close attention to wisdom, and let your mind reach for understanding, if indeed you call out for insight, if you ask aloud for understanding, if you search for wisdom as if it were money and hunt for it as if it were hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and you will find the knowledge of God.

Isaiah prophesies:

We see an account of the fulfillment of this promise in

Matthew 3:16–17 (ESV)

And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”