Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro

Last week we pulled from the first letter of John

Today We are going to see what Peter has to say.

Peter - Who was he?

He was a fisherman -He had a brother named Andrew

He is the only married disciple

He walked on water- He was also recorded as rebuking Jesus

He was part of the inner three with James and John

He asked a lot of questions

He was called the rock - long before Dwayne Johnson

He also denied Christ - Three times

He was filled with the Holy Spirit became a pillar in the church

Jesus had confidence in him

He gave his life for the Gospel, it is said he was crucified upside down , he wasn't worthy to be crucified like his Lord was.

1 Peter 1:8 (ESV)

8 Though you have not seen him, you love him.

Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,

Does jesus make you rejoice?

Jesus has to be our foremost love - He cannot be an add on.

He even comes before our family.

We love him more than our spouse or children or grandchildren.

The scripture that says ....

Matthew 10:37

OK wait a minute God - Have you seen my grand kids lately - They are really cute.

What it means is

God is desired over everything

He cannot be apart of a weekly checklist or to do list

Do you say - I’ve got to pray, I’ve got to read my bible, I’ve got to go to church, I’ve got to go our group meeting.

It is almost like your wife's to do list.

How much of it can I get done today.

Then you realize the world series is on or your favorite football team of favorite movie or show, so you just get comfortable in your chair

Love takes an effort - but we are motivated by Love - we want to do it.

I want to be here on Sunday, to worship the Lord corporately with my family.

I realize I am a blesssed man and God deserves all the glory for everything .

He is good- All the time - and all the time God is good

Love is a choice

The rich young ruler found that out when He was asked to sell all he had and give it to the poor and follow Jesus- He couldn’t do it.

I believe many who have left the church or who find it irrelevant for the most part simply do not love Jesus.

We are having an amazing number of people fall away

CBN News said in August 2019

Marty Sampson, a worship music writer, singer, and active member of Hillsong has publicly denounced his faith on social media.

His announcement comes just weeks after well-known Christian author Joshua Harris announced his departure from Christianity, both sharing their news over Instagram.

Joshua said he feels , alive, awake and hopeful

“I have undergone a massive shift in regard to my faith in Jesus,” he wrote.

“The popular phrase for this is ‘deconstruction,’ the biblical phrase is ‘falling away.’

By all the measurements that I have for defining a Christian, I am not a Christian.”

I am going to make a very strong statement They believe in Jesus but do not love Jesus.

They love something else more.

These leaders will be accountable for placing stumbling blocks in front of people.

They cause confusion, strife and division

We know what scripture says about it.

Many struggle with Jesus because they have become there own theologians, writing there own religion .

The real problem is they love the world more than they love Jesus.

They then look at the people in the church or the institution of the church more than they look at Jesus.

Words like Hypocrisy, Legalism, come to the forefront.

At the same time expectations rise to an unhealthy level.

Then people leave the church all together

They say it is Hypocrisy - Legalism or expectations.

Or when it comes to Homosexuality or Marriage -they say who is God that we should live or believe according to scripture.

Scripture is nothing more than a great suggestion

In other words if we can just package Christianity in a way that allows me to think and act anyway I want then I will accept it.

It attacks their peace - Then Hedonism has taken root (anything goes) The church becomes intolerant - Every issue is controlled by How one might feel about it.

Does Hypocrisy in the church effect my relationship with Jesus? - The answer is NO - I expect failed human beings to act as failed human beings at times.

I understand that only Jesus is sinless.

Does Legalism effect my relationship with Jesus - the answer is no

Do expectations effect my relationship with Jesus - The answer is no.

These things trouble me - but being a sinner myself, I realize that Jesus is the only answer has always been the only answer and will always be the only to answer - to everything in life.

You are a Christian because of who Jesus is and what Jesus has done.

Because he deserves your love - and because he loves you - AMEN

Instead of Jesus people want to piecemeal a personal set of beliefs

Barna says

There has been a significant increase in what Barna refers to as the “Don’ts” (those who don’t believe, don’t know, or don’t care if God exists).

The increase in those with no religious affiliation suggests that assimilation into American culture increasingly means assimilation into secularism.

As Barna noted, “Frankly, the culture is impacting the Christian church and the Christian faith more than the Christian church or Christian faith are impacting the culture.”

Notably, increasing belief in reincarnation, declining belief in a literal hell, and the pervading belief that people are basically good are other indicators that Christianity is losing influence in America.

When people feel they are basically good they stumble over grace and have to redefine it.

We have a false sense of grace.

Detrick Bonhoeffer wrote about this in his book celebration of discipline.

He called the chapter cheap grace.

He said, “Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves.

Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession...Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”

They traded “GRACE” which is of immense quality and depth and accepted a cheap imitation.

This translates into a broken relationship.

It also translates into people leaving the church and as the church adopts the world it still fails

There was an article about the Presbyterian Church - Last year they lost 51,000 members and about 1400 congregations - they became WOKE to the core.

A Pastor who has since moved to the conservative Presbyterians said something chilling and that was “ there lampstand has been removed.”

As people discard Christianity they pick up a new religion comprised of a couple of parts

according to Colson it is

Personal Peace

Just leave me a lone

I don’t want to be disturbed - My life is my life regardless of how it effects the next generation .

Don’t tell me how to live but please allow me to tell you

I am the master of my house

Affluence

A life made up of things and more things

Our faith is built on love, it has a narrow entrance and its path is paved in holiness

It is a walk of Love - Isaiah calls it the Way of Holiness - this way is a narrow way.

Matthew 7:13-14

What does any of this have to do with Peter

Well who denied Jesus three times , who wants to go back fishing, who needs to really hear from Jesus - thats right it is Peter.