Sermon Tone Analysis

AT THE CROSSROADS

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WE ARE BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE TOGETHER AS A CHURCH FAMILY THIS FIRST SUNDAY OF A NEW YEAR.

WE MUST ADMIT AS WE MOVE THROUGH ANOTHER YEAR OF OUR NATION AS WELL AS THE WORLD WE STILL HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PANDEMIC IN 2022, NOT ONLY DID WE HAVE TO FACE THE PANDEMIC, BUT MANY IN OUR NATION ALSO EXPERIENCED ANOTHER ILLNESS CALLED RSV THAT CAUSED RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS.

TO TOP IT OFF, THE FLU HIT OUR NATION ALL AT THE SAME TIME......SOME OF US EXPERIENCED THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE AND WE ARE STILL GRIEVING THAT LOSS......SOME OF US FACED SOME SET BACKS.....OR HAD CHALLENGES THAT WE WERE MET WITH...... WHATEVER YOU EXPERIENCED IN 2022....WE CAN STILL BE GRATEFUL THIS MORNING..... TRUTH BE TOLD..... WE ARE TRULY BLESSED TO GOD TO SEE THIS YEAR OF OUR LORD 2023.

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I BELIEVE THE PAST FEW YEARS HAVE CHALLENGED MANY OF US TO CONFRONT DECISIONS WE NEVER THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE IN OUR LIFETIME.

I AM SURE WE WILL BE FACED WITH MANY MORE DECISIONS AND CHALLENGES IN THIS NEW YEAR.

IT IS GOOD TO KNOW AS BELIEVERS WE DO NOT HAVE TO FACE THESE DECISIONS ALONE.

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WE DON’T KNOW WHAT TOMORROW HOLDS, BUT WE DO KNOW WHO HOLDS OUR TOMORROWS

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AS WE CONSIDER THIS FAMILIAR TEXT THIS FIRST SUNDAY OF A NEW YEAR, LET’S FIRST IDENTIFY WHO THIS PSALM IS WRITTEN ABOUT.

IT BEGINS BY SAYING “HAPPY ARE THOSE….”

YOUR VERSION MAY SAY “BLESSED IS THE MAN”…..WHO IS THIS BLESSED PERSON?

THE DESCRIPTION GIVEN IN THE NKJV OF HIM IS SIMPLY THIS…THAT HE IS A MAN. THERE ARE OTHER QUALITIES GIVEN, BUT THE ONLY THING SAID OF HIM, IN THE FIRST, PLACE, IS - HE IS A MAN.

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LET ME SUGGEST…THAT THE PERSON IDENTIFIED FACES THE SAME TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS THAT YOU AND I FACE.

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OFTEN TIMES WHEN WE HEAR OF A PERSON IS BLESSED BY THE LORD’S …AND THAT THE LORD IS DOING GREAT THINGS IN THEIR LIFE…… WE THINK HE OR SHE MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING OR THEY ARE BETTER THAN US IN SOME FORM OR FASHION

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BUT HOW GREAT IS THE MISTAKE AND MISCONCEPTION!

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GOD FASHIONS ALL HEARTS ALIKE, AND IF THERE BE DISTINCTIONS THEY ARE OF GRACE, AND NOT BETTER BY NATURE.

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Matthew 5:45

(NRSV)

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45 ....... for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.

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THE MOST BLESSED PERSON IS STILL A MAN.

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• THAT PERSON MUST SUFFER PAIN

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• THAT PERSON MUST DEAL WITH SICKNESS

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• THAT PERSON MUST ENDURE LOSSES AND CARRY THE CROSS….

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BEING A MAN, HE IS ALSO PRONE TO HAVE TO INFIRMITIES, A QUICK TEMPER, OR OF A HIGH AND HAUGHTY SPIRIT.

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HE MAY BE TEMPTED TO BE HARSH IN HIS LANGUAGE.

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• HE OR SHE….WILL HAVE SOME INFIRMITY, AND YET, NONE THE LESS THEY ARE BLESSED

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I BELIEVE THIS TEXT REVEALS THE DIFFERENCE IS IN .....HOW WE HANDLE BEING AT THE CROSSROAD.

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EACH DAY AND THROUGHOUT THE DAY, WE COME TO A CROSSROAD – DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE.

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BY DEFINITION…..A CROSSROAD IS…..

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A CRITICAL JUNCTURE OR TURNING POINT.

THE PLACE WHERE TWO ROADS INTERSECT HAS HAD SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE FROM ANCIENT TIMES.

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SOME TRIBES USED A CROSSROADS AS A PLACE FOR RELIGIOUS SACRIFICES, AND HENCE THEY CAME TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH AN EXECUTION.

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IN CHRISTIAN TIMES, CRIMINALS AND THOSE WHO DIED BY THEIR OWN HAND OFTEN WERE BURIED AT A CROSSROADS (SINCE THEY COULD NOT BE BURIED IN CONSECRATED GROUND).

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CROSSROADS ALSO WERE A FAVORITE SPOT FOR AMBUSHES, HIGHWAY ROBBERY,AND OTHER NEFARIOUS DEEDS.

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THE IDEA OF A FIGURATIVE CROSSROADS, IS A POINT OF HAVING TO DECIDE WHICH ROAD TO TAKE…..

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MANY OF THOSE DECISIONS WE MIGHT CONSIDER MOMENTARY.

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THEY WON’T HAVE A HUGE, LONG-LASTING IMPACT ON OUR LIVES.

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BUT OTHER CROSSROADS ARE RATHER SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE ON OUR LIVES OR THE LIVES OF OUR FAMILIES.

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• SHOULD I JOIN THE MILITARY OR GO TO COLLEGE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL?

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• SHOULD I START MY OWN BUSINESS, OR SHOULD I JUST STAY WHERE I’M AT?

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• SHOULD WE MOVE OR SHOULD WE STAY?

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• SHOULD I ASK HER TO MARRY ME OR WAIT?

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• SHOULD I BUY THAT NEW CAR OR KEEP DRIVING WHAT I HAVE?

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• SHOULD I HAVE THE SURGERY OR TRY SOME OTHER FORM OF TREATMENT?

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THOSE ARE ALL DECISIONS I THINK YOU WOULD PROBABLY PUT INTO THE SIGNIFICANT CATEGORY BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE ON YOU OR OTHERS.

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BUT THERE ARE OTHER TIMES WHEN THOSE SEEMINGLY MOMENTARY CROSSROADS IN THE ROAD TURN INTO THE SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTING YOUR LIFE OR THE LIVES OF OTHERS.

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PSALM 1

PLACES BEFORE US SUCH A CROSSROADS. THIS PSALM IS THE FIRST OF 150 PSALMS THAT GOD INSPIRED ITS AUTHORS TO WRITE FOR GOD’S PEOPLE OF EVERY TIME.

THE TOPICS WITHIN THESE PSALMS RANGE FROM –

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• PRAYERS ASKING FOR GOD’S DELIVERANCE FROM THE ENEMIES OF GOD’S PEOPLE

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• PSALMS OF PRAISE AND THANKS FOR GOD’S PROTECTION AND GOODNESS

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• THERE ARE PSALMS OF CONFESSION OF SIN THAT CALL UPON THE LORD TO GRANT FORGIVENESS

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• PSALMS THAT PAINT STUNNING PICTURES OF WHAT THE MESSIAH JESUS WOULD SUFFER IN ORDER TO SECURE THAT FORGIVENESS OF SINS

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WHILE THE TOPICS MAY VARY, THERE IS ONE THING THAT ALL OF THESE PSALMS HAVE IN COMMON.

THEY ARE ALL THE WORD OF OUR GOD, THE THINGS THAT GOD WANTS US TO HEAR -- TO KNOW -- TO LOVE -- TO FOLLOW.

PSALM 1

ASKS US --

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• “WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH THESE PSALMS?”

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• “WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH GOD’S WORD?”

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• “HOW WILL YOU APPROACH IT?”

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• “WILL YOU ALLOW IT TO GUIDE YOUR LIFE?”

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• “OR WILL YOU TRY TO GO IT ON YOUR OWN?”

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• YES, THERE IS A CROSSROADS

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IF YOU HAVE EVER LISTENED TO SOMEONE WHO WAS ADDICTED TO PAIN KILLERS….AND THEY HAVE HIT ROCK BOTTOM – THEIR LIFE IS SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL, THEY HAVE LOST THEIR JOB - THEIR FAMILY - THEIR HOME - THEIR HEALTH – IF YOU ASK THEM HOW THEY GOT TO WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW, VERY RARELY WILL YOU HEAR SOMEONE SAY, “WELL, ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO I WOKE UP ONE MORNING AND I DECIDED THAT I WAS GOING TO BE AN ADDICT AND LOSE EVERYTHING THAT I HAD.”

NO.

USUALLY YOU WILL HEAR STORIES ABOUT HOW IT STARTED OUT WITH WHAT SEEMED TO BE LITTLE THINGS –

• A COUPLE MORE PILLS THAN WHAT WAS PRESCRIBED JUST TO GET THROUGH THE DAY

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• A FEW EXTRA DRINKS TO “TAKE THE EDGE OFF”

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• BEFORE THEY KNEW IT, THE MOMENTARY DECISIONS LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT CATASTROPHES

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PSALM 1

DESCRIBES A ROAD THAT IF FOLLOWED WILL LEAD TO DESTRUCTION, UNABLE TO PASS GOD’S JUDGMENT AT THE END OF LIFE AND BEING SEPARATED FROM GOD LIKE USELESS CHAFF BLOWN AWAY BY THE WIND.

HOW DOES A PERSON GET TO THAT POINT?

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WELL, LIKE THE ADDICT, IT’S NOT USUALLY THE DEVIL WALKING UP TO A PERSON AND SAYING, “GIVE UP ON JESUS AND FOLLOW ME TO HELL.”

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NO.

IT STARTS WITH THE SEEMINGLY INSIGNIFICANT AND MOMENTARY WHICH THEN LEADS TO THE SIGNIFICANT AND ETERNALLY SIGNIFICANT.

IT’S THE PROGRESSION THAT YOU HEAR DESCRIBED IN THE OPENING VERSE OF THIS PSALM.

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DID YOU CATCH THAT?

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A PERSON THAT FOLLOWS THE ADVICE OF THE WICKED….TAKE THE PATH THAT SINNERS TREAD…..SIT IN THE SEAT OF SCOFFERS………

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YOUR VERSION MAY SAY…..

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• A PERSON THAT WILL “WALK IN STEP WITH THE WICKED” -- THEN, “STAND IN THE WAY THAT SINNERS TAKE” -- AND FINALLY, “SIT IN THE COMPANY OF MOCKERS”

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DID YOU THE NOTICE THE PROGRESSION THAT WALKING DOWN THIS ROAD TAKES?

IT STARTS WITH “WALK IN STEP WITH THE WICKED.”

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• YOU DECIDE TO COMPROMISE A LITTLE ON WHAT YOU BELIEVE

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• MAYBE JUSTIFYING YOUR DECISION WITH, “WELL, IT’S ONLY ONE TIME”

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• IT’S ONLY ONCE IN AWHILE

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• OTHER PEOPLE SEEM TO BE DOING IT AND I DON’T SEE THEM BEING ALL THE MISERABLE

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IT BEGINS WITH COMPROMISING.

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AND WHEN YOU’VE COMPROMISED LONG ENOUGH THEN WHAT HAPPENS?

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YOU BEGIN TO “STAND IN THE WAY THAT SINNERS TAKE.”

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YOU GET COMFORTABLE IN THE SIN THAT YOU ARE COMMITTING.

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WHAT YOU AT ONE TIME FELT BAD ABOUT, YOU FEEL VERY LITTLE GUILT OVER.

AND THEN FINALLY WHAT HAPPENS?

YOU END UP “SITTING IN THE COMPANY OF MOCKERS.”

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• YOU BECOME COMMITTED TO THAT SIN

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• YOU DEFEND IT AND SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH IT

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• IN FACT, YOU BECOME ONE OF THE MOCKERS, MOCKING THOSE WHO STILL THINK WHAT YOU’RE DOING IS WRONG

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• YOU FEEL RIGHT AT HOME, MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE MOCKERS OF GOD THAN WITH THE FOLLOWERS OF GOD

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HOW DOES A PERSON GET TO THAT POINT?

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YES, IT STARTED WITH THE MOMENTARY AND IT LED TO THE SIGNIFICANT.

HOWEVER, REMEMBER THIS IS A CROSSROADS.