Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

Katrina and I were walking through Walmart the other day, and as we were passing through we noticed that the employees were changing things out in the seasonal section of the store.

Just week before last that section was covered from top to bottom with Christmas tree’s, Christmas ordimants, candy cane’s, stocking stuffers, and and so forth.

But as the changing of the seasons go, so goes the seasonal section of the department store.

So they were moving out all the Christmas stuff, and they were replacing it with the New Years stuff.

So what were they putting out there for the New Year?

It’s the same thing every year.

It was the same thing back when I worked at Walmart, and I’ve noticed it’s always what they do.

Just between Christmas and Valentine's Day there’s a week and half or so time period where they change out the seasonal section for the New Year.

Do you know what’s in there?

Two things.

Fitness equipment, and storage containers.

Why storage containers and fitness equipment?

Well, have you ever been to the gym the first two weeks of January?

New Years is when people determine that they are going to turn over a new leaf.

This is the time when we make all of our resolutions about how we are going to do better.

And it’s because this is the time of year that we really think about making plans for our future.

And by the way, the difference between accomplishing your resolutions and not accomplishing them, is making a plan to accomplish them.

That one’s for free.

This time of year is when we make our plans.

How many of you have plans for 2023?

We make all kinds of plans:

We make plans for our health

We make plans for our family

We make plans for money

We make plans for our work

We make plans for dreams

We make plans for our retirement

If I were a betting man, I would wager that most of the people in this room made some plannings coming into 2023 in at least one of those categories, if not several of them.

Now let me ask you this question, and you don’t need to raise your hand, but I want to honestly consider it.

Did you have any resolutions, make any plans, or set any goals to grow spiritually in 2023?

Make A Plan to Come to Church

Hebrews 10:24-25 “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

This is foundational to your spiritual maturity in Christ.

Singing with the saints.

Hearing it preaching of the word of God.

Partaking of the Lord’s Table.

Things are sanctifying for the soul of the believer.

When you skip church you are cutting yourself of from the primary means that God uses to sanctify you in the Lord.

If you want to grown in your walk with the Lord you must be with the Saints on the Lord’s Day.

There is a difference between making a plan to go to church, and going to church when everything works out.

Here are some examples of specific commitment you could make that would help you be faithful to attend church in 2023:

Commit not to miss more than 3 Sundays in a year, unless you are sick with a fever or vomiting.

Or to put it another way, in 2023 make this commitment; If you wouldn’t call into work, then don’t skip church.

Commit, as much as it depends upon you, not be out past 10pm on Saturday night so that that you can be in your best frame of mind to worship on Sunday morning.

Commit to limit recreational activities that may interfere with Church attendance.

Worship begins on Saturday night.

Make A Plan to Read Your Bible

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

The Bible is God’s Holy Word.

As such, it is profitable, in that the Spirit of God uses it to transform the lives of His people.

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Some commitments you can make to be in God’s word this year.

Read the Bible for 15-20 minutes every day.

Read all the way through the Bible this year.

OSA Bible Reading Plan

Make A Plan to Pray

Make a Plan to Pray Three Different Ways

Plan to Intentionally Pray at a Specific and Place Every Day

Matthew 6:5-6 ““When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men.

Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

“But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

Maintain the Mind About You to Pray All Day Long

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Be in the Prayer Meeting with God’s People

1 Timothy 2:1-2 “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”

Some Specific Commitments Regarding Prayer

Commit To Commune with God on Purpose every day

Commit to pray for your family.

Your Children.

Your Grandchildren.

Commit to praying for your leaders, including me.

commit to pray for your church

Commit to pray for your neighbor

Pray for your community and nation

Commit to pray throughout your day as the need for prayer arises.

Be here when we pray.

945am Sunday Morning

6:30pm Wednesday Night

Make a Plan to do Family Worship

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 ““Hear, O Israel!

The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.

“You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.

“You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.

“You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Deuteronomy 6:20-25 ““When your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What do the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments mean which the Lord our God commanded you?’ then you shall say to your son, ‘We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Lord brought us from Egypt with a mighty hand.

‘Moreover, the Lord showed great and distressing signs and wonders before our eyes against Egypt, Pharaoh and all his household; He brought us out from there in order to bring us in, to give us the land which He had sworn to our fathers.’

“So the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God for our good always and for our survival, as it is today.

“It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the Lord our God, just as He commanded us.”

Ephesians 6:4 “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

Conclusion: You Need a Plan to Grow Spiritually This Year