Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Ill.

A few weeks ago I saw a story that was part catalyst for this message today.

Tom Cruise was doing a stunt for his new movie where he drove a motorcycle off a cliff and then parachuted or something off it.

This caused me to remember this is not the first stunt he’s done for the cause of ‘art’.

And I began to consider how this man is so dedicated to his legacy that he’s willing to risk life & limb for it.

And then I thought “50 years from now, who’s going to care?”

I mean, how often are movies from the 70’s watched today?

And even if they are, are they really making a difference?

Is that true purpose?

(For those that may not be aware), our theme this year is ‘Rise Up and Build’.

I believe that the wall of Nehemiah is a wonderful illustration of the state of the church.

The reason our country is in the shape it’s in, is because the church is in the shape it’s in.

The church is the entity that protected this nation in it’s inception and through it’s history.

It has given this country:

Safety

Stability

Sustainability

Whenever our enemy would attack, the church - God’s People - would rise up and protect this nation.

But the church has suffered grave attacks over the last 50-70 years that is has not withstood.

Satan has hurled various things upon it and has tore down at the church to where it lays in shambles today.

Satan has launched fiery darts and tore down the wall - AND BECAUSE THE WALL IS TORE DOWN, THE PEOPLE OF OUR COUNTRY ARE IN GREAT DISTRESS!

They have no protection!

Satan has landed three near-death blows to the church as a whole.

Satan first convinced the church that in order to reach the world, it had to become like the world.

Therefore, a large part of the church has given in to carnality - this is the Contemporary church movement.

It’s filled with preaching & practices that instead of rejecting worldliness, it is embracing it.

We see it in the dress, the music & the messages

Next, Satan convinced the church that it’s acceptable to give God part, but not all.

Therefore, much of the rest of the church has become Lukewarm - those that haven’t gone contemporary in their ways have become Lukewarm in their worship.

We give God part of our time, talents & treasures.

We do our little part of Sunday morning & feel that we’re ‘paid up’ with God until next Sunday

Few people get excited about going to the House of the LORD

Few people have a fire welling up inside them to do the Work & Will of God

Few people put the Things of God before the things of Self

Finally, Satan has inundated the church with things.

Things to do, things to see - things to otherwise occupy our time.

If we’re not working, we’re running to ball fields, or we’re surfing the internet, or going to appointments, or playing games, or facebook & TicToking, chores, TV, etc… Satan has made us so busy with things that mean nothing that we don’t have time to think about the things of God or the matters of eternity.

One thing that impressed me in reading Ecclesiastes recently was Ecc.

7:2-4 “It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.”

The reason is that when we’re at the house of mourning (a funeral) we take time to think about things that really matter… to which man does very little of today.

Now I say ‘near-death’ blows, because there is still hope.

The walls are down, yes, but they can be rebuilt!

There is hope for the church, and our nation - but it starts right here.

And let me say this: You have no right to complain about the state of our country if you’re not willing to pickup a brick & get to work!

So today’s message is titled ‘Let Us Rise Up and Build a Life of Purpose’, because the truth is, God gives man opportunity to make a difference - to live a life of worth that matters, but few truly do.

Carnal lives are a dime a dozen

Lukewarm lives never effect that which is around it

(Ill.

You can step in water that’s Lukewarm and hardly notice it… so is the lives of the Lukewarm Christian)

And being busy is not the same a being productive...

if you’re life is going to truly make an impact, it can, and it can begin today: I believe this message can help you do so.

If you’re going to Rise Up and Build a life of Purpose, the first thing that you must do is Determine to Understand

I. Determine to Understand (v6)

A large portion of those that heard Jesus speaking here are Pharisees.

If you’re not familiar with the Pharisees, they are the religious bunch of the day.

But just because they were religious is not the reason they didn’t understand.

They didn’t understand because they’d already (by and large) had their minds made up.

They didn’t need to understand because nothing was going to change their mind.

So today, you may be religious - that may be your problem.

You’re comfortable in your religion & you don’t need to understand this message on anything more than a surface level.

But you may NOT be religious and have the same mindset.

In other words, you don’t need this message to affect you - you are comfortable where you’re at...

But if you’re going to live a life of purpose, then you must Determine to Understand.

And whether or not you Understand is up to one person - YOU.

Your Past Matters Not

Where you’re been doesn’t matter.

You may have frequented the most unsavory places.

What you’ve done doesn’t matter.

You may have sin in your life that would make Hitler blush, but it doesn’t matter!

Your past will not determine your understanding… unless you let it!

God used a murderer by the name of Moses

God used a schemer by the name of Jacob

God used a harlot by the name of Rahab

God used a lowly fisherman by the name of Peter

God used a blood-thirsty zealot by the name of Paul

You see it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, it matters where you’re going!

You past matters not

Your People Matter Not

As mentioned, the large part of these were Pharisees.

But know this: God can and will still save a Pharisee!

God was able to reach a man by the name of Nicodemus - the one who came to Him by night in Joh. 3.

He reached another by the name of Joseph of Arimathea who begged Jesus’ body and buried Him in his own new tomb

So you’re people matter not.

God can save and use you regardless of who your momma & daddy are.

He can save & use you no matter who your friends are.

AND THAT GOES BOTH WAYS - Just because your momma & daddy are saved, that doesn’t automatically make you saved as well!

Your people matter not

Only Your Posture Matters

Posture (def) Situation; condition; particular state with regard to something else

What I’m talking about is your state of mind regarding the message here today.

The way you regard it - because there are many ways you can:

You can shut your ears to the message

You can hear it, but not heed it

You can heed it, but not practice it

Or you can heed it and then ACT on it!

Let me ask you...

What separated the Pharisees from the Apostles?