Sermon Tone Analysis
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2 Cor 4:8-9
I am writing in response to your request for additional information.
In block number 3 of the accident reporting form, I put, *"Poor Planning"*, as the cause of my accident.
You said in your letter that I should explain more fully, and I trust that the following details will be sufficient:
I am a bricklayer by trade.
On the day of the accident, I was working alone on the roof of a ten-story building.
When I completed my work, I discovered I had about 500 pounds of bricks left over.
Rather than carry them down by hand, I decided to lower them to the ground in a barrel by using a pulley which, fortunately, was attached to the side of the building at the tenth floor.
Securing the rope at ground level, I went to the roof, loaded the 500 pounds of bricks, then went back down to the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to insure a slow descent of the 500 pounds of bricks.
(You will note in block 11 of the accident reporting form that I weigh 135 pounds).
Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forget to let go of the rope.
Needless to say, I proceeded at a rapid rate up the side of the building.
In the vicinity of the fifth floor, I met the barrel coming down.
This explains the fractured skull and broken collarbone.
I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley.
Fortunately, by this time I had regained my presence of mind and was able to hold tightly to the rope in spite of my pain.
At approximately this same time, however, the barrel of bricks hit the ground, and the bottom fell out of the barrel.
Devoid of the weight of the bricks, the barrel now weighed approximately 30 pounds.
I refer you again to my weight in block number 11 of the accident reporting form.
As you might imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of the building.
In the vicinity of the fifth floor, I met that barrel coming up again!
This accounts for the two fractured ankles and lacerations of my legs and lower body.
The second encounter with the barrel slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell into the pile of bricks, and fortunately, only three vertebrae were cracked.
I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the bricks -- in pain and unable to stand -- watching the empty barrel ten stories above me -- I again lost my presence of mind -- *I LET GO OF THE ROPE.
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Charlie Brown builds a beautiful sand castle, works on it for hours, and stands back to look at it.
Just as he’s admiring it, the storm comes up, and the rains come to blow over his sand castle.
His beautiful masterpiece is leveled.
He says to himself “*There must be a lesson in this, but I’m not sure what it is.”*
*I.
Various Causes of Storms*
*Everyone has had sand castles blown away.*
When life gives us a blow, we wonder why we are being hit.
· Some storms are caused by the Devil.
· Sometimes they’re caused by other people.
· Sometimes they’re caused by us.
· Always they’re allowed by the Lord.
No one is excluded from the storms of life.
/For many of you, the clouds have already gathered.
If you are in the worst storm of your life, I want you to realize that everyone has them./
Jesus said in Matthew 5:45, *“He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”*
We see storms, problems, difficulties, and trials coming to all of us.
There are no exclusions.
Believers aren’t excluded from the storms of life.
Þ */Jonah deliberately disobeyed God.
The Bible says God sent a great wind when Jonah was on the boat.
/*
Þ */Ananias and Sapphira deliberately lied to God and to the church concerning their giving.
Acts 5 tells how they lost their lives.
/*
Þ Some storms come because we *willingly, willfully disobey God’s light.**
The storm you’re encountering could be a storm caused by disobedience.*
*~*~*~*~*~*But I want you also to know that some storms come because we are in God’s will…* /When we are doing God’s will, when we are in the very center of what God wants for us, the storms still come./
~* Just because you’re encountering a storm in your life does not mean you’re out of the will of God.
~* Just because you are having difficulties in your life does not necessarily mean that you are willfully disobeying him.
There are beautiful examples in the story from Luke 8.
If you’ll look at verse 22, *it says Jesus told his disciples to get into a boat and start back across the lake.
*
Þ /These guys are out in the middle of the lake in a terrible storm.
/
Þ /They are fishermen, they’re afraid, so it’s got to be a bad storm.
/
Þ /They are in the midst of the storm, and Jesus is the one who put them in the boat; he had told them to get out in the middle of the lake./
*They’re right in the middle of God’s will, but they are having the storm of their lives.*
*The story of Job is a perfect example.*
We know that when Satan came to God concerning what was happening on earth, God challenged him saying,* “I want you to look at Job. He’s a perfect man.”
*
*Had Job’s sin caused the boils from head to toe as Job sat on an ash heap?*
No, Job was faithful.
Þ *The apostle Paul is another example.*
Þ Paul suffered shipwreck, beatings, and a martyr’s death.
Paul, a man of God, one of the great men in the history of the Christian church, *remained in the center of God’s will.*
You can *never* look at people, see what they’re going through, and say one person is doing right and another must be doing wrong because one person is being *blessed and another is being cursed.*
We need to understand that storms happen to people in the will of God as well as outside of his will.
*II.
Jesus Prays for Us in Our Storms*
*What does Jesus do for us in the storm?*
*First, he prays for us*.
*Romans 8:26-27: Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses.
For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought.
But the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.*
*How He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is.
Because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”*
In Hebrews 4:14-16: *“Since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.”*
*For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.*
*Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”*
Þ *Whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God, and there we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.*
The Hebrew writer says that Jesus intercedes for us in our times of need.
In the Greek, /in times of need /literally means *“in the nick of time.”*
*As we are here on earth encountering storms in our life, our Lord is at the right hand of the Father interceding for us.
He ministers to us in the very nick of time.*
~* */It’s absolutely wonderful to have somebody pray./*
The Sequoia trees of California tower as much as 300 feet above the ground.
Strangely, these giants have unusually shallow root systems that reach out in all directions to capture the greatest amount of surface moisture.
Seldom will you see a redwood standing alone, because high winds would quickly uproot it.
That's why they grow in clusters.
Their intertwining roots provide support for one another against the storms.
*Suffering comes to all of us, and no one can suffer for us.*
Even so, just like those giant Sequoia trees, we can be supported in those difficult times by the prayers and understanding of loved ones and friends.
* But you know what the good news is?*
*The best news I have for you is this: /If you’re walking through the toughest time of your life, Jesus is praying for you/**/./*
Þ *He’s interceding for you.
He’s caring for you.
He’s taken your need to the Father.**
*
*III.
God Refines Us in the Storms*
*Malachi 3:3 “He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver…”*
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