Sermon Tone Analysis

*Billboards and Blasphemy - The Foundation for Relationships*

*Today’s Passage*

*2 Timothy 3:1-6 \\ *But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.

2 People will be *lovers* *of themselves*, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, *unholy*, 3 *without love*, unforgiving, slanderous, *without self-control*, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, *lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God*— *5 having a form of godliness* but denying its power.

*Have nothing to do with them*.

A friend of mine the other day was driving and decided at the last minute he wanted to go to the bears game.

So He drove up to Chicago and on the way up there he saw all these advertising billboards telling him about products, tell him what direction to turn to get the product he wanted and how to pay for it.

So he followed the advertising off the billboard and followed the directions of the Billboard until he came to a place where he could purchase tickets.

So he went into the building, went up to the teller and proceeded to tell the teller what he wanted.

When he finished explaining his need for bears tickets, the teller looked at him and said, “We don’t sell bears tickets here.”

My friend was irate.

He said, “What do you mean you don’t sell bears tickets?

I saw the billboard, I read the advertising, I followed the directions all of it told me you were selling bears tickets and it led me right here.”

She calmly replied, “Between you and me we do that just to get people here.

We sell tickets just not Bears tickets.”

My friend screamed, “You can’t do that!

That is false advertising!

Then he walked out and never returned!

Now you may ask yourself what in the world does this story have to do with this passage of scripture?

But the answer is simple.

This passage of scripture is talking about false advertising.

It’s talking about people who are supposedly the Lords Billboards.

Supposed Christians that leave people with the wrong impression, Christian billboards that lead people in the wrong direction, and billboards that people see and are completely misled and in the end make not only themselves but everyone in there circles pay the ultimate price.

Some of people in this room are just like these Billboards.

They have all the right words, maybe even good intentions, but underlying everything they say and do is their own words, their own direction, and their own desires waiting to be played out in the name of the Lord!

You see this passage of scripture, while it may speak to the sinner is intended for the person that calls himself a Christian.

In essence it’s calling out to those who profess themselves Christians and saying you are an enemy of the kingdom rather than an heir to the throne.

It’s talking to the “Religious Person.”

Now to me you can cuss at me, curse at my wife, curse at my son, but if you call me a religious Christian we are going to have a problem.

Religious is what the Pharisee’s and Sadducees were.

They often were on the other end of Jesus’ scolding because the weight of their religion was burdensome rather setting people free as God intended.

So what makes a person Pharisee?

·         If you buy into a school of thought rather than the word of God you’re a Pharisee.

·         If your interpretation (or opinion) of scripture is more important than scripture itself you’re a Pharisee.

·         If you know everything about the Bible there is to know, and are willing to let everyone know how much you know, but are not integrated and submitted into a church, a ministry, or a fellowship you’re a Pharisee.

·         If the tradition of the church and its rules are more important than the function of scripture in your life you’re a Pharisee.

·         If you keep the law of scripture, but never experience its power you are a Pharisee.

·         If you’re a Pharisee then you’re a Pharisee but your not a Christian.

Simply put if this is you then your not part of the Kingdom of God, but more like part of the kingdom of Bob.

Meaning you are your own Lord, you got your own set of do’s and don’ts, got your own spiritual way of doing things, got your own legalities and rules for your own kingdom!

The problem with religious people and Pharisees is they are more interested in what they believe then what God wants them to hear and do.

You know the type, the know it all.

Now, before you shake your head yes and shout a big “amen”, you should examine yourself to see if you fit the description.

The issue is one of Divine authority.

Take King Saul for example.

Saul was a ruler anointed by God.

He had gifts that were God-given, and he had sense of Diving Spirituality that he clothed himself in.

However, the anointing he received was something that never penetrated his shell.

Ultimately and terrifyingly once God gives a gift, He does not revoke it.

Consequently, those who sometimes have divine authority misrepresent God thinking they are pleasing him.

They may prophesy, devastate pagan armies, even bring forth mighty works, but they may also throw spears, hate God’s anointed, attack others, plot against the kingdom, cause division, kill, and even consult witches.

All of these things Saul was and did, and he was *anointed* by God.

On the other hand, David showed true divine authority not by his earthly rule, but by his complete submission to God’s will and word.

He did not reign and threaten by laws, rules, regulation and fear, nor was he established by them.

Even in the pits, and the caves he lived submissively toward God.

He didn’t look for quick fixes; easy ways out, or create rules and laws for his advantage, but instead he had patience and trusted in the Lord.

That patience and submissiveness led him to a place where God could lift him up in God’s glory, rather then finding acceptance and praise from man.

In essence, God used the pits and the caves to take “the Saul” out of David.

David didn’t question God’s call; he didn’t question God’s word, but rather found himself content in every situation God placed him in.

Therefore, David was established by God, in God’s timing, as God’s King, while Saul was never established by God, just excepted by man.

You see David’s destiny was in God’s hand whether he was king or he was in a pit or cave.

However, Saul took his destiny in his own hands and was left to his own destiny.

David’s kingdom was Gods, but Saul perceived himself as King of the kingdom of God.

God established David’s heart first and then he became his King, while Saul become King first while never letting God change his heart.

Both men were anointed and called by God and both thought they were doing God’s will.

However, only one fulfilled there purpose in God.

Saul was a type of “Pharisee” and David was a King.

So what makes a person a Pharisee?

Legalistic Pharisees are nothing but leaders that want to avoid suffering.

They are women and men, preachers, and traditions that speak on authority endlessly, only proving that they have none.

The truly anointed children of God spend all their time not talking about submission and authority because they recognize they are not on the throne.

They do not interpret scripture they follow God’s word.

They don’t claim revelation but submit to God’s will revealed.

They do not establish themselves but rather are established.

This is what David did.

He taught of losing rather than winning, giving not taking, he showed that the leader, not the follower is inconvienced.

He entrusted his life to God completely even during rebellion.

Is that you?  Are you like Saul or are you like David?

What I am talking about is something that the early New Testament Christians understood completely.

Some of you are like Saul and do not understand that the Kingdom is God’s and the Sovereign King is Jesus Christ.

Until you take yourself off your throne and become a servant rather then a king you’ll never be able to understand what it means to live by the power of God.

You will seek to establish and convince the world of your call rather then go through the right doors and allow God to establish you.

You will not allow Gods word to shape because you have sought to read and interpret God’s word from the lust of your own heart.

So you become like the Israelites and build your golden calf and call it YAHWEH.

You have just become religious and moreover, you will continue to live by your religion and its rules rather than be a true worshiper of God who approach there king through Spirit and truth.

*So what does this have to do with relationships and love?*

When God talks of relationship he talks in terms of himself being God and us being obedient.

Jesus never tried to convince people there was a God.

He spoke to man by putting them in there proper place.

We often try to build or faith from the bottom up while Christ spoke of God from the top down.

There was a different in Jesus because of it.

So what’s the point?

Unless you’re willing to conform instead of control there is no point talking about kingdom principles because they are intended for the children of the kingdom and not for children of their own fate.

So you must ask yourself if you are a child of God or master of your own universe?

You see relationships are two ways, they call for clear communication, for respect, for honor and truth.

They call for loyalty and love.

They call for sincerity and selflessness.

They call for sacrifice and admiration.

A relationship calls for you to think beyond yourself.

They are submissive and not aggressive.