Sermon Tone Analysis

Ps 1:

The Faithful Have Vanished

It certainly feels this way at times.

But 73% of Americans identify as Christians!

But wait…

What does it mean to be a Christian?

Barna uses several of these to identify key faith groups in America, including “born again Christians,” “evangelical Christians” and those who are “Bible-minded.”

The largest of these groups are born again Christians, which make up roughly one-third of the population (35%).

These individuals have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in their life today and believe that, when they die, they will go to heaven because they have confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their savior.

The next largest group are those considered Bible-minded, who make up about one-quarter of the population (23%).

They believe the Bible is accurate in all the principles it teaches and have read the Scriptures within the past week.

Finally, the small (7%) but influential group of evangelicals are those who meet the born again criteria plus seven other conditions (detailed below), which are made up of a set of doctrinal views that touch on topics like evangelism, Satan, biblical inerrancy and salvation.

- https://www.barna.com/research/state-church-2016/

Evangelical Christian: Meet the born again criteria plus seven other conditions.

These conditions include saying their faith is very important in their life today; believing they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs about Christ with non-Christians; believing that Satan exists; believing that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth; asserting that the Bible is accurate in all that it teaches; believing that eternal salvation is possible only through grace, not works; and describing God as the all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect deity who created the universe and still rules it today.

Being classified as an evangelical is not dependent upon church attendance or the denominational affiliation of the church attended.

Respondents were not asked to describe themselves as “evangelical.”

Evangelical Christian: 1) Faith is important to life today.

2) Responsibility to share the Gospel.

3) Satan exists.

4) Jesus was sinless.

5) Bible is accurate.

6) Salvation is through faith, not works.

7) God is the all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect Creator & Ruler of the universe.

This is not a high bar.

1) Faith is important to life today.

2) Responsibility to share the Gospel.

3) Satan exists.

4) Jesus was sinless.

5) Bible is accurate.

6) Salvation is through faith, not works.

7) God is the all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect Creator & Ruler of the universe.

The Tongue that Makes Great Boasts

Why do people boast and brag?

Because they feel insufficient.

Putting others down and raising themselves up.

The Gospel removes the need for boasting and the ability to boast.

Words matter.

God’s Word is powerful.

As those made in the image of God, our words are powerful as well.

To hurt and to heal.

To heal.

To curse and to pray.

Psalm 12:

Pure Words

God responds to the needs of the oppressed.

“I will now arise” - God takes action.

“I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”

“Save” (from v.1) and “safety” are different forms of the same Hebrew word used in this passage.’

The Word of God is powerful.

“The words of the Lord are pure” in contrast with the words of men.

“I will now arise” - God takes action.

You, O LORD, will keep them;

you will guard us from this generation forever.

8  On every side the wicked prowl,

as vileness is exalted among the children of man.

“I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”

Guard Us from this Generation

God will keep and guard a remnant.

“Save” (from v.1) and “safety” are different forms of the same Hebrew word used in this passage.’

Moses before Pharoah:

God has always kept a remnant and he always will, even to this day.

On every side the wicked prowl.

This is a message of God’s protection of His people.

Vileness is exalted among men.

But we can be a light in the darkness.