Sermon Tone Analysis

2017: Opportunity to Grow in Holiness

Introduction

It's 2017…

It's surprisingly how stalks you all year and can still catch you by surprise.

Last night story

Gun shooting outside

Sounded like a civil war

I never went to look.

Initially out of fear then out of embarrassment as I looked at the clock and saw it was midnight.

So… How was last year?

Good?

Difficult?

Did you make good use of it; waste it?

2016 is over.

Is there anything you wish you could do over?

Do you look back and wish there was an option to “redo” or “play again”?

I haven’t found a “play again” button - an option allowing you to go back and redo things.

Time is a one way street and the only way to proceed is to grow and develop; to press on to the next level.

You need to grow; to press on.

If you aren’t growing you’ll die.

I am not a person given to thinking a lot about the past.

#1 I literally can’t remember what happened so it’s pretty hard to think about a blank memory #2 it’s not really my nature.

I tend to think about improving the future or just being happy and zen in the moment.

But… God commands Israel on numerous occasions to remember things.

Don’t forget the forty years in the wilderness

Remember Egypt; the Red Sea.

Keep the Passover feast so everyone remembers.

So… I think it's good to reflect (to remember).

But I’m not sure that it happens as much as it should.

We run around doing this and planning that;

gotta keep the ball rolling,

time is money,

so much to do...

and even when we do stop to study God’s Word we want it fast; a shot of espresso and we’re good.

I realize many of you fellows are in an early morning Bible Study and I think that is fabulous.

Maybe I’m the wrong person to be saying this but felt the Spirit leading pretty strongly, indicating this is what He wants to happen this morning.

So try to see past me.

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

There is a holiness that if we don’t have we will not see the Lord.

This is serious business.

If you don’t have this holiness you won’t get to heaven even though… (did we not… ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

(you live as if I gave you no law)

(ESV)

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you.

7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.

8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

Goal: this morning is to make a space to allow each of us to reflect on the past year; ask God to show us where we should focus our energy in 2017 so that we can grow in holiness.

To hear what God would like to point out to us if we would sit still and listen.

Clarify: I’ll discuss this a bit later but I’m not diminishing salvation by faith.

It’s just that we need to recon with this verse also.

Also… This is not New Year’s resolutions.

The attitude here is “Lord you are the potter, I am the clay - I’m yielding myself to be shaped by you this year.

I want to work with you so where are we starting”

If this verse Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

This is a difference of life or death.

So I had to ask myself, “What do I want to happen?” “What is the point of this gathering?”

To allow God to direct in our hearts and minds so that we can learn from last years mistakes and press on to know the Lord; to strive for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

And what does a teacher say when something is important…?

“Don’t forget this… Write it in your notes”

And so I have paper and pencils for you.

I’m not expecting you to be scribbling notes of what I have to say.

My only point is for you to write down what comes to your mind as you reflect on the last year.

My emphasis is primarily to encourage those of you who are professing Christians but I would encourage everyone to reflect on their year and consider how they measure up.

Even the children.

Maybe you start to see that you are not very considerate or thankful for all that your mother does for you.

Maybe start a good habit of thanking your mother for her hard work preparing food that ten minutes later is gone.

Isn’t it amazing that they work so hard to make food for us and even if we don’t say thankyou mothers will turn around and make us another meal.

Mothers must love us a lot!

Marlin Eby encouraging us to thank our mothers story.

Pass Out Paper

Why: See… When I sat down to do this I Immediately had three items that very specifically stood out to me and I am confident they are the things that Christ looks at and says “I died for this?”

Yet a few minutes later when I stepped outside to take a walk… I couldn’t remember a single one.

That's not effective listening or learning...

Clarify: Now if you think this just won’t work for you, I’m not going to force anyone to write… but do think

Also, I might throw this out there.

Not everyone is as comfortable letting everyone see this.

I think it is good to be open but remember just being open isn’t being good.

So be respectful of each other's feelings.

Context Verses

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23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!

Try me and know my thoughts!c

24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting!

God is there anything I am doing that is grieving you?

23 How many are my iniquities and my sins?

Make me know my transgression and my sin.

5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith.

Test yourselves.

Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

Similar idea to For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.

8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

9 The heart is deceitful above all things,

and desperately sick;

who can understand it?

Be sure you are working with God

40 Let us test and examine our ways,

and return to the LORD!

57 The LORD is my portion;

I promise to keep your words.

58 I entreat your favor with all my heart;