Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRODUCTION

In his book “The Servant Who Rules”, Ray Steadman shares the following illustration.

Jazz pianist George Shearing was blind from birth.

The composer of more than three hundred pieces, including the jazz standard “Lullaby of Birdland,” Shearing toured continually throughout his long career.

He could often be found in busy downtown areas, navigating crowded sidewalks with his dark glasses and white cane.

On one occasion, he was at a busy intersection at rush hour, waiting for help in crossing the street.

Finally someone tapped him on the shoulder.

What Shearing heard next was not an offer for help but a request.

“Excuse me, sir,” a stranger said to Shearing, “would you mind helping a blind man cross the street?”

Shearing was about to tell the other man that he too was blind.

Then he thought, Why not give it a go?

So Shearing said, “Certainly, my friend.

Here, take my arm.”

The two men set off across the street together, the blind leading the blind.

Shearing heard many unnerving sounds as they crossed the street—tires squealing, horns blaring, the angry voices of cab drivers—but they made it safely to the far curb.

Later Shearing recalled the incident and said, “I'll never do it again, but I'm glad I did it once.

It was the biggest thrill of my life!”

READ

WE ARE DEALING WITH THINGS THAT WE HAVE NEVER HAD TO DEAL WITH BEFORE

ALL SENSE OF MORALITY WAS GONE

YOU CAN BECOME WHATEVER YOU WANT AND BASICALLY DO WHAT YOU WANT

THE WORLD IS CHANGING BEFORE OUR EYES AND IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT WE ARE LIVING IN A BLIND WORLD

THERE IS NO RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY OR LEADERSHIP

WE WANT TO BE INDEPENDENT BUT THE BODY OF CHRIST IS INTERDEPENDENT

AND WHERE THERE IS BLINDNESS, THERE WILL BE ALL KINDS OF TRAGEDIES AND ADVERSITIES

WHEN JESUS CHRIST WALKED UPON THIS EARTH, HE MOSTLY HEALED BLIND PEOPLE

I WOULD PREACH THIS TEXT, I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW

BUT AS I BEGAN EXAMINING IT A BIT DEEPER, I COULD SEE THAT THE CITY IS BLIND, THE BACKGROUND IS BLIND, AND EVEN JESUS’ DISCVIPLES WERE BLIND

SOME OF THE MOST VIVID PICTURES OF THE BIBLE CENTER BLINDNESS, INCLUDING THE SODOMITES LOOKED FOR LOT’S HOUSE, THE ALMOST BLIND ISAAC WHO WAS TRICKED BY HIS OWN SON, SAMSON’S EYES TAKEN OUT, AN ARMY OF SYRYAN WARRIORS BEING STRUCK BLIND, THE MAN HEALED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE BLIND BEGGERS WHO WOULD CALL OUT FOR CHRIST IN THE MIDST OF THEIR DILEMA, TO THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS, AND EVEN HIS DISCIPLES

IN BOTH THE SPIRITUAL AND THE NATURAL, BLINDNESS IS A TERROR

THE BIBLE SAYS

THE WORD PERISH IS THE HEBREW WORD IS PR (PAWRAW) AND MEANS-TO BE FREE FROM RESTRAINT, TO GO OUT OF CONTROL, OR TO RUN WILD

WHICH TELLS ME THAT WHERE THERE IS A VISION, PEOPLE ARE DISCIPLINED, SELF CONTROLLED, AND ADHERENCE TO GOD’S WORD

THUS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CHAOS GOING ON IN THE WORLD, WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS A BLIND WORLD WITH BLIND PEOPLE LIVING IN IT

TO COMBAT THE BLINDNESS IN THE WORLD, GOD IS GIVING MORE LIGHT TO HIS WORD

THE BIBLE SAYS,

WHILE THE WORLD IS BECOMING BLINDER, WE NEED TO STUDY OUR SCRIPTURES MORE

HOW CAN WE STAY AHEAD WHEN PEOPLE DON’T REALLY STUDY THEIR BIBLES ANYMORE?

BUT GOD IS GOING TO OPEN UP THINGS THAT WERE CLOSED BEFORE, THT WERE SHUT DOWN

HE IS GOING TO OPEN REVELATION, GRACE, STRENGTH, AND POWER

IF YOU WANT TO SEE HIM OPEN SOMETHING UP FOR YOU, GIVE HIM A PRAISE

BODY

CHRIST HAS JUST ENTERED INTO A CITY NAMED BETHSAIDA, AND SOME CARING FRIENDS HAVE BROUGHT UNTO HIM A BLIND MAN

BUT THE BLIND MAN WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE BLIND, THE TOWN IS BLIND, JESUS IS SURROUNDED BY APOSTLES THAT WERE BLIND

THERE WAS SO MUCH BLINDNESS

THEN, COMES THE FIRST TOUCH

JESUS TOOK THE MAN BY THE HAND AND LED HIM OUT OF THE TOWN

CHRIST HAS TAKEN HIM BY THE HAND, BUT NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN THE FIRST TOUCH

NOTHING HAS CHANGED BUT THE TWO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP NOW

FIRST, HE LONGS FOR A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU

THE STORMS ARE STILL RAGING, BUT WE STILL HAVE A RELATIONSHIP

THE WIND IS STILL BLOWING BUT WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP

YOUR BODY IS STILL FILLED WITH PAIN, BUT WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP THE FIRST TOUCH WAS NOT TO CHANGE HIM BUT TO BRING HIM OUT OF AN ENVIRONMENT OF DOUBT, FEAR, DESTRUCTION

HE TOOK HIM BY THE HAND AND LED HIM OUT

LEADING YOU OUT IS A PROCESS

HERE IS THE PROCESS, CAN YOU FOLLOW ME IN THE DARK

CAN FEEL YOUR WAY THROUGH IT

CAN YOU GO THROUGH A TIME WHEN NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN YOUR LIFE

CHRIST WANTS TO KNOW, CAN YOU FOLLOW HIM IN THE SHADOWS

WILL YOU STAY WITH HIM WHEN YOU CAN’T SEE ANYTHING

THE MAN DIDN’T TAKE JESUS BY THE HAND, JESUS TOOK THE MAN BY THE HAND

IF THE MAN WOULD HAVE TAKEN JESUS BY THE HAND

BUT, JESUS HAS A HOLD ON ME AND IT CAN’T BE BROKEN

IT IS NOT THAT I HAVE A HOLD ON CHRIST BUT THAT HE HAS A HOLD ON ME

MY HAND MAY SLIP BUT GOD HAS A HOLD ON ME

I MAY MAKE SOME MISTAKES BUT CHRIST HAS A HOLD ON ME

I MAY FAIL AND FALL SHORT BUT CHRIST HAS A HOLD ON ME

I MAY HAVE LOST MY JOB BUT CHRIST HAS A HOLD ON TO ME

I MAY HAVE LOST MY MARRIAGE BUT CHRIST HAS A HOLD ON ME

TELL SOMEONE, HE HAS A HOLD ON ME

I CAN’T SEE RIGHT NOW BUT CHRIST HAS A HOLD ON ME

EVERYTHING IN THE KINGDOM IS ABOUT 3’S

LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE-FATHER, SON, HOLY SPIRIT

MAN IS BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT

THE OUTER COURT, THE INNER COURT, THE HOLIES OF HOLIES

INSIDE THE ARK-THE 10 COMMANDMENTS, AARON’S ROD THAT BUDDED, AND THE MANNA

DAVID WAS ANOINTED 3 TIMES

FAITH, HOPE, LOVE

JESUS TOOK PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN

ITS ALWAYS ABOUT 3’S

THE 1ST TOUCH PULLS YOU OUT OF THE INFLUENCE

PULLED HIM OUT AND HE IS STILL BLIND

WE HAVE A WORLD THAT GOD KEEPS PULLING OUT

WE HAVE A GOD TAKING CARE OF US IN DARKNESS

THEN JESUS TOUCHED HIM THE SECOND TIME WHEN HE SPAT ON HIM

WHEN HE TOUCHED HIM THE SECOND TIME, HE SAID WHAT DO YOU SEE

EVERY TOUCH HAS A TEST

YOU CANNOT ENJOY THE TOUCH IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO TAKE THE TEST

YOU CAN’T RECEIVE THIS WORD AND NOT BE TESTED

EVERY TOUCH HAS A TEST

HE TOUCHED HIM, THEN HE TESTED HIM AND SAID, WHAT DO YOU SEE

HE SAID, I SEE MEN WALKING AS TREES

HE RECEIVES A LITTLE SIGHT, YET THINGS ARE STILL OUT OF FOCUS

HE SAW MEN WALKING AS TREES

LATER, THE DISCIPLES WOULKD KNOW THAT CHRIST IS THE MESSIAH BUT DID NOT KNOW THAT HE WAS GOING TO THE CROSS

JESUS WAS SURROUNDED BY MEN WHO COULD SEE MEN, BUT THEY COULD NOT SEE THE TREE

CAN YOU WALK WITH A GOD WHEN LIFE IS OUT OF FOCUS

CAN YOU BE FAITHFUL OUT OF FOCUS

THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE PEOPLE STOP HELPING YOU BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE BUT YOU CAN’T HELP YOURSELF BECAUSE YOU ARE STILL OUT OF FOCUS

THE WHOLE CHAPTER IS ABOUT DARKNESS, BLINDNESS