Sermon Tone Analysis
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Intro
In the next few weeks we’ll be talking about SC3.
I love to talk about the church.
I’ll always be a church-man.
When my time in leadership is done, I’ll spend the rest of my time supporting and helping the next generation of preachers.
Foundations
I love the church because Jesus loves the church.
He gave his life for the church.
The church isn’t a place you go.
The church is the redeemed people who are called together to live in a fashion that mirrors Heaven today.
The church is the gathering of people who are called to live out the realities of love, justice, mercy.
The church is that gathering of people who are called to worship and equality.
I love that SC3 is part of God’s big, beautiful, redemptive, messy, church.
I love to talk, and pray, and dream about the future of SC3.
Easy to talk about programs and growth but I’ve come to realize (sorry it took me three and a half years) that we need to approach our task from the ground up.
What are the processes that we go through as we grow as Christians?
How do we grow in love, mercy, and living according to the Bible?
What are the processes to help people get involved and become a part of the church?
2018 will be a year of foundations.
Admittedly, there won’t be a lot of specific application today.
It’s more of a “what’s coming and why” sermon.
Transition
Transition
Before we start talking specifics, we’re going to step into a old text.
This text is important because it shows us God’s heart and what he desires his people to look like.
If you have a Bible, please open it to the Old Testament book of Micah.
Chapter 6.
Micah was a prophet during the time of prophets Hosea and Isaiah.
It was a dark time in Israel’s history where it seemed people had forgotten the God that had made them great.
In large part, they had abandoned the God who promised himself to them.
In this you see God’s heart.
What we see here is where our foundational work will begin.
As we step into this text, we have pay attention to who is speaking.
If you simply read it straight through, you’ll miss that there are different speakers.
Text
Micah announces that God has something to say.
The function of a prophet was to speak for God.
We tend to think of the prophets telling the future.
In reality, only 12% of prophetic verses had to do with the future.
The vast majority concern the character of God and what he desires from his creation.
Wording of a lawsuit.
God calls on creation itself to be the jury.
I mentioned there was another prophet at time named Hosea.
God used Hosea’s life as a sermon to the people.
He intentionally had Hosea marry a woman who would be unfaithful to him.
Her name was Gomer.
Who would want to marry a woman named Gomer?
The point was God’s faithfulness despite Israel’s unfaithfulness.
Hosea had to live out the painful picture of God’s unfailing love.
He’s saying; remember!
Remember, that I brought you from slavery.
I provided godly leadership for you .
When kings plotted against you and I protected you.
These aren’t old tales—we know of these people from extra-biblical accounts as well.
God is reminding them of how he has worked in history to help his people
Just get a peek at the incredible heart of God here.
He never needs to justify himself or plead his innocence.
Yet he loves his people with such an incredible love.
The Hebrew word is hesed.
It’s the idea of unending, always faithful, love.
Remember all the ways God has provided and protected you through the years.
Troubles can’t be blamed on God.
He’s never been a burden.
He’s always been a helper and provider.
He’s always been good.
Now the people respond
This response betrays a stark reality; they don’t know God at all.
This response betrays a stark reality; they don’t know God at all.
Should I bribe God?
Is a ritual going to be enough?
Fake worship always thinks God’s favor can be bought or earned.
Ceremony is never a substitute for obedience and heart.
Year old calves were considered a very expensive offering.
Or, should they offer thousands of rams or ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Maybe they should up the ante and offer their first-born child.
In fact, that was common in the ANE religions of the time.
As a matter of fact, Ahaz offered his children as sacrifices to a false-god named Molech.
God said, “that never even crossed my mind” .
We may not do the same, but it still creeps in our minds (hopefully not child-sacrifice).
It creeps in our minds that we need to buy God’s love.
If you want to see how much your loved, simply look to the cross.
The plaintiff has made his case.
The defendant has asked, “What’s it going to take.”
Now Micah will step in and answer the question.
We go to this verse because it’s here that God bares his heart and we see clearly what he desires from his people.
This verse stands as the motto of the alcove of religion in the reading room of the Congressional Library in Washington.
This verse is such a big deal that Jesus quotes it to confront the Pharisees.
Quote—not on screen
Our sacrifice could never be sufficient.
His sacrifice would be required.
We couldn’t sacrifice enough, so he sent his son.
We won’t ignore his great sacrifice, or, try to bribe him with trinkets.
We’ll worship and live according to his plan.
Our sacrifice could never be sufficient.
His sacrifice would be required.
We couldn’t sacrifice enough, so he sent his son.
We won’t ignore his great sacrifice, or, try to bribe him with trinkets.
We’ll worship.
Here Micah gives the answer to we’re supposed to live: act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.
Or as we’ll put it:
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