Sermon Tone Analysis

Looking For Another

God’s Answer For Discouragement

/Text: Matthew 11:1-15/

 

Place Preached - (Mississauga International Baptist Church)

Date Preached - (11~/25~/01)

 

 

Introduction:   

 

People are looking in many directions today.

Wrong directions.

The New Age ~/ False Religion ~/ The Cults ~/ Self – (Flesh) ~/ Possessions.

Deepak Chopra, The Dalai Llama etc.

 

WHY?

The God of the Bible has been portrayed as insufficient, out-of-date, narrow-minded (bigoted), provincial.

NOW there are doubters in this room today!

You don’t openly question the Lord, but you are discouraged with life, circumstances, situations, relationships etc.

You want to believe, have faith, trust God; but the results don’t add up for you.

If your problems are bigger than God.

Then your God is too small!

PURPOSE:  To understand why discouragement comes  (we forget, minimize or try to live without God)  and what is it’s cure (Remember the greatness of God’s work and His knowledge).

*/GIVE background of John’s situation…./*

John was in prison – He had only had a public ministry of 6 months.

He would shortly lose his head to the subtle Herodias and her self-seeking husband.

QUOTE: The prison is a greater promotion than the palace.

*Matthew 11:3*  And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

Now it is not clear for whose sake these questions were entertained; John the Baptist or his disciples.

Perhaps it is sufficiently unclear that we might apply the principles to every heart.

We are all prone to dubious spiritual thinking.

We must be clear about one thing as Peter was.

 

*John 6:66-68*  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

67  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

68  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

*/Let’s Look at…./*

!

I. How Discouragement Works

 

!! A. Difficult Circumstances Lead to Discouragement vs.2

 

Difficulties come from 2 sources.

Without and within.

Now problems without do not create the disturbances within, but they do reveal them.

John was in prison.

– He was in prison for preaching the truth.

– The truth he proclaimed was the sin of Herod.

(*Matthew 14:3-4*)

 

It is the trouble within that is the greater problem to us.

*John 14:1*  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

Now God is sovereign over the trouble without.

We are sovereign over the storms within.

Q: Don’t we have a sacred right to discouragement?

This is one of those “acceptable” Christian sins.

Worry, criticism, gossip.

SONG: “We should */never be/* discouraged!!

 

Some one asks, “/How are you doing?/”

You answer, “/OK, under the circumstances/”

 

Well, what are you doing under the circumstances?

!! B. Discouragement leads to doubt vs.3

 

!!! *John the Baptist asked two questions revealing doubt*

 

1.

“/Art thou he that should come?/”

Have I been looking in the right direction?

Have I made a wrong turn somewhere along the road?

Did I mistakenly trust in Christ?

Is God really able in my situation?

Is God really there?

*Hebrews 11:6*  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

*Titus 1:2*  In hope of eternal life, which */God, that cannot lie/*, promised before the world began;

 

2.

“/Do we look for another?/”

Should I begin looking in a new direction?

Money~/Materialism             Self-help~/Psychology                   Gratification of the flesh              Intellectualism

 

NO – You will abandon your only hope if you do!!

 

!! C. Doubt leads to Delusion & Deception vs.3

They would be following a path of deception if they were to look for and follow another.

*Acts 4:12*  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

*Galatians 1:9*  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Never stop believing in the dark what you know to be true in the light!

It takes more “Faith” to believe a lie than to believe the truth!

*John 3:19*  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

*/Now let’s consider…/*

!

II.

Christ’s answer for John’s Discouragement vs.4-6

 

!! A. He is to be reminded of Christ’s Works.

 

1.

The need for reminders – “/Show John again/” vs.4

 

LOOK UP & READ *II Peter 1:12-15*  “/Remembrance/”

 

*Hebrews 2:1*  Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

2.

The importance of personal eyewitnesses

 

“/Which ye do hear and see/” vs.4

 

ILLUS: Fellowship at church – You are gathering with a fellowship of eyewitnesses.

*Psalms 126:3*  The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

3.

The nature of Christ’s works vs.5

Among his works are miracles which all have spiritual implications….

* Blind have sight restored

* The lame walk

* Lepers are cleansed

* Deaf hear

* Dead are raised

* The Gospel is preached

 

The most significant work is the last on this list.

If you want to stay warm, you’ve got to be near the fire!!

 

It was also a fulfillment of prophecy….

*Isaiah 61:1-3*  The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

2  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

3  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

!! B. He is to be reminded of Christ’s Knowledge.

Christ has not forgotten John vs.7-15

 

!!! Briefly explain vs.7-9