Sermon Tone Analysis

For the next few weeks we going to be in .

This part of Luke, provides for us, some insight into the heart of God and helps us to see ourselves as God sees us.

Sometimes we will like what we see.

Other times, we may find ourselves in need of making corrections.

We start with the 14th Chapter, looking at a series of connected stories Jesus is sharing with religious leaders after a rather tense moment...

WHAT’S MY PURPOSE

For the next few weeks we going to be in .

Luke provides us some insight into the heart of God, and helps us to see ourselves as He sees us.

Let think about the background to the story:

Let think about he background to this passage:

Jesus is invited to eat at the house of a prominent leader.

As He approaches He notices the religious leaders standing around this sick guy.

He looks at the religious leaders, then looks down at this guy in need, and says, “Okay, I get it.

You brought me here as a test.

You believe it’s wrong to do any kind of work on the Sabbath, including healing.”

So what does Jesus do?

As they watch in silence, He heals the man!

Then He scolds them by reminding them they care more about an unclean animal then human life!

The atmosphere is tense!

Jesus is angry!

The religious leaders did not care the man was sick and dying, or that his family would soon be without a father.

They didn’t care about the pain he was in or the embarrassment he suffered as he stood in front of them.

He was just an object to be used to get at Jesus!

They cared more about their animals than they did human life.

Kind of like people today caring more about how much money they can make than what they’re doing to people!

Now Jesus is mad because these guys obviously don’t care about the this guy or his condition.

They don’t care that he’s dying, or that his family will soon be without a father.

They don’t care about the pain he’s in or the embarrassment he’s now suffering as he stands in front of them.

He’s just an object to be used to get at Jesus.

The religious leaders did not care the man was sick and dying, or that his family will soon be without a father.

They didn’t care about the pain he was in or the embarrassment he suffered as he stood in front of them.

He was just an object to be used to get at Jesus!

The PEACEFUL dinner just

Now Jesus would use the moment to teach some important truths!

“Come on, guys, if your ox stumbles into a hole on a Sabbath day, you go get your pulleys and wenches and you call all the neighbors to come lift it out because you don’t want it to suffer and because your economic prosperity is at stake.

So don’t tell me that I should keep from healing this guy on a day like today.

God is far more interested in loving people than keeping a list of rules.”

It’s the Sabbath Day, a day of rest, and Jesus was invited to a party.

As he strolls up the front walk, he notices that all the other guests have arrived early, kind of like at a surprise party when all the normal guests are told to arrive at 6:00, and the guest of honor is told to arrive at 6:30, so they can arrange everything before he gets there.

Let me remind you who Jesus is talking too...

When I read this I think to myself, “Go get ‘em Jesus!”

But what is God saying to us? Mentally, let’s put the scene together:

It’s the Sabbath Day, a day of rest, and Jesus was invited to a party.

As he strolls up the front walk, he notices that all the other guests have arrived early, kind of like at a surprise party when all the normal guests are told to arrive at 6:00, and the guest of honor is told to arrive at 6:30, so they can arrange everything before he gets there.

These men were Pharisees, Teachers of the Law.

They were highly educated, devoutly spiritual religious people, and they were daring Jesus to do something that violated the Law.

But when I look closer, I see his legs, arms, neck, and cheeks are all swollen.

The text says the man is swollen.

The language describes a person who body tissues have been absorbing excess fluids, his internal organs are not functioning right, so he’s all puffy.

He’s obviously in pain, and he’s obviously going to die soon if he doesn’t get some help.

Can you see the scene?

It’s like a football huddle.

All the religious leaders are arranged in a half circle, with one sick guy out front, and way out front is Jesus.

So there’s this football huddle of religious leaders arranged in a half circle, with the sick guy out front, and Jesus is standing there with him.

They were highly educated, devoutly spiritual religious people, and they were daring Jesus to do something that violated the Law.

Who is present?

The Pharisees, who are the highly educated, devoutly spiritual religious people are in the huddle daring Jesus to do something.

You know the type, they hold positions of responsibility within the religious community, they spent years studying Scripture and they know all the rules and regulations, mostly by heart.

You know the type.

They hold positions of responsibility within the religious community, they spent years studying Scripture and they know all the rules and regulations, mostly by heart.

Pharisees: The highly educated, devoutly spiritual people who held positions of responsibility within the religious community.

They spent years reading the Old Testament and knew all of its rules and regulations, mostly by heart.

They tried their best to live their lives by those laws.

They thought little of people who didn’t do the same.

They were looked up too, highly respected by common people.

The type I’m thinking of, try their best to live by religious laws; but they don’t do well with people.

They’re more concerned about the letter of the Law, than about helping others.

They see the faults in others, but rarely notice their own!

Jesus responds to their challenge by healing the sick man then, He continues… don’t forget, He’s not happy, He’s got His glove off, He’s irritated over their hypocrisy...

[Read ]

Have ever noticed how SOME people expect to be first in everything?

In the story, they walked into the place and picked the best spots!

That’s true here as well!

I’ve seen people walk into a meeting and assume their place is at the head!

Think about the subtle pecking order of the Pharisee—it exists everywhere!

We have it here as well!

I’ve seen people walk into a meeting and assume their place is at the head!

They walked into the place and picked the best spots!

It’s like someone walking into a meeting and assuming their place is at the head!

It’s like someone walking into a meeting and assuming their place is at the head!

— You find it the Army.

I’ve known Officers and Senior NCOs expect better treatment, and feel insulted when they don’t get it!

— You find it in companies.

People in high positions and their friends get the breaks while others get the leftovers.

The “in” group get the rewards and those outside get nothing.

— You find it in hen houses.

All the chickens know who the head rooster is.

They call it the pecking order.

— In my line of work, it’s more subtle; but it’s still there!

Pastors are supposed to be godly and humble, so they find discreet ways to get moved up in pecking order.

At every pastors conference I ever attended, people always found ways to display themselves!

They ask, “How big is your church?” “Have you written any books?”

or "Do you do a lot of outside speaking?)

In Jesus’ day, the pecking order was a lot more blatant.

The more important you were, the closer you sat to the host!

ILLUSTRATION

ILLUSTRATION

Year ago, I was at a Pastor’s Conference when the new pastor of the largest church in the city walked in and acted like everyone already knew who he was.

He began shaking hands, asking, “Who are you?

Where do you pastor?