Sermon Tone Analysis

Good Morning!

I want to start this today by just taking a moment and imagine with me that you are sitting across from your best friend.

This someone you can trust unconditionally — he/she has your best interests at heart… this a safe place where there is no judgement, rejection or condemnation — Picture your friend looking you in the eye and asking the question.. How are things with your soul?

How are things on the inside?

You know your private world?

Since the days of Ponce de Leon, people have been searching for the illusive fountain of youth.

With all the advancements of medical science, we still haven’t found the magic pill—the best we can do is give a person a more youthful appearance by promoting a healthy lifestyle or by using cosmetics or cosmetic surgery.

No matter what we do, we all get a day older every twenty-four hours.

With all the advancements of medical science, we still haven’t found the magic pill—the best we can do is give a person a more youthful appearance by promoting a healthy lifestyle or by using cosmetics or cosmetic surgery.

No matter what we do, we all get a day older every twenty-four hours.

Since the days of Ponce de Leon, people have been searching for the illusive fountain of youth.

With all the advancements of medical science, we still haven’t found the magic elixir—the best we can do is give a person a more youthful appearance by promoting a healthy lifestyle or by using cosmetics or cosmetic surgery.

No matter what we do, we all get a day older every twenty-four hours.

Though no one has figured out how to stop the aging process, scientists do know what causes it.

According to Amy Ellis Nutt, “We age not because our cells die but because they stop dividing.”

(Reader’s Digest, November 2003, p. 74)

Nothing can stay the same, either it is growing (giving of itself by dividing) or it is deteriorating.

What is true of our cells is true of our faith.

Though no one has figured out how to stop the aging process, scientists do know what causes it.

According to Amy Ellis Nutt, “We age not because our cells die but because they stop dividing.”

(Reader’s Digest, November 2003, p. 74)

Nothing can stay the same, either it is growing (giving of itself by dividing) or it is deteriorating.

What is true of our cells is true of our faith.

Take a moment and imagine with me that you are sitting across from your best friend.

That person is someone you can Trust unconditionally he/she has your best interests at heart… this a safe place where you can just open up your heart and know that there is no judgement, rejection or condemnation — and your friend looks you in the eye and asks the question.. How are things with your soul?

How are things in the inside?

You know your private world?

If you were to take a snap shot of your spiritual health today what would it look like?

If we were really honest with ourselves.

How is your spiritual health?

How is your thought life?

How is your spiritual health?

Are you barely holding on or are you

When we talk about spiritual vitality -We speaking about spiritual health… Faith that is abiding and fruit bearing - Faith is is vibrant - faith that is producing life...

“Not feeling it anymore”

Tim Keller has three questions… to test what’s happening inside of us.

1. Are you doing things that are violating your conscience?

A bad conscience will destroy your fellowship with God.

2 Secondly, look at your relationships.

Are you bitter, or are you isolated?

Are you doing things that are violating your conscience?

A bad conscience will destroy your fellowship with God.

Secondly, look at your relationships.

Are you bitter, or are you isolated?

3. Do you really understand the gospel?

Do you really understand the gospel?

When we talk about spiritual vitality -We speaking about spiritual health…

Sometimes we don’t take time to examine how we are doing… Well you can’t really talk about renewing your spiritual vitality without asking the question how I’m doing…

When we talk about spiritual vitality -We speaking about spiritual health… Faith that is abiding and fruit bearing - Faith is is vibrant - faith that is producing life...

We are in our sermon series in the book of Hebrews and over the past couple of weeks we have been in two great chapters… Hebrews chapter 11 and 12 where we have been looking at the Hall of Faith or the roll call of Faith… this stadium full of active participants with vibrant Faith…They have gone before us… and completed their race.. and now their lives are on display in the grandstands are cheering us on..

have gone before us… and completed their race.. and are cheering us on..

We have the example of Jesus who competed his mission on earth by going to the cross and vicariously winning over sin and death… Fulling all the requirement of the Law… Jesus is seen as the Pioneer and the finisher (consummator) of our faith…

is the Pioneer and the finisher of our faith… Who as forerunner

Now in the next section of scriptures… the preacher turns to us… and our race...… In light of all the benefits that we have in the New Covenant…

puts the responsibility back on us the hearers… In light of all the benefits that we have in the New Covenant….

Hebrews calls Jesus the Pioneer and the finisher (consummator) of our faith… He is the supreme example of how to persevere in the race..... Now in the next section of scriptures… the preacher puts the responsibility back on the hearers…

Spiritual Fitness - Training In Righteousness

Throughout the book of Hebrews — The preacher has been showing all the benefits that we have in the New Covenant….

the target… If we are looking to the finish line what does that look like?

He give us the target… What we are to do!

better promises — a better future — better way of drawing near God… all the resources available to us…How is our Race… are we struggling along… or are we thriving....do we have spiritual vitality.

we have all these examples and resources at our desposal… but if we ar

Spiritual Fitness - Training In Righteousness

Spiritual vitality— is connected to how well we are taking care of our spiritual life… soul care..

It is tied to our conditioning… spiritual formation...

Soul care is critical in having spiritual vitality—

]Inspiration:

Over the past couple of year - I have been learning quite a bit about diet nutrition and exercise… Part of it was educating myself…my goal simple… I just want to feel good as I get older… my goal is clear...

and — with the internet --- knowledge is really not the issue… you have a question you can google it…learning is available…tools are available… community is available..

No matter what we do, we all get a day older every twenty-four hours.

All that is good but what makes knowledge powerful is when you put it to work… applied knowledge is what really counts.

Though no one has figured out how to stop the aging process, scientists do know what causes it.

According to Amy Ellis Nutt, “We age not because our cells die but because they stop dividing.”

You take the principle and start putting it into practice…

reading article

You can know the bible inside out and know everything scripture about being a christ follower… you can know what spiritual vitality should look like...

Nothing can stay the same, either it is growing (giving of itself by dividing) or it is deteriorating.

but unless it’s applied knowledge… it won’t make a difference in your life.

… Hebrews tells us that we are to be trained in righteousness… training is a very practical thing…it means that we are being shaped or conditioned by something… We are to bear the fruits of our training in righteousness.

we are appropriating the promises in scripture and making them our own… Hebrews tells us that we are to be trained in righteousness… training is a very practical thing…it means to be shaped or conditioned by something…

Our prepareation is prepare and respond to life…

Inspiration:

Inspiration:

Inspiration:

T/S being Christ follower means being trained …conditioned (discipled) —isn’t not optional but necessary part of faith.

heb 12:1

heb 11:12-13

Each of us is influence by someone or something being being Christ follower means being trained …conditioned (discipled) —isn’t not optional but necessary part of faith.

This passage vividly pictures God as a challenging coach who pushes us to our limits, encouraging us beyond what we think we can attain.

each of us is influence by someone or something being being Christ follower means being trained …conditioned (discipled) —isn’t not optional but necessary part of faith.

The language in is borrowed from the greek games…it takes conditioning… lay aside weights that hold is backhand the sin that habitually sets us back… it takes effort to competed and complete the contest… and just at the point when you are ready to give up.. the preacher tells us to step it up..

This section of scripture reminds me of those Friday night football games where the scores are so close and either team could win.… that one touch down or conversion .. makes the difference.. everyone is on the edge of their seats… The coach is planing that one play that could win the game...

He pushes the team to make one last effort.

Many Football games are won and lost in the final moments..

It’s that last effort is often when games are won or lost..y!

We have all seen those moments where there is that one play… that one point .. that make sure the difference.. that last effort is often when games are won or lost..you can almost here the preacher come on guys you have one good play left!

What we are to do is to be trained (discipled) — The language he uses is borrowed from the greek games..

This is what is going on in thin this text… what brings spiritual vitality in our lives is...

I. Spiritual Lifting - Working on Our weakness.

instruction