Sermon Tone Analysis

- The apostle Paul never gives an “OUGHT” without first giving an “IS”

Date: 04-11-18 812 Echuca

- The apostle Paul never gives an “OUGHT” without first giving an “IS”

- That may sound confusing, but basically it means that he never tells you what to do, without first telling you what God has already done

- He never tells you to shape up without first telling you what shape you have

- This is the structure of Paul's letters

- He always talks about the foundation first, before he gets to practical changes to a Christian's walk & life in the Lord

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- Having a building background I have often used buildings as analogies

- Again, it will be appropriate here

Q.

Who would dare consider constructing a unit or home on the ground without a foundation?

- Now you could do that & get away with it – but for how long?

- Sure, there would be short term savings

- All the digging, the steel and concrete could be dispensed with, & you could save a packet

- You can, therefore, take a 1/3 of the cost off the house

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- Get this – you wouldn't have to be so bored with seeing nothing happen other than men digging around in the dirt

- Not very appealing is it – when really, all you want to see is the frame going up & the roof going on; & the plaster, the kitchen, the fittings

- Now that's exciting

Q.

Who needs all that boring & “nothing-to-show-for-it-work” under the ground?

Q.

How on earth does that contribute to my personal experience?

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- Perhaps, you can tell a little sarcasm here - & you would be right

- What is apparently boring & with “nothing-to-show-for-it-work” underground is absolutely indispensable to the survival of that building

- If you want that building to last, the foundations are indispensable

Q.

What's the point of saving a third of the cost of the building, if in 12 mths to 2 yrs, the building is condemned & needs to be demolished

Q.

That doesn't make good sense, does it?

Q.

We need to realise that the foundations are, for all there boring, “nothing-to-show-for-it-work”, are the most important part of the building

- No ladies, it's not the kitchen - & guys, it's not the garage

- It's not all the play rooms where the TV's go or the lounge or even the flashy en-suites

- The most important part is the foundations

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- When our house was being build, we had a massive termite infested tree out the front & it had to be taken out & the ground re-compacted

- The estate owner got that organised but when we started digging the foundations to the front of the house, the back-hoe operator – who I happen to play Squash with – said, “Dave, this ground around here is really soft – it comes out too easy

- He suggested they drop some piles down 6 ft into solid ground & said that they would add to the cost of the house

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- No doubt, you know what I would have said, right

- “I don't care how much extra it costs – in fact, I want you to go the extra mile”

- As a past building inspector, I have seen many scenarios where houses have come down from inadequate foundations

- If you want the building to be secure & to last, foundations become the most important facet of the project

- Jesus makes this plain as He talks about His word

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- Now we should know this is true, but do we apply that same logic to the Christian life?

- So many Christians are only interested in Rice Bubbles – things that go “pop, pop, pop” when the milk touches it

- All they ever want is the milk so they get to go “pop, pop, pop” & not have to think too much, labour in the word too much, or have to contend too much with flat emotions

- They want the froth & bubble – “what do we want, froth & bubble, when do we want it, now” - that is the modern, western, church

- And people wonder why our nation is falling apart at the seems; why a number of churches support homosexuality & abortion; why Christians struggle so much with so-called “mental illnesses”

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- And all along, what dominates many churches is the pursuit of personal experiences

- They copy the current cultural trends of froth & bubble; of making experiences the test of truth & of allowing the idolatry of self worship to shape their persona

- No wonder they battle in the Christian life; no wonder they cannot gain victory; no wonder they feel lost in a sea of relativism & no wonder they feel a failure

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- The apostle Paul is meticulous in his writings

- They are not simply random thoughts he's jotted down during the night as he is dreaming

- His Epistle's are well thought-out & reasoned treatise'

- He has structure & in our passage today, we see that structure take a turn

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- He has spent 11 chapters on what “IS” - on what God has done for us in Christ

- It has been heavy theology explaining the implications of God's actions in Christ so that we can have a good foundation so that we can not only live our lives for Him, but that we can be a positive example & influence upon the lives of others

- That happens when we digest the things he has written about so that we understand the truth about who we now are in Christ

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Q. Are the Jews higher than you Gentiles on God's radar?

Q. Are you able to live under law & be a fruitful Christian?

Q.

What was the purpose of law & how does that figure now in Christ?

Q.

What happen at the cross?

What impact has the resurrection of Christ made upon the world?

Q.

When did the new age of God's kingdom begin & what are the powers of this new age & kingdom of God?

- These are just a few pickings of what he talks about over 11 chaps.

- You have plenty to sink your teeth into & you have plenty of reason to go through those 11 chaps of Romans again

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- But here, we reach a change in the apostle's direction

- He has spent 11 chaps on what “IS”, now he changes to what “OUGHT”

Q.

Now he tell us, in light of all these wonderful things that God has done, what is your response?

- Here is the “OUGHT” - here is what you “OUGHT” to be

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- But this “OUGHT” is founded on what “IS” - don't forget that!

- You “OUGHT” to become what God has already made you to be

- Don't get confused here – what the apostle tells us to do, fits with what changes God has already made IN US!

- You are redeemed, so you can live as a redeemed person

- You are forgiven, so you can live as a forgiven person

- You have been given the enormous power of God's Spirit, so utilise that in your life

- Bow wow says the dog, meow says the cat, quack quack says the duck

- BECOME, WHAT GOD HAS MADE YOU TO BE

- Animals act according to nature, you act according to your new nature

- BECOME, WHAT GOD HAS MADE YOU TO BE

1.

A Living and Holy Sacrifice

- Change is never an easy process

- I have often said to people that I believe God is like a divine panel beater

- He takes the damaged person & beats the dint's out & repairs the scratches; he straightens the wheels, repairs the radiator – all so the person can be re-made

- Often times, when those panels are being pushed out & the wheels straightened, it is not a pleasant experience, but later, you will see how God had brought healing & wholeness to your life

- But not only to your life, you are being equipped to help others in this process & journey towards wholeness

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- The apostle now explains how this ought to happen & in light of what God has done, the renewal, the transformation, the change - on the basis of His plans & purposes in the cross of Christ, His resurrection, the coming of the Spirit – this is now what you “OUGHT” to do

- Starting with THEREFORE – therefore, in light of all that you have now understand about God's saving plans...

—1 Therefore I exhort you, brothers, through the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.

- Or “spiritual service of worship”

- I prefer to use the word “logical” service

- The sense of this Greek word is that this service is to reflect what is true to what exists in reality

- This reality is God's actions in the cross & resurrection of Christ & the renewal through the Spirit

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- A living sacrifice is the fitting response to the reality of Christ's sacrificial offering for you

—19 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

- Jesus became a sacrifice which ended in death