Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

There is a man by the name of Forrest Fenn, who is a US multi-millionaire, a somewhat eccentric chap by the sounds of it.

He’s around 90 years old right now - still alive.

But what makes him so well known is the fact that he claims to have hidden a treasure somewhere in the Rockies mountains

The treasure itself consists of an antique bronze treasure chest with...

265 gold coins,

a 17th century Spanish emerald and gold ring,

hundreds of cherry-sized gold nuggets,

diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires,

Gold animal artifacts dating before the 1500s,

and numerous other extremely valuable items...

Total worth: estimated somewhere between two and three million dollars, although some claim it to be as high as six million.

Not only has he hidden this treasure in the Rockies, but he has written a poem (a somewhat cryptic one at that) which would direct would-be finders of this treasure to where that treasure is located / hidden.

As you can imagine, many people have engaged in extensive efforts to decrypt the poem that he wrote, and go out and find this treasure.

In fact, there have already been 4 confirmed deaths of those who have sought to find this treasure.

But the idea of a hidden treasure fascinates us, doesn’t it?!

I do wonder if such a treasure were to be hidden in the little town of Malelane, and we were informed and given the cryptic clues as to where this treasure lay, how many of our Saturdays (hopefully not Sundays!!!) would be spent up searching for this treasure, hoping to find it.

When such a highly valuable treasure is available and accessible, who wouldn’t want to spend considerable time searching it out, for the hope of reveling in and enjoying the physical benefit of such treasures.

Well, the author of Proverbs 2 speaks to us about the important topic of wisdom, understanding and discernment.

And in verse 4 of Proverbs 2, he makes the connection between seeking out wisdom and discernment, to a hidden treasure, waiting to be found.

This connection is a striking and important one, because the implication of his words is that there is great value and benefit to be found in obtaining wisdom and discernment, such that it can be likened to an earthly treasure of great value.

Turn in your bibles to Proverbs 2, and I’d like us to read the first 11 verses of this chapter, just to get a sense of the great blessing that the writer speaks of with regards to this wisdom and discernment...

As we read this passage, I would trust that you get a sense of the great diligence that this man’s “son” is called to in pursuing wisdom and knowledge and discernment?

But I would trust also that you get a sense of the great reward and benefit that there is to be gained through obtaining this wisdom and knowledge and discernment.

This morning, I’m beginning a new mini-series on the topic of Spiritual Discernment - an aspect that is of great importance, and is so desperately needed in our day.

Today’s message I’ve entitled “The Urgent Need for Spiritual Discernment” and I do trust that we will get just some glimpse of how urgent a need it is.

The Scripture is filled with exhortations to obtain wisdom and understanding and discernment.

And we as the church need to see that, and pursue this with all diligence.

We live in a day where wisdom, knowledge and discernment are being completely undermined.

The very foundations that would hold up a discerning mind are being attacked and eroded by society.

Just think about people marrying duvet’s, dating cockroaches, marrying a 300-year old ghost, and then wanting to divorce it because it hasn’t been good to you.

(Admittedly, these are the extreme fringes, but they are becoming more and more “okay” in a society where just about anything goes.)

But I think more importantly, and of greater significance, the church has moved to a place where there is such a great lack of discernment even within the church among Christians.

There is a lot of “superficial” belief in God, and great lack of depth of knowledge of God.

As a result of this, many churches have become powerless and ineffective in their Gospel witness.

Before we delve into our main points for consideration this morning, I would like to just give a few basic working definitions of what spiritual discernment is.

Tim Challies:

“Discernment is the skill of understanding and applying God’s Word with the purpose of separating truth from error and right from wrong.”

Charles Spurgeon:

"Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong.

It is knowing the difference between right and almost right."

Sinclair Ferguson:

"True discernment means not only distinguishing the right from the wrong; it means distinguishing the primary from the secondary, the essential from the indifferent, and the permanent from the transient.

And, yes, it means distinguishing between the good and the better, and even between the better and the best."

And while these are all slightly different in their definition, the point is conveyed.

With that in mind, and with this as an introduction to this topic, let us turn our attention firstly to the sources of deception...

1.

Sources of Deception

Why do we begin this study with a look at the sources of deception?

I would suggest to you that discernment is the act of judging things rightly (and we’ll look more at that further on in our study together).

Deception is when something causes us to judge wrongly!!

In the Garden of Eden, it was Eve who was deceived by the serpent.

She judged wrongly.

And so in this sense, a lack of discernment was the beginning of all our woes today!

In the context of temptations that come into our lives, James says to us...

Other relevant Scriptures… 1 Corinthians 15:33; Galatians 6:7; 1 Corinthians 6:9 etc.

In various places in Scripture, we are warned to not be deceived.

At the heart of a lack of discernment is deception - one of the key goals and aims of our adversary the devil.

And so with that in mind, it is necessary for us to take a look at and consider what are some of those sources of deception.

1.1 Internal Influences

The first source of deception that we need to be aware of are internal influences.

In other words, these are the influences and deceptions that flow out of our own hearts!

In Jeremiah 17:9, the prophet writes.

The problem with our hearts is that because we are so greatly influenced in all of our ways by sin within us, we deceive ourselves according to our own desires.

In other words, we have desires that are within us that are contrary to God’s ways, and these desires are so powerful that people will rationalize and justify just about anything.

Any number of practical examples can be given on this.

Consider the situation of abortion in our day - an horrendous situation...

I was watching a video this past week of a US senator who correctly pointed out that lobby groups were decrying the killing of animals for the purposes of experimental testing, but at the same time Planned Parenthood (massive abortion provider in the US) was selling off the body parts of babies for experimental testing, all the while the activists were telling those against abortion that a woman is free to do as she pleases with her body.

Friends, that is massive self-deception, and justification of the killing / murder of babies simply because they’re an inconvenience.

And so we need to be very aware that our hearts are deceptive.

In James 4:1-3, we read these words:

How many of us, after having a quarrel or fight with someone, will come to the table and say: “You know, the reason that I was fighting with you was because of my own covetous nature?! Very often we will justify our own actions, and tell the other person that they are sinning...

The point is this: If we’re going to grow in our levels of spiritual discernment, we need to have the understanding that our hearts are wicked, and that they will lead us in the wrong way.

It’s interesting to note in the book of Proverbs that we are told to deal very carefully with our hearts, rather than to listen to our hearts...

As we consider this important aspect of spiritual discernment, we need to be wary of our hearts, and they way they are tempted to go, and ensure that we direct our hearts in the right way… (which way we will come to outlining in due course)...

1.2 Spiritual Influences

The second influence upon us that we need to be aware of as we consider this important aspect of spiritual discernment is spiritual influences.

In Ephesians 6:10-20, Paul speaks about the spiritual armor (armor of God) that we as Christians are to put on as we face the spiritual battles that confront us in life.

He uses very clear war-time imagery, which indicates to us that the spiritual battle is truly a battle - not something to be trifled with.

But in verses 11-13 of that passage, Paul says this:

Emphasize Verse 12!!

Emphasize Verse 12!!

In 1 Peter 5:8, Peter warns believers with these words:

And in Revelation 12:9 we read...

Satan is the ultimate deceiver, and the battle that we face is against this great deceiver.

That should at the very least cause us to walk very circumspectly in this life…

1.3 Cultural Influences

We must never underestimate the power of the cultural influence around us, particularly a culture that is antagonistic towards much of Christianity.

As we swim in this sea of the culture around us, and the way of thinking in the world, there is significant chance of us being greatly influenced by that culture around us.

Listen to how Paul paints the contrast between the Christian and the ways of the world...

What are these “worldly passions?”

The desires that are of the flesh.

The ways of men in the world who do not have the Spirit of God in them, and thus they are living according to their own fleshly, sinful desires.

The world, and the people of the world, these people that drive and create the cultural environment that we live in, are not driven by a motivation to bring glory and honour to God.

Rather, they are driven by their own desires which are after the flesh.

We certainly thank God for His common grace, and that the world is not as bad as it could be...

But the fact is, the secular culture around us is not Christian, and it is not seeking the honour of God.

And we need to be very weary of the culture around us.

1.4 False Teachers in the Church

The final Source of deception that I want to consider this morning is “False Teachers in the Church”.

It is amazing how often we find warnings in Scripture about false teachers that will arise within the church and deceive many people.