Sermon Tone Analysis

Greeting:

Good Morning

My name is Joe Kraftchick and I’m happy to be here this morning with the opportunity to share.

Introduction:

I was thinking this week about how we wind up in the places and posits we find ourselves in

Good Morning

My name is Joe Kraftchick and I’m happy to be here with you this morning

Introduction:

What is it that brings us to this point and to this place?

· I was thinking this week about how we wind up in the places and positions we find ourselves in

Sometimes I find preparing for a sermon something that comes naturally, the words and ideas begin to flow and pour onto the page.

Sometimes it doesn’t work that way.

· What is it that brings us to this point and to this place?

I spent a lot of my preparation time this week; sitting, thinking, and reading.

· Sometimes I find preparing for a sermon something that comes naturally, the words and ideas begin to flow and pour onto the page.

Sometimes I find preparing for a sermon something that comes naturally, the words and ideas begin to flow and pour onto the page.

It was a stretch of several days where I just wasn’t sure what I had to say.

· Sometimes it doesn’t work that way.

I was searching for something, but I wasn’t totally sure what

· I spent a lot of my preparation time this week; sitting, thinking, and reading.

· It was a stretch of several days where I just wasn’t sure what I had to say.

There were some ideas and themes going through my mind but nothing solid I could latch on to or that felt like I could draw out.

· I was searching for something, but I wasn’t totally sure what

I was starting to feel like I’d just kind of run out of things to say.

Which led me to take a step back and get a wider view of things

· There were some ideas and themes going through my mind but nothing solid I could latch on to or that felt like I could draw out.

What am I doing, where am I going?

· I was starting to feel like I’d just kind of run out of things to say.

· Which led me to take a step back and get a wider view of thins

I wish I could say that I had a blaring epiphany and the clouds and fog of my mind cleared leading me to a glorious creative experience

Alas, it did not work that way.

Instead I continued to muddle my way through the fog and gather some thoughts that I’m loosely assembling about vision, direction, and purpose

· What am I doing, where am I going?

This may be a bit of a different message from me this morning

· I wish I could say that I had a blaring epiphany and the clouds and fog of my mind cleared leading me to a glorious creative experience

Inspiration, Direction

· Alas, it did not work that way.

Instead I continued to muddle my way through the fog and gather some thoughts that I’m loosely assembling about vision, direction, and purpose

So, where to begin?

Moses?

Those of you that have been here before when I have spoken will be entirely unsurprised that I found myself in the OT

The Old Testament and its stories are one of my comforts and the place I turn for inspiration.

· So, where to begin?

Often when I’m feeling lost I will turn to people much smarter than me for help inspiration.

· Those of you that have been here before when I have spoken will be entirely unsurprised that I found myself in the OT

This week I picked up a book I first read in my undergrad at CBC, and have read a couple times since.

· The Old Testament and its stories are one of my comforts and the place I turn for inspiration.

The Prophetic Imagination by Walter Brueggemann, is one of my favourite books of all-time and probably the most influential book I have ever read about the Old Testament.

· Often when I’m feeling lost I will turn to people much smarter than me for help inspiration.

· This week I picked up a book I first read in my undergrad at CBC, and have read a couple times since.

I’d be remiss not to mention the book this morning as it guided me on a lot of what I will touch on today.

· The Prophetic Imagination by Walter Brueggemann, is one of my favourite books of all-time and probably the most influential book I have ever read about the Old Testament.

Moses and a new way of doing things.

I’ll invite you now to turn to Exodus, I want to spend some time talking about Moses.

I don’t have a central text to work off of here.

Feel free to bounce around with me.

· I’d be remiss not to mention the book this morning as it guided me on a lot of what I will touch on today.

Most of us are familiar with the story of Moses and the details of his life, born in Egypt, miraculously spared death as an infant, flees to Midian, meets God at the burning bush, and is sent to free his people from slavery in Egypt

Now the great thing about the Old Testament is that on the surface we read a story like this and wonder what relevance it holds for us today.

· I’ll invite you now to turn to Exodus, somewhere around chapter 5

Seriously, it’s a story about liberating an enslaved people from an oppressive regime.

· Most of us are familiar with the story of Moses and the details of his life, born in Egypt, miraculously spared death as an infant, flees to Midian, meets God at the burning bush, and is sent to free his people from slavery in Egypt

· Now the great thing about the Old Testament is that on the surface what relevance does the story of Moses hold for us today?

At first glance the story has nothing to do with us, while a closer reading and scraping below the surface reveals that it has everything to do with us.

This is a story about liberating slaves from bondage, which we might find it hard to personally identify with.

· Seriously, it’s a story about liberating an enslaved people from an oppressive regime.

It’s also a story about speaking and acting against the religion of static triumphalism, that is the belief in the system of Egypt where the many gods legitimize the reign and authority of Pharaoh

· At first glance the story has nothing to do with us, while a closer reading and scraping below the surface reveals that it has everything to do with us.

So it is the rallying against and tearing down of not just Pharaoh but of the system that enables Pharaoh to be Pharaoh…This is a big deal

· This is a story about liberating slaves from bondage, which we might find it hard to personally identify with.

In Egypt, Pharaoh is ruler because of the association between the position and the many gods

When Moses and Aaron follow the instructions of Yahweh and usher in the plagues they aren’t doing it for show.

They’re doing it to specifically circumvent the dominant religious system in place

Not only is it an attack on this religious triumphalism it is an attack on a political system built on oppression and exploitation

· It’s also a story about speaking and acting against the religion of static triumphalism, that is the belief in the system of Egypt where the many gods legitimize the reign and authority of Pharaoh

· So it is the rallying against and tearing down of not just Pharaoh but of the system that enables Pharaoh to be Pharaoh…This is a big deal

The Egyptian system necessitated the oppression of others so as to protect it’s authority, and the exploitation of others for its economy.

· Not only is it an attack on this religious triumphalism it is an attack on a political system built on oppression and exploitation

Moses being sent to Egypt is Yahweh attacking the religious, political, and economic systems of Egypt.

· They Egyptian system necessitated the oppression of others so as to protect it’s authority, and the exploitation of others for its economy.

None of this should be surprising when we read the Old Testament it is abundantly clear the sort of things Yahweh is concerned with.

· Moses being sent to Egypt is Yahweh attacking the religious, political, and economic systems of Egypt.

Yahweh time and time again sides with the oppressed over the oppressors.

He doesn’t favour the powers and systems that be, especially when they exert their position of power and strength over others.

Crying Out

· None of this should be surprising when we read the Old Testament it is abundantly clear the sort of things Yahweh is concerned with.

This affront on Egypt begins with something simple though.

· Yahweh time and time again sides with the oppressed over the oppressors.

He doesn’t favour the powers and systems that be, especially when they exert their position of power and strength over others.

It starts with the people crying out to Yahweh from bondage in Egypt

The Hebrew word for this crying out, is za-ak and it’s a funny word.

It means cry out and is a claim of misery and wretchedness, but it also carries a legal connotation.

· Even today we should be leery of becoming the systems and powers and how to function in those positions.

To cry out is to lodge a formal complaint, that you have been wronged, and it is a call to be answered.

· This affront on Egypt begins with something simple though, it starts with the people crying out to Yahweh from bondage in Egypt

· The Hebrew word for this crying out, is za-ak and it’s a funny word.

It means cry out and is a claim of misery and wretchedness, but it also carries a legal connotation.

The people cry out to Yahweh that they are being wronged, they are literally pleading their case and calling for action

· To cry out is to lodge a formal complaint, that you have been wronged, and it is a call to be answered.

This verb is also famously used when Yahweh interrogates Cain on the whereabouts of Abel in Gen.