Sermon Tone Analysis

There was good news for preachers this month.

A recent nation-wide survey by the Ellison Research Group revealed that 87% of U.S. adults believe in the existence of sin when it is defined as “something that is almost always considered wrong, particularly from a religious or moral perspective.”

(I see this news as a good indication of job security for me).

Half or more Americans believe that behaviors such as adultery, racism, using hard drugs, having an abortion, homosexual sex, and not reporting your true income to the IRS are indeed sins.

Behaviors that have, for the most part ‘lost’ their sinfulness are things like: gambling or playing the lottery, drinking alcohol, smok’n or chew’n tobacco, not attending church, and not tithing.

What’s interesting is the inconsistencies Americans show in their answers.

For instance, 35% of all Americans responded that “failing to take proper care of their bodies” is sinful.

Yet only 23% believe that using tobacco is sinful; only 14% believe that drinking alcoholic beverages is sinful; and only 17% believe that being significantly overweight is sinful – even though medical science consistently shows that using tobacco, too much alcohol, and obesity are some of the most harmful things we can do to our bodies.

Added to this new is the recent release of a new list of ‘deadly sins’ by the Catholic Church.

The original deadly sins are still just as sinful as they’ve ever been: Lust, Gluttony, Avarice, Sloth, Anger, Envy, and Pride.

However now they’ve added an updated list of mortal Sins: Genetic Modification, Human Experimentations, Polluting the Environment, Social Injustice, Causing Poverty, Financial Gluttony (or excessive wealth), and Taking Drugs.

As interesting as these reports are, they reveal a real problem in the theological understanding of the nature of sin by the vast majority of Americans.

It was just last week that we celebrated the most momentous event in the history of the world – the resurrection of Jesus who is the Christ.

But I’ve got to seriously wonder if some Christians – even some churches – are making the connection between Christ’s death and resurrection, and the forgiveness of, and victory over sin?

This is the linchpin doctrine of Christianity, and I’m convinced that a lot of professing Christians just don’t get it.

Over the next four weeks I want to preach a series of messages under the theme: /‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus./

We’re gonna sing that hymn every Sunday for the next four weeks.

(Larry, I’d like for us to sing all four stanzas each time).

The last stanza of the hymn sings out: /“I’m so glad I learned to trust Him, Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend; ... “/ The Pharisees and Jewish religious leaders watched the kind of people that Jesus hung around with, and derisively called him /“ ... a friend of ... sinners!”/

I am so glad that Jesus was and remains a friend of sinners.

We’re going to look at how deep that grace goes by looking at a succession of parables that Jesus told in Luke’s Gospel: The Parable of the Lost Sheep, the Parable of the Lost Coin, and the Parable of the Lost Son.

But before we turn our attention to those parables, I need for you all to understand the depth of your lostness of soul, and depravity of heart.

!

I. OUR DEPRAVITY IS UNIVERSAL

#. depravity is a doctrine we don’t like to talk about much these days

#. it’s a doctrine that teaches that, outside of a relationship with Jesus Christ, man has no moral compass or spiritual guidance

#. it teaches that man is a slave to sin

#. it’s a condition that affects all men, in all places throughout all time

* /"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"/ (Romans 3:23,KJV)

* /“If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near,"/ (1 Kings 8:46,ESV)

* /"Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you."/

(Psalm 143:2,ESV)

* /"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."/

(1 John 1:8,ESV)

#.

Our Depravity Is Universal

!

II.

OUR DEPRAVITY IS THOROUGH

#. apart from the grace of God there is no delight in the holiness of God, and no glad submission to the sovereign authority of God

* /"What then?

Are we Jews any better off?

No, not at all.

For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, "as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; "no one understands; no one seeks for God.

"All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

"“Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.”

“The venom of asps is under their lips.”

"“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”

"“Their feet are swift to shed blood; "in their paths are ruin and misery, "and the way of peace they have not known.”

"“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”/

(Romans 3:9-18,ESV)

#. the Apostle writes that all are under sin

#. whether Jew or Gentile, it doesn’t matter, outside of the grace of God, sin is the sinner’s master

#. it dominates their character and has them in its grip

#. in verses 11-18 he then defines and gives example of the corrupting influence of sin in the sinner’s life

#.

human conscience is depraved (3:10–11)

#. no one even desires to know and follow God

#. human character is depraved (3:12)

#. all have left the path of good and have became worthless

#. human conversation is depraved (3:13–14)

#. people’s talk is foul and filthy, resembling the stench from an open grave, and the poison from a deadly snake

#. human conduct is depraved (3:15–18)

#. they are quick to commit murder, and they have no fear of God

#. please do not equate the singular “SIN” with the plural “SINS”

#. this is where Americans frequently fail in their understanding of their sinfulness

#. sin is not merely a matter of the things we do

#.

sin is a matter of what we are

#.

we are not sinners because we sin

#. we sin because we are sinners

#.

SIN is this big, awful, powerful spiritual condition that defines and dominates our character and leads us to express our rebellion in evil deeds and unrighteous acts

!! A. WE ARE SINNERS TO THE CORE

* ILLUS.

If you ever want to see the sinful nature at work, put two three-year-olds in a room together with only one toy, and watch the dynamics that take place.

#. there are seven words in the New Testament that describe our sinful condition

#. /hamartia/ – it means to miss the mark.

#. it refers to a soldier who hurls his spear at a target, but fails utterly to hit the mark

#. /hamartema/ – it refers to premeditated evil acts and deeds

* It’s Ananias and Sapphira selling a piece of land, and bringing most – not all, but most – of the proceeds to the Apostles, but insisting that they were indeed giving the entire sale amount, while they knew it was a lie.

#. /asebeia/ – a lack of reverence toward God, what one commentator described as active irreligion

#. /parakoe/ – is wilful disobedience

#. it literally means the act of neglecting to hear

* ILLUS.

It’s the picture of a child putting his or her hands over their ears and saying, "la, la, la, la ... “ very loudly because they don’t want to hear what you’re saying.

#. /anomia/ – usually translated as iniquity and describes one who has an open contempt for God’s laws

#. /parabasis/ – usually translated as trespass or trespassing

#. it is crossing a clearly marked boundary that you know you should not cross

#. /paraptoma/ – this refers to a false step

#. it is an action that leads one through the wide gate and down the broad path that Jesus warns us to avoid

#.

taken together these words reveal the depth to which we are under the dominion of sin

#. you will never have a really deep faith, and a true appreciation for grace without a true understanding of your bondage to sin before you became a bond-servant of Christ

#. too often, even the church is influenced by the world's self-esteem philosophy

* ILLUS.

I am reminded of this when I remember that some hymns have been changed to make them less harsh.

Take for example the hymn, “At the Cross”.

When Isaac Watts penned those words in1885, he wrote, "Would He devote that sacred head, For such a worm as I?" That's how I originally learned the song, and I understood what it meant.

However, newer hymnals say, "For such a sinner as I?" (Some even say, "such a one as I.") “Sinner” is better than “such a one as I” but it still is not as meaningful as “worm.”

Isaac Watts wrote the word "worm" because He understood his place before a Holy God.

The old Broadman Hymnal has Isaac Watt's original words, but by 1956 when the Baptist Hymnal was introduced, we'd stopped being "worms" and just "sinners."

#. if we are going to be mature believers, we must have a clear understanding of who we are in light of Christ

#. if I do not have an awareness of my own "worminess," I cannot fully comprehend the awesome love of Christ and His redemptive work on the cross

#. it is that very redemptive work that makes it a privilege to be wholly abandoned to God, with no thought for myself or my needs

#.

Our Depravity Is Thorough

!

III.