Sermon Tone Analysis

Recap

1 John 4:

Holiness & Love are two sides to the same coin

The Credibility Gap

Intro

Relationships are intentional.

It is one thing to form a relationship with someone you can see and hear and touch, quite another to form and maintain a relationship with a being that you can’t always see, hear, or touch.

When you cultivate a relationship intentionally you find faith in the other person even when you can’t be near them.

You know what they would do or say based on the character you have understood from being near to them and you trust their character enough to know that there must be good reasons for their behavior even when you aren’t getting the whole story.

This kind of intimacy also requires time.

Maintenance.

Maintaining a love relationship with God

First Key: putting Jesus in His proper place

This is, by definition; Worship.

(Love God comes first, the first 4 commandments were about God’s place)

Second Key: love of neighbor

Hate isn’t always overt.

Hate often masks itself as justified feelings.

It is when we justify a lack of intimacy or compassion.

Luke 6:27-

Luke 10:25-

Challenge

Stop blaming someone else for your lack of compassion.

Do you find yourself justifying offensive words or actions?

Remember:

Matthew 5:43-

If we pursue this...

We find more fulfilling relationships with God and each other

We close the credibility gap

God continues a sanctifying work in our hearts