Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

I grew up in a small town of northern KY.

You could say it was kind of the country - kind of Kentucky backwoods.

Kind of… let me show you.

[slide of piner elementary] Here is a satellite view of Piner Elementary - 2kft above.

Contrast this with where Nora will go to school

[slide of sward elementary] This is Sward elementary from the same 2kft - It’s slightly more dense than Piner.

I really struggled to read.

I was so far behind my peers that during reading sections of our class, i would go to a special room, not much bigger than a large closet.

I’d go with another kid who had a thick accent.

I had a lisp (and still do sometimes).

I really struggled to read.

I was so far behind my peers that during reading sections of our class, i would go to a special room, not much bigger than a large closet.

I’d go with another kid who had a thick accent.

I had a lisp (and still do sometimes).

[slide of kindergarten picture] what I looked like in those early years.

I remember reading a book about a bear.

I loved this book.

It was full of adventure - forestry - green leaves and dirt paths.

Trouble is - this book didn’t have words.

I would simply describe what was happening in the pictures.

Then i’d get candy.

That’s all i remember.

By the time I was in third grade - i finally read at a first grade level.

Some of you may not know this but I really struggled to read when I was young.

I was generally behind all of my peer.s

Getting to become a dad.

This is a big event - I remember people asking me about my first father’s day.

Nurture -

There were only 2 non-white families in the school - and I used to try to make friends by making up words that sounded like chinese and tell people their name in my invented language.

I could tell that one of the smart gifted and talented kids was on to me - so i stopped making up names.

Other scriptures on spiritual growth:

One of the most important things I needed to learn as a child was my identity.

https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Maturity,-Spiritual

Up to that point, I was someone who looked, felt, and smelled different, but I desperately wanted to be accepted and liked.

But even more than that - I needed an identity.

I needed an identity.

The first thing the believer receives in chair 2 - is a new identity.

True Identity in Christ

We become “in Christ” - who do we become - a new creation.

2 Corinthians 5:

What is the old that has passed away?

The old way of recognizing me.

I am new.

The best way Jesus describes is is that we are re-born.

When I was first born, my name reflected my parents.

Daniel Stidham.

Daniel is the name my parents chose - and my last name identifies me as of my father.

When you gain a new identity - it should literally mean that you identify yourself in a new way.

How do we know?

Because the “old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

The only way that our new identity can be experienced or lived, is if our old identity passes.

Died.

This verb “passed” away is tied to the end of something - it’s used when speaking of how heaven and earth will pass away; or how this generation will not pass away until… or how the rich in their humiliation will “pass away” like the grass and flower.

This is the only time i could find where this verb is in the aorist or the completed/perfected past tense.

It’s also in the indicative.

Aorist indicative gives a sense of completion.

The old has passed away - it’s done.

It’s over.

That period of time has ended.

You are new.

The new has come - in Christ - tells you with whom my ultimate allegiance lies.

I am reborn with a new name - a new title - a new identity.

In this place I am reborn - totally teachable - ready to learn from the ultimate teacher - Jesus Christ.

One of the key features of knowing that you are re-born is that you are teachable - you are open, ready to learn, ready to implement the wisdom and insight from the ultimate teacher - Jesus Christ.

Why am I teachable?

Why would I open my life to be influenced?

Because when you believe, you are placing trust in him as a good, wise, all-knowing, ever-present Father.

Trusting Jesus is key to exercise our identity in Him.

[Illustration] Megan told me that the most important thing I can do as a father of Nora is build trust - every little thing I do either builds trust with Nora or dismantles it.

Nora needs to know that when she cries, we’ll be there.

She needs to know that we can be trusted - that’s ultimately why she wants us over a stranger - because strangers can’t be trusted - she knows us, and trusts us, and therefore desires us.

When someone receives Christ upon placing their trust in Jesus - they become a new creation, and there’s no better way to see that than in baptism.

[slide] BAPTISM

Baptism is a picture of that old passing away, literally being washed off of us, and behold, the new has come - we are baptized into a name.

Into a person.

Into Christ.

And we are raised with Him.

In this place I am reborn - totally teachable - ready to learn from the ultimate teacher - Jesus Christ.

This name tells us whose we are just as

Who we are and whose we are.

Who we are and whose we are.

Why am I teachable?

Because I trust him as a good, wise, all-knowing, ever-present Father.

Trust is key to exercise one’s identity in Christ.

Nora is loved - statements of identity from Ephesians

[Illustration] Megan told me that the most important thing I can do as a father of Nora is build trust - every little thing I do communicates whether or not Nora can trust me.

Nora needs to know that when she cries, we’ll be there.

She needs to know that we will be there for her.

We were raised, not just to have a new name, but to walk in this newness of life.

Building trust - it’s important that Nora knows that we will be there for her.

So let’s discuss what it looks like to walk and talk into this new identity.

Jesus modeled six foundational principles

The Resources of Jesus - Dependence on the Holy Spirit / Prayer / The Word of God .

Full Dependence on the Holy Spirit () () () (Romans 8:11)

Centrality of prayer in life and ministry (; )

Importance of obedience to Father’s will () (Luke 22:42)

God’s word as central in life and ministry (Mark 12:24)

Exalting the Father in every area of life (; : 14:10)

Intentional relationships of love and integrity ()