Sermon Tone Analysis

Welcome

Van is doing well

Last week we talked about wisdom

if you're new, you've made a great choice

series were in is called best life

We want to live the virtues because its fruit of the gospel

We never want to ignore virtue

Today is about strong life

Historical people with rules for life

Jonathan Edwards had 70 here are a few...

6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.

7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.

41.

Resolved, to ask myself at the end of every day, week, month and year, wherein I could possibly in any respect have done better.

Jan.

11, 1723.

67.

Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what good I have got by them, and what I might have got by them.

25.

Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.

28.

Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.

30.

Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.

24.

Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.

56.

Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.

65.

Resolved, very much to exercise myself in this all my life long, viz.

with the greatest openness I am capable of, to declare my ways to God, and lay open my soul to him: all my sins, temptations, difficulties, sorrows, fears, hopes, desires, and every thing, and every circumstance

Edwards had a strong life, died of polio at 54 but the life he lived was incredibly strong

Today were talking about 12 Rules for the strong life

All of these are deeply rooted in the gospel

Twelve rules for a strong life

(ESV) — 10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me.

You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.

11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound.

In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

A strong life is not found in new ideas or life hacks

I enjoy these too, but we quickly get disappointed by these because there is no life hack for strength, its a slow process.

Chronological snobbery

We want time tested!

...to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength...

...Last chapter...

  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

PRAY

1. THE STRONG LIFE IS READY TO ADMIT WEAKNESS

Everyone has encountered the person who tries to prove their strength all the time

deep insecurity

kid who swears its not cold

We all struggle with this at some level and the church has become a place of expert mask wearers, but true strength knows its weak!

The church is founded off of the weak

hospital not museum

Its not ok to project strength when things fall apart

(ESV) — 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.

For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul had strong life but still shows vulnerability

That kind of person is brave ---just like those who come out of abuse

God has always used weak people

(ESV) — 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.

27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;

If God is doing this in us, his strength is put on display

We need God’s strength to strengthen feeble knees

(ESV) — 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

It is only when we can finally admit that we don’t have everything together that we can truly be ready to grow in a strong life

2. THE STRONG LIFE IS READY FOR GROWTH

q 1.  FOR GROWTH

  And the child (Jesus) grew and became strong, filled with wisdom.

And the favor of God was upon him.

If Jesus had to grow, we should not be surprised that we need to grow

You don’t need to beat yourself up—Jesus died for this!

I think failure is part of the process and Jesus isn't expecting more from us than he knows we are capable of

If he saw all of your sin from before the foundations of the earth were laid, He isn’t shocked when you fail.

Yes sin is so serious that it took the death of the Son of God, but don’t allow your shame or fear of failure to cripple you, we are all called to grow

Take looks at yourself but keep looking to Christ

Sometimes reframing our failure with a gospel lens propels us into deeper growth and maturity

We need to take steps of action in this though!

...train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

There is a huge difference between training and exercise

how many of us have tried to go as hard as we could at the first workout?

For some people your growth may not be trying to read for an hour a day, it may mean you try to stay consistent to read for ten minutes everyday for the next three months

3. THE STRONG LIFE PRIORITIZES TIME

q 2.  FOR PROBLEM SOLVING

NOT the… BULLY      —      VICTIM     —     SAVIOR

So many of us struggle with this!

1. Self-deceived 4.  Self-righteous

2. Hurt people 5.  Deflect criticism

The world is your oyster of things to be done, but are those our priority?

3. Are self-absorbed 3.  Avoid responsibility

  Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

To have a strong life we must look at how we use our time

Are we taking adequate time to rest?

God did it, why cant we?

Are we working diligently when it is time to work? ---or going through the motions?

The master is away for right now, but He’s entrusted us with time talents and resources, the question that I am always asking is… Will he find me with my boots on?

---Van’s Brother story

Make a list of everything you value in life, see if those things are in the appropriate order, if not ask God to help you to set things in the right place

4. THE STRONG LIFE IS READY FOR OPPOSITION

q 3.  FOR OPPOSITION

  We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed...

There is a certain resilience that accompanies the Christian life

The Christian should never take the victim mentality, if there was ever a person who existed that should have been given the right it would have been Paul ---never took victim mentality

When you encounter opposition, ask yourself the question…What is God trying to teach me?