Sermon Tone Analysis

\\ /" Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here.

I have not come on my own; but he sent me.

Why is my language not clear to you? /*Because you are unable to hear what I say.**[KI1]

* /You belong to your father, the devil, and *you want to carry out your father’s desire.*

He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for *there is no truth in him*.

When he lies, he speaks his native language, for *he is a liar and the father of lies*.

Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?

If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me?

He who belongs to God hears what God says.

The reason you do not hear is that *you do not belong to God*.”

The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?” “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me.

I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge.

*I tell you the truth*, if anyone *keeps my word*, he will never see death.”

At this the Jews exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed!

Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death.

Are you greater than our father Abraham?

He died, and so did the prophets.

Who do you think you are?” Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing.

My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.

Though you do not know him, I know him.

If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word.

Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”

“You are not yet fifty years old,” the Jews said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” “*I tell you the truth*,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.//"

(John 8:42-59, NIV) *[1]* /

Whenever I think about professional wrestling I think of Pastor Troy, our former youth pastor.

He was a devoted fan from his teenage years.

I never embraced it myself.

I don’t want to offend anyone by this comment but I have suspected for years that it could be fake.

Not sure but I wonder at times.

The same way that I wonder about politicians, faith healers, violence in hockey, UFO’s and a host of other unlikely possibilities.

You see, it’s not that I think that professional wrestlers don’t have athletic ability and talent.

I do.

I wouldn’t want to be chased too far by any one of them especially if there was a camera anywhere close.

My problem with the whole idea is the script.

It seems to me that persona is as much or more important than any of these other things and the outcome of any given match is decided by the script before the event ever takes place.

And you know, a bad script diminishes the talent of a good actor and seals the fate of a poor one.

You can’t make a good movie from a poor script no matter how hard you try.

Many of us are like that – we are trying to make a good life from a bad script and it’s a battle all the way.

Even when our lines are delivered properly, the make-up is applied to perfection and the lights are in our favor, we discover that it’s just not all that it is made out to be.

The world is full of people and perhaps some are here today who have discovered that there must be a better option to life than what they currently know.

We build our lives out of the script that we have been given, or we rewrite somewhere along the line because none of us have to accept life ill defined or false hope that somehow all will be well when we stand one day before God.

 

*1.

**We all have a script and we live out of it.

*

 

A scorpion, being a very poor swimmer, asked a turtle to carry him on its back across the river.

"Are you mad?" exclaimed the turtle.

"You'll sting me while I'm swimming and I'll drown."

"My dear turtle," laughed the scorpion, "If I were to sting you, you would drown and I'd go down with you.

Now where is the logic in that?" "You're right," cried the turtle.

"Hop on."

The scorpion climbed aboard and halfway across the river gave the turtle a mighty sting.

As they both sank to the bottom, the turtle, resigned, said, "Do you mind if I ask you something?

You said there is no logic in your stinging me.

Why did you do it?"

"It has nothing to do with logic," the drowning scorpion replied.

"It's just my nature."

þ     *The scripting is woven into our nature*.

None of us escape it.

It is a consequence of disobedience.

The first couple chose disobedience over intimate fellowship with God and their was a spiritual consequence from the decision that we all reap to this day.

We are not born redeemed but lost.

We have human tendencies that cause us to go our own way even as Adam and Eve did.

*/" So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the/*/ *sinful nature*.

*For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.

They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want*.

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Against such things there is no law.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.//"

(Galatians 5:16-25, NIV) *[2]* /

 

þ     *It can be both sinful and tragic*.

Sinful because it separates us from God and tragic as far as this life is concerned because it keeps us from experiencing life by God’s design.

þ     *It comes to us from our earthly parents*.

It can be limiting or limitless.

It can create in us an unspoken acceptance that there are certain things in life which are beyond us.

It can tell us that our parents love us more when we perform well and less when we fail.

It can also tell us that no matter how well we do, it is never enough.

It can drive us through life to prove our worth.

It can tell us that things which may or may not be ultimately important are vital and essential.

It can coerce us to pick up where they left off as though our job is to finish what someone else started.

It can tell us that money or fame or education or talent or power is all important and worth whatever sacrifice that is called for.

It’s a terrible way to start life because it paints a picture that life wears away.

And by the time we can see the real picture that is there underneath and realize what is really important it is too late.

We’ve traded away our lives and we can never go back.

þ     *We have a script that comes to us as well from an estranged relationship with the one who designed us*.

We are no mistake.

Every single aspect of our being is a part of a great plan.

/"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." (Psalm 139:13-16, NIV) /[3]

 

But there’s something in each of us that tells us that He is going to take something good away from us if we come to Him.  We’ve gotten bad information from the one who has an inside track.

We are born into this world with a predisposition to hear him and to see as he sees.

We really don’t think much about him.

He provides a perspective to us that we interpret as being “normal” and original with us.

He is the enemy of your soul.

As long as he can remain in the shadows and keep your soul in the dark then he is content.