Sermon Tone Analysis

Scripture: /James 1:13-15/

 

13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.”

For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.

15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

[1]

James writes these words to differentiate between the testing of God to mature our faith and the temptation that comes from the devil that is designed to bring our ruin.

Alexander MacLaren, in a sermon entitled Faith Tested and Crowned, distinguished between being tempted and being tested or tried.

He said that, "the former word conveys the idea of appealing to the worst part of man, with the wish that he may yield and do the wrong.

The latter means an appeal to the better part of man, with the desire that he should stand.

Temptation says, 'Do this pleasant thing; do not be hindered by the fact that it is wrong.'

Trial or proving says, 'Do this right and noble thing; do not be hindered by the fact that it is painful.'

The one is a sweet, beguiling melody, breathing soft indulgence and relaxation over the soul; the other is a peeling trumpet-call to high achievements."

Satan tempts us to bring out the worst in us; God tests us to bring out the best in us.

Why Men Are (Justifiably) Proud Of Themselves

 

1.

We know stuff about tanks

2. A 5-day trip requires only one suitcase

3. We can open all our own jars

4.  We can go to the bathroom without a support group

5.

We don't have to learn to spell a new last name

6.

We can leave a motel bed unmade

7.  We can kill our own food

8.  We get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness

9.  Wedding plans take care of themselves

10.

If someone forgets to invite us to something they can still be our friend

11.

Underwear is $10 a three-pack

12.

If you are 34 and single nobody notices

13.

Everything on our faces stays the original color

14.

Three pair of shoes are more than enough

15.

We don't have to clean the house if the meter reader is coming

16.

Car mechanics tell us the truth

17.

We can sit quietly and watch a game with a friend for hours without thinking "He must be mad at me."

18. Same work-more pay

19.

Gray hair and wrinkles only add character

20.

We can drop by and see a friend without having to bring a little gift

21.

If another guy shows up at a party in the same outfit you just might become lifelong friends

22.

Your pals will never trap you with: "So, notice anything different?"

23.

We are not expected to know the names of more than 5 colors

24.

We almost never have a "strap problem" in public

25.

We are totally unable to see wrinkles in our clothes

26.

The same hairstyle lasts for years-maybe decades

27.

We don't have to shave below the neck

28.

A few belches are expected and tolerated

29.

Our belly usually hides our big hips

30.

One wallet, one pair of shoes, one color, all seasons

31.

We can do our nails with a pocketknife

32.

We have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache

33.

Christmas shopping can be accomplished for 25 people on the day before Christmas and in 45 minutes

 

~*Highlighted are omitted

 

1.The Predictability Factor

 

Awareness of our weaknesses is crucial to spiritual victory

 

“. . . .

by his *own* evil desire . . . .

“

 

I don’t know why it is so difficult for us to say, “I’ve got a problem.”

(Ill.

Car.

When I hear a noise in my car I try to ignore it.

Turn the radio up.

I pray for my car that God would heal it.

Then every once in a while I’ll get a mechanic in the car.

Now I hate that.

They hear things that haven’t broken yet.

Please if you ever get in my car and you hear things that mean that I am going to have to spend money – don’t tell me.

Let me have a few more miles in blissful ignorance.

And then I’ll come home and Elaine will say something.

I’ll just assure her that it’s nothing and keep driving.

I have a real appreciation for “Alcoholics Anonymous”.

They never seem to lose respect for their deliverance from alcohol.

At the appropriate times when a person rises before the group to speak they say, “Hi, my name is Karl and I’m an alcoholic.”

No one is semantically offended by that.

They share the same history.

They recognized that when it came to this particular issue, they had no power in themselves to deliver themselves and they remind themselves every time that they say those words, “I’m an alcoholic.”,

that they are one decision and one drink from chaos and ruin.

They never become proud of their accomplishments, their dry time.

That’s why they can embrace the new recruit with compassion and support because they remember when they were new.

And for the new member, there is the comfort and encouragement of knowing that they are being supported by comrades.

They are not looked down on for their weakness and fragility because they are surrounded by people who are close enough to touch and know that these folks will forever respect their tendency to be overcome.

12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall![2] (1 Corinthians 10)

 

Where does the work of AA fall short?

It falls short in that it does not recognize that we can be transformed into something new, something different when we have a true encounter with the Highest Power.

And where do we fall short?

/9 //Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And that is what some of you were.

But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

(1 Corinthians 6) *[3]*/

 

So what am I saying?

Just that each of you have within you a connecting point, a receptor to the voice of the devil as he tempts you in one area or another.

/15// Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world, *the lust of the flesh*, and the *lust of the eyes*, and the *pride of life*, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

*[4]*/

 

And what you have been delivered from will always be something that you could return to.

James says that we are drawn away by “our own” lust.

We respond to the voice of temptation because it touches something weak and vulnerable within us.

So what do we do.

Peter writes:

 

/8 //Be self-controlled and alert.

Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.*[5]*

(1 Peter 5)/

 

And yet, according to James this is not sin.

If there were nothing in us that could hear the voice of temptation then there would be no possibility that we could sin.

It is descriptive of the normal “wrestling” that takes place as we try to stand strong in the Lord.