Sermon Tone Analysis

*Happy Mother’s Day*

 

The Story is told by a young minister,

I was asked by a funeral director to hold a grave-side service for a homeless man, with no family or friends, who had died while traveling through the area.

The funeral was to be held at a cemetery way back in the country, and this man would be the first to be laid to rest there.

As I was not familiar with the backwoods area, I became lost; and being a typical man did not stop for directions.

I finally arrived an hour late.

I saw the backhoe and the crew, who was eating lunch, but the hearse was nowhere in sight.

I apologized to the workers for my tardiness, and stepped to the side of the open grave, where I saw the vault lid already in place.

I assured the workers I would not hold them long, but this was the proper thing to do.

The workers gathered around, still eating their lunch!

I poured out my heart and soul.

As I preached the workers began to say "Amen," "Praise the Lord," and "Glory," I preached, and I preached, like I'd never preached before: from Genesis all the way to Revelations.

I closed the lengthy service with a prayer and walked to my car.

I felt I had done my duty for the homeless man and that the crew would leave with a renewed sense of purpose and dedication, in spite of my tardiness As I was opening the door and taking off my coat, I overheard one of the workers saying to another, "I ain't never seen anything like this before and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."

Sometimes preachers miss the mark.

I hope of all days on this Mother’s day we don’t miss the mark but speak to the hearts of all the moms and parents here today.

Psa 78:1  A maskil of Asaph.

O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.

Psa 78:2  I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old--

Psa 78:3  what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us.

Psa 78:4  We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.

Psa 78:5  He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children,

Psa 78:6  so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children.

Psa 78:7  Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.

Psa 78:8  They would not be like their forefathers-- a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him.

*1.

We must teach our children about God’s Greatness*

* The Psalmist begins by saying, “Oh my people”  - there is a tone of affection there.

* It is not you people but “my” there is a personal *connection* and a personal *concern* for the well being of those who are listening.

* Listen – don’t change the channel – don’t turn me off – what I have to say is important.

* There are a lot of distractions today.

* I always feel as a church we are not competing against other Bible believing churches

* We are competing against – golf, amusement parks, the shore, camping, sports teams, sleep, overtime any number of things.

* There are a lot of things to take our minds off of God and His church.

* The Psalmist understood distractions and so he calls the people to listen to his words

* How important it is for us as parents to get and keep the attention of our children as it relates to the things of  God.

* The first thing the author says we can teach our children is about the Greatness of God.

* Psa 78:2  I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old--

* Psa 78:3  what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us.

* Psa 78:4  We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.

* How wonderful it is to celebrate our Anniversary this month

* To be able to tell our children about our past

* How God has been faithful to us

* Some churches are afraid of the past – we are not – while I don’t want to go back we don’t want to forget either

* The stories of salvation – Brother Marino – 1st convert – family still in the church

* The stories of deliverance

* The stories of revival

* Sam Ciapanna saved at a revival meeting in 1950

* The stories of baptism

* Spatafore’s creek – hecklers came to make fun of those being baptized – fell out of a tree

* Your own family has stories of God’s power, grace and greatness

* Even if you didn’t grow up in church

* You are hear now – there is a story somewhere

* Somewhere in your family you can look back and see the hand of God

* *We must teach our children the greatness of God*

 

*2.

We must teach our children the Word of God*

Psa 78:5  He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children,

Psa 78:6  so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children.

* “In the maze of moral confusion, God’s Word serves to guide us.”

* Notice the multi-generational aspect of these verses,  forefathers, their children, the children yet to be born and their children

* Do you know that in our church we have four generations

* Grandparents – your spiritual assignment is not over

* Your are to influence your grandchildren and I know many of you are – taking the time and effort to bring them to church

* Back to teaching our children the word of God – How do we do it?

* Take the time – we have time for what is important

* Tell stories of how God has helped you

* Read the Word of God together

* Let your children see you reading the Bible

* Live the Word of God yourself

* Bring them to church as a supplement but not a replacement

* Talk to them about what they learned in Sunday School, Rangers, Boys Night Out, Missionettes, youth

 

If you believe the Word of God is important – teach your children

 

*3.

We must teach our children to Trust God  *

Psa 78:7a  Then they would put their trust in God

* Your single most important job of being a parent is to give your children every opportunity to accept Christ as Savior and Lord

* Nice house, nice clothes, well-rounded education, time together, memories – none of these things will last forever.

* The only thing that will last forever is the soul.

* What are we doing for their souls?

* Teach them to trust God

* */How?/*

* By trusting God ourselves

* By simple faith believing that God’s promises are true

* He will meet our needs – he will provide

By Being generous

            This is only antidote to affluenza

            Having so much more than we need and still wanting more

            Giving involves trusting God now and for the future

            By sacrificing

                        Some our wants and desires

                        To accomplish the work of God in this world

 

* This passage talks about how the Israelites forgot about God’s work

* How is that possible  when God had done so many miracles

* Parting of the Red Sea

* Water from the Rock

* Manna from heaven

* Because the children were not taught about what God had done when they trusted in Him.

*4.

We must teach our children to Obey God  *

Psa 78:7  Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds *but would keep his commands.*

Psa 78:8  They would not be like their forefathers-- a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him.

* Forgetting what God has done leads to disobedience

* Remembering what God has done leads to obedience