Sermon Tone Analysis

*GETTING READY FOR EASTER*

*/#4: Stop Looking for Loopholes/*

*Pastor Greg Henneman*

*March 25, 2007*

 

Text:          John 9 (The Blind man)

Key Idea:   No more excuses!

Goal:                   To inspire us to courageously follow Christ.

INTRODUCTION

 

·       Promote Newcomer Class

 

Turn in your Bibles to John 9 and take out your message outlines.

Today we’re ending our series entitled GETTING READY FOR EASTER.

We’ve been studying some characters and themes in the Gospel of John.

We learned that the theme of John’s Gospel is faith.

John wrote his Gospel to tell us about Jesus so that we would have faith in him.

He says in /John 20:30 “//Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.

//But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”/

You want to have life –eternal life, full life?

Then believe in Jesus!

We started off by asking…

 

*A.

Review*

* *

*What is faith?*

*          1.

Faith is not just something you say.

(1:12)*

*          2.

Faith is not just something you feel.

(1:50)*

*          3.

Faith is not just something you think.

(10:24)*

*          4.

Faith is something you do.

(8:31)*

If you were to take a video camera around Clarkston and ask people, “Do you believe in Jesus?”

Most of them would say “sure.”

But what they mean by that is that they believe that some guy named Jesus lived a long time ago.

Lots of people say that they believe in Jesus.

The Bible says that even the demons believe in Jesus, and they’re still going to hell! Faith is more than just something you say or think or feel! */Faith is stepping out and following Christ!/*

Faith is Indiana Jones standing on the ledge.

“Do I jump or not?

Yes, I’ll jump!” Faith is jumping into the arms of Christ!

He becomes your Rescuer!

He becomes your CEO!

Because of Presence and because of his power your life begins to change!

Your values and thoughts and direction in life are shaped by Him!

So –in /that/ sense –do you believe in Jesus?

In the Gospel of John Jesus gives us seven benefits of faith.

He says…

 

*          Seven Benefits*

*1.

I AM the Bread of life.

(6:35, 41, 48, 51)*

 

I didn’t use it all this winter, but most winters I get out my bread-making machine and bake some home-made bread.

Mmm! Warm, soft, buttery bread!

I might go home and make some today!

Are you hungry?

Spiritually hungry?

Jesus says, “I AM the bread of life!” Then he said…

 

*2.

I AM the Light of the world.

(8:12; 9:5)*

 

I am a grown man and I still get the wooly’s walking in the dark.

Sometimes after a meeting here at church late at night I’ll walk through the hallway in the dark.

This place can be scary at night!

You hear a creak and think, “What’s that?” Jesus came to shine light and to give us warmth in our lives!

*3.

I AM the Door of the sheep.

(10:7, 9)*

*4.

I AM the Good Shepherd.

(10:11, 14)*

 

Like a shepherd who stood at the entrance into the sheep fold to guard his flock, Jesus watches over us and protects us.

Anything that happens to us has to go through him first!

Like a good shepherd He guides us and protects us!

 

*5.

I AM the Resurrection and the Life.

(11:25)*

 

When we die –we’re not dead!

And we won’t go to hell!

And one day we’ll be given resurrection bodies that will be immortal, glorious, powerful bodies that can never get sick or old or ever die again!

Talk about benefits!

*6.

I AM the way, the truth, and the life.

(14:6)*

 

[Walk across stage].

Jesus shows us the way to live.

He tells us the truth about life.

And he is the life!

Do you notice how often Jesus talks about life?

Perhaps the craziest thing in this world is how people try to live life without Jesus who IS the life!

God, through, Christ, created life, sustains life, and can show us the way through life –and yet we think we can live life better without him!

Crazy!

 

*7.

I AM the true Vine.

(15:1, 5)*

 

He uses the metaphor of a vine and branches bearing fruit.

He’s the vine.

We’re the branches.

We’ve got to be connected to him so that his juice, his life, gets injected into our life so that we can bear fruit!

These are seven benefits of having faith in Jesus.

And all this comes right out of the Gospel of John.

*Now John 9 brings up the topic of loopholes.

I want to talk to you today about loopholes.*

In some respects we are a loophole society.

We look for loopholes so we don’t have to pay so many taxes.

That’s probably a good loophole –as long as it’s legal!

Don’t pay more taxes than you’re supposed to!

But we’re always looking for loopholes.

We write up these long documents with all this legalese and fine print –either to close the loopholes for the other guy or make loopholes for ourselves!

Some commercials crack me up.

They’re promoting the benefits of a certain drug and why you should take it.

And then they end with a long list of disclaimers.

This could cause diarrhea, hemorrhaging, cracked skin, bulging eyes, and even death!

Well, hey, I think I’ll buy me some of that!

What are they doing?

They are creating loopholes!

They’re trying to protect themselves from being sued.

But they’ll still get sued!

*Now listen: We need to be careful that we don’t develop a “loophole mentality” in our walk with God.*  “I believe in you Jesus, but…”  “Jesus, you’re my Rescuer and my CEO, however…”  When the famous comedian W. C. Fields was on his deathbed, a friend found him reading the Bible.

Not known for being religious, his friend asked him what he was doing.

W.C. Fields replied, "Looking for loopholes, my friend.