Sermon Tone Analysis

[VIDEO]

Our desire, according to psychologists, is threefold: to feel morally clean, safe, and significant.

We’ll do anything to justify feeling and thinking that way.

And we’ll avoid any source that holds up a mirror to our lives that says otherwise.

[SLIDE] Mark Twain once said: ‘Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture which they cannot understand; but as for me, I have always noticed that the passages in Scripture which trouble me most are those which I do understand.’

Creates a lot of turmoil when we come to a mirror like the Bible and find out that there’s some uncomfortable truth in there.

The Hebrew writer wants us to deal with our fears and anxieties with spiritual maturity.

But first, we have to get up on:

On The Operating Table

“The Word puts our soul on the operating table.”

Not destruction, but exposure.

Naked & exposed - language of vulnerability.

Having the neck exposed.

I know - this doesn’t seem like great news.

The “eye in the sky” is always watching, right?

Better Hold On

“Hold firm” = cling tightly, connect, grip.

Keep hold of the one who knows where you’re coming from and also knows how to mediate for us before God.

Understands = sympathizes, suffers along side of.

We need someone who can legitimately say, “I know exactly what you’re going through.”

Weaknesses = a lack of capacity, inability.

What We Really Need

Fearless in our lostness.

[SLIDE] Mercy - NOT getting what we deserve - judgment, condemnation.

[SLIDE] Grace - NOT deserving what we get - love, acceptance, significance.

In a few minutes, we’re going to finish the service with a song called “rescuer.”

I hope you’ll stay plugged in with us through that song so you can sing and affirm the message we’ve been sharing all morning:

Hold firm to Jesus, our rescuer, who redeems us, breaks all our chains of guilt, shame and sin, makes us fearless.

Hold firm to Him.