Sermon Tone Analysis

I ARE EDUCATED SLIDE 01

By Pastor Dennis Peery

Galatians 5:25

Summary: Sixth and final message in the I ARE EDUCATED series – Living the Spirit-filled Life - Galatians 5:25

INTRODUCTION:

We live in a world of high-tech communication.

Many of us carry a cell phone with us everywhere we go.

How many of you have ever found that as you drove down the highway you had inadvertently set your phone down, but you had either not ended the previous call or the phone made a call to the last person you talked to?

I know many people who are notorious at letting this happen.

Their phone would be sending me every sound in their car.

I could listen to them sing along with the radio, talk with the person riding with them or even funnier talk to themselves.

It can be interesting to listen in on someone when they don’t know you’re there.

How differently would you live if you knew that everything you said was being heard by someone else?

If you knew someone were listening would you be careful about what you said?

Would you be careful not to gossip?

Would not sneak in a lie to cover up but always tell the truth?

Would you stay away from telling certain jokes if you knew certain people were listening in on your conversation?

Well the Holy Spirit is always listening in.

Your cell phone to God never disconnects;

God not only hears every word you say, but the Holy Spirit also listens in on every thought you have.

Your cell phone may not broadcast your thoughts and conversations to your Pastor to listen in on (and I for one am glad I don’t have to hear everything that you all say), but God is listening to every word.

This is our final week in our I ARE EDUCATED series.

We have been looking at some of the basic (and essential) doctrines or teachings of the church.

SLIDE 02

Salvation

Conversation with God

Holiness and Sanctification

One Source – The Authority of the Bible

One God – Three Persons

Living the Spirit Filled Life

Galatians 5:25 SLIDE 03

This is where the rubber hits the road.

It isn’t good enough for us to simply know the basics of our faith; we need to live the life.

I have often said, “God isn’t like the public school system.

God won’t push you into the next grade; you have to have a passing grade.”

If you’re just starting out in your walk with Christ, if your spiritually in kindergarten, first or second grade, then God will leave you right were you are at until you learn the lessons He is teaching you.

God will continue to give you the same test until you pass it; there is no pushing you ahead.

What then does it mean to “live by the Spirit?”

Paul says living by the Spirit is to “keep in step with the Spirit.”

Living by the Spirit is literally to walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

ILLUSTRATION: One way to picture what it is like to “keep in step with the Spirit” is to imagine a marching band or soldiers marching in a parade.

Hundreds of individuals are marching in step with each other.

When a marching band in “in step” all the members are as one.

But what happens if one individual is out of step?

They stand out like a sore thumb.

Everyone can tell if you are out of step with the others in the band.

As we discover what it means to “keep in step with the Spirit” we will likewise “live by the Spirit.”

We’ll use STEP to help us understand what it means to live by the Spirit.

To keep in STEP with the Spirit: SLIDE 04

We Surrender to the Spirit

We are a Temptation Overcomer

We have an Empowered Witness

We Pray with the Spirit’s help

Someone has said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.”

Someone else said, “It’s important to start off on the right foot.”

The first step is important, so we are going to spend the bulk of our time here.

SLIDE 05

Surrender to the Spirit

Galatians 5:25 SLIDE 06

Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives.

It is not good enough that we can “talk the talk;” we must also learn to “walk the talk.”

Or another way of saying it, “Our walk needs to line up with our talk.”

We need to walk straight and keep in step with the Spirit and it all starts as we surrender control to the Spirit.

Notice what it says: living by the Spirit is more than an “idea” or a “sentimental thought.”

Living by the Spirit requires that we work out the “implications in every detail of our lives.”

In every thing we do and say we should ask ourselves, “How should I surrender to the Spirit so I can keep in step with the Spirit?”

To surrender to the Spirit requires that we do spiritual “CPR.”

We must learn to surrender our Control, Pride and Rights.

SLIDE 07

Surrender our Control

ILLUSTRATION: We are born fully dependent upon our parents and other people to meet our needs.

We are free from responsibility and choices.

As we mature we learn more and more independence; gradually we can start doing things for ourselves.

In the natural realm of things maturity is marked by greater independence with self control or determination.

However, spiritually it is the other way around!

We are born sinners and are fully independent of God.

We live for ourselves and take NO responsibility for our choices.

Spiritual maturity is marked by learning dependence upon God which comes as we surrender control to God.

Who or what will control our lives?

We will either try to control our lives or we will give the control of our lives to something or someone else.

Ephesians 5:18 SLIDE 08

Why do people drink alcohol?

I’ve decided that it is not because it taste great (or is less filling); anyone who says they drink because they just like the way beer or wine tastes have developed a taste for it because I really don’t think it is all that good.

(And isn’t that why many alcoholic drinks are served mixed with fruit juice to cover up how bad the stuff really is?) PEOPLE DRINK BECAUSE ALCOHOL GIVES THEM A BUZZ!

ILLUSTRATION: Alcohol will take control of how people live because it lowers our inhibitions.

People do things drunk that they would never do sober!

Many of us have heard of “the happy drunk” and “the mean drunk.”

People will respond to alcohol’s effect differently.

Paul puts it pretty plainly: alcohol leads to every kind of sin and wickedness.

THEREFORE DO NOT LET ALCOHOL CONTROL YOU!

Instead surrender control to the Spirit.

Literally Paul says, “be continually filled with the Spirit.”

Surrendering control is not a one time event in our lives, SURRENDERING CONTROL TO THE SPIRIT IS AN ONGOING PROCESS IN OUR LIVES.

We have to surrender everyday.

SLIDE 09

Surrender our Pride

There is only one way to surrender control of your life to the Spirit; YOU MUST SURRENDER YOUR PRIDE.

We have to stop saying, “I will do it myself” and let God direct my life.

We want to believe that we are strong enough and smart enough to do it on our own.

However, pride will be our downfall.