Sermon Tone Analysis

Truth vs. Prosperity

Wouldn’t it be great if both teams could win tonight?

I don’t mean the horrible tie, but for both teams to actually win?

Instead of the better team winning “Any given Sunday” or “Any given Monday Night,” there were no losers, just winners?

Actually, that sounds horrible.

I doubt the NFL could survive the collapse of the win/lose system.

Seriously, who would even care enough to watch?

In life, there are people who will tell you that if you become a Christian, your life will be immeasurably better (partly true) and that God will help you get that raise, find your spouse, win the lottery, etc. (not true).

Wouldn’t it be great if it were true, that everything would work out for you, all your dreams would come true, and you would never experience any hardship, no heart ache, no financial woes, no health issues, just bliss all the time?

Actually, that sounds a little like heaven but more like hell.

Why?

Because it is a lie for here on earth and living a lie poisons your life in ways you may not even know.

In John 16:33, Jesus tells us “In this world you will have trouble.

But take heart!

I have overcome the world.”

In this world, we are guaranteed trouble, other translations say afflictions, tribulations, trials, sorrows.

To pretend it isn’t so, just makes the coming troubles that much worse.

But just like these football teams (except the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the 2007 made a valiant effort and only lost the last game), we will have wins and losses in life.

We need to expect them.

For those times that are “losses” to us, we need to remember, we don’t walk alone when we have Jesus in our lives.

Because even in the worst of times, He is with us bringing His peace (not absence of strife) and His joy (not happiness) and is walking every step with us.

When I’m having times of bad depression, somehow, even though there is no light, but just darkness in my world, because of Jesus, I have hope for the future.

Why? How?

I don’t know.

But all is not lost when you have Jesus in your life.

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