Sermon Tone Analysis

Romans 10:8–13 (NRSV)

But what does it say?

“The word is near you,

on your lips and in your heart”

(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.

The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.”

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him.

For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

TITLE “JESUS HELPED ME TO DEAL WITH IT”

INTRODUCTION | Facing reality and being a Christian have taught me to balance my faith.

In March 1996 on a cool day, I was at school, headed to a District Competition for Humorous Dramatic Interpretation in Storytelling.

Dressed down in a blue suit, glistening in black shoes, I was sharp.

Upon getting a call to the office, I was startled.

I told that I needed to go to the hospital because a family member was sick.

I was transported by Park View administration.

Upon my arrival, I was lead down the hallway of hospital, counting the squares on the floor, and it was breathtaking quiet.

Upon being led to a wooden door with numbers on it, that swung on silver hinges, the nurse who escorted me knocked touched the door.

When it was opened, the fulness of my heart dropped to the floor.

The sounds of mourning raced to my ears and then, I saw tears streaming down my grandmother’s face.

Shock took hold me and ethereal essence of my ears attuned to my grandmother’s voice to tell me that my grandfather has died.

It was unexpected.

Not anticipated.

I just saw him that morning.

I had sunk in weeping, knees stripped of strength, and I found myself lamenting the loss of my hero.

I stood their pondering, has God dealt my family and I bad hand?

Has death paid tribute to break-up our family?

How did this happen to a man who prayed, served on the Deacon Board, visited the sick, and whose life was my light into manhood?

What I had to learn is that Christianity did not free me from life’s pain.

Christianity did not promise me a trouble-free life.

I had to find out that Christian faith provides perspective, perseverance, and purpose through tough times, but it will not always protect anyone from the hard realities of life.

For the first time, I told God how I really feel, and it was not a pleasant conversation.

Yet, I was real.

I was open.

I was honest.

God honored my heart.

In my quest to find out why God did not jump in to save me from this pain, I learned that a healthy faith acknowledges the supernatural power of God and does not need a miraculous intervention to prove that God is real.

In Daniel 3:17, 3 Hebrew Boys were being thrown in the fiery furnace.

The king stated that I will throw you in the fiery furnace if you don’t worship me, then what god will be able to deliver you from my hands.

They stated that “ King, the God whom we serve is ABLE to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

But even if He does not, we will not serve you.”

A strong Christian does not look for God to magically change circumstances but a strong Christian look for God in the midst of trials.

It is why David said, “ye though I walk through the valley of shadow of death, I will fear not evil for God is with me.”

His presence brings stability to my misery.

His presence smooths the paths of my fears.

I learned through my experience that His presence shall never be taken from me.

For the Bible says, I will never leave you nor forsake you.

I found that a true Christian trusts God even when I don’t understand the circumstances.

I don’t know why your mother got cancer.

I don’t know why my cousin was murdered.

I don’t know why your marriage ended in divorce.

I don’t know why the children died in the car accident.

Yet, what I do know is that God works it all out for His good.

My grandfather dying brought me closer to the Lord.

My grandfather dying made me more determined to be a great father and husband.

My grandfather dying made me stronger because if the same God blessed him, surely, He will bless me.

I realized that my grandfather was living a saved life.

QUESTION | HOW DOES SALVATION HELP ME DEAL WITH WHAT I CANNOT CONTROL?

In this particular pericope, as Paul puts pen to paper, quill to parchment, he declares unto us that our access to salvation is through belief.

Yet, when one asks, to be saved from what, here in-lies the substratum of our witness and testimony.

Saved means delivered or preserved.

It is when God pulls the sinner out from the wilderness of being lost to shining mountaintop of being saved.

SAVE FROM WHAT YOU STILL ASK.

SAVED FROM SIN.

What is Sin, and How Did Sin Enter Into The World

Two Types of Sin

Sin transliteration means “HA-TA,” and Greek, it means “Hamartema” where the meaning means to miss the mark, fail in duty.

It is where we get the study of sin call, Harmartiology.

Where did Sin Start.

If you stated, In the Garden of Eden, you are could be very much incorrect.

Sin had its beginning with Satan.

Listen to Isaiah 14:12-15 | “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn!

How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!

You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly on the heights of Zaphon; I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High.”

But you are brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the Pit.

TWO TYPES OF MAIN SINS | ORIGINAL AND ACTUAL.

Original Sin - It is whereby our whole nature is corrupted, and rendered contrary to the nature and law of God; or, according to the ninth article of the church of England, “It is that whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is, of his own nature, inclined to evil.”

This is sometimes called, “indwelling sin.”

It is so designated because: (1) “it is derived from the original root of the human race (Adam).

In Genesis 2:17, God told Adam, listen.

You may eat of any fruit in the garden, but the Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil, thou shalt not eat, For in the day, that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.”

In Chapter 3, the Devil had a conversation with Eve without the presence of Adam and told her that her nature in which God created them was inadequate and when EAT OF THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGED, you disobey God, you will be like gods.

The Bible says, Gen 3, when the woman saw that the tree was good for food (Lust of the Flesh), and that it was pleasant to the eyes (Lust of the Eyes), and a tree to be desired to make one wise (Pride of Life), she made a decision in her heart that transpired into action, took of the fruit thereof and ate, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he ate.

AND SIN ENTERED THE WORLD.

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves things to gird about.

Adam, God told you, commanded you not to eat.

But you, HA-TA, Hamartema, you miss the mark and failed in duty.

Adam, you sinned.

Therefore, everyone born from you, the entire human race will bear this sin because of you.

Women will have birth pangs and go through monthly trials in their bodies.

Men will have to work diligently to provide for the family.

I had given you everything, but your decision distorted our relationship.

Now, Sin is present in the life of every individual from the time of their birth, and

(3) it is the inward root of all the actual sins that defile the life of man.”35

Simply stated it refers to “the corruption of our whole nature.”36

TWO TYPES OF MAIN SINS | ORIGINAL AND ACTUAL.

ACTUAL HAS ITS BEGINNINGS, ITS START, ITS ROOT IN THE ORIGINAL SIN.

Actual Sin - A sin that results from a free decision of the will to perform an ungodly act.

It means that one is capable of committing moral evil.

Severely mentally ill or children, who have not the right use of their powers, are not subject to committing moral evil.