Sermon Tone Analysis

Perhaps you’ve heard the story about a man who was stranded on a desert island for many, many years.

One day, while strolling along the beach, he spotted a ship in the distance.

This had never happened in all the time he was on the island, so he was very excited about the chance of being rescued.

Immediately, he built a fire on the beach and generated as much smoke as possible.

It worked!

Soon, the ship was heading his way.

When the ship was close enough to the island, a dinghy was dispatched to investigate the situation.

The man on the island was overjoyed with the chance to be rescued and met his saviors as they landed.

After some preliminary conversation the ship’s Captain asked the man  how he had survived for so many years.

He replied by telling of his exploits for food and how he was able to make a fine house to live in.

In fact, the man said, “You can see my home from here.

It’s up there on the ridge.”

He pointed the men in the direction of his home.

They looked up and saw three buildings.

They inquired about the building next to the man’s house and he replied, “That’s my church – I go there to worship on Sundays.”

When asked about the third building, the man replied, “That’s where I used to go to church.”

Indeed.

Some people can’t even get along with themselves, let alone other people.

Or even their own brethren in Christ.

Discord, dissension, and division among brethren is dangerous and deadly.

In fact, our God of love considers it so serious that the Bible actually says that He hates it.

Every Sin listed in this passage tells of wicked people who hurt others.

if someone hurt your loved one wouldn’t you be get angry?

What is discord?

discord Prov.

6:12-14 “A worthless person, a wicked man, Is the one who walks with a perverse mouth, Who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, Who points with his fingers; Who with perversity in his heart continually devises evil, Who spreads strife.”

falling out Gen. 45:24 “So he sent his brothers away, and as they departed, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the journey.””

How & Why do people sow discord?

lack of love - Prov.

10:12 “Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions.”

contrast that to 1 Cor.

13:4-5 “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,”

a person who loves considers the dangers their words could cause James 3:8f warns that the tongue can poison and burn someone Matt.

18:6 “but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”

don’t disguise it by saying I do it out of love James 5:20 “let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Pet.

4:8 “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.”

lack of self control - Prov.

15:18 “A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, But the slow to anger calms a dispute.”

Prov.

29:22 “An angry man stirs up strife, And a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.”

Prov.

30:33 “For the churning of milk produces butter, And pressing the nose brings forth blood; So the churning of anger produces strife.”

ungodliness - Prov.

16:27 “A worthless man digs up evil, While his words are like scorching fire.”

God is a God of peace Rom.

15:33 “Now the God of peace be with you all.

Amen.”

Rom.

16:20 “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.” 1 Cor.

14:33 “for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.”

to be divisive is to be unlike God

envy

selfishness - I want it my way James 4:1 “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?

Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?” Gen. 13:8 Abrahams selflessness

pride - my opinion is better than others Prov.

28:25 “An arrogant man stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the Lord will prosper.”

Phil 2:3 “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;” 3 John 9-11 “I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say.

For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church.

Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good.

The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.”

whispering - talks behind someones back Ps.

41:7 “All who hate me whisper together against me; Against me they devise my hurt, saying,” Rom.

1:29 “being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,” Ps. 101:5 “Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; No one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure.”

Prov.

10:18 “He who conceals hatred has lying lips, And he who spreads slander is a fool.”

gossip - Prov.

18:8 “The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.”

- easy to swallow and changes the way you see people Prov.

16:27-28 “A worthless man digs up evil, While his words are like scorching fire.

A perverse man spreads strife, And a slanderer separates intimate friends.”

talebearing - Prov.

26:20-22 “For lack of wood the fire goes out, And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.

Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife.

The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.” 1 Pet.

4:15 “Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler;” - kills a persons reputation, steals away a persons respect

Can’t keep a secret - Prov.

11:13 “He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is trustworthy conceals a matter.”

Prov.

20:19 “He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a gossip.”

Prov.

17:9 “He who conceals a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.”

have too much time on their hands - 2 Thes.

3:11 “For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.” 1 Tim.

5:12-13 “thus incurring condemnation, because they have set aside their previous pledge.

At the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things not proper to mention.” 1 Pet.

4:15 “Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler;” - over seeing someone else’s affairs.

warning for widows 1 Tim.

5:11-14 “But refuse to put younger widows on the list, for when they feel sensual desires in disregard of Christ, they want to get married, thus incurring condemnation, because they have set aside their previous pledge.

At the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things not proper to mention.

Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach;”

What does sowing discord to the church and the individual?

weakens our fellowship

weakens our worship

retards our spiritual growth

disrupts mission of saving souls

dividing the kingdom Mk. 3:24-25

hurts everyone -

weariness of mind

burden on the heart