Sermon Tone Analysis

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On March 27, 1939, the first-ever NCAA men’s basketball tournament took place.

This tournament, known later as "March Madness," kicked off as the University of Oregon defeated (any guesses?)

The Ohio State University by a score of 46 to 33.

From its inception in 1939 until modern time, this tournament has grown in size and popularity.

From just 8 teams during its first 12 years, to now 68 teams who qualify.

There is little comparison to the excitement it receives from sports fans.

But it doesn’t stop there.

March madness is also one of the highest sporting events which Americans bet on.

An 45 million Americans will have wager $3.1 billion on this single tournament alone.

But here’s a question for us this morning, what do you think the odds are of one of these brackets being perfect?

Any guesses?

I’ll just put the number up on the screen.

9,223,372,036,854,775,808.

And if anyone can read that number outload, I’ll buy you lunch sometime… The odds of someone having a perfect bracket are 1 in 9.2 quintillion.

Still.

45 million Americans will bet on one of these teams.

Why am I sharing this with you this morning?

Well, a couple reasons.

First, I love sports.

I’m excited by MLB opening day coming up, it’s been fun to watch this last week as free agency for the NFL takes place, and I plan on watching a couple of the tournament games.

I also enjoy sports because it has a way of bringing us together.

For instance, my 3 oldest kids are all involved in spring sports this year.

In fact, later today, carter has try outs to see If he’ll be playing t ball or coach pitch baseball this year… so there’s a family element, and hopefully an opportunity to further connect with the community through sports…

But for the sake of this morning’s message, the reason I highlight this story is the staggering fact that 3.1 billion dollars will be placed on the tournament, yet the odds of winning are next to impossible.

Maybe you’re not a sports fan this morning.

Maybe it’s the stock market, I found this week that 13 million, new Americans started buying shares of stock after robinhood and other apps were launched during covid.

Young men and women who had no interest in stocks before, now had something at stake.

For instance someone had no interest in General Motors just weeks ago, but now… they have to pull up the latest news articles, and read all the headlines to make sure they’re informed with what the Detroit based company is doing on a daily basis…

Think about it… A couple weeks ago, there was no interest in GM… Now, the same people probably can recall more about the company then they can from their high school history book… The question?

What’s changed?

How can one person suddenly have so much interest in one thing, where less than a month ago… there was no interest at all?

Turn with me to Matthew 6 this morning.

And I want to give us the answer up front… Matthew 6:21 says: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Think about it, where your money is… there too is your heart… The same people that cared so little about GM all those days before, now spend tireless hours trying to stay informed not only on GM but on the global economy as a whole.

The sports fan, who couldn’t tell you 1 player from teams, now knows that Kentucky might make a late round upset as their shooting guard is one of the best in the country.

What changed for the GM investor and Basketball fan?

Their treasure was there, and so their heart was there.

This morning, we’re going to continue in the book of Matthew.

And study the principle of spending.

Our sermon this morning, is turning your investment from one that’s a mess to one that’s blessed. 2 questions I want us to consider this morning are this: how do we spend our 1.

Time 2. Treasure (and we could add Our Talent.

But for today our focus is just on giving our time and our treasure.)

Beginning with point 1.

Turn with me to Matthew 5 as we look at how do we spend Our time

As your turning there, we’ll find Jesus preaching the sermon on the Mount.

This sermon of course, is one of the most famous messages given by Jesus.

It was spoken relatively early in his Jesus earthly ministry and would be the first of five messages in Matthewrelated to discipleship.

Jesus would then go on to preach to the Large crowd on topics that they could understand.

on turning the other check, on loving others, on topics like murder, adultery and other topics… But ultimately, Jesus would challenge the legalistic mentality of the culture and ultimately prove that it was only by grace only, through faith only and in Christ alone that one would enter the kingdom of heaven.

You see, several times Jesus would quote the old testament, and say to the Jewish people….

You have heard it said this way… but let me explain how it actually is.

You have heard it said you must not murder… but I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.

You have heard it said do not commit aduelty… but I tell you that anyone who looks at a women lustfully has already committed adultery

And then he gets to the point of Love and Jesus says

He would tell the people:

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’

44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven.

He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?

47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others?

Do not even pagans do that?

48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

You see, Jesus comes in and completely challenges the peoples way of thinking.

Not just love your neighbor, but love your enemy.

Jesus would go on to say “46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?

You see what’s interesting is, at the time the Tax collectors, charged tolls and taxes on behalf of the Roman government .

Then, To make a profit, they demanded a higher tax from the people than they would be required of them from the government.

This system led to widespread greed and corruption.

Furthermore, since the Jews considered themselves victims of Roman oppression, the Jewish tax collectors specifically, were especially despisebed because itw as like they turned their back on their fellow countryman.

And here Jesus is comparing these despised tax collectors of the society and he’s saying hey, even the tax collectors love their own people… and yet, you’re called to be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect.

You see, for a moment, I want us to consider a concept in social psychology that is called interpersonal attraction.

The way it works is whether it comes to friendship, a new love interest or even just our ability to gravitate towards someone at the holiday Christmas party… there are certain factors which influence are willingness to associate with others.

(GENDER, RACE, APPERANCE…)

The truth is, that the laws of social psychology explain how we tend to gravitate towards those that walk, talk and look like us… (ASSOCIATE WITH OTHERS IN HUMBLE POSITION)

Jesus said said: If you greet only you own people, what are you doing more than others?

You see the point is… Jesus was challenging the people to make time for others.

Yes, love your neighbor, yes, love those who love you… but listen… don’t forget about the man, women or child on the other side of tracks…

You see, when we talk about how to spend our time and investing our lives well.

We must look to the example of Jesus.

We must look at his life as time after time, he went out of his way and gave to the needs of others.

Even up until the night that Jesus was crucified, Jesus was living out this idea of giving.

The night before Jesus was crucified, Jesus was present with his disciples during the last super.

And he would go on to wash their feet.

John 13 12 says:

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place.

“Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.

13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.

14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.

15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

(You see, Jesus takes it from a standpoint of hey… you call me teacher… good, I am the teacher… but now… let me give you this invitation… now that I’ve washed your feet.

You go and was one another’s feet.

(and by the way not just the other disciples but really serve the needs of the world… invest your time in giving to others… but then Jesus said and then at then end there’s a key nugget for each of us this morning… 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them… by the way, when we see the word blessed their many of your translations will say happy.

And here’s the point… Jesus was offering the disciples a life that was blessed or happy, if they invested their time by serving the needs of others.

Guys, The very reason that Jesus was sent to this earth was to give… Miracle after miracle, time after time, even during his death he spent his life giving to others.

Guys here’s the point this morning, there are many things we could spend our time doing… But as we meet the needs others, as we serve them… the bible says that we will be blessed, that we will be happy.

So here’s a challenging question for you this morning?

1. Are you happy in your life right now… 2. Are you serving others?

Acts 20:35 says: 35 In every way I showed you that by working hard like this we can help those who are weak.