Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Gospel “Good News”

What God has accomplished in Christ to show mercy to sinful human being.

Sin

Broke us

Broke our relationship with God

Broke our relationship with others

Gospel

God heals our brokenness.

God restores our relationship with Himself.

God heals our relationship with others.

Christian Living

Transformation into Christlikeness

New relationship with God

Living in relation with others

What is our new relationship with God?

Covenant relationship

What is a covenant relationship?

“A covenant is a binding contract between two parties, both of whom have obligations specified in the covenant.

In Old Testament times, covenants were often given by an all-powerful suzerain (overlord) to a weaker, dependent vassal (servant).

On the one hand, the suzerain guaranteed the vassal benefits and protection.

But in turn, the vassal was obligated to be loyal solely to the suzerain, with the warning that any disloyalty would bring punishments as specified in the covenant.

How was the vassal to show loyalty?

By keeping the stipulations (rules of behavior) also specified in the covenant.

A covenant put in place a relationship—in Israel’s case, a relationship with the one true God, who alone could save and sustain them.

So the rules were very important.

No rules?

No relationship!

As long as the vassal kept the stipulations, the suzerain knew that the vassal was loyal.

But when the stipulations were violated, the suzerain was required by the covenant to take action to punish the vassal.

In an extreme case, the relationship could even be altered or suspended by the suzerain.”

(Fee, Gordon D., and Douglas Stuart.

How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth.

Fourth Edition.

Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014.

Print.)

Modern day - Contract

Old/New Covenant

Old Covenant between God and Notion of Israel

New Covenant between God and Church

Hebrews 8:1–13 (ESV)

1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.

3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer.

4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law.

5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things.

For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.”

6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.

8 For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.

For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.

12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete.

And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

We enter into the covenant relationship when we accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior.

We come under the authority of God as servants.

He provides and protects us.

We submit and obey Him.

Stipulations and Benefits of the covenant is written in the Gospels and Epistles of the NT.

Matthew 22:37–40 (ESV)

37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

38 This is the great and first commandment.

39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

John 13:31–35 (ESV)

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.

33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you.

You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Not only are we in a covenant relationship with God, but we are...

Citizens of the Kingdom of God

Colossians 1:13–14 (ESV)

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Delivered - Saved

Delivered - to rescue from danger, with the implication that the danger in question is severe and acute—‘to rescue, to deliver.’

(Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida.

Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains 1996: 240.

Print.)

Transferred from one Kingdom to another Kingdom

Dominion - a state of control over someone or something—‘control.’

(Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida.

Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains 1996: 472.

Print.)

Kingdom - an area or district ruled by a king—‘kingdom (Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida.

Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains 1996: 15.

Print.)

Beloved Son - Jesus Christ

Philippians 3:20–21 (ESV)

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

His Kingdom

Jesus Preached - Matt 3:2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

“basileia is the only Greek term for “kingdom,” occurring around 150 times and consistently translated as such.

Two particularly significant phrases containing the term basileia are “kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom of God.”

These phrases are functionally synonymous and both refer to the dominion of God on earth and incorporate the heavenly realm as well.

This kingdom is brought to a climax through the person and work of Jesus Christ, and maintained through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers.”

(Renn, Stephen D., ed.

“Kingdom.”

Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Word Studies for Key English Bible Words Based on the Hebrew and Greek Texts 2005: 564.