Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro

Pain is inevitable and we need to prepare before it gets here...

Pain creates strong emotions and we need to know what to do with them...

Pain does not always go away quickly and we need to learn to live in the mess...

Pain provides an opportunity for evangelism, because Christians lament…

Lament = loud cry

Psalms full of Lament

Lament can be personal or corporate

Lament wrestles with God in a God honoring way as we maneuver through the already/not yet

Lament is not the opposite of praise… path to praise !

Lament is not faithless… actually an act of faith…

Message

Lamentations 5:1–3 (ESV)

1 Remember, O Lord, what has befallen us; look, and see our disgrace!

2 Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners.

3 We have become orphans, fatherless; our mothers are like widows.

Lamentations 5:15–22 (ESV)

15 The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has been turned to mourning.

16 The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned!

17 For this our heart has become sick, for these things our eyes have grown dim,

18 for Mount Zion which lies desolate; jackals prowl over it.

19 But you, O Lord, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations.

20 Why do you forget us forever, why do you forsake us for so many days?

21 Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored!

Renew our days as of old—

22 unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with us.

How do we Lament?

Keep Turing to Prayer

V-1, 15,19, 21

Cry out to God

Pray the Gospel

Prayer turns our hearts

What do we pray?

How do we pray?

Bring Your Complaints

Lamentations 5:1–3 (ESV)

1 Remember, O Lord, what has befallen us; look, and see our disgrace!

2 Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners.

3 We have become orphans, fatherless; our mothers are like widows.

Lamentations 5:15–22 (ESV)

15 The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has been turned to mourning.

16 The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned!

17 For this our heart has become sick, for these things our eyes have grown dim,

18 for Mount Zion which lies desolate; jackals prowl over it.

19 But you, O Lord, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations.

20 Why do you forget us forever, why do you forsake us for so many days?

21 Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored!

Renew our days as of old—

22 unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with us.

Bring your frustrations

Bring your questions

V - 2, 16-18,20

Godly Complaining

Come Humble

James 4.6 “6 But he gives more grace.

Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.””

James 4.10 “10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”

Be Honest

Heb 4.15 “15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Matt 27.46 “46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?””

Rom 8.26 “26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.

For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

Don’t Just Complain

repent !

ask God to act !

How do we do this?

What should we ask for?

Ask Boldly

Lamentations 5:1–3 (ESV)

1 Remember, O Lord, what has befallen us; look, and see our disgrace!

2 Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners.

3 We have become orphans, fatherless; our mothers are like widows.

Lamentations 5:15–22 (ESV)

15 The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has been turned to mourning.

16 The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned!

17 For this our heart has become sick, for these things our eyes have grown dim,

18 for Mount Zion which lies desolate; jackals prowl over it.

19 But you, O Lord, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations.

20 Why do you forget us forever, why do you forsake us for so many days?

21 Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored!

Renew our days as of old—

22 unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with us.

V - 1, 16, 21

What do we ask for…?

For God to Rise Up

Ps 10.12 “12 Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted.”

Ps 3,7,9,10, 17,74.

a Call to action

Grant me Help

Ps 60.11-12 “11 Oh, grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! 12 With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.”

suffering reveals our lack of sufficiency

God Omnipotent

God Trusted

Remember Your Covenant

Ps 25.6 “6 Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.”

Im trusting you!!

Faithful to His promises

Let Justice Be Done

Ps 83.16-18 “16 Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek your name, O Lord. 17 Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace, 18 that they may know that you alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.”

longing for righteous punishment for wicked