Sermon Tone Analysis

A survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau asked young adults about the importance of various life transitions.

Here's what the young adults said about transitions were "extremely important" to them:

Completed formal schooling—62% Employed full-time—52% Capable of supporting a family financially—50% Financially independent from parents—43% No longer living in parents' house—26%Getting married—12%

Rod Dreher, "Forsaking The Family, Surrendering Civilization," comments

Stunning.

Less than half of Americans aged 18-34 say marriage and family are part of being an adult.

All the other factors have to do with achieving personal autonomy.

To be an adult, then, is to be free to exercise one's will independently of obligations to others, including spouse and children.

To choose spouse and children—formerly the most distinctive marks of adulthood—is now considered ancillary to adulthood by most American adults.

Today what theses statistics are showing us is that nothing has changed… people still do what is right in their own eyes.

What do you mean Scott?

You know that feeling that you get deep down inside when somebody tells you what to do.

You feel this need to do the exact opposite of what they said.

You feel the need to disregard what they have to say.

You feel the need to hold back the anger and frustration so that you don’t slap the toupe off his head.

Why? Because… “nobody tells me what to do.”

Teenagers feel that they must have independence because parents just don’t understand.

I am a tax payer and I pay your salary officer so I don’t think you should give me a ticket.

This is America jack… its government of the people, by the people, for the people.

You know what God… I don’t need you right now so just go back into the lamp and ill rub it when I need you.

Why in the world do we do this?

In a culture where there is no God or where Christ is not honored it is only the practice of individualism that will give us purpose and meaning.

And post-modern ideology founded in the philopshy of thinker like Niezthtze, Sartre, and Camus, assert that authority must be rejected in order for us to make our own decision and bring true authentic purpose in life.

But you know what… we don’t need this anyway.

This has always been a problem for us ever since the beginning.

People during the time Judge were already rejecting authority and doing what was right in their own eyes.

Because this is what we were doing even before that in the garden of eden.

We have the knowledge of good and evil which essentially means that we will now decide what is good and what is evil, meaning that we will decide what is right and wrong for ourselves.

Nobody, including God, can tell me what to do.

No very becoming for those who profess Christ.

An obvious trait and characteristic in atheists and atheistic ideals with agnostic methodologies, but why in the world do we this at work in the church?

Because this is not a philosophical or phycological issue… it is a sin issue.

And we know what is the wages of sin… it is death.

Is there any hope for us today?

Let’s find out.

Grass withers, the flower fades, but the world of our God stands forever.

God is Dead.

Always Right in our Own eyes.

Jesus is Alive

The first thing we will look at today is the context and background of a culture and society that does not nor will not honor and worship God because God is dead.

The second things we will explore how we justify our what we want, when we want, and how we want and its always right in our own eyes.

Finally, we can rejoice and we see why the resurrection of Christ gives us hope in light of our hopeless darkness of autonomy.

Because Jesus is alive.

Thesis: Though sin and the pattern of this world cause us to see our individualism as our true saviour in life, it is the power of the Holy Spirit and the truth of the scriptures that will cause to see a life of inclusion in Christ is the life and life more abundant.

I. God is Dead.

- When the cat is away, the mice will play.

A. So within this chapter, it tells the story of Micah.

Micah took 1,100 silver coins from his mom.

His mom, obviously, was quite frustrated with this.

It kind of sounds like she let everyone knew too, because Micah came back to her with a guilty conscience.

“Hey mom, so you know how like are cursing that guy who stole your money.

Well, now you’re going to think this is hilarious, I’m the one that stole it.

Here, you can take it back now.”

So Micah’s mom, probably after slapping the back of his head, forgives him and blesses him.

She then dedicates the returned coin to the Lord, which is amazing.

Then she has a silversmith turn the coins into an idol.

Wait what?

Hey God, I love you so much that I made this horrific creation that spits in your face to celebrate.

This is why we say...When the cat is away, the mice will play

B. This is the example that illustrates … everyone did what was right in their own eyes.

And they did because there was no king.

There was nothing there to ensure the following of decrees and direction.

There was nothing there to enforce the following of decrees and direction.

There was nothing there to enlighten the following of decrees and direction.

When the cat is away, the mice will play.

C. Do you remember in school… what would happen in the classroom when the teacher for some reason had to step out of the class room for whether reason.

As soon as he door closed behind her it was like the restraints that were hold us down was automatically released and everyone just did what they wanted to do.

When the cat is away, the mice will play.

D. In our culture today, unfortunately, even in the church, God is diminished, Christ is gone, who is the Lord anyway.

Because now there is no eternal consequence, there is one watching.

What is that we do.

Who are we really when nobody is watching.

Who are you when you leave the church.

What are you like when you start work on Monday.

See, we can smile and laugh along.

That’s super easy.

It’s hard to keep that smile after we’ve done our business.

It’s a breeze to look the part with a halo on your head, but even easier to drive on the Highway of Hell the rest of the week.

Do we think we have that right though?

You might think we can… but we don’t… why?

E. Because the king of Israel is not dead.

You might think no one is watching but I tell you that the eye of the king of kings is on everyday.

You might think that we are getting away with it, but He is alive and keeping account of all that we have done and will do.

You might think He looked away for a second, but I guarantee you, He HASN’T!

The Lord saw you steal that pen.

The Lord saw you cheat on that tax form.

The Lord saw what you did with your neighbor’s wife.

The Lord saw you “Fill in the Blank.”

Mom didn’t see your hand in the cookie jar, but I guarantee you it will catch up to you, because Christ is an all knowing God.

What poor souls we have if we do not see this.

When the cat is away, the mice will play.

But the Cat is looking at us right now.

II.

Always Right in our Own Eyes.

- The race in our culture is only right hand turns.

A. This passage is also fascinating, because it’s kind of a play on what Moses talked about in...

It’s almost like the author wants to convey that following our own eyes is kind of… well… the exact opposite of what’s God wants!

Following our eyes means finding other things besides Christ.

Following our eyes means knowing God is not in our hearts.

Following our eyes means rejecting everything God has given us.