Sermon Tone Analysis

“Deep Waters”

John 4:1-2

In two bold statements Jesus claims to embody two of the significant symbolic aspects of the feast that he is attending (7:37–39, 8:12).

Jesus is trying to taker her deeper.

To see beyond her physical thirst.

She is “shallow”.

She is searching for something...she thinks it is more ‘religion’ ...once she “sees the sign” that he knows more about her, then when opens up...once she has her past “revealed” to her.

Once the light is on her, once she knows that HE KNOWS

She is dehydrated and does not know it.

She drinks and drinks and drinks, but never feels satisfied.

She is always thirsty, never satisfied

looking for religion, the temple, the familiar the “system” if you will

“Stay Thirsty My Friends”

Isaiah 55:1-2 God has promised to quench this thirst

6 Seek the Lord while he may be found;

call on him while he is near.

7 Let the wicked forsake his way

and the evil man his thoughts.

Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him,

and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the Lord.

9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 As the rain and the snow

come down from heaven,

and do not return to it

without watering the earth

and making it bud and flourish,

so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:

It will not return to me empty,

but will accomplish what I desire

and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

12 You will go out in joy

and be led forth in peace;

the mountains and hills

will burst into song before you,

and all the trees of the field

will clap their hands.

13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree,

and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.

This will be for the Lord’s renown,

for an everlasting sign,

which will not be destroyed.”

1

1 The Holy Bible: New International Version (Is 55:6–13).

(1984).

Zondervan.

This is a promise of plenty, of everlasting joy, filled in us

Later in John 7:37-8

“A River Runs Through It”

Jesus/John is using the imagery of Ezekiel

Eze 47:1

Jesus has a vision of Water that is deeper than the well.

Jesus is the deep waters, many waters, so much water.

Jesus is the water that flows from the temple in Ezekiels vision.

I’m thirsty: Dehydration; by the time we “feel thirsty” dehydration has already begun.

Water your plants, drought tolerant plants...they are used to living in a desert, they can “make it” in deserts...humans are not designed for living in the deserts.

We need an OASIS

Everywhere he flows, life is born again.

Don’t Settle for Shallow (Jeremiah 17:5-8)

Jeremiah 17: roots, our roots, our depth is what must sustain us.

If you are shallow, you will die.

how is your bible study, what about your friendships, they are wide, but are they deep?

Do you have the courage to ask questions for which you may not like the answer.

5 This is what the Lord says:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,

who depends on flesh for his strength

and whose heart turns away from the Lord.

6 He will be like a bush in the wastelands;

he will not see prosperity when it comes.

He will dwell in the parched places of the desert,

in a salt land where no one lives.

7 “But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

whose confidence is in him.

8 He will be like a tree planted by the water

that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes;

its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought

and never fails to bear fruit.” 1

1 The Holy Bible: New International Version (Je 17:5–8).

(1984).

Zondervan.

Symptoms of Humanism

Do I Value Opinion Over Scripture: entire conversations and the bible is never even opened.

Advice without prayer: instant advice, I need to fix it right now....no you don’t.

Podcast Faith: I listen more than I read and pray.

Borrowed the faith of others.

I read, I listen.

More time in books than the bible itself.

Supplement NOT Substitute

DO I Miss Fellowship More Than God.

I come for the relationships with people, not the relationship with God.

Social connection becomes bigger than spiritual connection.

(Attendance spikes when we have food, or a special event that celebrates our culture)

“Volunteer Faith” (I’ll serve the poor, Ill work in KK, Ill serve at camp, go to a workshop or retreat, visit other churches, spend money on a conference...but the local church, the one with the warts, the one that is familiar, the one that takes more work to build....well...thats boring, thats not fulfilling, I get filled up with new things, fresh things....other places are more exciting: does this not sound exactly like the language someone uses when they are about to cheat on a spouse?

I come to church for the sake of my kids: What I mean is that this is that in which I put my hope.

If KK is great, if my kids love church, as long as there are programs for the kids....

The body of Christ will form your kids, if you love the body of Christ.