Sermon Tone Analysis

Boldness Without Fear (10-11)

We should be bold but only in Christ.

If our boldness does not come from a fearful foundation then we are misguided.

James 2:19 “19 You believe that God is one; you do well.

Even the demons believe—and shudder!”

Deut 6:1-9 “1 “Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, 2 that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long.

3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.

7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Gal 6:14-16 “14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.”

Secondary but important point, keep things in perspective

Action Without Rationality (12)

We behave as animals, lessening ourselves as humans, when we are lost

Natural man is completely driven by desire

1 Cor 2:14 “14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”

Eph 4:17-18 “17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.

18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.”

2 Cor 4:4 “4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

2 Tim 2:22-26 “22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.

24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness.

God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”

Sin Without Shame or Restraint (13-14)

Sin leads to shame

Gen 3 - Adam and Eve hid from God

Saved people restrain their sin

2 Tim 3:1-7 “1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

Avoid such people.

6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.”

2 Pet 1:3-4 “3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”

God does not save us into perfect behavior but redeemed, made alive hearts.

We have a responsibility to obey and follow Jesus’ teachings.

Not in an effort of earning favor or accomplishing righteousness, but simply being who God has made us to be.

Jesus took our shame and gave us confidence.

Rom 5:1-9 “1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

God Turns Cursing into Blessing (15-16)

Reckless living and teaching ravages the church but never overtakes God sovereignty.

Balaam was commanded by God to not curse His people.

Balaam flirted with the idea saying “Yes” in his heart but “No” from his mouth.

God told him to go because He was angry with Balaam and knowing his heart.

Balaam’s donkey saw the angel of the Lord and protected Balaam from death.

Ultimately, the donkey was more aware of the presence of God than Balaam because of the promises of money from Balak.

Finally Balaam prophesied about the coming Messiah.

Through Balaam’s desire to curse Israel God blessed the promise of Jesus.

Num 24:14-19 “14 And now, behold, I am going to my people.

Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.”

15 And he took up his discourse and said, “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, 16 the oracle of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered: 17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.

18 Edom shall be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed.

Israel is doing valiantly.

19 And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities!””

Takeaways

Learn from characteristics of false teachers

Know that God has already won