Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Greeting & Welcome

We have been working through a series on the Fruit of the Spirit, which we find in Galatians 5...

So far we have studied love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness.

This morning we will look at self-control, as we try to understand how to take on more of the character of Christ as we live our daily lives.

We’ll go back to 1 Peter chapter 1 this morning as we look at what Peter has to say about self-control...

[pray]

When scripture speaks to this idea of self-control, it generally is speaking about controlling physical desires.

The book of Hebrews makes an excellent example with the athlete preparing for a race...

So controlling the desires of the flesh, but also keeping ourselves from sin.

But there are deeper shades of meaning to be found here on the discipline of self-control...

Scripture speaks of self-discipline as something that is within our reach...

I think we can also make the case that self-control and discipline is a mental game.

When we look at the Greek word used for self-control...

Self-control - ἐγκράτεια (egkrateia) - Meaning: The the trait of resolutely controlling one’s own desires (which would lead to action); especially sensual desires.

Peter makes this clear here...

Peter focuses on the mind and on our thought life when he speaks about our desires.

He doesn’t fail to connect our thoughts with our physical self or with our spiritual self.

He says that we get ready for action with our minds first, before we spring into action—either for the better or for the worse.

the King James version says… “gird up the loins of your mind, be sober.”

This is a way of saying “Put your thoughts in order!

Be disciplined in your thinking!”

This idea of being sober is not really talking about refraining from alcohol or wine as much as it is encouraging the opposite behaviour of supporting calm, steady, and stable thinking.

Peter points out the solution to our desires leading us toward poor action by pointing out that we have a hope in Jesus Christ.

This is the spiritual self affecting the emotional self affecting the physical self.

Principle: Knowing that Christ is in control and having a hope in what is to come can give us a calm way of thinking.

Pastor Warren Wiersbe said it this way, “Christians live in the future tense; their present actions and decisions are governed by this future hope [in Jesus].”

We have to live as though we understand the script.

We know that Jesus is coming, therefore we cannot allow ourselves to get mired down in the tiny details of life

The Christian:

who never considers the deeper things of life

who is always frazzled by busy-ness

who worries about their kids

but never takes any steps to focus on their spiritual walk with Christ

the one who has never considered how these Fruits are on display in his life

this Christian does not share his faith, because he doesn’t live in faith

this Christian does not care about others or serve them in any way

this Christian does not minister to those around him because he cares most about himself and his friends and family

THIS Christian may not be living the Christian life at all.

Where are you in this regard?

We are also encouraged to this sober way of thinking when Peter reminds us that the enemy is on the prowl...

I always say that time is too short to be messing around.

We have to get down to business and focus on the basics of the Christian life.

Constantly chasing from book to book looking for that answer is not finding the answer, it is avoiding the answer that is given to us clearly in scripture.

Peter reminds us here in verse 15-16 that we are connected to one who is holy and that should hold us to a standard of holy conduct...

We are reminded of this again and again throughout scripture...

Be holy, because I [the Lord your God] am holy.

This is not the first time we’ve looked at this.

We’ve talked before about the fact that accepting Christ as savior connects you with Christ at a spiritual level.

And this connection with Christ, therefore connects us with God.

God is holy.

He cannot coexist with sin.

It is our cleansing and forgiveness through his son, Jesus Christ, that we are considered holy and may enter into his presence through our prayers.

And we will join them both in eternity.

But we only get that through salvation in Jesus Christ.

Let’s take some time to look at how we work this out in our daily lives...

I.

Control Yourself Physically

I already said that the default meaning that scripture takes on self-control is physical self-control...

This passage gives me hope.

If the great Apostle Paul struggled with this in his life, then there might be some hope for me.

We all know that sometimes we know the right thing to do and we go do something else instead.

Some of us here today make this a habit.

Some of us try to avoid sin and do good instead.

Some of us are better at doing the right thing than others.

I remind you of Jesus’ words to the adulterous woman after she narrowly avoided being stoned to death for her sins...

Jesus was not speaking to her in a judgmental way for her sins.

He was speaking to her in grace.

Jesus did the same thing on another occasion.

After he healed the blind man at the Pool of Bethesda, he did not try to tell him that his blindness was a result of sin in his life (or his father’s sin), which was the common belief of the day.

He told him...

Jesus met each of these people with compassion and encouraged them to do the best that was within them.

Allow yourself some grace, but be disciplined and hold yourself to a higher standard alongside that grace.

II.

Control What Comes Out of Your Mouth

The Apostle James wrote about another physical manifestation that lacks self-control.

he said to control the tongue...

Many of us get caught with our tongues wagging and getting us into trouble.

boasting

curses

lies

gossip

verbal abuse

Such a small part of the body, but it causes so many problems.

Scripture says that the tongue cannot be tamed, though I believe that it can be controlled with discipline.

We have the resurrected power of Jesus Christ within us and we can apply that to the tongue just as we can apply it to the sins that we commit in our physical being, which includes the tongue and to our thoughts, which controls what comes out of our mouth.

III.

Control Your Thoughts

How many of us can allow our thoughts to run away from us as we give way to the sins of the mind: worry, anxiety, pride, arrogance, among others...

Paul tells the Philippian church that they are responsible for what goes on in their minds and he gives them a method of controlling their thoughts through prayer.

That’s right!

Prayer has a way of setting your mind straight.

Prayer allows us to give our worries over to God and gives us peace.

IV.

Control Your Spiritual Life

Finally, it has to be said that we are spiritual beings, but we are also physical and emotional beings.

Our connection to God makes us holy in our Spirit.

This idea of being “transformed (spiritually) by the renewing of the mind” is an important one in our Christian life.

Paul says that we are a living sacrifice (which is a spiritual response to the animal sacrifice that the Hebrews practiced).

Part of what we must do in our Christian walk is we must force ourselves out of old habits and form new ones.