Sermon Tone Analysis

Day 182

2 Kings 3:1-4:37; Acts 21:1-26; Psalm 78:56-72

“Then the Lord awoke from sleep” (Psalm 78:65).

When the Lord awakes from sleep, there is awakening.

In 2 Kings 4:32-35, we see an example of such awakening – resurrection from the dead.

How does such awakening come?

It comes when the Lord’s people pray earnestly, with actions as well as words, “The Lord’s will be done” (Acts 21:14).

To say this and mean it will be costly: “I am ready … to die … for the Name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13).

Day 183

2 Kings 4:38-6:23; Acts 21:27-22:21; Psalm 79:1-13

Elisha was known as “the man of God” (2 Kings 4:40,42; 2 Kings 5:8,14-15,20; 2 Kings 6:9,15).

What a marvellous description – “the man of God.”

To Paul, the call of God came – “You will be His witness” *Acts 22:15).

Called to be a “man of God”, called to be “His witness” – what a high calling this is!

Being a “man of God, being “His witness”, involves calling on the Lord: “How long, O Lord? Will You be angry for ever?

… Help us, O God our Saviour, for the glory of Your Name” (Psalm 79:5,9).

Day 184

2 Kings 6:24-8:15; Acts 22:22-23:11; Proverbs 16:8-17

“Go to meet the man of God.

Consult the Lord through him” (2 Kings 8:8).

The servants of the Lord were appointed to serve the people in the Name of the Lord.

God’s servants are to lead the people to a deeper knowledge of God.

The Lord said to Paul, “Take courage!

As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome” (Acts 23:11).

God gives a ministry to His servants.

He gives them courage to fulfil this ministry.

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).

Day 185

2 Kings 8:16-9:37; Acts 23:12-35; Psalm 80:1-7

The Word of God speaks of judgment.

The judgment upon Jezebel was an awesome judgment (2 Kings 9:36-37).

God’s Word also speaks of salvation.

This is not simply the safety spoken of in Acts 23:24.

It’s the eternal salvation, which is suggested to us in the Psalmist’s prayer: “Restore us, O God, make Your face shine upon us, that we may be saved” (Psalm 80:37).

Day 186

2 Kings 10:1-11:21; Acts 24:1-27; Psalm 80:8-19

How important it is to make a covenant to be the Lord’s people (2 Kings 11:17).

In our faithfulness to God, we “believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets” (Acts 24:14).

We do, however, move beyond this to the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets.

We speak “about faith in Christ Jesus” (Acts 24:24).

When we pray, “Restore us, O Lord God Almighty; make Your face shine upon us that we may be saved” (Psalm 80:19), we are asking God to turn towards us in speaking His Word to us, the Word which leads to the renewal of the covenant of salvation.

Day 187

2 Kings 12:1-14:22; Acts 25:1-22; Psalm 81:1-7

The kings were compared with earlier kings - the evil king, Jeroboam (2 Kings 13:11), the good king, David (2 Kings 14:3).

We may learn from this one and that one but, above all, our faith centres upon Jesus (Acts 25:19).

Even the best of kings can never begin to compare with Him.

He is the King of kings.

He is the Lord of lords.

Day 188

2 Kings 14:23-15:38; Acts 25:23-26:23; Proverbs 16:18-27

Here, we have the record of seven reigns – five in Israel, two in Judah.

The five in Israel “did evil in the eyes of the Lord” (2 Kings 14:24; 2 Kings 15:9,18,24,28).

The two in Judah “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” (2 Kings 15:3,34).

There is, however, one criticism of these two kings of Judah: “The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there” (2 Kings 15:4 ,35).

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall … blessed is he who trusts in the Lord” (Proverbs 16:18,20).

There is a choice to be made – Do “evil in the eyes of the Lord” or do “right in the eyes of the Lord.”

When we read Paul’s testimony, in Acts 26, we learn that there is a great difference between religious pride which brought him “to the ground” (Acts 26:14) and trust in the Lord who says, “I am Jesus … get up and stand on your feet” (Acts 26:15-16).

Day 189

2 Kings 16:1-17:41; Acts 26:24-27:12; Psalm 81:8-16

“They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless” (2 Kings 17:15).

There is no god who can compare with the Lord (Psalm 81:9-10).

He alone is worthy of praise.

He alone gives value to our lives by bringing fulfilment to them: “Open wide your mouth and I will fill it” (Psalm 81:10).

When we give our Christian testimony, we offer this fulfilment, in Christ (Acts 26:28-29), to our hearers.

Day 190

2 Kings 18:1-19:13; Acts 27:13-44; Psalm 82:1-8

“Do not let the god you depend on deceive you” (2 Kings 19:10).

The Lord alone is worthy of our trust.

He alone will prove trustworthy.

There is no god like the Lord – “God presides in the great assembly: He gives judgment among the gods” (Psalm 82:1).

God will not fail us.

He alone is Lord.

With gladness, we confess our faith in Him: “I have faith in God” (Acts 27:25).

Day 191

2 Kings 19:14-20:21; Acts 28:1-16; Psalm 83:1-18

“Now, O Lord our God, deliver from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that You alone, O Lord, are God” (2 Kings 19:19).

Here and now, we have begun to experience our deliverance from Satan’s power.

When Christ returns in the fullness of His power and glory, we will know the fullness of our deliverance from Satan’s power.

On the island of Malta, Paul was delivered from the poison of “the snake” (Acts 28:4-5).

The snake is a symbol of the cunning devil – Satan – who opposes God (Psalm 833:2-3).

God will let His enemies know that He “is the Lord … the Most High over all the earth” (Psalm 83:18).

Day 192

2 Kings 21:1-22:20; Acts 28:17-31; Proverbs 16:28-17:4

The rediscovery of the Book of the Law (2 Kings 22) revealed the standard from which Israel had fallen, the standard to which Israel was called.

The apostolic preaching had the same twofold effect, speaking of both sin (Acts 28:26-27) and salvation (Acts 26:28).

“Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting with strife” (Proverbs 17:1).

God’s Word reveals to us the inadequacy of a worldly way of living and the better way of resting in the Lord and His Word.

Day 193

2 Kings 23:1-24:7; Romans 1:1-17; Psalm 84:1-7

“Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did …” (2 Kings 23:25).

Like Josiah, Paul was a man who was unashamed of his Lord; ” I am not ashamed of the Gospel …” (Romans 1:16).

Where does this strength come from?

It comes from “the living God.”

It is given to those who say from the heart: “My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God” (Psalm 84:2).

Day 194

2 Kings 24:8-25:30; Romans 1:18-32; Psalm 84:8-12

Babylonian captivity – The words are full of symbolic significance regarding the power of evil at work in every generation.

Romans 1:18-32 describes the ’cause and effect’ of ‘Babylonian captivity’: They did not glorify God and “God gave them over to the sinful desires of their hearts” (Romans 1:21,24).

In the midst of ‘Babylonian captivity’, God remains faithful to His promises: “O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You” (Psalm 84:12).

Day 195