Sermon Tone Analysis

Not Like It Used to Be

Introduction: 4 men were arrested and convicted in 2015 for break in and stealing from churches in 4 SI counties in 2014, Anna Heights being one of 7 in Union.

Who remembers?

The interesting part of the story is that all 4 men were between the ages of 20 and 22.

I believe there are more incidents like this today than 20 years ago.

Among youth and young adults in our current society I believe there exists a lot more disrespect and rebellion against authorities, parents and older adults than 20 years ago, and I bet some of you might say especially 30 or 40 years ago.

I also believe it is because these youth and young adults, these millennials and gen z’s, are being deprived of what they should be getting, from what they deserve in life.

We will see in a moment what has been withheld from these teens and young adults.

First, let’s stand in awe and reverence of God and His Word to read together 3 particular verses that speak to this crucial issue.

The fear of God is a major theme within the book of Malachi.

Let’s stand in fear and reverence of God and His Word to read together 3 particular verses that speak to this crucial issue.

Malch

Malachi 3:5

The Fear of God

The fear of God is a major theme within the book of Malachi.

It was a foundational part of their religious life.

Their acknowledgement of it required a specific behavior from each individual, especially the priest.

Malachi was bringing the charge against priest and people that the Fear of God was non-existent among them.

Malachi found the people living life and going through the religious motions with no thought about their relationship with God.

Consequentially the people passed this attitude of living down to the generations behind them.

The fear of God for the Israelites was a foundational part of their religious life.

Their acknowledgement of it required a specific behavior from each individual, especially the priest.

Malachi was bringing the charge against priest and people that the Fear of God was non-existent during their time after the return of the exile.

The fear of God for the Israelites was a foundational part of their religious life.

Their acknowledgement of it required a specific behavior from each individual, especially the priest.

Malachi was bringing the charge against priest and people that the Fear of God was non-existent during their time after the return of the exile.

Illustration: When Christian Smith and his fellow researchers with the National Study of Youth and Religion found that the faith held and described by most adolescents came down to something the researchers identified as "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism."

As described by Smith and his team, Moralistic Therapeutic Deism consists of beliefs like these: 1. "A god exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth." 2. "God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions."

3. "The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself." 4. "God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve a problem." 5. "Good people go to heaven when they die."

The church at large has downplayed the fuller dimension of the fear of God by emphasizing awe, respect, or reverence, while ignoring its other dimensions such as fright, dread, or terror.

Consequently, many have inadvertently adopted a soft concept of God, disrespecting and showing contempt for God's authority and power.

- (Becoming Submissive - John W. Ritenbaugh)

The fear of the Lord is not something that comes naturally.

The fear of the Lord is something that must be learned.

And indeed it must be learned because it is the essence of true religion.

-(Becoming Submissive - John W. Ritenbaugh)

When Christian Smith and his fellow researchers with the National Study of Youth and Religion took a close look at the religious beliefs held by American teenagers, they found that the faith held and described by most adolescents came down to something the researchers identified as "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism."

As described by Smith and his team, Moralistic Therapeutic Deism consists of beliefs like these: 1. "A god exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth." 2. "God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions."

3. "The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself." 4. "God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve a problem." 5. "Good people go to heaven when they die."

More interestingly, for many of these teens, the interview itself was the first time they had ever discussed a theological question with an adult.

What does this say about our churches?

What does this say about this generation of parents?

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/moralistic-therapeutic-deism-the-new-american-religion-6266/#YAjt0wYgEOcT7SOt.99

When Christian Smith and his fellow researchers with the National Study of Youth and Religion at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill took a close look at the religious beliefs held by American teenagers, they found that the faith held and described by most adolescents came down to something the researchers identified as "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism."As

described by Smith and his team, Moralistic Therapeutic Deism consists of beliefs like these: 1. "A god exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth." 2. "God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions."

3. "The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself." 4. "God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve a problem." 5. "Good people go to heaven when they die."

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/moralistic-therapeutic-deism-the-new-american-religion-6266/#YAjt0wYgEOcT7SOt.99

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/moralistic-therapeutic-deism-the-new-american-religion-6266/#HS7XuZpz6qdpEPqh.99

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/moralistic-therapeutic-deism-the-new-american-religion-6266/#HS7XuZpz6qdpEPqh.99

When Christian Smith and his fellow researchers with the National Study of Youth and Religion at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill took a close look at the religious beliefs held by American teenagers, they found that the faith held and described by most adolescents came down to something the researchers identified as "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism."As

described by Smith and his team, Moralistic Therapeutic Deism consists of beliefs like these: 1. "A god exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth." 2. "God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions."

3. "The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself." 4. "God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve a problem." 5. "Good people go to heaven when they die."

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/moralistic-therapeutic-deism-the-new-american-religion-6266/#YAjt0wYgEOcT7SOt.99

What we see then is the younger generations are being deprived of a healthy teaching of what it means to fear God and how to live that out in their life.

Their living for self satisfaction, where did is come from?

Illustration: I heard a comedian once discussing the complaints and griefs of all the parents and older adults about the attitudes and actions of their kid’s and grandkid’s generation.

He agreed then laughed and said wait a minute you are the ones that raised them!!

It makes me wonder if it is like this in the current culture, What Will Fear Look Like in 20 Years?

The fear of the Lord is not something that comes naturally.

The fear of the Lord is something that must be learned.

And indeed it must be learned because it is the essence of true religion.

-(Becoming Submissive - John W. Ritenbaugh)

Transitional Sentence and Keywords: Let’s discuss 3 observations or pronouncements I have found from studying these and other texts regarding the fear of God that will help us learn it, live it and pass it on to the next generations.

The Fear of God is Deserved.

Fear of the IRS is real.

People fear being audited about as much as they do hearing they have a terminal disease.

Then he softened: There was someone who might be able to help her, but he could make no guarantees.

He transferred her to another agent, who said that if he could get a 1099-C form for out-of-court restitution for cancellation of debt, he might be able to call off the police, whose calls were already showing up on her cell phone.

But there was not much time.

Soon she was racing to the bank with her teenaged son in tow, afraid to hang up the phone lest the arrest team descend.

Fear of the IRS is real.

People fear being audited about as much as they do hearing they have a terminal disease.

Illustration: “People who complain about taxes can be divided into two classes: men and women.”

— Unknown

— Unknown

"Like mothers, taxes are often misunderstood, but seldom forgotten.''

— Lord Bramwell, 19th Century English jurist

“Income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf.”

— Will Rogers, humorist

Is the fear of the IRS justified?

Maybe.

Are you doing what you should do in filing?

Is it deserved?

Maybe, but the Fear of God is most definitely deserved.

Is it justified?

Maybe.

Is it deserved?

Sure!

Many people have not filed in years.

They want to know, “How do I overcome my fear of the IRS and become tax compliant once again?”

Thousands of Christians have not been active in Church attendance in months or years - gone from 2-3 times a week to 2-3 times a month or quarter.