Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

We Can Forget Our Need

Story of Conflict in John’s Church

Three Issues of Opponents

They made up their own story – Jesus not in flesh

They did not need Jesus – “They had no sin.”

They did not need Jesus – “They had no sin.”

They were “Spiritually Superior” – Holy Spirit Rev. beyond Basics of Gospel

They were “Spiritually Superior” – Holy Spirit Rev. beyond Basics of Gospel

We Forget Our Need

Rob Bell on the Virgin Birth

What if tomorrow someone digs up definitive proof that Jesus has a real, earthly, biological father named Larry, and archaeologists find Larry’s tomb and do DNA samples and prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the virgin birth was really just a bit of mythologizing the Gospel writers threw in to appeal to the followers of Mithra and Dionysian religious cults that were hugely popular at the time of Jesus, whose gods had virgin births?

I affirm the historic Christian faith, which includes the virgin birth and the Trinity and the inspiration of the Bible and much more. .

.

But if the whole faith falls apart when we reexamine and rethink one spring, then it wasn’t that strong in the first place, was it?

(26-27)

Gospel of Self-Esteem – We are Good people – Guy at Worship Conference.

Church member progression – humble receiver of grace to spirit-filled to nobody in the church knows how to do things right.

To that John says, “If we say we are without sin, we deceive ourselves.”

Doesn’t Walking Around Knowing we Sinners a Buz-Kill?

A Forgiveness-Filled Life is the Fruit of the Faith.

The Mega Implication of the Gospel Story.

Two Ways to Live - Didache, the Essenes

There are two ways, one of life and one of death, and there is a great difference between the two ways.

2The way of life is this.

First of all, thou shalt love the God that made thee; secondly, thy neighbour as thyself.

And all things whatsoever thou wouldest not have befal thyself, neither do thou unto another.

Why?

Received by Jesus

We Believe in Forgiveness by Jesus - The Whole Gospel

Propitiation and Expiation

Recognize - I have sin, The Whole world has sin - Part of the story - Hold Up Cards.

Let’s think about what these words mean, then, beginning with the word expiation.

The prefix ex means “out of” or “from,” so expiation has to do with removing something or taking something away.

In biblical terms, it has to do with taking away guilt through the payment of a penalty or the offering, of an atonement.

By contrast, propitiation has to do with the object of the expiation.

The prefix pro means “for,” so propitiation brings about a change in God’s attitude, so that He moves from being at enmity with us to being for us.

Through the process of propitiation, we are restored into fellowship and favor with Him.

- RC Sproul

God is Angry with our Sin and must punish our sin “Wrath” - It would be unjust not to hold wrong-doing unnaccounted.

We still sin, but Christ has removed our guilt, and God has taken us in.

Result - Humility

Jesus - Truly God, and Truly Human, the only one righteous, dies in our place

Those who receive Jesus’ gift by Faith are forgiven, God’s wrath/justice has been satisfied, and so we are now in a right relationship with God.

Jesus Came in the Flesh = Our Way of Life Matters & God takes it seriously, vs. Jesus only looked like he came in the flesh = Knowledge of spiritual insight is what matters, not material things we do.

Expiation vs. 2

If our entire life is being measured by God’s standard (Creation) Then We need Jesus Life, Death, and Resurrection.

vs. all reasons we think we do not need Jesus (I am a good person, I have a comfortable life, I can reach enlightenment on my own.) - vs. 10

If all are sinners, and you were saved by your sin by Christ’s story, then we are all in the same boat - Look around - No room for boasting.

Recognize I have sin.

Confession as agreeing with God & Walking in the Light.

Confessing is choosing to agree with God and recognize where we have been wrong.

Unlike Catholic tradition, we don’t have to go to a pastor or an earthly priest in order to earn forgiveness by praying a certain number of prayers.

We can go straight to Jesus as our High Priest and confess our sin directly to Him in order to be forgiven.

encourages us to confess to one another in order to have victory over the sin through encouragement and accountability.

Action Step: Agree with God often - Not to beat up, to receive forgiveness, and to grow.

- Remind you of God’s love and worth for you and shape you into his workmanship.

vs 9, 2.1, 2.2

Fruit of Forgiveness = Walking Humbly, Guilt-Free, and Gratefully.

And this impacts how we interact with other people.

Given to Others

Forgiveness does not = division, but fellowship.

v.7

God’s Forgiveness of us = Our Forgiveness of others.

(Lord’s Prayer)

Hold up Your Card.

Everyone has sin.

We are in the same boat.

Sobering Thought - If we can not forgive, have we fully realized forgiveness of God. - Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

I don’t mean it is easy

That we can do it on our own power

That you have lost your salvation if you struggle to forgive

But simply that the recognition of Christ’s forgiveness is our aid.

Not a sermon on how to forgive, but that we believe in it.

Not excusing, not reconciling, not forgetting, not enabling, but not allowing someone’s hurtful actions to imprison us, and getting to the point of wishing that person well.

We Believe because

Jesus offers it to everyone

When we are hurt by others - Death, God vindicates us = Resurrection.

We are given the Holy Spirit to empower us.

Result towards others = Humility - To Love.

I am not better than others, we all have sin vs.

I have gained a higher plain by my spiritual knowledge.

Christ forgave me a sinner that I am, he wants to do the same for others.

vs, I am a better person than other people or will put on a show that I am, others need Jesus more than me.

We are here to help each other live in the light, vs.

You need me to show you the light.