Sermon Tone Analysis

Accepting the blessing nobody wants...

▾ Start:

No right-minded person likes suffering.

We process suffering as a means to becoming more mature.

We process suffering as a means to becoming more mature.

• Entice:

By God’s grace we take both problems and provocations in stride looking for faith to prosper.

So, A question.

• Engage: Have you ever felt like the world was either trying to conquer you or compromise you?

This is our common status.

Have you ever felt wearied because the world is trying to

conquer or compromise

you?

Welcome to the Way of Christ.

James addresses this issue as he does all others.

Practical, Biblical, Common sense.

Practical, Biblical, Common sense.

Expand:

• Expand: Oh I like me some clever word-play!

Temptation and testing are two possible translations of the same term.

James wants us to understand that we are all undergoing all kinds of pressure all the time.

Some

Oh I like me some clever word-play!

Oh I like me some clever word-play!

Temptation and testing are two possible translations of the same term.

James wants us to understand that we are all undergoing all kinds of pressure all the time.

Some is outside our control.

It happens to us.

Some pressure is ours.

We own it because we are it's source.

Temptation and testing

is outside our control.

It happens to us.

Some pressure is ours.

We own it because we are it's source.

Two possible translations of the same term.

Context, Context, Context!!!!

James wants us to understand that we are all undergoing all kinds of pressure all the time.

Some is outside our control.

It happens to us.

Some pressure is ours.

Some pressure is ours.

We own it

We own it

we are it's source.

we are it's source.

because

we are it's source.

And we can overcome.

Regardless of the source of the pressure

within or without

Excite: And we can overcome.

Regardless of the source we are enabled by God to overcome.

we are enabled by God to overcome.

within or without

we are enabled by God to overcome.

God blesses those who overcome threats to their faith.

• Explore: God blesses and honors those who overcome threats to their faith.

Explain: James clarifies these two very basic but broad threats to our faith.

• Explain: James clarifies these two, broad threats to our faith.

▾ Body of Sermon:

1 External Pressure.

▾ 1 External Pressure.

1.1 Endurance.

• 1.1 Endurance.

1.2 Examination.

• 1.2 Examination.

1.3 Exaltation

• 1.3 Exhaltation

Once again we find James basing his advice on the teaching of Jesus you may recall these words from Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount

A side note: James is not only giving information to help us live victoriously he is also teaching us how to read and apply scripture as he builds lesson after lesson upon the words of Jesus and/or the words of the law or prophets.

Moving on then James clarifies that second threat.

2 Internal Passion.

▾ 2 Internal Passion.

Our default conception of “temptation” as some external, unseen force that we cannot overcome does not mirror scripture.

So

• 2.1 When it comes to temptation we cannot lay the blame at God's feet nor complain that He has initiated it.

v 13

2.1 When it comes to temptation we cannot blame God nor complain that He has initiated it.

v 13

Of course, James is here riffing on yet another comment of Jesus found

Matthew

2.2 Temptation=our inner appetites going amok.

14

• 2.2 Temptation=our inner appetites going amok.

14

2.3 The result is a spiraling process: 15

• 2.3 The result is a spiraling process from seduction, reproduction to death.

15

Seduction

Seduction

Reproduction

Death.

Choosing your end...

▾ Shut Down:

The Crown or the Consequences

The Crown of Life...

Crown=Life...

Crown=Life

Consequences=Death

Consequences=Death

Consequences=Death

Which will you Choose?