Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

Introduction:

This week I visited a website that tells you pretty much everything you want to know about PARASITES.

It was very informative.

I learned that the NUMBER ONE PARASITE infecting humans on this planet is called ROUND WORM.

Show Picture of Round Worm.

These round worm parasites can grow to 15 inches in length and once they are big enough to reproduce, they can lay 300,000 eggs a day.

According to the World Health Organization about 25% of the world’s population is infected with these nasty little egg-laying guys—that’s well over a BILLION people.

This next slide contains pictures of the number two parasite—PIN WORMS— and they infect about 500 million people.

They are extremely contagious.

You can get them by simply wearing the clothing of others who are infected or by walking barefoot on a carpet that is infested with pin worms.

This next slide contains pictures of HOOKWORMS feasting inside human intestines.

Hookworms generally enter through the skin—usually through bare feet where they then migrate through the blood stream to the lungs and intestines.

Makes you think twice about going barefoot in the summer doesn’t it!?

These next microscopic parasites are known as BLOOD FLUKES and according to the World Health Organization they are the second biggest danger to society next to Malaria, infecting more than 200 million people worldwide.

This last slide is a picture of the biggest parasite—a TAPEWORM.

Like all parasites they grow inside you but these guys can reach lengths of up to 20 feet!

Imagine that!

Okay—who’s ready for lunch!

I apologize for any stomach distress—but then again maybe I shouldn’t because perhaps this information will help you empathize with the millions of people on this planet whose QUALITY OF LIFE IS DIMINISHED by parasites like these.

Now—whereas, thanks to good hygiene and clean drinking water, we AREN’T usually plagued with these particular invaders, the truth is there ARE parasites even uglier than these that are VERY prevalent in our nation— parasites that suck the life out of lots of people—YES—right here in the “good ole U. S. of A.” I’m referring to RELATIONAL PARASITES and they diminish the quality of RELATIONSHIPS in countless families.

The plot of the film, Fireproof, gives us a great example of this because our “hero” Caleb Holt struggles a relational parasite in his own life.

Its influence is one of the reasons his marriage is on the brink of divorce.

Watch this clip and you’ll see what I mean.

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“Show Fireproof Addiction CLIP”

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I want you to hear the last line from this scene again.

In THE LOVE DARE Caleb’s dad writes,

“Watch out for PARASITES.

A PARASITE is anything that latches on to you or your partner and sucks the life out of your marriage.

They are normally in the form of addictions like gambling, drugs, or pornography.

They promise to please but grow like a disease and consume more of your thoughts time, and money.

They steal away your loyalty and your heart from those you love.”

Now, as Caleb’s dad says, parasites come in a variety of forms—and please note.

Even our desires for THINGS can turn into a relational parasite that weakens our marriages.

Remember, in the clip from the movie we just watched that pop-up of the young girl inviting Caleb to take a peek wasn’t the only thing that was vying for his attention.

He was looking even more longingly and lovingly at the BOAT of his dreams—a possession that in essence had won his heart and taking his wife’s rightful place—sucking the life out of their relationship.

In any case, RELATIONAL parasites are like their physical counterparts in that there are SEVERAL DIFFERENT KINDS—and they plague both husbands and wives.

Men seem to struggle more with the parasite of lust—a yearning for physical pleasure or the parasite of pride—which makes it easier for us to become workaholics putting our careers on a higher priority level than our wives and families.

Women seem to be more vulnerable to the parasite of relationships—like Catherine was in the movie—as she found herself drawn into more and more conversations and lunches with that attentive philandering doctor.

So there are many different FORMS of relational parasites—but they all use the same TACTIC to invade.

They all rely on TEMPTATION

and this morning that’s what we’re going to study.

Body:

You see, if we can beat temptation—then we can nip the problem in the butt and protect ourselves from these parasites that threaten to destroy our relationships.

Take your Bibles and turn to

12 – If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!

13 – No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.

And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.

But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Let’s begin by looking at three basic facts about TEMPTATION.

(1) All people STRUGGLE with it.

As our text says, “If you think you are standing firm—IF YOU THINK YOU ARE BEYOND THE REACH OF TEMPTATION—be careful because it’s COMMON to man.”

In other words—this is a problem everyone deals with.

Now—of course it would be wonderful if we could live without facing temptation.

But the simple fact is we cannot because we are fallen beings who are prone to sin.

C. S. Lewis once said, “A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means.

This is an obvious lie.

Only [good people-only] those who try to resist temptation—know how strong it is.”

Lewis is right...all people GOOD and BAD are tempted.

The monk who lives behind cloistered walls wrestles with it just as much as the salesman out on the road.

Another thing—it’s not a sin to be tempted.

Jesus Himself dealt with this particular aspect of being human.

So sin happens, not when we are tempted but rather when we YIELD to temptation—when we act on our thoughts and desires.

This leads to a second basic fact we must understand.

(2) The SOURCE of temptation is satan.

This is important for us to know because if we are to win our battle with temptation we have to understand what—or rather WHO we’re up against.

By the way, the dictionary DEFINES temptation as,

,“the act of enticement to do wrong, by the promise of pleasure or gain.”

In other words temptation tries to motivate us to be BAD by promising something GOOD— and doesn’t that sound like the devil’s tactics?! Sure it does!

As reminds us when it comes to temptation our “...struggle is not just against flesh and blood.

It’s against the powers of this dark world— the spiritual forces of evil.”

Our temptations are orchestrated by the powers of darkness.

You see, the truth is there’s an evil force at work in this fallen world of ours and its ruler seeks to destroy your life—my life.

Part of the way he does this is by stirring up our desires—hoping that we’ll respond to them in sinful ways.

He wants us to take the wrong path and pay the painful consequences.

He wants to ruin your life.

He wants to demolish your Christian witness.

He means us no good.

In Jesus describes him a “...thief—come to kill and destroy.”

And that is his intent.

satan wants to STEAL the joy that God intends you to have in life.

He wants to DESTROY you and your family.

He wants your marriage to fail.

“The act of enticement to do wrong, by the promise of pleasure or gain.”

In other words temptation tries to motivate us to be BAD by promising something GOOD— and doesn’t that sound like the devil’s tactics?! Sure it does!

As reminds us

Our temptations are orchestrated by the powers of darkness.

You see, the truth is there’s an evil force at work in this fallen world of ours and its ruler seeks to destroy your life—my life.

Part of the way he does this is by stirring up our desires—hoping that we’ll respond to them in sinful ways.

He wants us to take the wrong path and pay the painful consequences.

He wants to ruin your life.

He wants to demolish your Christian witness.

He means us no good.

In Jesus describes him a “...thief—come to kill and destroy.”

And that is his intent.

satan wants to STEAL the joy that God intends you to have in life.

He wants to DESTROY you and your family.

He wants your marriage to fail.

Now, these days many people-even some Christians-tend to downplay a belief in a literal devil.

And if you’re one of them think with me for just a moment.