Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Preparation is everything!

ILLUST - My first cylinder head install - countless hours working on it but I missed a few things in preparation so it didn’t start.

I also learned how important the prepping process is for refinishing cars.

I learned this: There is a direct correlation with the effort of preparation and the final result

This idea flows into our worship as well.

The purpose of what Solomon is doing in Ecclesiastes is peeling away the meaningless things in life in order to search for the meaningful.

Areas of meaninglessness:

Work

?

While these ideas are most obviously displayed on Sunday mornings, it is all true every other day of our lives.

“Many go to church.

Few go to worship.”

(James P. Gills, M.D., The Dynamics of Worship, 132)

- Victoria Osteen

“I just want to encourage every one of us to realize when we obey God, we’re not doing it for God—I mean, that’s one way to look at it—we’re doing it for ourselves, because God takes pleasure when we’re happy,” she declares in the undated 36-second clip with her husband standing by her side and nodding.

“That’s the thing that gives Him the greatest joy…”

“So, I want you to know this morning: Just do good for your own self.

Do good because God wants you to be happy,” Osteen continues.

“When you come to church, when you worship Him, you’re not doing it for God really.

You’re doing it for yourself, because that’s what makes God happy.

Amen?”

Guard your steps - lit. ‘guard your feet’

Internal preparation for worship matters more than the external display of worship.

To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools

Obedience is better than sacrifice.

Notice it is a categorical difference not a quantitative difference

i.e.

God d

God would rather you

Notice it is a categorical difference not a quantitative difference

i.e., Samuel did not say, ‘Great obedience is better than some sacrifice’

They are any sacrifice without obedience is pointless.

God would rather you listen, respond, and obey to one thing he is saying today than for you to:

serve in the nursery

sing on worship team

tithe more than 10%

etc.

Empty religious motions are meaningless.

God is more concerned with a clean heart on Monday than he is clean clothes on Sunday.

offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.

offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.

The sacrifice mentioned here is a sacrifice that is offered to God and a portion of it is eaten by the people.

This is different than the whole burnt offering

It is easy to see how this sacrifice could become me-centered

ILLUST - focusing on yourself - me-centered in worship, means you can miss the whole point of what makes worship meaningful.

The time dad and I went shopping at Boscovs and I (unknowingly) got into the elevator with a Eagles football star who was there to sign autographs.

I missed the opportunity because I was focused on myself.

Offerings in the hands without obedient faith in the heart become “the sacrifice of fools,” because only a fool thinks he can deceive God.

The fool thinks he is doing good, but he or she is only doing evil.

And God knows it.

Are you more prepared to have an encounter with God or to complete a ritual?

(1)

Be Receptive

Be Serious

Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God

‘Space-filling’ Prayer

You all know those people who can talk for miles without really saying anything?

ILLUST - Christine and I ‘church-shopping’ and visiting a church with a preacher who said words but we could not follow a thought he had.

I wonder if there is anything that bothers God more in worship than careless prayers.

Careless prayers mean we are talking more for ourselves than we are talking to God.

If you can pray and do your taxes then you’re not really praying.

This is the HMMM, HMMM mentality.

I can HMMM, HMMM when Christine is talking, but I have no idea what she said.

‘Habit-keeping’ Prayer

We give mindless words to mindless prayers to stave off guilt

“Dear God, thank you for this day, thank you that we could be gathered here today.

Bless this food to our body - Amen” (as if the food will rot if it is not blessed)

ILLUST - This is about as meaningful as the prayers we said as a kid

ILLUST -

‘Rub-a-dub-dub thanks for the grub.

Amen’

‘Amen, brother Ben, shot a goose and killed a hen.’

Imagine if you spoke to your spouse as a habit-keeper so as to stave off guilt

‘Hey Babe.

Thank you for the food.

Thank you for meeting me at the table today.

I would ask that you give me enjoyable conversation for a good evening.

Goodbye.’

God would rather you sit in silence than fill the air with words you don’t really mean or have even thought through

‘Magic-making’ Prayer

This is the idea that the number of repetitions or specific words used will ‘magically’ move the hand of God more than the same thought uttered in simplicity.

This is what Jesus is talking about

‘Religious-posturing’ Prayer

When you pray don’t try to impress others to yourself; instead, when you pray try to press into God.

I’d rather pray with power than panache

‘God help me’ is probably the best worded-prayer ever.

I would rather look a fool for a good reason than seem impressive with insincerity.

ILLUST - I have sung some silly songs and danced like a fool in several ER rooms in order to make my children smile - I didn’t care what others thought - my focus was on them.

For God is in heaven and you are on Earth

Has less to do with distance than it does with perspective

Remembering our relationship with God will temper our conversations with him.

Ex. my relationship with my wife changes the tone and words used in my conversations with her.

Are you more prepared to display your ‘godliness’ than to be convicted of sin? (2-3)

Be Genuine

Be Humble

*False promise is false religion.

God is neither a vending machine nor a motivational speaker.

Vending machine - ‘If you do this, I promise to do that’

"Oh, God, if you'll get me out of this predicament, I'll serve you."

"Lord, if you'll just help me do this one thing, I'm going to start coming to church more often."

“Yes, Lord, I promise to tithe.”