Sermon Tone Analysis

Call To Worship Scripture

Sermon Scripture

We are at Passover.

The Triumphul Entry has just taken place.

There are some Greeks present at the feast desiring to see Jesus.

There is fear amoungst the Jews to speak of Jesus.

The soul of Jesus is troubled.

Before we expand out the text I want to review the application from the text over the past three weeks.

We have spent three weeks in the Gospel of John learning every day Christian living insights from the miraculous works and teachings of Jesus.

WEEK 1:

SELFISHNESS: selfishness is not of God’s nature but is wholly and fully of the nature of man.

Selfishness is that evil twin to pride and must be thought of correctly for a healthy Christian walk.

- Yet with selfishness bing of the full nature of man, the problem or observation sought then is how does Jesus being fully man, refrain from acting in the fullness of the fallen nature of man which is selfishness.

- To be selfish is to regard ones own interest either as chief, meaning above all else, or regarding ones own interest alone.

Such regard is the influencer of ones actions, regarding to one a private or even public advantage.

- To be honest, many would be fine with saying that Jesus acts selfishly and that is to our good.

However there is a great distinction here between selfishness and just or righteousness.

To act in selfishness for a just or righteous purpose appears to be a great contradiction.

For example to make a seemingly wise decision for the benefit of self, in scripture is more closely related to the actions and decision making process of Adam and Eve than that of Christ our Lord.

- We are inherently selfish beings but God is not.

Our selfishness is inherent in that selfishness has been passed down to us by Adam.

If we go back to the fall of man we see that Satan in his deception deceives Eve by twisting this truth.

He seeks to paint God as selfish and thus encourage Eve to step out of “God’s selfishness” in regard for herself and Adam.

This is painted as better for them as if being “like God” will enable them to be better than God in not being as so called selfish as God.

Yet with selfishness bing of the full nature of man, the problem or observation sought then is how does Jesus being fully man, refrain from acting in the fullness of the fallen nature of man which is selfishness.

To be selfish is to regard ones own interest either as chief, meaning above all else, or regarding ones own interest alone.

Such regard is the influencer of ones actions, regarding to one a private or even public advantage.

To be honest, many would be fine with saying that Jesus acts selfishly and that is to our good.

However there is a great distinction here between selfishness and just or righteousness.

To act in selfishness for a just or righteous purpose appears to be a great contradiction.

For example to make a seemingly wise decision for the benefit of self, in scripture is more closely related to the actions and decision making process of Adam and Eve than that of Christ our Lord.

Let me explain:

We are inherently selfish beings but God is not.

Our selfishness is inherent in that selfishness has been passed down to us by Adam.

If we go back to the fall of man we see that Satan in his deception deceives Eve by twisting this truth.

He seeks to paint God as selfish and thus encourage Eve to step out of “God’s selfishness” in regard for herself and Adam.

This is painted as better for them as if being “like God” will enable them to be better than God in not being as so called selfish as God.

Who: Jesus & a 38 year invalid (later the Pharisees)

he layed amoungst the blind and the sick on the outskirts of a healing pool.

For 38 years people had ran by him, nobody had stopped to help him.

Jesus came to him.

Note: This man could do nothing on His own.

Time/Day: The Sabbath

The man wanted to be healed but had no one to heal him.

He recognized that he was crippled

He recognized that he could do nothing about it and was in need of another

Jesus said,

Take up your bed, and walk

Take up your bed, and walk

See, you are well!

Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you

See, you are well!

Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you

My Father is working until now, and I am working

My Father is working until now, and I am working

Pharasees claimed that Jesus broke the sabbath.

Jesus said:

The Son can do nothing of his own accord, but the Son does as the Father does.

The Father loves the Son and shows the Son what He is doing, the Son does them, that we may marvel.

The Father loves the Son and shows the Son what He is doing, the Son does them, that we may marvel.

The Father has given judgment to the Son that all my honor the Son

The Father has given judgment to the Son that all my honor the Son

The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him

The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him

These words heard and believed are eternal life.

These words heard and believed are eternal life.

The cripple was fully dependent on Christ, Christ is dependant upon the Father, the Pharisees are dependant upon themselves and thus distort the scriptures by their own selfishness

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life”

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life” (note: they search because “they think” not because “God said”…belief is absent…) “it is they (the scriptures) that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

(why? because it’s not what they think…they can’t see for their own self thinking.)

note: they search because “they think” not because “God said”…belief is absent...

note: they search because “they think” not because “God said”…belief is absent...

“Little people worldly wise, you cant see through your shadowed eyes, Little people cant you see, He has come to set you free” - Chuck Girrard

“it is they (the scriptures) that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

why? because it’s not what they think…they can’t see for their thinking.

“it is they (the scriptures) that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

Summary

why? because it’s not what they think…they can’t see for their thinking.

we are selfish, God is not.

Both truths are just as equally important.

we are selfish, God is not.

Both truths are just as equally important.

When I say that we are selfish beings, I am not meaning that we are selfish because of our actions.

When I say that we are selfish beings, I am not meaning that we are selfish because of our actions.

An action of itself as demonstrated in the interaction between Christ and the religious leaders is not selfish or unselfish.

An action of itself as demonstrated in the interaction between Christ and the religious leaders is not selfish or unselfish.

Rather we are selfish down to every fiber of self which creates a bondage to selfish action and a war within ones own self.

This is the war that Christ is addressing within the religious leaders.

Ultimatley, even in there study of the Scriptures, they still want the glory, even in the service of others, we still want the credit...

Rather we are selfish down to every fiber of self which creates a bondage to selfish action and a war within ones own self.

This is the war that Christ is addressing within the religious leaders.

Ultimatley, even in there study of the Scriptures, they still want the glory, even in the service of others, we still want the credit...

Selfishness does not so much describe how we treat others as much as it prescribes an illness within self that can/is as a result harmful to others and self.

Selfishness does not so much describe how we treat others as much as it prescribes an illness within self that can/is as a result harmful to others and self.

Allow me to illustrate:

Allow me to illustrate:

The heart seeks to tell us what we feel

The heart seeks to tell us what we feel

The mind seeks to tell us what to think