Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRODUCTION

You can always tell the level of

SCRIPTURE READING

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CENTRAL IDEA

We, like Jesus, must declare our dedication to God like we mean it.

Father

From the time that Jesus appeared in the wilderness of Judea, He began making claims that God in heaven was his Father.

it was this very thing that caused the religious leaders to take up their fight against Him, because he said that God was his Father.

Into Thy Hands

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it would not have bothered them if He didn’t “say it like He meant it”.

But, every time he addressed God or talked about Him, He did it with the confidence that any child who ever had a father places in them.

Let me illustrate:

Tim Hansel, Holy Sweat, writes:

One day, while my son Zac and I were out in the country, climbing around in some cliffs, I heard a voice from above me yell, "Hey Dad! Catch me!"

I turned around to see Zac joyfully jumping off a rock straight at me.

He had jumped and then yelled "Hey Dad!" I became an instant circus act, catching him.

We both fell to the ground.

For a moment after I caught him I could hardly talk.

When I found my voice again I gasped in exasperation: "Zac!

Can you give me one good reason why you did that???"

He responded with remarkable calmness: "Sure...because you're my Dad."

His whole assurance was based in the fact that his father was trustworthy.

He could live life to the hilt because I could be trusted.”

Well, what I’m saying is that if you are going call Him Father…say it like you mean it!

Into Thy Hands

Into Thy Hands

The Lord is hanging upon the cross, He is quickly approaching the moment where He would “give up the ghost” or “breathe His last”.

He was aware of

Into Thy Hands

And so, He says “I’m putting My Spirit into Thy Hands”.

As we knead the text, we come to discover that Jesus is, in fact, quoting from a Psalm of David.

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While we do not know what gave rise the text in Psalms, we do know that David was in some kind of distress where his very life was at stake.

Here’s the point today, Our spirits will have to leave these bodies someday:

Where will you leave it?

Since we know that God is a Spirit and does not have literal hands, we understand that the phrase “Into Thy Hands” is a figure of speech which according to the Lexham Figurative Language of the Bible Glossary represents “God’s presence”.

He did not weaver, he did not flinch; but He said like He meant it!

I Commit

I Commit

Finally, the people on Calvary that day heard Jesus say “I commit My Spirit”.

And since this time is set apart for serious reflection, I think I ought to raise the issue of a Contemporary Christianity that has canned Commitment and Contextualized the Cross to Accommodate the Current Culture.

What did I say?

People are still coming to Church and joining the local congregation, and saying to the Lord “my life is in your hands”.

But, the problem is that “they aren’t saying it like they mean it”.

commit My Spirit”

MY WIFE at various times over the years wanted to take classes at Dallas Seminary.

She didn’t want to take the class in the traditional way.

She wanted to audit the class.

You see, when you audit the class, you can go and sit and get the information but there are no outside requirements.

You don’t have to study.

You don’t have to take any tests.

You get the information but you don’t have the burden of the class.

Many Christians come to church on Sunday mornings and audit the sermon.

They go to class, have textbook in hand, sit in their regular seat, and listen to the professor.

But all they want to do is audit the class.

They don’t want to be expected to do any homework.

They don’t want to pass any tests that God sends their way to check their understanding.

These Christians will pay the money to take the class but they don’t want to have to meet any requirements.

They also don’t expect to receive a degree and diploma from the school.

As long as my wife audits her seminary class, she will have no credit on her transcript.

There will be no graduation ceremony and nobody will ever hand her a degree.

As long as you audit your Christian life, there will be no passing grades, there will be no divine recognition, and there will be no experience of your calling.

Evans, T. (2009).

Tony Evans’ book of illustrations: stories, quotes, and anecdotes from more than 30 years of preaching and public speaking (p.

18).

Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.

Jesus was able to commit His Spirit into the Presence of God in death because He had committed it to Him in life.

Oh, know that its tight, but its right!

When you say that you commit your Spirit, “say it like you mean it”

if you want to

CONCLUSION

When you say it like you mean it, people may not like you too much.

The Apostle Paul understood this truth all too well ...

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INVITATION