Sermon Tone Analysis

If you make it your goal to be profound, you will likely not be sound.

But if you make it your goal to be sound, your faith will grow steadily more profound.

Studies and dissertation’s gone awry (off the correct course, twisted).

Every doctrinal heresy that I can think of is a result of this same kind of imbalance in scriptural interpretation, leading to faulty perspective and practice.

(Scott Swain at Ligonier ministries, in an article for Tabletalk magazine, reflecting on ) According to one definition, doctrine is teaching from God about God that directs us to the glory of God.

This definition provides a helpful anatomy of sound doctrine, identifying doctrine’s source, object, and ultimate end.

If you make it your goal to be profound, you will likely not be sound.

But if you make it your goal to be sound, your faith will grow steadily more profound.

(Scott Swain at Ligonier ministries, in an article for Tabletalk magazine, reflecting on ) According to one definition, doctrine is teaching from God about God that directs us to the glory of God.

This definition provides a helpful anatomy of sound doctrine, identifying doctrine’s source, object, and ultimate end.

Studies and dissertation’s gone awry (off the correct course, twisted).

Every doctrinal heresy that I can think of is a result of this same kind of imbalance in scriptural interpretation, leading to faulty perspective and practice.

If you make it your goal to be profound, you will likely not be sound.

But if you make it your goal to be sound, your faith will grow steadily more profound.

- Where do we see this more plainly than in ?

Hebrews 13:7-

PRAY

To run the Christian life well, we need to stay healthy.

We can keep our faith healthy by following leaders who lived and finished their race demonstrating an unwavering devotion to their unchanging Lord.

We need those examples and that same foundational focus because there's no shortage of false teaching out there that would threaten our undivided allegiance to Christ alone.

Copy That (v.

7)

Imitate unwavering, focused faith.

(growing?)

Verse 7 has three parts:

Remember

(keep thinking about and respond accordingly) your leaders… which ones?

The ones who spoke the word of God to you.

[particularly here the foundational gospel truth of God making himself known through Jesus, providing a mean of rescue through Jesus, offering us restoration to him through Jesus, and through Jesus giving us his Holy Spirit to seal us and guide us so that we continue to be sustained by and grow in Jesus]

Examine

(carefully inspect)… what?

The OUTCOME of their way of life.

Examine (carefully inspect)… what?

The OUTCOME of their way of life.

The sum total: (O’Brien quote)

They not only proclaimed the word of God; they adorned the gospel of Christ by their faithful lives.

After they are gone seems to be the clear implication here.

This is almost certainly here a reference to some “leaders” who have recently died in faith.

Many have gone before, but the path is still warm from these trailblazers.

Like Timothy of this mother and grandmother… and v. 13 (what Paul said would live on in memories… we believe this 2nd letter to Timothy to be in Paul’s 2nd Roman imprisonment, which would end in his death…)

So here in Hebrews we’re reminded of ch.

11 and the trailblazers of faith all the way back to first OT saints, and now possibly the more recent apostles and other leaders who’ve been martyred or simply preceded in death.

In our day we can not only look to these but read biographies of faithful men and women who proved right up to the end that their hope was not in vain.

[the free audiobook of the month from Christian audio is on Jonathan Edwards from the trailblazers series, which is geared toward kids and youth]

And then sometimes even legacies so recent as the death of family member (or church family member).

1.

What faithful examples have you had and do you have to follow in healthy Christian living?

Name the individuals and explain what specifically has helped you grow and persevere in faith.

They not only proclaimed the word of God; they adorned the gospel of Christ by their faithful lives.

They not only proclaimed the word of God; they adorned the gospel of Christ by their faithful lives.

2. What situations are you facing in life right now where it will do your heart good to lean on this foundational truth: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”?

3. There’s no “vaccine” to protect us from false doctrine.

But what are some key factors that we learn here (in Heb.

13) and elsewhere in God’s word that can really make a difference in helping us be on guard against subtle lies?

Imitate

Imitate (reproduce behavior, copy)… what?

Their faith.

We are greatly blessed when we have leaders whose faith lives on in our memories and in our imitation of their faith.

(reproduce behavior, copy)… what?

Their faith.

- not their mannerisms and preferences… their FAITH

This is almost certainly here a reference to some “leaders” who have recently died in faith.

Many have gone before, but the path is still warm from these trailblazers.

Like Timothy of this mother and grandmother… and v. 13 (what Paul said would live on in memories… we believe this 2nd letter to Timothy to be in Paul’s 2nd Roman imprisonment, which would end in his death…)

So here in Hebrews we’re reminded of ch.

11 and the trailblazers of faith all the way back to first OT saints, and now possibly the more recent apostles and other leaders who’ve been martyred or simply preceded in death.

In our day we can not only look to these but read biographies of faithful men and women who proved right up to the end that their hope was not in vain.

[the free audiobook of the month from Christian audio is on Jonathan Edwards from the trailblazers series, which is geared toward kids and youth]

And then sometimes even legacy’s so recent as the death of family member (or church family member).

Have others left you an example that the Christian life is so much better than what the world or religiosity offers because they knew that Jesus is indeed better?

Did they not only speak it but also model Christian love—with a special place in their hearts for fellow believers, a special regard and hospitality toward outsiders, and they showed particular compassion for the mistreated and hurting?

Did they honor marriage and display hatred for what loving money can do to people?

Imitate their gospel proclamation in word and deed.

(O’Brien says)

Have others left you an example that the Christian life is so much better better than what the world or religiosity offers because they knew that Jesus is indeed better?

Did they not only speak it but also model Christian love—with a special place in their hearts for fellow believers, a special regard and hospitality toward outsiders, and they show particular compassion for the mistreated and hurting?

Did they honor marriage and display hatred for what loving money can do to people?

They not only proclaimed the word of God; they adorned the gospel of Christ by their faithful lives.

Have others left you an example that the Christian life is so much better better than what the world or religiosity offers because they knew that Jesus is indeed better?

Did they not only speak it but also model Christian love—with a special place in their hearts for fellow believers, a special regard and hospitality toward outsiders, and they show particular compassion for the mistreated and hurting?

Did they honor marriage and display hatred for what loving money can do to people?

Did they need to live licentiously to demonstrate abundant joy and pleasure in knowing and growing in God?

And didn’t their lives demonstrate that stuff is just stuff and that funds and influence are meant to be used to the glory of God?

Did they keep growing and giving evidence that intimacy with Jesus is better?

Imitate that.

You may not be able to teach an old dog new tricks, but you sure should be able to observe an older believer still be growing inwardly more like Christ even as their body gives out.

And finally, and perhaps most significantly, did they do it to the end?

Did they endure in this kind of faith to the end?

Copy that.

And finally, and perhaps most significantly, did they do it to the end?

Did they endure in this kind of faith to the end?

Imitate that.

Copy that.

An implication of considering the outcome of their way of life: Does God want or need his people to run at a constant frenetic pace?

We are greatly blessed when we have leaders whose faith lives on in our memories and in our imitation of their faith.

What truly made them leaders worth imitating?

They taught and lived, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Imitate their unwavering, focused faith.

Imitate their growing faith.

Imitate their gospel proclamation in word and deed.

What truly makes these leaders worth imitating?

They teach and live what comes next, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”