Sermon Tone Analysis
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Last Wednesday, I said that a lot of people claim to be followers of Jesus, but .ess
than 1% of those used the Bible as a guide for their lives.
James is saying that people who read it and don’t do what it says are like people who look into a mirror and don’t remember wha they look like.
For some, they don’t know how to read it and understand what it is saying to them.
I. To understand the Bible, we must BE READY to Receive it.
How do we get ready?
We have to get rid our our sinful attitudes.
James says to get rid of the filth and evil in our lives.
we do that by confessing our sins to God.
So pray before you read the WOG and ask God to reveal and to forgive you of sin.
We have to accept the Word of God
Accept means to welcome in or invite it.
If we want to understand the Bible, we have to invite it or welcome it into our lives.
We have to be ready for it.
James says we accept the WOG that has been planted in our hearts.
James says our hearts are like a garden and the WOG is like a seed that’s planted.
You can take the same seed and put one of them in one location and then in another and get two totally different qualities of crops.
It’s because of the soil.
Is your heart good soil for the WOG?
One heart is prepared and the other not… One person will see life change from the WOG and the other will struggle.
Four Attitudes to Help You to Be Ready for the Word of God
Be Careful
We need to listen to God and not just talk to him.
James says to be quick to listen and slow to speak.
We usually do the opposite.
Be ready to receive WOG
Be Calm
A relaxed attitude increases your ability to hear and receive from the Lord.
It’s difficult to hear anyone when we are upset and angry.
Readers Digest says listening actually lowers your blood pressure.
Be Clean
Be clean morally and spiritually.
Before you plant a garden, you have to remove the weeds.
It’s the same with us.
Filth and evil things are weeds in our spirits that prevent us from hearing from the Lord.
The word “filth” actually translates “earwax.”
Earwax will keep you from hearing what people say.
When you have filth in your life, it blocks you from hearing God.
We have to lay aside the emotional garbage on a daily basis so that we can hear the Lord.
We do this through confession.
Be Compliant
James says to humbly accept the WOG planted in you.
Rhema word… something God is say for you to do.
Don’t act like you know it all - you don’t.
Accept the WOG to guide you.
If you want to understand the Bible, the first step is to be ready to receive it.
II.
To understand the Bible, we must FOCUS OUR ATTENTION on it.
James says God’s word is like a mirror.
The purpose of a mirror is to evaluate us.
We look into a mirror to see what we look like and to make changes in that appearance.
What good is a mirror if we don’t do anything about what we see?
While the mirror reflects what we look like on the outside, GW reflects what’s inside … in our hearts.
The Bible detects our thoughts, intents, motives and desires of our hearts.
Many years ago, Queen Elizabeth, who was very beautiful, had all the mirrors removed from Buckingham palace because she could not stand to see the fact that she was growing old.
A lot of people don’t read the WOG because they are afraid.
We don’t want to see who we really are and have to respond to that.
Here are some practical ways to reflect on the WOG.
1. Read it.
Read the passage several times.
Look carefully…
This is actually talking about more than simply reading.
“LOOK” means to stoop down and gaze in.
It’s the same word used when Peter went to the tomb Easter morning and he stooped down and gazed in to see if Jesus was there.
It means to focus on it.
When you look at a mirror, you can glance or gaze into it.
Glancing and walking away often will result in you forgetting what you looked like.
Gazing into the mirror will let you see how you look and make necessary changes.
2. Review it by making a verse by verse list of the facts in the passage.
This is meditating on the WOG.
Over and over again Jesus says that we are to obey him if we are truly his disciples.
Don’t get caught up in the details, just make a list of the facts of the verse.
Who is speaking?
What is the subject?
Where is it taking place?
When did it happen?
When you read the passage and these facts, it will help you to understand the passage thoroughly.
3. Go to the List of Facts and look for lessons to learn from each fact.
What dies it mean.
Ask yourself,
What are people doing that I should be doing?
Are there commands that I need to oby?
Is there a promise I can stand on?
Is there a warning I should heed?
Is there an example I should follow?
This is how you carefully look at the WOG… look at the details.
4. Ask What is God saying to me?
You can’t do this until 1,2, & 3 are completed.
In order to do number 4, take the lessons you found in muber 3 and pur them in the form of a question to yourself… your spouse… your child… etc.
As you write the questions, listen to the Lord to communicate to you personally through his word.
III.
To Understand the Bible, we have to do what it says.
Why would God open more up to me if I am not doing what he has already told me to do.
James says we deceive ourselves when we don’t let the WOG change us.
We think that gaining content or being able to quote a lot of verses makes us spiritually mature, but it doesn’t.
The test of maturity is not knowledge, it’s character.
We have to apply it and practice it in our lives.
ILL - How many here have read a weight loss book, liked it, studied it, talked about it, but did not lose a pound?
We do the same thing with our Bibles.
We hear it, study it, discuss it, but we don’t let it change us.
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