Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
In Yellowstone National Park there is a famous geyser.
Can anyone tell me what it is called?
Old Faithful.
Why is it called that?
Because it sends a jet of water into the air ever 44 to 125 minutes.
In fact, this geyser is so dependable that in the early days of the park it was sometimes used to wash clothes.
Old Faithful got its name because you can depend on it sending out the water at regular intervals.
We like things that are dependable.
For example, most of you drove here this morning which means you have vehicles that function.
We want dependability in our vehicles.
We want to be able to count on them to do what we need them to do when we need them to do it.
The spiritual life is no different.
We need to be as dependable as Old Faithful.
Others must be able to count on us to do what is needed when it is needed.
This passage gives us an example of faithfulness.
Last week we began learning that God has one requirement for the child of God.
Faithfulness .
Everything else in the Christian life comes from this.
Faithful service to Christ brings growth and effectiveness in the Christian life.
In this passage, the specific application of this one requirement is limited to two life experiences.
We began looking at the first life experience last week.
Life experience #1 is opposition.
Therefore…
1. Faithfulness Is Required In Opposition vv.
51b-20
Opposition is a form of pressure.
When pressure comes against us we can either give way or we can stand firm.
Scripture repeatedly exhorts the child of God to stand firm.
Therefore,
Constant pressure needs to meet an immovable force.
To be an immovable force in the face of opposition the child of God needs to understand two realities about opposition.
Reality #1…
a. Opposition can be endured vv.
51b-7
We talked about this last week.
If we are going to endure, we need support.
We discussed three sources of support from this passage.
The support of the Holy Spirit.
The support of Christ.
The support of the Body (the church).
If we are going to stand as an immovable force we must understand that opposition can be endured.
But it can only be endured as we embrace these sources of support.
There is a second reality we need to understand about opposition.
Reality #2…
b.
Opposition can be exceptional vv.
8-20
By exceptional I don’t mean good.
I mean that it can be out of the ordinary.
That is what we see here.
Before we even study the verses I want to give you all a thought.
Who is the energizing force behind what takes place here?
Satan!
How do we know?
Because He blinds the minds of those who don’t believe!
These people have been blinded by Satan and so they are more easily manipulated.
They have been blinded by Satan and they are worshiping false gods.
Exceptional opposition can be difficult to handle.
However, strength is found when we are forewarned and thus forearmed.
This passage gives us three warnings about exceptional opposition.
Warning #1.
Exceptional opposition is…
i. Subtle opposition vv.
8-13
READ vv.
8-10
Verse 8 backs up to give us an account of what happened while they were in Lystra (S).
v. 6 went to Lystra and Derbe.
V. 7 preaching the gospel.
Now we see what happened while they were in Lystra.
At first glance this seems like all positives.
And as far as these verses go, it is.
This man was born a cripple, he is listening to Paul preach and Paul sees his faith.
Paul orders him to stand up and the man does.
It is important to note that Paul doesn’t heal the man.
God does that.
Paul simply observes the faith and makes the command.
Stand up straight on your feet.
Impossible command.
The problem was his feet had no strength.
He wasn’t able to stand straight.
He had never even walked.
With God all things are possible!
The man is able to leap and walk.
Is God telling you to do something that seems impossible?
He is more than able to make it possible.
Some have made much of this phrase “seeing that he had the faith to be healed.”
This is one of those times where we cannot go beyond what is written.
These verses have been used to teach that if you do not have enough faith, you won’t be healed.
However, The verse doesn’t say anything about the amount or even quality of the man’s faith!
What it says is that he believed he could be healed.
Also need to note what the verse does not say.
Doesn’t say that if the man had less faith he couldn’t be healed.
Doesn’t even say that if the man had no faith he couldn’t be healed.
To argue either of those points is to argue, at best, from implication and that is very dangerous.
Jesus healed people who gave no evidence of faith at all (the little girl whose father came).
What we have to believe is what is actually stated.
This man, in this instance, in this circumstance, believed that he could be healed and so Paul was used by God to heal him.
That’s it.
That’s all the verse says.
What we should take away from this verse is that God can do miracles when, where, and how He wants.
READ v. 11
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