Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
Social media is all the rage these days: Twitter, Pinterst, Youtube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Snap Chat, Messenger.
Now there is messenger for kids.
Everyone is trying to connect online but is there true connection personally?
In a world where you “follow” other people and you have others “follow” you.
Katey Perry and Justin Beiber now have over 90 million followers each.
Many other celebrities have huge followings.
People follow their lives, words, lifestyle, diets and fashion choices.
They want to know all about these celebrities, interact with them and be like them.
They want to imitate them.
There is nothing wrong with them and to enjoy learning more about people in this manner.
It is natural to want to follow those we admire.
Following celebrities on Twitter can be fun and enlightening.
However, following people on twitter is one thing but being a true follower of someone is quite another.
A true follower:
imitates their lives
doing what they tell you to do
Choose the right people to follow it is easy to be led astray.
Know who you align yourself with.
There were so many that were led astray by evil dictators in history:
Hitler had quite the following but was that something to align oneself with?
Stalin?
Pol Pot?
Even today many follow evil dictators, gang leaders, and dictators.
Some people are skeptical about tradition and institutions and have a hard time trying to figure out who to follow in the midst of such chaos.
The traditional models, which often came from or were championed by our families, institutions and political leaders, have to some extent broken down.
This leaves many people unsure of whom to follow.
There is a lot of distrust, discord and synicism.
Jesus said many times “Follow me”.
Of all the people who have ever lived, Jesus has the largest number of followers.
Over 2.4 billion people in the world today profess to follow Jesus.
Jesus’ followers are called disciples.
Would you call yourself a disciple of Christ?
Do you want to be with him?
Know Him? Be like Him? Do everything that Jesus asks you to do?
1.
The example of Jesus
When you are going through difficult times you will be strengthened as you remember past blessings and where God has delivered you.
That is what David is writing about here in our text.
He was in a slimy put full of mud and mire (v.
1-2).
This can mean any situation here: sickness, sin, depression, fear… the list can go on.
Corrie ten Boom said “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still”.
The “pit” of depression can be a terrible place.
In these times we remember all our faults, failures, and disappointments.
We start to believe that nothing good could ever happen to us.
We feel miserable and helpless.
Then we start to think we will never get out of it, never rise above our problems and fulfill God’s call in our lives.
It is in this helplessness I believe we find David and he says “I waited and waited and waited for God”.
Anyone like the waiting room?
No one here is shouting for joy when we find out we have to wait are we?
We like in a world where we want it done and we want it done not yesterday but 10 days ago!
We are people who look for instant gratification.
Well David waited and at last he looked and finally listened.
Then he says He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from the deep mud.
After God lifted him out of the slimy pit “He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I would not slip”.
(v. 2 MSG).
So right now we see God rescued him and then protected and assured Him of being ok.
God once again shows us that when He does a work He goes beyond what is needed.
After God did that He then put a new song in David’s mouth and his witness led many others to “put their trust in the Lord” v. 3
David describes the great blessing of ignoring what the world worships and following the Lord.
David pledges alleigance to God.
We need to take note here.
There are a lot of people who have wise words to say.
There are a lot of leaders who can lead.
But none can do what God can do.
Here David states this about God.
David spurs us on to recognize that nothing or no one compares to God!
The world is looking for a sure thing… well guess what He is that!
The surest thing, most definitive investment, the only one who can handle what life throws our way.
It is too vast to even put into words.
David goes on to say you have given me the capacity to hear and obey.
This is the secret to David’s success - praying and obeying.
That’s good advice for us this morning to follow this example.
David goes on to offer himself in surrender, entirely, completely to God.
Alignment with the things of God.
He is a God follower, a disciple.
Why? Cause God made a transforming difference in His life.
Oh what a change what a difference when you have an encounter with God
Life takes on a new meaning.
When you have an encounter with God.
Living and loving each other, loving and serving our God.
Oh what a change what a difference.
When you have an encounter with God.
The writer of Hebrews tells us that this too was true for Jesus.
Jesus himself quoted
Jesus prayed and obeyed.
The writer of Hebrews goes on to say that the will of God would be fulfilled through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Follow Jesus’ example and offer yourself to do God’s will.
Are you willing to go that far?
Will you put yourself out there that much?
Is there a limit to how far you will trust Him?
Follow Him/ Have you and God talked about that?
David states this in Psalms 40:5 that those who surrender fully, those who make the Lord their trust will be blessed!!!!!
You will see all kinds of “wonders” and things you planned for us no one can recount… the would be too many to declare.
Now my simple mind takes this to mean this:
Total Surrender = Blessed beyond measure
You must increase I must decrease
2. Follow Jesus’ Instructions - The instructions of Jesus
Jesus did not have social media, broadcast capacity, big screens or even a simple microphone with which to get the message out.
He did not need them!
He had POWER and AUTHORITY which he gave to his followers.
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