Sermon Tone Analysis

SERMON REVIEW FOR WEEK OF DECEMBER 9, 2007

THE SPIRITUAL POWER OF PRAYER AND FASTING

MARK 9:14-29

 

MANY OF US TAKE PRIDE IN BEING ABLE TO *CONTROL* OURSELVES; PERSONALLY, CHARM SCHOOL, HELP US TO EXERCISE EQUITTE AND CONTROL OUR OUTWARD CONDUCT, IN OUR HOMES, PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTATS HELP US WITH CLIMATE CONTROL; IN OUR MEDICINE CABINETS, WE HAVE MEDS THAT CONTROL OUR BLOOD PRESSURE, AND OUR SUGAR.

IN OUR COMMUNITIES, THE STREET LIGHTS CONTROL THE TRAFFIC.

AND ON AND ON.

HOWEVER, THERE ARE THOSE TIMES WHEN PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS GO ARRAY, AND GO OUT OF CONTROL.

FROM THE WILDFIRES OF CALIFORNIA, TO THE RAINS OF WASHINGTON, TO THE CRIME WAVE IN OUR URBAN AREAS, TO THE FINANCIAL CRISIS IN THE HOUSING INDUSTRY THERE ARE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT ARE OUT OF CONTROL.

IT HAS BEEN SAID, THE WORLD IS SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL, IT’S BEEN SAID WE LIVE IN A MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD.

DESPITE OF OUR CRAZY OUT OF CONTROL COSMOS, THE FACT THAT SIN AND SATAN ARE RUNNING RAMPANT, IT WOULD BE WORSE IF IT WASN’T FOR THE GRACE OF GOD.

IN THE CHAPTER, PETER, JAMES AND JOHN HAD BEEN WITH JESUS UP ON THE MOUNT, AWAY FROM THE CROWD, AND WHEN THE CAME DOWN THERE WAS A COMMOTION WE ARE DRAWN TO FOCUS ON A FATHER’S WHOSE SON IS OUT OF CONTROL BY WHAT MANY WOULD CALL EPILEPSY.

THE FATHER BROUGHT HIS SON TO JESUS’ DISCIPLES.

THE SON WAS HOPELESS AND THE DISCIPLES WERE HELPLESS.

THE TENSION OF THE TEXT IS THAT JESUS GAVE THE DISCIPLES POWER TO DO THE VERY THING THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DO.

HE GAVE THEM POWER TO TEACH, PREACH, HEAL, EXORCISE, THREAD ON SERPENTS.

THEY EXERCISED SOME SPIRITUAL CONTROL AND JESUS TOLD TO CELEBRATE WHEN SINNERS BECOME SAINTS.

WE SHOULD CELEBRATE THE PROCESS AND NOW THE POWER.

THUS IT IS NOT WHAT YOU HAVE BUT HOW YOU USE WHAT YOU HAVE TO BRING GLORY TO GOD.

WHAT TRUTH CAN WE DISCOVER FROM THE TEXT THAT WE CAN TAP INTO THE SPIRITUAL POWER OF PRAYER AND FASTING.

WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW AND DO TO BE EMPOWERED BY GOD?

 

*I.

AVOID ARGUING WITH OTHERS SAPS US* – AVOID DISPUTING AND DEBATING AND ARGUING SAPS US OF SPIRITUAL POWER.

14-21

 

ILL; NEW STORY – TWO OWNERS OF DETROIT GAS STATIONS ENTERED IN A PRICE WAR; LOWERING THE PRICE A CENT OR TWO TO DRAW CUSTOMERS...UNTIL ONE OWNER LOWERED HIS PRICE 3 CENTS.

ONE WENT TO SEE THE OTHER OWNER WITH A COPLE OF EMPLOYEES,  AN ARGUMENT ENSURED, PUNCHES WERE THROWN, BASEBALL BAT CAME OUT INJURING ONE MAN....AND ONE OWNER GRABBED A GUN, AND FIRED THREE OR FOUR TIMES.

45 YR OLD JAWAD BAZZI..WAS SHOT IN THE HEAD AND DIED.

ONE GAS STATION CLOSED AND THE OTHER GAS STATION OWNER DIED.

WHAT IS AT THE CORE OF ARGUMENTS’ POWER AND CONTROL.

TWO PEOPLE OR  TWO GROUPS SAYING THE SAME THING; MY WAY OR THE HIGH WAY.

TWO GROUPS IN CHURCH SINGING, “I SHALL NOT BE MOVED.”

THE INNER CORE IS AWAY WITH CHRIST IN ON THE MOUNTAIN, IN WORSHIP AND THE OTHERS ARE IN THE VALLEY IN WAR.

THE WORD HERE IS TO DISPUTE...MEANS TO DEBATE...TO DISCUSS WITH DETERMINATION ..AND QUARREL AND STRIFE AND CONFUSION.

IMP.

THE DISPUTER OF THIS WORLD SEEKS TO DISTRACT YOU AND ME FROM THE REAL ISSUES OF LIFE...SO WE CAN BOLDLY MAJOR IN THE MINORS.

THECOMBINATION OF THE PRINCE OF THE POWER AIR AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE DISTRACT US FROM THE REAL DEAL.

DISTRACT, DISPUTE, DESTROY TO BRING ABOUT DEFEAT.

TEXT:* *

*1 CORINTHIANS 1:20* WHERE /IS /THE WISE?

WHERE /IS /THE SCRIBE?

WHERE /IS /THE DISPUTER OF THIS AGE? HAS NOT GOD MADE FOOLISH THE WISDOM OF THIS WORLD?

* *

*2 CORINTHIANS 4:4* WHOSE MINDS THE GOD OF THIS AGE HAS BLINDED, WHO DO NOT BELIEVE, LEST THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL OF THE GLORY OF CHRIST, WHO IS THE IMAGE OF GOD, SHOULD SHINE ON THEM.

*ROMANS 1:22* PROFESSING TO BE WISE, THEY BECAME FOOLS,

 

*PHILIPPIANS 2:14* DO ALL THINGS WITHOUT COMPLAINING AND DISPUTING,

 

IMP.

WHEN JESUS SHOWS UP HE CHANGES THE AIR, THE SETTINGS AND SURROUNDINGS OF THE SITUATION.

AND THINGS CHANGED; THE PEOPLE SURPRISED AND WELCOMED JESUS; THE DISCIPLES...WERE.......... JUST ON THE MT.

MOSES AND ELIJAH CAME DOWN TO TALK WITH JESUS...AND THE DISCIPLES SAID, IT’S GOOD TO BE HERE.

BUT ALSO...THINGS CHANGED WHEN JESUS SHOWS UP...THINGS MAY NOT GET BETTER THEY MAY GET WORSE....REMEMBER JOB.

IMP.

DISCIPLES ARE DEFEATED......WE CAN’T DO SPIRITUAL WORK WITHOUT SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE AND POWER.

GOTTA HAVE FAITH....BECAUSE WE CAN’T CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES AND SITUATIONS 110%.

WE DO NOT HAVE TOTAL CONTROL OF THE COSMOS.(MK 6) THEY HAD AUTHORITY BUT LOST AUTHORITY

 

*JOHN 15:4* ABIDE IN ME, AND I IN YOU.

AS THE BRANCH CANNOT BEAR FRUIT OF ITSELF, EXCEPT IT ABIDE IN THE VINE; NO MORE CAN YE, EXCEPT YE ABIDE IN ME. 5 I AM THE VINE, YE /ARE /THE BRANCHES: HE THAT ABIDETH IN ME, AND I IN HIM, THE SAME BRINGETH FORTH MUCH FRUIT: FOR WITHOUT ME YE CAN DO NOTHING.

{WITHOUT ME: OR, SEVERED FROM ME}

 

*2 CORINTHIANS 3:4* AND SUCH TRUST HAVE WE THROUGH CHRIST TO GOD-WARD: 5 NOT THAT WE ARE SUFFICIENT OF OURSELVES TO THINK ANY THING AS OF OURSELVES; BUT OUR SUFFICIENCY /IS /OF GOD;

 

I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST THAT STRENGTHENS ME.

PHIL 4:13

 

APP: BRING IT TO JESUS..............BRING YOUR CHILD TO JESUS; SATAN SETS TRAPS TO INFLUENCE OUR CHILDREN AND PROGRAM THEM FOR PERIL FROM THE CRIB.

WE MUST NOT BE WOOED INTO COMPROMISE;

 

MAINTAIN YOUR FOCUS AND PERSPECTIVE;

INVESTIGATE BUT ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE – SO WE CAN SAY ...LE’T SEE WHAT GOD IS DOING.

STAY THE COURSE...AS NEH.

SAID WE WILL NOT COME DOWN FROM THE WALL FOR WE ARE ABOUT A GOOD WORK.

THE DOWN SIDE IS THE THAT THE WILES OF THE DEVIL....GET YOU AND ME GOING WAITING TIME, SPINING YOUR WHEELS

DON’T WAISTING YOU TIME ON WHAT OTHER’S THINK

CONTRARY CRITICIS

DON’T DISCOUNT THE DEVIL -

JESUS IS ALWAYS IN CHARGE

 

ILL:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*II.

BELIEVING ON CHRIST STRENGTHS US .

V. 22 - */IF YOU CAN DO ANYTHING, PLEASE HAVE PITY ON US AND HELP US.

JESUS SAID TO THE FATHER, YOU SAID, “IF YOU CAN! ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE FOR THE ONE WHO BELIEVES./

THE WORLD IS FULL OF THE IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES.

PERSONAL IMPOSSIBILITIES AND SPIRITUAL IMPOSSIBILITIES AND WORLDLY IMPOSSIBILITIES.

WE ARE LIMITED TO WHAT WE CAN DO IN CRISIS OF A LOVED ONE WHO IS FACED WITH PHYSICAL FRUSTRATIONS;  WE ARE LIMITED OF WHAT WE CAN DO WHEN THOSE WHO WE KNOW AND LOVE “DON’T SEE THE LIGHT” OR HAVE \\ “TURNED THEIR BACKS ON GOD’; WE ARE LIMITED OF WHAT WE CAN DO WHEN THE NATURAL RAINS FALL AND THE FLOODS FLOW

 

IN OUR LIVES....THIS FATHER SAYS,  “IF YOU CAN”... HE’S ALREADY  FACED DEFEAT BUT NOW HE IS FACING JESUS.

HE FACES JESUS WITH AN ELEMENT OF FAITH.

I BELIEVE, I TRUST BUT HELP THE PART OF ME THAT IS UNTRUSTING.

PISTEOU......THINK TO BE TRUE BUT HELP MY APISTEOU...THE PART OF ME THAT IS DISTRUSTFUL.

IMP.

BEING IN THE CENTER OF GOD’S WILL SET US THE ENVIRONMENT FOR HIM TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE.

IS IT GOD’S WILL... IF WE ARE IN THE CENTER OF HIS WILL AND WE ARE ABLE TO TRUST, TAKE HIM AT HIS WORD, DEPEND ON HIM WHO SITS UPON THE THRONE OF DAVID, RELY ON THE RIGHTEOUS ONE WHO IS OUR REDEEMER.....THEN ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE TO CHANGE.

AND ROOTED IN THE DEPTHS IS THAT OF TRUST AND OBEDIENCE.

WE ARE HELPLESS WITHOUT FAITH

 

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE IT JESUS SAID, TO THE FATHER..... ...DID YOU SAY, “IF “I” CAN?”...  

YOU KNEW ENOUGH TO BRING HIM TO ME ...AND

 

ABRAHAM AND SARAH HAD A SON IN THEIR OLD AGE

ZACHARAIS AND ELIZABETH HAD A SON IN THEIR OLD AGE

MOSES HAD A SPEECH IMPEDIMENT BUT STOOD BEFORE PHARAOH

JOSHUA AND ISRAEL DEFEATED JERICHO AS THE WALLS FELL DOWN...

GIDEON HAD A FEW GOOD MEN, AND 300 DEFEATED THE MIDIANITES

WIDOW WOMAN IN ELISHA’S DAY...SON GOD SICK AND DIED AFTER THE PROMISE OF A SON...

 

THE FATHER MAY HAVE HEARD OF.....

 

BLIND BARTIMEAUS ...SIGHT RESTORED

WOMAN WITH THE ISSUE OF BLOOD....STOPPED THE HEMORRAGE

THE CENTURION WHO’S SERVANT WAS SICK...WAS RESTORED....D

 

FATHER WAS HONEST WITH JESUS....I HEARD, BUT YOUR DISCIPLES COUNT DO IT....

 

IMP.

OTHERS WHO EXERCISE A  LACK OF FAITH, CAN SHAKE OUR FAITH.