Sermon Tone Analysis

Overall tone of the sermon

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Dearly loved people of God,
Jesus has won the victory!
Jesus has won the victory!
I’m struck again as I teach about discipline at how ordinary it is.
When church discipline is mentioned, I’m surprised how often people’s minds jump to the final steps of discipline: barring folks from the sacraments or excommunication.
Thankfully words and relationships are powerful means of calling people to reconsider their behaviour.
When Jesus describes Christian discipline in , it starts with a simple conversation 1:1.
As Jesus describes it, you can see the power of conversations, persuasion, and relationships for good.
In the passage we read from Colossians, you see the negative side of social pressure, quick words, and persuasion.
Paul and Timothy give 2 warnings:
col 2:
Note to my catechism class: Paul and Timothy exercise Christian discipline in this letter.
In both of these cases, God uses the authors to warn Jesus’ followers not to be influenced by the misleading words and mistaken values of other people.
In fact, the authors warn that something serious is going on behind the social pressures.
They see spiritual forces at work, distracting, confusing, and misleading people away from true faith.
Our culture doesn’t often pay attention to spiritual forces.
A major exception to the rule seems to be the celebration of Halloween.
For a week or two, movies and radios and bookshelves highlight stories of ghosts, horrors, and the paranormal.
It’s a little weird and many Christians shy away from it all.
The other day though, I was waiting somewhere without a book, so I scrolled through a library on my phone.
I and found C.S.Lewis’ book Screwtape Proposes a Toast.
As in the Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis writes about spiritual warfare from a unique perspective.
Lewis imagines temptation from the view of an evil spirit.
The purpose of Lewis’ books and others is not to make you frightened nor to overestimate the powers of evil, but to illustrate the reality of spiritual forces and their power.
That is what Paul and Timothy do as well.
They warn about the “elemental spiritual forces of this world” and the “powers and authorities.”
These spiritual forces are opposed to Christ.
They are opposed to the church.
They are opposed to your faith.
These spiritual forces will use the philosophies of our culture and social pressure about eating, drinking, and religious festivals to sway believers from the gospel of Jesus.
What does this look like?
relativism which denies that anything can be good or evil
ambiguity of what is true or false, especially because ALL KINDS of ideas are readily available on the internet.
How do you know what to believe?
yet the algorithms of social media are designed that you mainly see more of the views you already have
the type of evolution that rules out any role for the Creator
no matter what you post on FB, someone will “like” it
depending on legalistic standards to determine what Christian behaviour ought to look like
do you find assurance of your salvation in working or not working on Sunday?
do you find assurance of your goodness in participating or not participating in Halloween activities?
do you measure other people’s goodness in whether or not they smoke or drink or have tattoos?
The language of this letter is very strong connecting people’s attitudes in these matters to spirits.
col 2:20
If you’re trying to make yourself look good to God and neighbours by these rules, if you take any spiritual comfort or pride in your own success in meeting these standards, you’re in danger according to God’s Word.
You’re in danger of depending on “the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”
It doesn’t take much to experience another person’s judgement.
If you’re planning to go to a restaurant with friends this evening, it only takes one person to give a little gasp and ask, “on Sunday???” for you to feel their judgement.
It doesn’t take much to insert judgement and hurt.
Years and years ago, I remember an older cousin complimenting my sister on her maturity.
I demonstrated my immaturity by snorting.
I had judged my sister.
In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, C. S. Lewis tells the story of Eustace.
Eustace’s “undragoning” is an example of what Paul and Timothy describe as
It’s a battle against our sinful nature – which God’s Word calls “the flesh.”
It’s a battle against our sinful nature – which God’s Word calls “the flesh.”
The flesh is the rebellious thing inside us that wants to do and say and have things that don’t help us live as dearly loved children of God.
The flesh is the rebellious thing inside us that wants to do and say and have things that don’t help us live as dearly loved children of God.
It’s a battle against the opinions and suggestions of other people
It’s a battle against the opinions and suggestions of other people – when relatives or those we want to impress put pressure on us to do and say and have things that don’t help us live as dearly loved children of God.
– when relatives or those we want to impress put pressure on us to do and say and have things that don’t help us live as dearly loved children of God.
dragon skin is removed by Aslan - cutting deep into the dragon skin in a way that is painful, but necessary.
Only when that layer of dragon skin is removed is Eustace “undragonified” and restored.
It’s a battle against what Paul and Timothy call “the elemental spiritual forces of the world,”
It’s a battle against what Paul and Timothy call “the elemental spiritual forces of the world,” spiritual powers and authorities that put pressure on us to do and say and have things that don’t help us live as dearly loved children of God.
spiritual powers and authorities that put pressure on us to do and say and have things that don’t help us live as dearly loved children of God.
Although we face pressure from our own desires, from people around us, and from spiritual forces, Jesus has won the victory!
In light of Jesus’ victory, let me tell you 2 things
Although we face pressure from our own desires, from people around us, and from spiritual forces, Jesus has won the victory!
In light of Jesus’ victory, let me tell you 2 things
1.
How Jesus won the victory.
How Jesus won the victory.
2. 2 warnings from Paul and Timothy
A pair of warnings from Paul and Timothy
How Jesus Won the Victory
How Jesus won the Victory
First, you’ve often heard preachers and Bible teachers say that Christ Jesus is Lord.
Jesus is Lord because he is God.
Jesus created the world, along with God the Father and God the HS.
First, you’ve often heard preachers and Bible teachers say that Christ Jesus is Lord.
Jesus is Lord because he is God.
Jesus created the world, along with God the Father and God the HS.
As part of God’s amazing rescue plan, God the Son became a person – completely human, like you and me and everyone else.
Even though he was human, he was still the head over all earthly powers and spirits.
Because he is God, he is able to rescue us from the punishment we deserve for sin.
As part of God’s amazing rescue plan, God the Son became a person – completely human, like you and me and everyone else.
Even though he was human, he was still the head over all earthly powers and spirits.
Because he is God, he is able to rescue us from the punishment we deserve for sin.
At the cross Jesus was cut off from God and cut off from the rest of humankind instead of us.
Being hung on a cross is symbolic – cut off from God; cut off from people.
Paul and Timothy explain that our legal debts were taken away; nailed to the cross.
Ä “He forgave us all our sins.”
At the cross Jesus was cut off from God and cut off from the rest of humankind instead of us.
Being hung on a cross is symbolic – cut off from God; cut off from people.
Paul and Timothy explain that our legal debts were taken away; nailed to the cross.
“He forgave us all our sins.”
Maybe you’ve heard how baptism is a sign and seal of God’s forgiveness.
Paul and Timothy mention baptism
Maybe you’ve heard how baptism is a sign and seal of God’s forgiveness.
Paul and Timothy mention baptism
Your whole self, ruled by the flesh, was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
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