Sermon Tone Analysis

*Who has the full, immeasurable, and unimaginable life?

*Is it a life I even want?

Consider the Bible

Consider Jesus

*How do I get it?

This answer includes a few items:

The work of the Holy Spirit (John 3)

Trials & Temptaitons (2 Corin 4 & 10)

Disciplines — there are many… this year, I’ve encouraged you to focus on 1: reading the Bible.

I want to contend this morning for ‘righteous rituals in the abundant life.’

Some of you have a negative reaction/response to the word “ritual.”

We all have them — morning, evening.

They are inescapable.

Rejecting them on the grounds of and isn’t as wise as you might think.

Resisting legalisms is needed.

Resisting rituals is deadly.

ESV:

Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness.

2 For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence.

It is called the

Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, 4 having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.

5 Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat.

Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

6 These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, 7 but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.

Vs. 1 — “Regulations for Worship”

Vs. 6 — “Ritual Duties”

These are the same word in the Greek.

Jesus uses the word only one time...

Vs. 2 — “Service to God”

Rituals in this way can be quite deadly — in more ways than one.

Deadly to others

Deadly to you

Deadly to your relationship with God

But this isn’t news to you… you have your own deadly rituals.

For example — everyone of us have what I might call ‘Rituals of Revenge.’

Spouse, Parent, Kid, Boss… God

Spiteful, Venomous Ruminations

Food

Gossip/Character Asassinations

Over-performing

Lust

Couch Potato

“They” are so stupid… “they” think that fourth piece of pie is about your lack of self control.

It isn’t.

You are “revenging” them.

And you have a pattern of it… ok, more of ongoing occurences… well, maybe, a habit… it could be an addiction… a lifestyle of “Revenge Rituals.”

— all the while you thinking you are “offering a service to God”

Actually, a life of walking in the Spirit… of thriving in consuming and offering the grace of God… of abundance has a righteous structure to it.

Vs. 1 — “true and proper worship” — same greek word.

Ritual.

Consider the structure of Jesus’ life...

Consider the structure of the life of the saints...

Pay attention to shame and guilt...

Seek to walk in the spirit

Galatians 5

Their spontaneity is famous… their devout, righteous rituals put their lives in the place where their impact for the Kingdom of God would be eternal.

Grandma’s Bible