Sermon Tone Analysis

Personal Introduction

Name

Family

Ages

Where we serve

Where we’re originally from

Each sermon I’m going to tell you a bit about me.

By the time we leave here next Sunday you will feel like you know me and Hopefully I will know each of you a little better

Celebrate Recovery

CR isn’t just for those people… because we are all those people

I am in recovery for control issues

Now this means not that I want to control everyone… but that I feel anxiety and stress when things are out of my control

And things are out of my control a lot.

Series Introduction

This week we are going to be walking through this idea of Control

The series this week is called Damage: Control

This is going to serve a double purpose.

First we are going to look at different ways that the damage in our life is actually from our desire for control

My hope is that when our time is over you will be able to identify areas in your life that you are fighting to control

Areas in your life that you need to submit to the control of the one who truly can do something about anything

Control Substance

Today’s sermon is entitled control substance

Now I mentioned CR at the beginning because Control in our lives can be much like a controlled substance

Do you guys know what a controlled substance is?

Illicit drugs, alcohol...

Things that make you feel a sense of euphoria, a high… but are ultimately fleeting and leave you in a worse position than when they found you

Controlled substances sell you a lie

Here is the lie… what they say is that through this thing.... you can control how and when you feel joy

What they’re saying is that when you choose to take this pill, or smoke this substance, or chew, or use a needle, or cut yourself, or overeat… that your choice is going to lead to a feeling of fulfillment and happiness

The lie is that this thing that you control is bringing some sense of hapiness in to your life

It’s like this easy button… that whenever you hit the button you get the response you desire

This illusion of control that is being sold is a trick of the enemy.

And we can see from the epidemic of amphedimines and opioids that are raveging our communities that this lie is falling on good soil

The root of the issue stems from buying into the idea that there is some thing that you can control that will bring you the joy you want

that your happiness is available to you by way of a tool.

Things like drugs, sex, self harm, over eating, violence, drinking… they become mechanisms to engage joy in your life

This sense of euphoria.. this sense of happiness becomes the overall goal of life and when you don’t know where true Joy comes from you are more likely to buy into the lie that it comes from inside you

The lie that happiness is the result of some external action that has been spurred on by some internal desire

This is also the idea behind cold religion

Now the origins of the word religion have to do with an oath or being bound to vows as used int he monastaries… you know… where the monks live

So the idea is if you bind yourself to do the things… it brings blessings.

The idea is that by following a set of rules and promises that it brings the result of God’s favor in your life

When the truth is that there is a source of joy, there is a source of happiness, there is a source of wholeness...

This religious idea can sometimes get in the way of true relationship with a living and active God of all creation

When we substitute the things we can control for God, we are trying to use religion as a mechanism for Joy

When the truth is that there is a source of joy, there is a source of happiness, there is a source of wholeness...

There is something that can be done to know this joy… but it’s not by buying into the lie that you can control your way into happiness

Anyone ever seen the show on netflix Tidying Up with Marie Kondo?

What is the phrase she uses … does this Spark ______?

It’s this idea that the external things that we deal with… we can mold and shape and manipulate to create a sense of joy within ourselves....

This has people seeking and searching under every rock looking for something that sparks joy

some substance that they can exert their control over in order to truly find joy and wholeness

Some look to a pipe, or a bottle, a bed, a computer screen, the fridge, a needle, or to their job, their kids, their relationships, the size of their waist...

All of these places that we try to exert our authority and our control wind up leaving us empty.

For me the substance is control itself… being able to know when and how things are going to happen help me to feel like my life makes sense.

Knowing how to control my life and manage my situations gives me a sense of accomplishment and pride… and the opposite is true… when things are out of my control or when the world throws me a curveballl… I feel failure, I feel lost, I feel like things are definitely not right in my world.

If you’ve got a bible with you I want you to turn somewhere with me.

We are going to get into our scripture a little bit before we call it a night.

I know that some of you have traveled quite a ways and are ready to hit the sack… but I want to give you some scripture to think on tonight

I’m sure you’ve all read this passage before and if not you’ve heard it quoted

Jesus is telling those following him that the key to finding what they are looking for is found not in striving to obtain… but in laying it down at the foot of the cross and following Jesus

This is what I want to leave you with tonight

Paul recieved a thorn in the flesh… this was something that he desperately wanted removed

What areas of your life have you been seeking to control?

But God’s response here is amazing

What areas of your life have you been using as a mechanism for joy apart from reliance onJesus?

My grace is sufficient for you… my power is made perfect in weakness

What areas of weakness have you been trying to control or to hide with some form of control in order to not appear weak

Where is it that you have been guarding against the appearance of weakness?

Where is it that the Lord is putting is finger on right now and saying this is the area you can let go of… Trust me… My grace is sufficient

You don’t have to have it all together.. you don’t have to control it… there is no way to manage apart from me

PRAY