Sermon Tone Analysis

So here's something that we all have in common.

This isn't like a religious thing or a Christian thing, or non-Christian thing, this is just a thing thing, this is just a human thing.

We all have this in common, our worst decisions, my worst decisions for sure, Our worst decisions, were fueled by a nudge with strong emotional appeal.

Our worst decisions were fueled by a nudge with strong emotional appeal.

You ate it.

You drank it.

You leased it.

You dated it.

You moved in with it.

You applied for it.

You employed it.

You invested in it.

There is a breakthrough thought, right.

Duh, right.

Your worst decision, my worst decisions, that weekend you wish, that first marriage, that purchase, that lease, that whatever it was, the reason you made that decision, the reason I made that decision or that series of decisions, was whatever it was that caused me to decide had strong emotional appeal, it was so appealing you bought it, it was so appealing you ate it, it was so appealing you leased it, it was so appealing you moved there, it was so appealing you dated it and moved in with it, [laughter] it was so appealing you took it, it was so appealing you smoked it, it was so appealing...

I could go on and on and on.

The reason you have regrets, the reason we look back on that, "Oh my gosh, what was I thinking?",

there was something on the path that had strong emotional appeal, right?

And then something very strange happened, It lost its appeal.

It lost its appeal.

In fact, you don't even know where it is anymore, in fact, you couldn't wait to sell that thing, you couldn't wait to get out of that lease, you couldn't wait for him to leave, or her to leave.

It was like, "What was I thinking?"

It was so appealing at the moment, and then it lost its appeal.

And then for some of you, if you're honest, and today is gonna be a little bit heavy, so buckle up.

For some of you, what began as appealing over time became a prison.

What started off as just a past time, you discovered, "Uh-oh, it's a pathway, and I can't get off this path."

What was once an attractive pleasure became a toxic poison.

And what began as just appealing became a prison for you, it turned out it was poison to you, and now there's a habit you can't break, or an addiction that you're struggling with.

So I've got an idea, we'll keep this short.

Let's not do that any more, okay?

Alright, let's not do that anymore.

You're dismissed, okay, take off.

We just won't do that anymore, right?

Don't you wish it was that easy?

But it's a common experience to all of us, right?

The nudges that get our attention get us off track, create the most significant regret, are always emotionally appealing.

The nudges that get our attention get us off track, create the most significant regret, are always emotionally appealing.

So let's not do that anymore.

And that's what we're gonna talk about today, but before we get to that, a quick review of where we've been.

And the principle that drives this entire sermon series

The right nudge from the right source at the right time can get you to the right place, but the wrong nudge from the wrong source at the right time will take you to the wrong place.

And we know this is true from the lifetime of experiences you and I have.

That nudge to spend to much, to eat too much, drink too much, to forsake what is right for what is expedient in every arena of your life you can relate a nudge you wish you would not have given into.

The nudges you pay attention to will ultimately determine your destination.

You always end up where your nudges take you, regardless, of your intention.

I know plenty of people who intended to keep a diet until they were nudged by Tiff’s Treat cookie.

I know plenty of people who intended to get out of debt until that thing they really wanted dropped in price and they were nudged to swipe, swipe, swipe.

I know every couple intends to stay married but someone, at sometime was nudged away.

Good intentions will not stop powerful nudges.

That is why in the second week, we talked about the expediency of foolish life building versus the long principles path of following Yeshua.

And oftentimes, there is a big disconnect between what we intend to become, where we intend to end up, and the nudge that puts us on the path that we're on.

Now, this explains why parents can't help but overreact.

So if you're a student, teenager, or you're listening to your parents and your parents are kind of interfering with your business, and you're like, "What?

Chill out."

Here's the reason parents can't help but do that.

Parents react, and I think we're supposed to,

Parents react to where their kids' nudges will take them, not where their kids are.

To where their children are headed, not where their children are.

That's why we ask ridiculous questions like, "Well, does he have a job?" "Well, it doesn't matter, I'm in love."

"Great, you're in love now, but I wanna know what's gonna happen later.

Is he in school?

Is she in school?

What's her family like?"

It's like, "What's with all these questions?"

Because parents know it's not about now, it's about where this is headed, and if you don't get anything else out of this talk today, please don't miss this.

Relationships are dynamic.

Every single relationship you're in is headed somewhere.

And our tendency in relationships is to look at the now until it's too late, but the people who love us the most have a tendency to look at where the relationship's headed, that's why they ask all those pesky questions, that's why they get all up in our business.

So your parents are more concerned about where the relationship is headed than where it is right now.

And perhaps your Heavenly Father is as well.

Both God and your mama do not want you to wake up some place you don't intend to be.

God and your mama do not want you to wind up in life, whether it's financially, relationally, academically, whatever it might be, in a place other than where you intend to be.

So this is a really big deal.

So as we wrap up this series, I wanna go back and I wanna talk specifically about nudges with strong emotional appeal.

The power of an appealing nudge.

And here's why, and again, this is what we have in common,

The nudge to be avoided is always paved with strong emotional appeal.

There's no way to avoid this, this is just a reality we all face and we're all challenged with.

That the path that is to be avoided, whether it's financial, relational, whatever it might be, is always paved with something with strong emotional appeal.

Newer, faster, bigger, "25% return, honey.

It's a guaranteed 25% return."

And she's like, "That's our college money.

Okay, that's our kid's future, that's what we were saving up for a vacation."

"I know, but it's guaranteed, and all of it... " Suddenly there's conflict, 25% return... Romance, desire, acceptance, attention, adventure, security.

The wrong paths are always paved with one or more of these things.

And especially the security thing, the securing thing's tricky.

"Do you really love her?" "She's got a great job."

"I know, but do you love her?" "Do you really love him?"

"Well, I'm not getting any younger, right?"

And to be clear, these things aren't bad, in fact, these things are all good.

These things aren't bad, these things just aren't enough.

These things aren't wrong, these things just aren't enough when it comes to making decisions in life and choosing the pathways that we choose.

Because shiny things and appealing things do two things to all of us.

They lower our defenses, and they raise our defensiveness.

These things always lower, it lowers our defenses.

Shiny new appealing things lowers our defenses and raises our defensiveness.

And friends come along, boyfriends come along, spouses come along, and they say, "Wait, wait, wait.

Okay, do you realize where this is headed?

Do you realize where this is going?"

And we won't listen.