Sermon Tone Analysis

Secular:

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Biblical:

NIV James 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you?

Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don't get it.

You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want.

You quarrel and fight.

You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?

6 But he gives us more grace.

That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God.

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.

Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

9 Grieve, mourn and wail.

Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Personal:

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Bridge: The tension between living for God and living for self… causes an incredibly painful war!! To bring peace to the conflict we *must* Submit to God!

 

Body:

 

Biblical:

We are at War!

 

NIV James 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you?

Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don't get it.

You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want.

You quarrel and fight.

You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

* War of flesh and spirit – human nature and the soul that belongs to God… the things of this world and the things of the world to come!

 

2 Cor 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.

For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?

Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?

What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?

For we are the temple of the living God.

As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."

17 "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.

Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."

18 "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

* Want vs. need

* Flesh vs. spirit –quarrel

* Covet… material growth desired vs. spiritual growth

* Do not have… do not ask …  we are not self-sufficient

* When we do ask… selfish, self-serving, self-honouring…

* Wrong motives do it for me, use the goodness of God for me… it’s all about me…

* What is the right motive… ALL FOR GOD… SUBMIT TO GOD… SURRENDER OUR ALL TO GOD…

* IT IS NOT ALL ABOUT ME… IT IS ALL ABOUT THEE…IT IS ALL ABOUT YAHWEH… IT IS ALL ABOUT *GOD!*

We are at war… between the flesh and spirit… the powers of darkness and death and the power of light and life.

It is about the world of which my old nature belongs and the Kingdom of God to which my soul belongs!

WE ARE AT WAR!!

 

It’s a World War!

 

4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?

6 But he gives us more grace.

That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

* Are you sleeping around… having an intimate relationship outside of your covenant?

* Does this show love… does this emphasize intimacy…

* Equally applicable to marriage… but I was talking about your “New Covenant” relationship with Christ!

* What is your god… money, sports, fitness, TV, family…?

* How can you be in a true love relationship with God when you find yourself in bed with another!

* When you submit to God… he gives you grace…

* When you demand of God… he opposes you…

* When you force God into an inappropriate relationship… he opposes you

* When you elevate yourself, your wants, your desires to the point of spiritual distraction… when you become more important than God… He opposes you

* But when you submit to God… when you surrender… when you pray his prayers, when you love the things he loves, when you love all of his people, when you revile sin… He gives you grace!!

 

NIV Romans 8:6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7 the sinful mind is hostile to God.

It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.

8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. 9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.

And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

It is a world war… and if you haven’t taken sides… you are aligned with the enemy…

Join the forces of truth, light and life and champion Jesus Christ! – Oppose the ways of the flesh and Submit to God

 

Peace is at Hand!

 

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God.

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.

Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

9 Grieve, mourn and wail.

Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

 

* Submission to God = Resistance of the enemy

* God is more powerful

* God is indwelling

* God should be all consuming

* FREEDOM AND PEACE IN CHRIST

* Satan is like a boat anchor!

* Call on God…

* Draw near in study

* Draw near in Prayer

* Draw near in dependence

* Draw near in surrender (need his protection)

* Draw near in Love

 

NIV Psalm 73:28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.

I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

* Cleanse your hands… you sinners

* Cast off iniquity (sin.. displeasing to God… like temple presence)

NIV Exodus 30: 21 they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die.

This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come."

* Purify your hearts… you double minded chiasm

* Cast off sin… submit to God… seek the indwelling of God

 

* Grieve, mourn and wail.

* Understand your place before God… and feel bad about it!

* Surrender the sin, the guilt and the consequence to God

* Do not be trivial, or flippant… Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.