Sermon Tone Analysis

The KJV says, “Study to show thyself approved.”

The NKJV says, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God.” *The meaning of **“DILIGENT”** **depends upon* its *use*.

*It can mean* *“to **STUDY*, *to **PRESERVE*, *to be **ZEALOUS*, *to **ENDEAVOR*, *to **ATTEND TO*, *or* *VERY CAREFUL**.”*

It can *also** **mean* *“**ACCURATELY*, *EXACTLY*, and *PERFECTLY**.”*

One thing is for sure, *all* of the *meanings* of the word *“DILIGENT”* *refer** **to someone who **SETS A GOAL** **and** **ACHIEVES IT*.

*I) *Again *2TIM 2:15* {read}.

*Many* people *quote this Verse* *to **say** we need to **study the Word** *of God.

*That’s **true** **but* that’s *only part of it*.

*A) *The Apostle *Paul*, *writing **under** the **inspiration** of the **Holy Spirit*, was *conveying* a *deeper thought* *than what the word* *“STUDY”* *implies*.

*1) *The word *“study”** **means* to *“ENDEAVOR OR GIVE DILIGENCE.”*

*a) *You can look that up *in the **Strong’s* *and* in the *W.

E. Vine** **Dictionary** of New Testament Words*.

*b) **“Be zealous”* *from the Bible Knowledge Commentary*.

*2) **You are to **endeavor* *or* *give diligence* *to **show thyself approved* unto God.

*a) *As the *Wuest* translation puts it, *“Endeavor or bend your every effort to present yourself to God, approved.”*

*B) **How* can you *present yourself to God*, *approved?*

*1) **What* are some *things* that are *approving to God?*

*a) **Prayer**, **fellowship** with Him**, **reading** the **Word**, **meditation** on the **Word**, the **work** of the **ministry**, **Holy Life**, and there’s **others*.

*But* *we’re **MAINLY TALKING ABOUT DILIGENCE IN THE WORD**.*

*2) **At the **end** **of* *(**2TIM 2:15)* it *says*, *“Rightly dividing the word of truth.”*

*a) **When you’re **diligently presenting yourself** approved unto God* *thru prayer**, **fellowship**, **doing** the work of the **ministry**, **and** **studying the Word*, the *Word of God gives us the **IDEA HERE** *that *you will be rightly dividing the Word of truth**.*

*(i) **And I believe that*.

*Somebody that** **doesn't have* the *Holy Spirit* or a *prayer life* or *fellowship** with God* *CANNOT** **rightly divides the Word* of truth.

*3) *The *NIV* brings out something a little different in this Verse.

It says, *"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who **correctly handles** the word of truth."*

*a) **From this translation* *it **sounds like** Paul is saying*, *if you **diligently present yourself approved** unto God* *AND* *correctly handle the Word* of truth *you'll **not** **be** **ashamed**.

Not before man, but before God.*

*4) *The *idea* that the Apostle *Paul** **brings out* *is that you are to become* *SUCH A WORKMAN** **for God* in every area *you'll have **NO CAUSE FOR SHAME* *when **your** **WORK** is **UNDER INSPECTION**.*

*a) **When* is your *work under inspection?*

*b) **During** a **test**, **trial**, or a **temptation*.

*c) *I’m *not** saying* that *God* is *bringing* a *temptation* upon you.

*(JAM 1:13)* *“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:”*

*d) **If I was to ask** for someone* *to do some **carpentry** **work* *and* *everyone* in the church *volunteered*.

*I **wouldn’t know* *who was* a *good* carpenter *and* *who was **not*, *until** I put your **work to the test**.*

The *good carpenter* *would **not** be **ashamed*, *but the **poor one* *would be **ashamed*.

*II) **An **example** of **work under inspection* *is the life of Jesus*.

I want you to *turn** with me* over *to* the book of *MATT**.*

And we’re *going to look at* the *beginning** of **Jesus’ ministry*.

*A) **MAT.

4:1-11.*

*1) **Satan tried* *to **move Jesus from God* *by tempting him** **to act on something other than the Word **of God*.

*Satan is desirous** of **being like God*.

*a) *In this case *Satan desired Jesus** **to **act on his word*.

*b) **Jesus* simply *replied with scripture* *to the **tactics of Satan*.

*c) **Each time **Jesus **replied with the Word* *of God*.

*2) *I think that *we can **all agree* that *Jesus rightly divides the Word* of truth, since *He is the word*.

*a) **This is a **good example* *of a **workman** that is **diligent in the Word **of God*, *passing the test** **and **being **approved*.

*b) **By **God sending* His *angels* to come and *minister to Jesus*, is *God’s stamp of approval*.

*B) **Remember** **Adam and Eve*, *they **were also **put under the test* *caused **by** **Satan*.

*But **they failed* the test.

*They **sold out to Satan*.

*They acted** **on something other than the Word** of God*.

*They **acted on Satan’s word*.

*1) *Look at *GEN 3:23-24* [This is right *after* there *fall*]

*a) **No angels** came to minister to them*.

*Angels are mentioned*, *but* *they came to keep them out** **of the garden*.

*b) **Adam* *was **a workman **put to shame* *and* was *robbed of God’s best* for him.

*2) **We **always see **Jesus* *staying** **on the Word** of God.*

*3) **JOHN 12:49-50, **listen to what Jesus said.*

*a) **(JOHN 8:28)* Says, *“Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.”***[i]**

*b) *In other words *Jesus always operated on the Word** **of his Father*.

*c) **By doing** this** **Jesus** **never** **gave place to the devil**.**

**He **never opened the door** for the devil*.

*d) **That’s the **results** of **being diligent in the Word* *to** **where** **you** **show yourself** **approved** *unto God.

*e) **That’s* also *our responsibility*.

*We have to be diligent in the Word**.*

*C) **By giving the Word of God 1st place in your life (and when I say giving the Word 1st place, I mean **doing it not just saying you do**), , by **always** **acting on God’s Word** and **never on false words**, you will **approved just like Jesus was**.

*

*1) **He had all of heaven at His command, we see that by the angels that came to minister to Him, and in **MATT 26:53** where Jesus said “**Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?” ***[ii]*** *

*III) *There is *one thing* that *we **need to understand* *and that is* *that*, *diligence is going to **cost** you **something**.* *It's going to cost you* your *COMMITMENT AND TIME*.

*A) **A **quality decision** is **needed**.*

*Make that decision today* *that you are a **person** **diligent in God’s Word*.

*1) **You **can’t fool God**.**

**Don’t fool yourself*; *make a decision that will stay.*

*2) **Many times* *people grow weary in their study*.

*B) **Ecclesiastes 12:12.*

*1) **Study is* a *weariness** of the flesh*.

*That’s why people give up* *in the **area of diligence*.

*2) **Jesus said** in* *(MAT 26:41)* *that the **spirit** indeed {is} **willing**,* *but the **flesh** {is} **weak**.*

*a) **We should **continue in the Word*, *even if our flesh doesn’t like it**.*

*b) **God wants us to **continue** in our **well doing*.

*John 6:63.*

*3) **GAL 6:7-9.

*The word *“WEARY”* here *means* *“DON’T FAINT,** **DON’T GIVE UP.”*

*a) **In other words*, *“Don’t give up in your well doing.”*

*b) *The *NIV* translation says, *“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”*

(NIV)

*C) *Look at *Hebrews 11:6.*

*1) **We will reap a harvest**, **if we don’t give up*.

*a) **Take command over your flesh*.

*b) **Begin to be diligent** in the **Word of God today**!*

!

WOLCC 7~/21~/91 SUN AM and WOLCC Sunday, 8~/22~/1999 & Thursday, December 18, 2003

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[i]/The New King James Version/.

1996, c1982 (Jn 8:28).

Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[ii]/The New King James Version/.

1996, c1982 (Mt 26:53).

Nashville: Thomas Nelson.