Sermon Tone Analysis

Our Telling Shows

Sunday June 15, 2008                   Mat 15:1-20; 12:33-37

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Introduction

Words and Heart                                                  Mat 15:8

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Words and Heart

*Words Can Cover*                                             Mat 15:1-9

·         Sound Religious ... but not Right

·         Religious Words and Behaviour to Cover What is Inside

*Words Can Reveal*                       Mat 15:10-20; 12:33-37

·         Deepest and Most Important Parts Invisible

·         Tree

·         Iceberg

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Words as Test

*Use Words to Get to Heart*

·         Heart Invisible – Can’t Know

·         Words Tangible – Something “Examine-able”

·         Motives Complex – Will Require Reflection, Honesty, Prayer

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Words and Heart – Change

*Two Approaches to Change*

·         Outside In – Change Behaviour

·         Inside Out – Change Heart                                 Pro 4:23

*God’s Word and Heart Formation*

Tree Picture                                                           Psalm 1

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What to Do?

*Review Your Words *

·         Check for Words Intended to Cover

·         Ask What Your Words Reveal

*Absorb God’s Word*

·         Ponder, Internalize, Inward, Formation \\

| Take it Home!

A complaint that is sometimes made of religious people goes like this: “They sound good, but it isn’t real”.

Can you think of examples of this?Are there times when you tried to control the way you speak?

How did it go?

What worked?

What did not?Set aside a time to review your words.

Perhaps at the end of the day.

Consider two things:1)    Did you speak in a way that sounded religious, but was inwardly moved by less virtuous motives?2)   Did anything ‘slip out’ that reveals something about your inward state that you would rather not be true?What is the best way to internalize the Bible.

Read over Psalm 1.

What would following this look like to you?

Take It Home – Take this home and use these questions to think about the ideas shared today.

It is even better if you can use these questions in a conversation with someone else.

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