Sermon Tone Analysis

*The Importance of the Word in Our Lives*

 

*What is the Word?*

It is God’s revealed truth to us concerning the unfolding of His redemptive plan through the ages to bring about glory to Himself.

*The Word is Powerful* - Romans 10:13-15

*The Word is Profitable* - II Timothy 3:16

*The Word is to be Handled with Precision* - II Timothy2:14-15

 

*A Marvelous Picture of the Church*

Luk2 10:30  And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

*The Wounded Man = Humanity*

*      Ever since the fall of man, we have been marred and wounded, affected by sin*

*The Robbers = The Devil*

*      The Bible characterizes Satan as one that goes about seeking to find peoples lives that he can devour, just as these thieves did.*

Luk 10:31  And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

Luk 10:32  And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

*The Priest & Levite = The Law and the Prophets*

*      The New Testament shares with us who the law is unable to bring salvation.

It is the schoolmaster.

It shows us our need.

But it does not bring salvations, just like the Priest & Levite.

Adherence to the Law will never bring salvation.*

Luk 10:33  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

*The Samaritan = Christ*

*      The one that those listening to this story would never thought to have been the one to save the injured man was the one who did just that.

Just as with Christ, the Bible tells us that His own did not receive Him.

They were looking for Messiah, but they never would have imagined it to be Jesus, a simple carpenter.*

Luk 10:34  And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

*Oil & Wine = Communion *

*      We even see communion in this passage.*

*The Donkey = The Body of Christ*

*      Just as the donkey brought the injured man to the inn, it is the responsibility of those that are part of the Body of  Christ to bring the lost, the injured to Christ and the local church.*

*The Inn= The Church*

*      The man was brought to the inn, a place of refuge and restoration.

This is just what the local church should be.

*

Luk 10:35  And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

*The Expected Return of the Samaritan = The Return of Christ*

*      The good Samaritan was going to return at any time and just the same Christ will some day return for us and we must be ready.*

Luk 10:36  Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

Luk 10:37  And he said, He that shewed mercy on him.

Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

This was the interpretation of many of the church fathers.

Heard of it being preached several times over the last several years.

If the point wasn’t  that it was to be a marvelous picture of the church , then what is the point of the parable?

Simply put, ANY NEEDY MAN OF ANY NATION WHOM WE COME IN CONTACT WITH IS OUR NEIGHBOR and WHAT KIND OF NAEIGHBOR ARE YOU?

With all that said, let’s look at

 

*Three Basic Steps in Understanding God’s Word*

 

*(1)   **Read*

 

You may be saying to yourself, boy when he says basic, he really means basic.

Of course we have to read the Word if we are to understand it.

It is a very simple truth, but many times so very hard to live.

I just want to share several helps in the way of how we should read.

*Systematically* (purposefully regular) read the entire Bible

o       Methodically

§         Read verse by verse, paragraph by paragraph

§         Read in digestible portions

o       Meditatively

§         It is not a race to complete

§         Actively engage the mind with the Word - Ps. 1:1-3

§         Turn it over and over in our minds

o       Meaningfully

§         Ask questions as you read

§         Write down thoughts and lessons learned

 

      *Read the book through in one sitting* – this helps establish the context (the statements surrounding a text which help determine it’s meaning) of the passage

*/NOTE: Context is very important.

Listen to this.  “I crouched down so as not to be noticed, all the while still with finger on the trigger, waiting until the time was right.

I had a shot and took it.

The bullet flew straight and pierced the heart, which immediately stopped pumping blood.

A life had been taken.”

Where was I? (the woods, crouched behind a tree)  What type of gun was I using?

(a rifle) Who was I try to avoid being noticed by? (the deer) Whose heart did the bullet pierce?

(the same deer)  Context is important!/*

Let’s look at one biblical example:

2Chronicles  7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Who is this promise to?

That has significant implications.

Is it Israel or the Church?

Again, context is very important and reading the book in one sitting is very helpful in us understanding the context.

*Read the chapter of the passage several times*

 

      *Read the passage several times*

* *

The point is that if we have a desire to properly understand the Word, we must understand that it takes hard work, it takes study and we must be in the Word to allow to work over our hearts.

Review “Read”

 

*(2)   **Interpret*

 

      Three Questions to Ask While Interpreting

o       *What do we have here?*

§         Who is the author?

*Luke*

§         Who is he writing to? *Theophilus and broader*

“Most Excellent” was a formal address for a Roman dignitary, maybe one referred to in Phil.4:22 

§         When was it written?

*AD 60-61*

§         What were the circumstances surrounding the writing?

*Not an eyewitness: To know the truth - Luke 1:1*

§         What genre of writing is it?

·        Poetry, history, law, prophecy, *gospel*, epistle, narrative, proverb, *parable*

§           Is it literal or figurative in style?

*figurative*

·        Keep in mind that most Bible writing is literal.

·        If it is figurative, is it a /simile *(Matthew 28:3)*/ (a comparison using “like” or “as”), a /metaphor *(Luke 13:32)*/ (a comparison because of a similarity without using “like” or “as”), an /allegory *(Galatians 4:21-31)*/ (a fictitious narrative to illustrate a truth), or a /parable *(Luke 15)*/ (an allegory true to human experience)?

o       *What does it mean?

(What is the big idea?)*

Not, what does it me to me.