Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

If you were to travel say 30 years ago, things that were made from Japan, Germany, USA, Australia, Italy and many of these western countries, you would believe that you would be getting top quality products.

From, electronic products to mechanical and motorised products, you would have had to pay a fair some of money to purchase that item or product.

However, if you were to compare these products with things that are made in India, Vietnam, China or South Korea, you would have taken the position and view that these products would be flimsy and easily breakable.

Some might see these products are knock offs or copy cats and cheap imitations.

I remember going to Indonesia, and they were selling these fake Rolex watches in the streets of Jakarta and I know some of us here would have purchased one of these knock offs just for laughs.

I remember having a TMNT Donatello back in 1990, and my parents had brought it from some shop in Cabramatta.

Anyway, I was excited with it that I showed it off to my friends it was an incredible time to be a live.

But, when I looked at K-mart catalogue I noticed differences between an official TMNT Donatello and my one.

I was disappointed because I felt ripped off.

Now, I am not saying my parents were cheap or purchased things that were cheap, what would they know about TMNT toys.

Now, the thing is, most of these companies that produce these cheap products are looking for easy money.

Unfortunately, what some of these companies don’t realise is that they affect the image of their country, as a result, many people would look to these products from these countries are low quality and cheap knock offs.

Now, fast forward to 2021, and look at the things you have, your car, your phone, these cameras, your clothes.

Where are they all made from?

Now you can think that products that come from those countries are inferior and cheap.

That has all changed because nearly all of the products that you own would have come from these countries and not only that they are top quality.

As long as there is a good brand name attached to it.

For example, Hyundai, when they brought their cars into the Australian market from South Korea, it was affordable, however the name wasn’t well known or prestigious when compared to their Japanese counterparts.

But now, Hyundai cars are considered to be some of the best cars to match that of their Japanese counterparts.

China is also making a name for itself, what was once European cars have been brought by Chinese motor companies have been making a name for themselves here in Australia.

MG and LDV are some of the brands that were once European but now brought out by Chinese companies and produce affordable working class quality vehicles.

For electronics, both South Korea and China are producing some of the best TVs and phones that are on the market.

From Samsung, to Xiaomi and etc.

It shows that if these companies really put their heart and soul into their products they would do well.

Not only that, the reputation of their country and people also increases.

But I am not here to talk about worldly goods, as Jesus said, “…where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal”.

(Matthew 6:19)

The history of humanity

I am talking about us.

Humans.

God’s workmanship and masterpiece (Ephesians 2:9).

When He created us, God communed with humanity, both humanity and God were in complete harmony.

Man was to bear God’s image, both in outward resemblance and in character.

Christ alone is “the express image” (Hebrews 1:3) of the Father; but man was formed in the likeness of God.

His nature was in harmony with the will of God.

His mind was capable of comprehending divine things.

His affections were pure; his appetites and passions were under the control of reason.

He was holy and happy in bearing the image of God and in perfect obedience to His will.

This was Adam and Eve, our first parents we’re in complete harmony with God until we decided to change management.

What was once a perfect being, straight from the factory has become corrupted and stained.

What was once pure and holy has become defiled and defected.

Our thinking and ways are no longer fixated towards God’s Righteousness, but upon self and human righteousness.

Yet, God did not leave us here to fend for ourselves, for Jesus Christ was ever with us.

You can see from Biblical history the interactions between God and humanity, it’s a never ending pendulum where His people follow and obey Him to rejecting and denying Him.

From one generation to the next, humanity continues to move on in time neglecting what has been done in the past.

The destruction of Judah.

No matter, God’s mercy and love towards His people are never ceasing, and He will never abandon us nor neglect us for His presence is always near.

When Israel and Judah fell because of their continued disobedience, God had warned them that if they were to continue in their sinful ways, they would lose their land and be taken away captive for 70 years.

In Jeremiah 29, God tells them that even though they would be taken away for 70 years, He will not leave them because He promised them that He will bring them home.

So, the story goes, Judah and their final king, king Zedekiah did evil in the sight of the Lord for 11 years and rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar.

Judah had fallen so far away from God, God had done everything that He could to sway them back to Him.

But, they refused and despised His counsel.

What else can the Lord do for a stiff neck people?

So, Babylonians come in and totally destroy Judah annihilating the proud and the blasphemers.

Returning home

So, 70 years past, and the captive Israelites are are under a new regime and kingdom.

Medo-Persia has conquered the Babylonians and king Cyrus; the king of Persia, issues a decree for the Israelites to return home and rebuild.

The Israelites are not free and embark on another exodus out of their captivity in Babylon, as they make their way back to the Promised Land, this time these free Israelites are humbled, acknowledging God through obedience and faith.

They return home and begin the process of rebuilding the walls and soon enough the temple.

However, they are met with opposition by a foreign group of people that occupied the land while the Israelites were in captivity.

They taunted and ridiculed the Israelites as they were building the walls.

Imagine how you feel like to be mocked by these groups of people, have any of you ever felt what racism is like?

Have any of you ever been teased and made fun of because of what you’re doing or what you have accomplished?

How many of you have been in their position?

How did you pull through?

What motivated you to press on?

Looking at the faith and devotion of Nehemiah, he didn’t act rashly when provoked by the enemy, sure what they said hurt but Nehemiah writes:

Nehemiah, prayed to God, he recognised that his enemies aren’t scoffing at them only, but also to God.

He stayed the course in rebuilding the nation rather than allow a foreign nation get the better of him.

Because, he trusted in God and His promises.

For Sanballat, Tobiah and these other foreigners, they see the Jews as poor and feeble.

They look at them and laugh because for them they believe that these meagre peasants have gone crazy thinking that they can defend themselves.

Even though these foreigners mocked and scolded them, the Jewish people had something that far outweighed their ridicule and that was faith in their God.

A living and loving God.

God never abandoned them, even though others belittled them, they didn’t realise that God was uplifting them and restoring them.

God wanted to re-establish a relationship with them and to prepare them for something glorious and amazing.

What about me?

Now, let’s have a look at us, when I first started this sermon, we looked at products made from countries that have had a bad reputation in making inferior and low quality products.

We saw how certain companies helped build the reputation of their countries to be seen as equal with the rest of the world.

But even the best companies doesn’t eliminate the stigmatism that clings to the products that come out of these countries.

It’s kind of like “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46)

For the Israelites, they just came out of captivity, they are a poor nation, they are conquered people, they are seen to be cursed by their own God.

They were seen like spoilt kids with a lot of riches to now become like a dog with their tails between their legs.

Cast down and down trodden.

Can anything good come from an Israelite?

Seventh-day Adventists who?

Christians, particularly Seventh-day Adventist Christians, what is the clinging stigmatism that continue to linger?

What is the ridicule and mockery that others, especially Christians say about Seventh-day Adventists?

Are we not facing what the Israelites faced as they were rebuilding their wall?

With all the work that Adventists have done in the past through God’s grace, why are we still considered like a cult or aligned with Jehovah’s Witness or Mormons (I mean no disrespect to those that truly love the Lord who attend these churches)?

I am not asking that we as Seventh-day Adventist build a reputation or a name for ourselves, but that this is what it is to come out of Nazareth.

When Donald Trump was running for presidency and he was going against a well known Seventh-day Adventist; Dr Ben Carson.

What did he say about Adventists?

"I'm Presbyterian, he said.

"Boy, that's down the middle of the road, folks, in all fairness.

I mean, Seventh-day Adventist, I don't know about.

I just don't know about."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/10/25/donald-trump-no-apology-for-questioning-ben-carsons-seventh-day-adventist-faith/

I am sure for many here, we’ve all had our fair share of people questioning our beliefs and position.