Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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RofL
Have you ever heard music that you just can’t find the groove of?
You can’t do that thing that usually comes so naturally… tap your toe, nod your head, keep time on the steering wheel, conduct?
[Rhythm - an event repeating regularly over time (claps, heart beats, sunrise/sunset, etc)
Rhythms for Life - what are the regularly repeated events of our lives that help us to flourish as human beings?
When I think of trying to find a sustainable rhythm for my life, I often think about what I do.
What events repeat regularly over time in my own life.
Both those I have some control over as well as those rhythms that are beyond my control.
Seasonal rhythms, weekly and daily rhythms.
But here’s the really dangerous thing.
Today as we are thinking about the way we engage in rhythms that bring about spiritual and human flourishing…well, this could end up being a sermon that simply lengthen your to do list.
Or give you a spiritual report card that is almost certainly showing room for improvement.
But that’s not what this sermon is about.
This sermon is about invitation to notice the rhythms that are built into life.
To recognize the different directions of our spiritual attentiveness.
And to learn how to hear the rhythm of God … and how to just tap our toe to the beats we begin to hear.
Let me show you what I mean.
There is an artist who I have been following just a little over the last couple of years.
His name is Jacob Collier and he is an incredible musician.
He hears and sees things in music that blow me away.
And I think this video in which he breaks down the different parts of one of the tracks on one of his albums will give you a sense of what I’m talking about.
So, before we watch this, let me be clear.
This series is NOT about us learning how to do all the things that Jacob is doing in the video.
This series is an opportunity for us to realize how beautiful and intricate the rhythms of God are… and to just learn to appreciate them.
To tap our toes.
To nod our heads.
To let the music wash over us.
Jacob Collier.
Rhythm - an event repeating regularly over time]
Rhythms for Life - what are the regularly repeated events or practices of our lives that help us to flourish as human beings?
How do we recognize that God is at work forming Christ in us?
And then how do we learn to pay attention?
How do we cooperate?
We’ll listen for the rhythms that are part of the movement of God.
We’ll learn how to notice the patterns or the repetitions and to see where they intersect with our own lives and our own spiritual practice.
Over the centuries, spiritual practices have emerged among the people of God.
Sometimes, certain practices have been neglected or elevated, but there are a few that have persisted.
I’m choosing to use the words “practice” for a couple of reasons.
#1 It highlights that mastery isn’t really the goal.
Instead, we practice things we want to learn, acknowledging that there isn’t really a destination.
There’s only a trajectory.
#2 It highlights the reality that we will do this things over and over again.
In different seasons, and during different kinds of circumstances.
#3 It is a term that makes sense both inside and outside of the church.
The book identifies the four directions in which we need to grow, the four directions in which we long for deeper connection.
So what does it mean to experience 4D growth?
UPward to God, INward to self, WITHward in community and OUTward in mission.
All four directions are necessary.
But, I think it’s also likely that there is one that comes more naturally to us and perhaps one that we tend to underemphasize.
UP.
What are the practices that help us pay attention in an UPward, a God-ward movement?
There are three as promised.
So let’s look at each one briefly.
Solitude .
Gratitude.
Sabbath.
Now, a quick reminder, this is not a checklist.
These are invitations.
So there are no grades.
There is only invitation.
To see where you are already practicing these AND a beckoning to maybe deepen a practice or to try it a different way than have before.
Or maybe even an invitation to discover its rhythm already present, but just unnoticed in your life.
INward movement.
How does God invite us to relate to ourselves?
Before we think about relating to others, we have to start with how we relate to ourselves.
And there are three practices that help us do this…
Self-examination.
Stewardship.
Guidance.
Now, a quick reminder once again, this is not a checklist.
These are invitations.
So there are no grades.
There is an invitation to see where you are already practicing these AND a beckoning to maybe deepen a practice or to try it a different way than you have before.
How does self-examination show up in your life?
How does stewardship express itself?
What does guidance look like for you?
Where do you seek it and how do you receive it?
The goal of the inward movement is integration.
Integration - where all the parts of us relate to each other as intended.
Inward movement is not self-actualization or “finding oneself” but becoming the most authentic versions of ourselves.
Discovering the truth of ourselves - in all of our beauty and dignity AND in all of our struggle and brokenness.
Until we accept the reality of who we are, we can’t expect growth.
Sterne writes in his chapter on the INward movements:
“The inward journey is not merely embracing our good parts and ignoring our bad parts.
Nor is it compulsively identifying our sin to the neglect of any good in us.
Instead of embracing ourselves selectively, Christian self-acceptance embraces the whole picture of who we are.
We can do this because God doesn’t shrink back from our failures and mistakes, our sins and transgressions.
He always moves towards us, even the darkest parts of us, with love.
As Paul wrote, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8).
In accepting our whole selves before God, we embrace that we are not just sinners; we are beloved sinners.
This makes all the difference.”
Did you hear that one line in the middle?
“God always moves towards us, even the darkest parts of us, with love.”
If God moves toward us in love - always in love - is it possible that we can begin to join in on that rhythm…moving even towards our inner selves with love.
That is the strain we’re trying to hear…seeking pick out from the music… each of these practices helps us to that.
We take our cue from God - if God can move toward us in love, in compassion, can we also relate to ourselves in this way?
If we are to make any progress toward the goal of integration, or becoming the most authentic versions of our human selves… well, then I think we have to start from this posture.
No one has hated themselves into authenticity.
No one has disciplined themselves into integration.
Acceptance comes first.
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