Sermon Tone Analysis

Closed Doors

It was late Summer.

It’s hot.

A young couple has got a baby and a toddler.

They just moved from Kansas City area to Chicago area.

They sort of know their way around.

The husband has his first real job.

The wife is a teacher.

An unemployed teacher.

It’s mid-August.

Teachers don’t get hired in August.

They are looking at confirmation of that.

Dozens of letters all saying, so nice to meet you we don’t have any openings at this time.

Feel free to keep checking in.

The young wife looks really tired.

She’s made 100+ phone calls.

She says that’s it, I give up I can’t make any more calls...

We don’t have insurance.

I didn’t know what to say.

It wasn’t looking good.

What do you do in life when things don’t seem to pan out?

It can be a frustrating/overwhelming feeling...

Without God such a moment becomes a moment of desperation.

If you call the wrong friend they might give you advice like Job’s friends.

It’s hard to believe these friends really spent a lot of time walking with God.

They seemed to have a belief that bad things happen to bad people and good things happen to good people.

So if the climb is getting steep at times they are certain that means you are on the wrong hill or doing it wrong.

Our passage today mentions the seat of scoffers.

Scoffers are babblers or loose talkers who talk other people down.

khaa is the sound of a scoffer.

Scoffers are like those guys up in the balcony on the muppet show.

They stand off to the side and pass judgement on people who are probably better than they are, lol.

It’s not a blessed way to live.

They don’t give good meaty advice.

They give juicy gossip that adds up to nothing.

They don’t even mean what they say, they just like hearing themselves say it.

Their goal is to feel superior but what they don’t tell you is the very empty feeling that comes over them after they say this garbage… If you listen to someone like this for long it will make you lose your bearings.

Trust me, even they don’t believe what they are saying.

Having a smart mouth is not the same as being smart.

Below this level you have people who are actively wicked.

Scoffers love to play with the circumstances of others and the power of words.

It’s a game to try to look good.

It usually arises from insecurity.

The Wicked are those who actively do wrong and maybe even because they know it is wrong.

They revel in whatever makes them feel good at the time.

They become a danger to themselves and to others because they are constantly chipping away at boundaries.

For short stretches it might look or feel like freedom.

But they just haven’t come to the end of the chain quite yet.

It may seem like you can run pretty fast just like that old hound dog on Foghorn leghorn cartoons.

Old enough to remember that?

Boom!

His collar stopped him dead in his tracks every time.

That’s what happens with sin.

It may seem great for a season but then you discover the truth.

The price tag is high.

People who have lived this way for a while they know better.

Often their goal is pull you in with them.

They may seem fun to be with but in the end there’s a price to pay.

The big reveal is they aren’t a true friend.

They need another victim to sponge off of.

They need another foolish person to take advantage of.

Sin will have its way when we give in to it’s sway.

So cut your ties.

It’s not the blessed way to live.

Blessed: Ashrey

Blessed comes from the Hebrew here: Ashrey.

Let’s say that together: Ashrey.

Blessed.

O the blessedness of the man!

And the word ... is emphatic: THAT man; that one among a thousand who lives for the accomplishment of the end for which God created him.

It means that true happiness lies here with this pathway.

God is the one who does the blessing.

And the blessing of God leads to a more lasting happiness.

It holds up over time.

As I mentioned God does the blessing.

So you walk in the light God provides.

And in the counsel of the godly, the wise, the prudent.

You may not be aware but there is a convenient resource you can go do that has taken down the wisdom and learning of thousands of years, many civilizations, all those who learned God’s lessons and gleaned the best to share with you.

Yes, this exciting resource is called: The Bible.

The Written Word of God

Those who are blessed, truly happy, have learned to enjoy the Word of God.

It takes a little effort.

Anything worthwhile does.

Understand God blesses everyone.

But not everyone realizes what God has done for them.

Those who put some energy into learning the Bible realize how blessed they are.

God can bless you more if you learn, reflect, and really take in this message at a deep level in your life.

Can you delight in God’s Word?

If you got a letter from a loved one in the mail you would be excited to open it.

Even an instant message or an email from someone you love brings delight.

Scripture is like a gift to be opened daily.

It allows love to flow into your mind and heart.

It allows truth to sharpen your mind.

It can get you in touch with the living God.

The Holy Spirit makes these words come alive for you.

It’s not always like bells and whistles going off.

But it’s useful.

Paul said it this way to young Timothy:

Meditating on something means really focusing on it and thinking and praying over it.

The image is of someone sitting there really thinking it through.