Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

We live in a pretty interesting time to study how humans relate to one another

Connectivity is easier now than it has ever been

Thanks to social media, you can connect with people you have never been in the room with before.

The connectivity and relationships does not require a lot of depth

You can let people know the most useless information about your life if you desire.

Take a picture of your food to make your friends jealous.

Here’s what sociologists are finding during their studies of human relationships

Although we are more connected than we have ever been with more people than we have ever been, despite the fact that it is easier to find people with shared common interest than it has ever been, we feel more alone and more unknown than at any time that it has been measured in human history.

So something has gone awry with how we define community and how we define and function in relationships.

Now at the simplest level, the problem with our relationships, the reason why so few of them are satisfying and long-lasting is because they are built on commonalities that change, and as those commonalities change, so does the relationship.

Even in the church we try to build relationships on commonalities that simply aren’t there

Small groups based on interests

Not everyone has the same interests, nor the same testimony

I have friends that grew up in the church and never knew a day where they weren’t involved with the local church

Then I have friends that were saved straight out of the thug life.

My story does not contain a part where I woke up in the back of an El Camino on my way to Mexico with a new tattoo.

Just not my story.

I celebrate God’s grace in it, it’s just not my story

We are all across the board in terms of stories, interests, and how we follow Jesus

Regardless of how He called you, He called you—Or is calling you

Jesus is the commonality that draws us together, and He will not change!

Therefore, the relationship will not change!

We are not isolated individuals, but we were created for community

Through the gospel, not commonalities we are brought into a community that does not ebb and flow

And the beautiful part about community is that the stories are different and the colors blend together.

And Paul gives us a glimpse of what it looks like to encourage one another or, “Call Out the Good” in gospel-centered community.

Encourage One Another

Paul is tightening up his argument to walk in true love from 14:13-23

We are not isolated individuals, but we were created for community

This is a theme that we find throughout the Bible

We live in community

We live among other Christians within the Church

That means that some are going to be more mature in the faith than others

Some will hold more faith than others

Some will hold more Scripture knowledge than others

Some will hold more devotion than others

The call of the Christian life is not selfishness, but selflessness.

A patient Christian is not an oxymoron

A patient church person maybe

But patience is one of the 9 fruits of the Spirit

Those who are more mature in the faith are called to “bear with” the failings of the weak

To “bear with” means to “endure something unpleasant or difficult whether on your own behalf or for someone else.”

We are called to encourage or to “please” one another for the good

This is not to say that we feed into sinful patters or affirm anything that points away from Jesus

Rather, we are to encourage one another toward Christ.

This is not the first time Paul has used this constructive language

People bring this passage to mean that we can’t use swear words

Paul’s actual meaning here is construction, not destruction

Do your words build people up?

I’m not saying make them feel good

Is it gossip?

Is it true?

Is it slander?

Is it anger?

If your words were a hammer, does it break things or build houses?

We are instructed through the Word to encourage one another toward godliness in Christ.

Which leads us to point number two

Encourage with the Word

At our last worship gathering, we discussed how we at Graceland want to be a People of the Word

We’re Bible people

Paul reminds his readers of what was written in the Scriptures

Giving us an example of both Jesus and the Psalmist in Psalm 69

Those in the church who require more grace than others have already had their reproach taken from them!

Jesus took their reproach

Paul uses Scripture as an encouragement here!

Be patient with others because Jesus was patient with you!

Our lives must line up with the Scriptures

The Bible is the living and active Word of God

It’s our final authority

It’s how God communicates His character, His heart, His will

Paul points us to the very heart of Jesus

Paul reveals that what was written in the Scriptures was given to us that:

We might have endurance

Which means to bear with

Not always pleasant

We might be encouraged by the Scriptures

This leads us to hope in Christ!

Encourage with Prayer

Paul then models prayer for endurance and encouragement

Paul waters his preaching with prayer

Paul can give some good life applications

But only God can transform a life

What do you think about when you think of praying?

Some thing it’s something reverent/quiet

Like in the library… “Shhhh”

Praying on the inside

The word “pray” is often translated “to beg”

I’ve never heard of someone begging quietly

In Luke 9, there is a father whose son is possessed by a demon

It’s wrecking the boys life

No one can cast out the demon

So the man goes to Jesus

How does he ask?

He begs!

He gets loud!

He needs the attention of God!

Lord, help my son!

Prayer pulls the rope below, and the great bell rings above in the ears of God.

Some scarcely stir the bell, for the pray so languidly; others give but an occasional pluck at the rope; but he who wins in heaven is the man who grasps the rope boldly and pulls continuously, with all his might.