Sermon Tone Analysis

Mission of the church

Synopsis

The continuation of Jesus Christ’s mission through his followers.

Believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit and sent out by Christ to bear witness to him and to preach, heal, teach, baptise and make disciples of all peoples.

The power and authority of the church’s mission

Believers are sent out by Jesus Christ

Jn 15:16

John 15:16 (ESV) — 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

See also Mt 9:37–38; Lk 10:1–3; Jn 4:36–38

Matthew 9:37–38 (ESV) — 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Luke 10:1–3 (ESV) — 1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

3 Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.

John 4:36–38 (ESV) — 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.

37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’

38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor.

Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

Believers are given authority by Jesus Christ

Lk 9:1

Luke 9:1 (ESV) — 1 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases,

See also Mt 10:1; Mt 28:18; Mk 6:7; Mk 16:17–18; Lk 10:17–19

Matthew 10:1 (ESV) — 1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.

Matthew 28:18 (ESV) — 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Mark 6:7 (ESV) — 7 And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.

Mark 16:17–18 (ESV) — 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Luke 10:17–19 (ESV) — 17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

Believers continue Jesus Christ’s mission

Jn 20:21

John 20:21 (ESV) — 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.

As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

See also Jn 17:18

John 17:18 (ESV) — 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.

Believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit

Ac 1:8

Acts 1:8 (ESV) — 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

See also Lk 24:49; Jn 20:22; Ac 4:31; Heb 2:4

Luke 24:49 (ESV) — 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you.

But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

John 20:22 (ESV) — 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

Acts 4:31 (ESV) — 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Hebrews 2:4 (ESV) — 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

The task of the church in mission

Making disciples

Mt 28:19–20

Matthew 28:19–20 (ESV) — 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

See also Ac 2:41–42; Ac 14:15; Ac 16:14–15; Ac 18:8; Ro 10:14–15; 1 Jn 1:2–3

Acts 2:41–42 (ESV) — 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Acts 14:15 (ESV) — 15 “Men, why are you doing these things?

We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.

Acts 16:14–15 (ESV) — 14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God.

The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.”

And she prevailed upon us.

Acts 18:8 (ESV) — 8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household.

And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.

Romans 10:14–15 (ESV) — 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed?

And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?

And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent?

As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

1 John 1:2–3 (ESV) — 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Preaching and healing

Lk 9:2

Luke 9:2 (ESV) — 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.

See also Mt 10:7–8; Mk 16:20; Lk 9:6

Matthew 10:7–8 (ESV) — 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.

You received without paying; give without pay.

Mark 16:20 (ESV) — 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.

Luke 9:6 (ESV) — 6 And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Proclaiming the gospel

Ac 20:24

Acts 20:24 (ESV) — 24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

See also Ac 8:40; Ro 1:9; Ro 15:20; 2 Ti 1:11

Acts 8:40 (ESV) — 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Romans 1:9 (ESV) — 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you

Romans 15:20 (ESV) — 20 and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation,

2 Timothy 1:11 (ESV) — 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher,

Bearing witness to Jesus Christ

Ac 5:30–32

Acts 5:30–32 (ESV) — 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.

31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

See also Lk 24:48; Jn 15:26–27; Ac 4:20

Luke 24:48 (ESV) — 48 You are witnesses of these things.

John 15:26–27 (ESV) — 26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

Acts 4:20 (ESV) — 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

Bringing honour to God

Eph 3:10–11

Ephesians 3:10–11 (ESV) — 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,

See also Jn 15:8; 1 Pe 2:12

John 15:8 (ESV) — 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

1 Peter 2:12 (ESV) — 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

The universal scope of the church’s mission

Lk 24:47

Luke 24:47 (ESV) — 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.