Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Among the numerous themes found in the book of Colossians, Paul’s thankfulness is one of the most obvious.

Even though Paul had been imprisoned, he was still grateful in his heart.

Many Christians today lose their gratitude and gain an attitude when misfortune comes their way.

I have personally seen the most gracious and thankful of Christians become unthankful and bitter when hard times come their way.

Body

Not so with the Apostle Paul.

There were a number of things Paul was thankful for.

1.

He was thankful to God. - Colossians 1:3

- This is an interesting point to ponder.

Paul was thankful for what God was doing in the lives of others.

- Paul was in prison; others were not.

Paul was a faithful minister of the Gospel, and other Christians were not perhaps as faithful as he.

“How come God let me go to prison and not those who are less faithful?”

This was not Paul’s attitude.

- Most all Christians find it easy to be thankful to God for blessings in their own lives, but few there be who have learned to rejoice when God blesses others.

Ill - Some Strange “Thanks” The Christian Should Be Grateful For

Every Christian should be joyful in suffering, and should not at any time go around with a long face, moaning and groaning.

God can give to every Christian joy in suffering so that the Christian can be joyful.

rejoicing in all things and at all times.

A. THANKFUL IN BEATINGS (Acts 5:40-41)

B. THANKFUL IN BEING HATED, REPROACHED, & CAST OUT (Luke 6:22)

C. THANKFUL IN CORRECTION (Job 5:17)

E. THANKFUL IN LOSS (Heb.

10:34)

F. THANKFUL IN POVERTY (2 Cor.

6:10)

G. THANKFUL IN SUFFERING (Col.

1:24)

Not many Christians are joyful in times of suffering; this is so because they are not Spirit-filled, not Spirit-taught Christians.

The joy of the Lord is our strength; if we are joyful in suffering, we then shall be strong as well as happy in suffering.

[Nolan Jackson, “27.

Some Strange ‘Thanks’ The Christian Should Be Grateful For ,” in Special Outlines on Thanksgiving, Golden Nuggets (Newborn, GA: Galaxie Software, 2010).]

- Many Christians find it easier to rejoice when God punishes a Christian than when He blesses a Christian.

This is very wrong.

2.

He was thankful for the Gospel.

- Colossians 1:4-6

- How thankful Paul was for the power of the Gospel!

In these verses, Paul emphasizes the same three things he emphasized in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

Ill - What Christ Means to Me

It is a privilege to speak to my friends in the name of Him who has called us His friends if we do the things which He commands us.

Someone asked Charles Kingsley, “What is the secret of your beautiful life?”

He answered, “I had a friend.”

And I have often thought that if this life of mine ever approaches the beautiful and true it will be because

“I’ve found a Friend, O such a Friend!

He loved me ere I knew Him;

He drew me with the cords of love,

And thus He bound me to Him.”

I have found in Christ a life that is beautifully simple and simply beautiful.

1.

In Him I find, first of all, pardon.

“God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

2. … He also means peace to me.

Through Him I have peace with God, and as I make my requests known to God with thanksgiving, the peace of God which passes all understanding—and, all misunderstanding too!—garrisons my heart and mind through Christ Jesus.

3. Then Christ gives me a purpose.

“To live is Christ.”

4. Christ also means power.

Christ gives the power to see the purpose through.

“All power is given unto me,” He said, and Paul declares, “I can do all things through Christ.”

5.

And then He means plenty, spiritual abundance.

“All things are yours,” says Paul to the Christian.

Again He speaks of “having nothing, yet possessing all things.”

6.

Finally, Christ gives me an eternal prospect.

“Where I am, there ye may be also.”

These are some things Christ means to me.

All I need is found in Him.

He is Alpha and Omega and all the letters between.

He is the same yesterday, the historic Christ; the same today, the indwelling Christ; the same tomorrow, the coming Christ.

Christ is my message.

[Vance Havner once recalled a story from] Some years ago, two boats were passing each other on the Mississippi, when an old [gentleman] said to a … passenger as he pointed to the other boat, “Look, yonder’s the captain!”

When asked for an explanation, he said, “Years ago, we were goin’ along like this and I fell overboard and the captain rescued me.

And since then, I just loves to point him out!”

Some years ago, this writer was overboard, in water too deep for his wit and will to navigate.

But the Captain of our salvation leaped overboard from glory to rescue him.

And I just love to point Him out!

~Jesus Jesus Only (Fleming H. Revell Company, 1969), 20-23.

[Dennis J. Hester, ed., The Vance Havner Notebook: Sermon Excerpts and Illustrations (Baker Book House, 1989), 135–137.]

- The Gospel of Christ had given these people faith, hope, and love.

3.

He was thankful for his helpers.

- Colossians 1:7-8

- Faithful companions in the Gospel ministry are sometimes hard to find, yet Paul found a tremendous amount of security in his friend Epaphras.

- Epaphras brought the Gospel to the people of Colosse.

- A [youth pastor named Terry] brought the Gospel to me, and [mentors David Fosmore, Charles Arnette, and Leonard Chambers, and others helped me grow in my own personal] faith in Christ.

How thankful I am for the faithful servants who minister the Gospel!

- Paul expressed his gratitude in these first few verses, and then he prays for the people in the church at Colosse.

* He prayed they would do God’s will; Colossians 1:10, “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing...”

* He prayed they would be fruitful; Colossians 1:10, “...being fruitful in every good work...”

* He prayed they would be strengthened; Colossians 1:11, “Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.”

* He prayed they would be thankful; Colossians 1:12-14; “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.”

- For what were they to be thankful?

They were to be thankful for:

* Their inheritance in Christ, their deliverance from the power of darkness, their translation from Satan’s kingdom to God’s kingdom, their redemption through His blood, and the forgiveness of their sins.

Conclusion

This message should give us a good example to follow concerning our actions and attitudes toward ourselves and other believers.

First of all, we should show a great deal of gratitude.

Secondly, we should pray for God’s best concerning those who labor in the Gospel with us.

[Source: Dan Parton, Timberline Baptist Church, Manitou Springs, CO, preached Nov. 18th, 2012.