Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

86,400

Can anyone tell me what that number represents?

It represents the number of seconds in every single day.

And this number is a very significant number!

Do you know why it’s so significant?

Because with every passing second, it’s a second you will never get back.

Tick, Tock — Tick, Tock!

Just like that, 4 seconds of your life is gone, gone forever!

Something so tiny and so often taken for granted, but something so significant that it should be the driving force behind what we do every single day.

Now, here’s another number for you....

31,536,000

Who can tell me what that number is?

That’s how many seconds are in an entire year!

And the question I want to ask you this morning is this...

Out of the 31,536,000 seconds in this last year, how many of those did you spend with God?

How many seconds did you spend in prayer with God?

How many of those seconds did you spend studying God’s Word or meditating on God’s Word, or telling others about God’s Word?

How many of those 31,536,000 seconds were spent doing something for God or in communication with God compared to everything else they were spent on?

Now, if you’re anything like me…these questions hit hard, don’t they?

You see, I had to go to a meeting in the middle of December for work and I don’t exactly remember how it came up but someone brought up the impact of every second and that is something that has stuck with me ever since but in a different kind of way.

I immediately began to think of all the wasted seconds throughout the year that I had spent on things other than God and it really hit home with me.

You see, we so often get caught up in the day to day things and forget that our time here is extremely limited!

One day we’re here and the next we’re gone and the only thing that remains at that very moment is the judgment!

Paul told the Church of Ephesus in...

And then he told the Church of Colosse in...

“Make the most of every opportunity!!!”

I don’t know about you but that’s something I can definitely say I didn’t do in 2022 and pray that I can do a better job of in 2023.

I want to make the most of every second God gives me in 2023!

I want to look back and say 2023 was a break out year for my relationship and my walk with God!

But if that’s going to happen for any of us, it’s going to be because we made the most of every opportunity God gives us.

The great British Missionary C.T. Studd penned some of the most convicting words, that if heeded, will help each of us to live a little closer to the Lord in 2023.

I want to share this little poem with you and then we’re going to look at how we can ensure that 2023 isn’t just another year but a year where we make the most of every opportunity God gives us!

The title of this little poem by C.T. Studd is “Only One Life, Twill Soon Be Past.”

Two little lines I heard one day,

Traveling along life’s busy way;

Bringing conviction to my heart,

And from my mind would not depart;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,

Soon will its fleeting hours be done;

Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,

And stand before His Judgement seat;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice,

Gently pleads for a better choice;

Bidding me selfish aims to leave,

And to God’s holy will to cleave;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years,

Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;

Each with its clays I must fulfill,

living for self or in His will;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore,

When Satan would a victory score;

When self would seek to have its way,

Then help me Lord with joy to say;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep,

In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;

Faithful and true what e’er the strife,

Pleasing Thee in my daily life;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn,

And from the world now let me turn;

Living for Thee, and Thee alone,

Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,

Now let me say, “Thy will be done”;

And when at last I’ll hear the call,

I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be,

If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.

What a wonderful little poem to remind us of the importance of this one life we’ve been given.

This one shot at getting it right!

Only one life, twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last!

So how can we ensure that we make the most of every opportunity given us in 2023?

By changing our minds to not only think of Christ but to think like Christ!

Because when our mindset becomes the mindset of Christ, then we will want to live like Christ lived.

We will want to walk as Christ walked.

We will want to talk as Christ talked.

We will want to love as Christ loved.

We will want to care for others as Christ cared for others.

And most importantly, we will want our lives to honor God as Christ’s life honored God!

As I began to think about this and the significance of the trials we face day in and day out, I couldn’t help but to think about how every aspect of our lives will be changed if we can get this one thing right!

So, if you have your Bible’s turned to Philippians 2:1 would you say, Amen.

Sermon

Vs. 2

That ye be “likeminded” — “To mind of think the same thing.”