Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Attention - Happy New Year!

New Year means a new church season: Grow.

It also means resolutions and desires to make this year different than last year.

I know for many of you, a PCS is likely or you may have orders in hand.

For others of us, we’re here for a little while longer.

Every year, millions of people make New Year’s resolutions, hoping to spark positive change.

The recurring themes each year include a more active approach to health and fitness, improved finances, and learning new things for personal and professional development.

Chances are, more than a couple of the top 10 most common resolutions will look familiar to you:

Exercise more

Lose weight

Get organized

Learn a new skill or hobby

Live life to the fullest

Save more money / spend less money

Quit smoking

Spend more time with family and friends

Travel more

Read more

Whether you are a resolution-maker or not, I want to encourage you to make a commit to the positive change of engage with the Word of God more this year than you did last year.

Context

The Second Journey so far

Importance of Macedonia to Paul Acts 16:6-10 “They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia; they had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.

When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.

Passing by Mysia they went down to Troas.

During the night Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, “Cross over to Macedonia and help us!”

After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”

God’s word to him was to go and preach in Macedonia

Immediately they headed toward Macedonia

First stop

Philippi, entrance to Macedonia from Mysia which is region north of Asia (Think of the 7 cities from Revelation).

Paul and his companions spend some time there proclaiming the gospel, but are asked to leave after a riot forms and Paul is beaten without trial.

Today’s text picks up as they leave Philippi

Thessalonica

History of Thessalonica - the Macedonian king Cassander founded Thessalonica around 315 bc, naming the city after his wife, Thessalonike (“victory of Thessaly”).

The city was built on or near the site of ancient Therme and incorporated approximately 25 other villages in the area—demonstrating it was of prodigious size from an early date

Importance of city -Thessalonica functioned as one of the most important cities in the empire, having both a vast harbor and prevalent location along a major trade route; the principal and most populous city in Macedonia.

“We see at once how appropriate a place it was for one of the starting-points of the Gospel in Europe, and can appreciate the force of what Paul said to the Thessalonians within a few months of his departure from them: ‘From you, the word of the Lord sounded forth like a trumpet, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place,’ ” (1 Th 1:8) [Howson].

Berea -

A city in southwestern Macedonia in the district of Emathia, about 45 miles west of Thessalonica

Berea was known as an “out-of-the-way city” by Cicero

Roughly Parallel accounts

Visit the synagogue proclaim Messiah

riot forms and thrusts Paul out.

Read Acts 17:1-15

d.

Need - How is God’s Word Important?

How is God’s Word important?

It brings life

Paul’s strategy in two parts

Paul’s approach in the synagogue was three-pronged: reasoned, explained, and proved.

reasoning is equivalent to what we would call dialogue

explain is what is

proving was giving evidence that something was true, specifically what we find in vs. 3: This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah.”

Paul’s approach outside the synagogue was love

Paul developed deep love for the Thessalonians and shared life with them 1 Thessalonians 2:7-11 “Although we could have been a burden as Christ’s apostles, instead we were gentle among you, as a nurse nurtures her own children.

We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.

For you remember our labor and hardship, brothers and sisters.

Working night and day so that we would not burden any of you, we preached God’s gospel to you.

You are witnesses, and so is God, of how devoutly, righteously, and blamelessly we conducted ourselves with you believers.

As you know, like a father with his own children,”

People’s response

Thessalonians

The reason that the Word of God is important is that it gives life.

It did just that in Thessalonica and Berea

Emphasis in vs 4 is the “large number of God-fearing Greeks”

(Bible Knowledge Commentary) The reference to three Sabbath days does not mean the missionary band stayed only three weeks in Thessalonica.

Paul carried on the work with a Jewish emphasis for three Sabbaths and then turned to Gentiles and ministered to them for some weeks after that.

This was the situation for three reasons: (1) The Philippian church sent money to Paul at least twice during this visit (Phil.

4:15–16), implying a longer lapse of time than three weeks.

(2) In addition, Paul supported himself by manual labor (1 Thes.

2:9; 2 Thes.

3:7–10).

This may indicate that considerable time elapsed before the aid from Philippi arrived.

(3) Most of the converts at Thessalonica were not from the synagogue but were Gentiles steeped in idolatry (cf. 1 Thes.

1:9).

Bereans

Various Christian groups are fond of referring to themselves as “Bereans.”

The word has become synonymous with a priority and concern for Bible study, originating from this section of Acts.

comparison of few jews and many Gentiles in Thessalonica to many Jews and many Gentiles in Berea

open-minded (more noble character) referred to a type of refinement that came from Noble Birth, but was expanded to deal with character.

The Jew’s character was noble because they were willing to search Scripture and wrestle with the text and what Paul was saying

Illustration: Charles Spurgeon tells a story about one who came to him and said that she could not believe.

“Well,” I said, “now suppose as you sit in that chair I say to you, ‘Young friend, I cannot believe in you.’

“You would say to me, ‘I think you should.’

“Suppose I then replied, ‘I wish I could.’

“What would you ask me to do?

Should I sit still and look at you until I said, ‘I think I can believe in you’?

That would be ridiculous.

No, I should go and inquire, ‘Who is this young person?

What kind of character does she bear?

What are her connections?’

And when I knew all about you, then I have no doubt that I would say, ‘I have made examination into this young woman’s character, and I cannot help believing in her.’ ”

Now, it is just so with Jesus Christ.

God’s word brings life

Genesis 1:1-3 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”

John 1:1-5 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was with God in the beginning.

All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.

In him was life, and that life was the light of men.