Sermon Tone Analysis

FULLY PRESENT

I hope everyone took the time to walk a little slower last week.

We are in the middle of a series where we are looking at our lives and the way we do things and comparing it to the way Jesus lived.

So far we have been primarily focused on how busy our lives are.

Those moments where we are rushing from one thing to another, trying to be successful and at the same time doing our best to live honorable, moral, sacrificial lives as Christ followers.

It’s in those moments that life tends to really beat us up, especially when nothing goes right and we try and try but nothing changes, those moments where we throw our hands in the air ready to give up and say, “This isn’t working.

There has to be a better way!”

Last week we talked about slowing down.

Part of the problem, for me at least, is that I feel like I have so much to do that many times I don’t allow myself to slow down for the important things in life.

I find myself looking behind at Amy to ask, “Why are you walking so slow?”

Last week we paid a little more attention to THE WAY Jesus walked.

He was always going somewhere, always had something to do, but He ALWAYS walked.

Not for the sake of going slow, but for the sake of the people He loved.

He took time for the people who approached Him and needed Him.

The “next thing on His list” was never more important than the person standing right in front of Him.

Last week’s study is a perfect lead in to today.

Let me start by asking you to do me a favor.

Raise your hand if you are here.

How many of you remember being in grade school and having to say “Here!” when the teacher called your name during roll call?

We are going to do something a little like that.

Here is the difference, I already know that you are here.

I can see that.

I don’t know if you are HERE.

In other words, I know you are physically in this building.

What I don’t know is if you are mentally present in this moment.

So, if you are HERE, raise your hand and say “I’m here.”

Welcome!

I am so glad you are here!

This is your moment.

You have decided to use your freedom to gather with us in this place today to worship our Heavenly Father.

To take this moment as a disciple of Jesus to feed on the Bread of Life.

To experience the Living Word of God.

The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is with you in this moment drawing you closer to God.

This is a Holy Moment.

Welcome.

I am excited you are here.

This isn’t a Holy moment because I, or any other specific person is here.

It’s not even a Holy moment because I am talking to you about God.

It is a Holy moment because God is here with you and you are reaching out to connect with Him.

The unfortunate thing is that many of us won’t be HERE for long.

You’ll be here physically, but your mind will drift.

Something will catch your attention.

You’ll begin thinking about and focusing on something else.

I’m HERE now, but then my phone vibrates.

I know it’s a text.

I’ve been waiting on a text.

That’s probably the text.

I can’t stand it, so I pull out my phone… It’s a facebook notification.

I’ll click it anyway.

“Ohhh, look at that cat!”

Maybe something reminds you of something you have to do later, or something reminded you of lunch.

Without realizing it you are trying to decide what to eat for lunch.

Something has been worrying you for a few weeks and you can’t ignore if for long before it takes your every thought.

Maybe something or someone distracts you.

You were SO FOCUSED!

And that ruined it.

Now you can’t stop thinking about that distraction!

Jesus was no stranger to distractions.

Let’s go back to the scripture we looked at last week.

Jesus’ first miracle.

You can find this story in John Chapter 2. Jesus, His disciples, and His mother were at a wedding celebration.

In the middle of the party the wine ran out and Mary wanted Jesus to help.

His response was, “that’s not our problem.”

So they were out of wine, big deal!

Jesus wasn’t sent to make sure the parties were fun to the fullest, He was sent to fulfill God’s promises!

This wasn’t His problem.

That didn’t stop Him from helping.

Nearby there were six huge stone jars that were used for Jewish ceremonial washing.

Here is what they probably looked like.

He had the servants fill them with water.

They could each hold 20 to 30 gallons.

Then He told them to dip some out and take it to the master of the banquet.

So they did.

The master didn’t know where it came from but this is what he said…

Not only did Jesus help them out when it wasn’t even His problem, but He gave His best.

Jesus has a better way.

His way is to give the best NOW.

How many cheap wine moments pass by us and cause us to miss out on the best moments?

How many of those moments COULD HAVE BEEN our best moments?

Jesus lived a better way.

How can we live the way Jesus lived?

I think that if I ran into Jesus on the street today, one of the most meaningful things about Him would be the way He engaged with people.

I can’t really back that up beyond it being my opinion, but when you read about some of His encounters you can see that reaction in people.

Like He didn’t just know them, but He really knew them.

As if when He looked at them, He wasn’t looking past them or locked in His own thought process, but as if He peered into their soul and connected with them.

Like when He was with them, He wasn’t just here, but He was HERE.

In every moment, Jesus was fully present.

Living with an undivided attention.

In the gospel of Luke we can see a great example of Jesus’ way.

Jesus was sent with a mission and He was making His way to Jerusalem.

He has an important task, prophesies to fulfill, people to save, miracles to perform, and so on.

He is far too important, and His mission is far too important to be interrupted.

As Jesus was getting close to Jericho a blind beggar began shouting, “Have mercy on me!”

People were trying to shush him, but he only yelled louder, “Jesus, have mercy on me!” What was the first thing Jesus did when He heard the man shouting?

When Jesus heard him, He stopped, then He asked the man that no one else had time for, “What do you want me to do for you?”

He wanted to see, so Jesus healed him.

After that, they continued on into Jericho.

As they are walking through, Jesus looks up and sees someone sitting in a tree.

I wonder what the crowd were thinking when Jesus stopped and looked up at the man?

For sure, in today’s world, people would be thinking something like, “Jesus has somewhere to be!