Sermon Tone Analysis

“GO THEREFORE”

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*FEBRUARY 9TH, 2003*

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THERE ARE FEW THINGS IN THE BIBLE MORE UPSIDE DOWN THAN GOD’S PLAN TO SAVE THE WORLD….

THINK ABOUT IT FOR A MINUTE!

 

THE ALL-POWERFUL GOD OF THE UNIVERSE CHOSE LIMITED, FALLIBLE HUMAN BEINGS AS HIS MAIN VEHICLE TO SPREAD THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN!!!

 

 

 

HE COULD HAVE CHOSEN ANGELS TO DO THE JOB……HE COULD HAVE PARTED THE CLOUDS AND SPOKEN AUDIBLY AND SAID SOMETHING LIKE, “HELLO, HUMANITY……..I’M GOD….AND YOU’RE NOT”!!!

 

IN THE PAST EVEN…..HE SPOKE THROUGH A BURNING BUSH………APPEARED IN VISIONS….

CARVED LAWS ON STONE TABLETS…..

 

BUT IN OUR DAY…..HE HAS CLEARLY CHOSEN ORDINARY MEN AND WOMEN TO CARRY HIS MESSAGE OF SALVATON TO THE WORLD!!!

 

 

 

THE GREAT COMMISSION

 

NOW……..IF YOU’VE BEEN A CHRISTIAN FOR LONG, YOU’VE PROBABLY HEARD OF THE GREAT COMMISSION.

SOME OF YOU CAN’T HEAR THE WORDS WITHOUT WORRYING THAT GOD WILL SEND YOU TO SIBERIA AS A MISSIONARY!!!

 

 

OR MAYBE YOU’RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE TERM AT ALL, AND YOU’RE THINKING ………/WOW….THE GREAT COMMISSION……..IS THAT SOME KIND OF KICK-BACK WE GET EVERY TIME WE LEAD SOMEONE TO CHRIST?/

/ /

 

 

WELL………YES AND NO!!!

 

I KNOW OF NOTHING IN LIFE SO REWARDING AS LEADING PEOPLE TO CHRIST!!!

 

BUT TECHINICALLY, THE GREAT COMMISSION REFERS TO JESUS’ COMMAND IN MATTHEW 28:18-20

 

 

GO WITH ME IN YOUR BIBLES AND LET’S LOOK AT IT TOGETHER!!!

 

 

IT SAYS…

 

JESUS CAME AND SPOKE TO THEM SAYNG…..”ALL AUTHORITY HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH……GO THEREFORE….AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL THE NATIONS……BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, ……..TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS THAT I HAVE COMMANDED YOU……

AND LO……I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS….EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGE”!!!

 

 

IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ALTHOUGH JESUS WAS SPEAKING TO HIS DISCIPLES HERE,….

THIS COMMISSION IS INTENDED FOR THE ENTIRE CHURCH!!!

 

NOT JUST PASTORS…..EVANGELISTS OR MISSIONARIES……..!!!!!  BUT THE ENTIRE CHURCH…..

(THAT INCLUDES YOU AND I)

 

 

AND BY THE WAY…

THE GREAT COMMISSION IS NOT SOMETHING JESUS SAID ONLY ONCE!!

 

IT’S EMPHASIZED THROUGHOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT!!!!

 

 

THERE IS AN INTERESTING LITTLE PARABLE (A STORY THAT JESUS TOLD ONCE) ABOUT 10 VIRGINS….

OR BRIDESMAIDS FOUND IN MATTHEW 25

 

 

IN THIS STORY ABOUT A FIRST CENTURY WEDDING………WHEN A SHOUT INDICATED THAT THE BRIDEGROOM HAD ARRIVED TO ESCORT THE BRIDE TO THE WEDDING…..

 

 

FIVE OF THE TEN BRIDESMAIDS HAD ENOUGH OIL IN THEIR LAMPS AND WERE READY TO GO!!!

 

BUT THE OTHER FIVE   (CALLED THE FOOLISH VIRIGINS) SAID…..”WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH OIL IN OUR LAMPS……CAN YOU GIVE US SOME OF YOURS?

THE WISE ONES ESSENTIALLY ANSWERED…..”SORRY…….GO GET IT FOR YOURSELF”…!!!

 

THE DOOR WAS SHUT AND THEY NEVER GOT IN!!!!

 

 

 

 

CLEARLY….THIS PARABLE IS A WARNING FROM JESUS TO ALL THE ‘PSEUDOBELIEVERS’  (ONE WHO IS REALLY NOT A BELIEVER AT ALL)…

WHO SIT IN THE PEW EVERY SUNDAY BUT HAS NO REAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD!!!

 

 

THE OIL JESUS MENTIONED IN THIS STORY COULD BE TAKEN TO SYMBOLIZE THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE BELIEVERS LIFE!!

 

THESE FIVE VIRGINS WITHOUT OIL ARE A PICTURE OF THOSE WHO MAY OUTWARDLY APPEAR TO BE CHRISTIAN BUT REALLY AREN’T!!!

 

 

IN FACT MOST MESSAGES I HAVE HEARD ON THIS TEXT TEND TO EMPHASIZE THAT ASPECT OF THE PARABLE!!…..AND IN FACT I HAVE GIVEN MORE THAN ONE MESSAGE MYSELF ON THE SAME SUBJECT!!!!

 

 

 

BUT THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT STRIKES ME ABOUT THIS STORY……SOMETHING THAT SPEAKS TO ME ABOUT WHAT A TRUE CHRISTIAN SHOULD LOOK LIKE!!!

 

 

NOTICE THAT THOSE WHO HAD OIL HAD NO PLAN TO GIVE SOME TO THOSE WHO DIDN’T !!!!

 

 

“THEN THE FIVE FOOLISH ONES ASKED THE OTHERS, ‘PLEASE GIVE US SOME OF YOUR OIL BECAUSE OUR LAMPS ARE GOING OUT.’

 

BUT THE OTHERS REPLIED, ‘WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH FOR ALL OF US.  GO AND SHOP AND BUY SOME FOR YOURSELVES.”  (MATT 25:8-9)

 

 

OUR ATTITUDE AS CHRISTIANS CAN EASILY SLIP INTO ….”I GOT MINE…..YOU GO GET YOURS.

I’M GOING TO HEAVEN -- -- TOO BAD YOUR’E NOT!!!

 

 

 

 

NOTICE  TOO…..WHEN THE CRY WENT OUT TO ANNOUCE THE BRIDGEGROOM’S ARRIVAL, BOTH THE WISE AND THE FOOLISH WERE SLEEPING!!!

 

 

I THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT POINT.

IT CLEARLY SHOWS THAT WE AS CHRISTIANS CAN BE ASLEEP WHEN WE OUGHT TO BE PREPARING OURSELVES AND OTHERS TO MEET THE BRIDEGROOM!!!

 

 

JESUS ALSO TOLD A STORY ABOUT A SHEPHERD WHO HAD ONE HUNDRED SHEEP…

 

ONE WENT ASTRAY….BUT THE SHEPHERD DIDN’T SAY….”WIN

A FEW, LOSE A FEW”

 

HE LEFT THE NINETY-NINE…….AND HE WENT AFTER THAT ONE SHEEP!!!

 

 

WHY???

 

BEC GOD DOESN’T VALUE JUST MULTITUDES……HE VALUES INDIVIDUALS!!!

 

HE VALUES HUMANS…….*HE

VALUES THE HUMAN SOUL!!!!*

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AND WHEN YOU AND I READ ABOUT THE EARLY CHURCH IN THE BOOK OF ACTS….AND WHAT MADE THEM SO STRONG AS A CHURCH…..

 

WE NOTICE THAT THEY ARE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT LOVING ONE ANOTHER……LEARNING THE THINGS OF GOD…..

WORSHIPPING THEIR GOD………..BUT ALL THOSE THINGS ARE ULTIMATELY PART OF MAKING THE CHURCH MORE EQUIPPED FOR EVANGELISM!!!!

 

 

IN FACT ….WE MIGHT CALL ‘THE EQUIPPING OF THE SAINTS (THAT’S YOU AND ME)……..OUR MARCHING ORDERS!!!

 

 

SO HOW IS THE CHURCH GENERALLY RESPONDING????

 

THE GREAT CONCESSION!!!

 

SOME TIME AGO A LEADING CHRISTIAN MAGAZINE CONDUCTED A SURVEY AMONG ITS READERS AND FOUND THAT MOST OF THEM…

 

IN FACT 89% AGREED THAT FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST WAS THE ONLY WAY TO SALVATION!!!

 

(I’M NOT SURE WHAT THAT SAYS ABOUT THE OTHER 11%….BUT THAT’S FOR ANOTHER DAY)

 

AND 87% OF THE READERS AGREED THAT EVERY CHRISTIAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EVANGELISM!!!

 

 

BUT ONLY 68% OF THE REPSONDENTS AGREED OR STRONGLY AGREED THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT TASK FOR CHRISTIANS IS TO LEAD NON-CHRISTIANS TO FAITH IN CHRIST!!!

 

 

AND ONLY 52% SAID…..”I HAVE BEEN MORE ACTIVE IN TELLING OTHERS ABOUT CHRIST IN THE PAST YEAR THAN EVER BEFORE”

 

 

 

I THINK THOSE FINDINGS ARE FAILY REPRESTATIVE OF THE RANK AND FILE CHRISTIANS IN TODAY’S CHURCH!!!

 

 

MOST OF US KNOW THAT CHRIST IS THE ONLY WAY TO GOD!!! \\ \\

AND WE REALIZE THAT EVANGELISM IS PART OF OUR CALLING, YET WE RESPOND TO THE GREAT COMMISSION WITH SOMETHING LIKE….

“OH YEAH…….WE’RE SUPPOSE TO GO TELL EVERY NATION……..

I’M PRETTY SURE PART OF MY OFFERING GOES TO ONE OF THOSE MISSION GROUPS OR MISSIONARIES”!!!

 

 

 

SO…

HOW DID THE GREAT COMMISSION BECOE THE GREAT CONCESSION!!!

 

 

MOST RESPONDENTS TO THAT ARTICLE NAMED A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WITH EVANGELISM THAT THEY FACED….

THEY INCLUDED….

1.

A FEELING THAT I AM NOT ABLE TO DO EVANGELISM AS WELL AS THE PROFESSIONALS

 

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I’M TOO TIMID

 

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I FEAR HOW PEOPLE WILL RESPOND

 

 

NOW….EVERYONE OF THOSE FEELINGS ARE REAL

 

BUT I BELIEVE THE BIGGEST REASON WE IN THE CHURCH ARE NOT CARRYING OUT THE GREAT COMMISSION IS THAT WE DON’T CARE ENOUGH!!!

 

WE ARE SIMPLY NOT THAT CONCERNED ABOUT THE SOUL OF OTHERS!!!!

 

 

 

GENERAL WILLIAM BOOTH…..FOUNDER OF THE SALVATION ARMY…..ONCE SAID THAT IF HE COULD…..HAVE HIS WISH…..PART OF THE FINAL TRAINING OF EVERY PASTOR…….EVANGELIST……OR PARISHONER IN THE CHURCH………WOULD BE TO HAVE THEM HUNG OVER THE OPEN FIRES OF HELL FOR TWENTY – FOUR HOURS….”SO

THOSE THAT SHOULD BE SHARING THE GOSPEL MESSAGE WOULD RECOGNIZE THE URGENCY OF IT”!!!

 

 

 

 

THE EARLY CHURCH UNDERSTOOD THIS URGENCY!!!

 

PAUL PUT IT THIS WAY TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH:

 

WE ARE THEREFORE CHRIST’S AMBASSADORS, AS THOUGH GOD WERE MAKING HIS APPEAL THROUGH US.  WE IMPLORE YOU ON CHRIST’S BEHALF; BE RECONCILED TO GOD,

GOD MADE HIM WHO HAD NO SIN TO BE SIN FOR US, SO THAT IN HIM WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD.  (2 COR 5:20-21)

 

 

NOTICE THAT GOD IS MAKING HIS ‘APPEAL’ THROGH US….!!!

 

AND CHRIST IS ‘IMPLORING’ UNBELIEVERS THROUGH US!!!

 

THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE IS PLEADING WITH FALLEN HUMANITY THROUGH US!!!!!!

 

IF THAT DOESN’T INSPIRE US….I DON’T KNOW WHAT WILL!!!

 

 

THE FIRST CHURCH WAS PERSECUTED FOR PREACHING, AND YET LISTEN TO THIS:

 

THEY CALLED THE APOSTLES IN AND HAD THEM FLOGGED….THEN THEY WERE ORDERED NOT TO SPEAK IN THE NAME OF JESUS, AND LET THEM GO!!!

 

THE APOSTLES LEFT THE SANHEDRIN, REJOICING BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN COUNTED WORTHY OF SUFFERING DISGRACE FOR THE NAME.

DAY AFTER DAY, THE TEMPLE COURTS AND FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE, THEY NEVER STOPPED TEACHING AND PROCLAIMING THE GOOD NEWS THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST!!!……..(ACTS 5:40-42)

 

 

 

DID YOU CATCH THAT???

 

THIS IS DEFINITELY UPSIDE – DOWN BEHAVIOR:

 

REJOICING BECAUSE THEY SUFFERED!!!