Sermon Tone Analysis

My brothers and my sisters, it is in times like the one's we live in today, that make the words of the DJ Grandmaster Flash in his song "The message" become so true.

He said, "don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge.

I'm trying not to lose my head.

It's like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder how I keep from going under".

Brothers and sisters, there is enough going on in today's society to make anyone uneasy, nervous, worried or concerned.

You get uneasy, seeing how so called Harvard and Yale educated lawmakers can easily follow a dummy in the White House for eight years; make sense of his nonsense and make excuses for his crap.

But now they have a problem with the policy and patience of an educated man who is only trying his best to pull America out of the hole Republicans dug and stuck this Country in.

This world we reside in will cause your blood pressure to rise when the Governor of Michigan will draw up legislation that strips the power from elected officials and allows him to send in so-called "emergency financial mangers" who take over cities and do as they please.

If that isn't enough, this same Governor writes out more legislation to take people who are already struggling, out of work and living paycheck to paycheck and cut their unemployment benefits by six weeks.

It's times like this that make you want to throw up both of your hands and holler.

But, I submit to you this morning, my brothers and my sisters, don't give up or throw in the towel.

It may seem dark in your life right now, but this is not the end.

The Psalmist David writes in Psalm 30:5, "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning".

It does not matter how wicked, vicious, vile or crazy this world gets; all you have to do today is, hold on and know that this world is not your home!

(pause)

In John 13, Jesus gives his disciples some bad news.

Jesus informs his disciples that he would soon be leaving them, because he was going to die on Calvary's cross.

He has informed the disciples that one of them would betray him and another would deny him.

As a result of this, the disciples are now confused, bewildered, discombobulated, discouraged, terrified and afraid.

They are fearful because they have no money, they have more enemies than friends and the one who made life worth living was about to leave them as they see it, all by themselves.

I believe I have a witness in the sanctuary this morning who has at one time or another, felt like these disciples.

Just when it seemed life was looking up; you got the promotion, the ring and the new house.

That's the moment you get some bad news.

You pick up the phone to find out that a loved one has died; you go to work only to discover you've been laid off; you come home to find your husband or wife has left.

The one thing about bad news is it does not care about you feelings or time.

It comes when it gets ready.

Here in our text Jesus speaks words that are able to calm any and every fear, as well as, bring ease to a troubled mind.

Jesus says in our text this morning, when it seems like all is lost; when your boo, shorty or sweet thang leaves; all you need to do is believe in God and remember what His Word says.

If you don't know some things His Word says let me share some with you.

Jesus said in Matthew 19:26, "with God all things are possible".

God said to the children of Israel in Isaiah 43:2, "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee".

The Psalmist records in Psalm 121:5-8, "The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore".

The writer says in Proverbs 3:5,6, "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths".

The Psalmist David writes in Psalm 37:25, "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread".

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "All that I have seen teaches me to trust the creator for all I have not seen".

My brothers and sisters, it does not matter what comes in your life, if you have seen God make a way and work a Miracle in your life before; believe He's able to do it again: All you have to do is hold on!

I know it will get hard sometimes; your grip may get weak at times.

But I submit to you this morning, there is a blessing in holding on!

Isaiah 40:31 says, "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint".

The word "wait" in the Hebrew is kaw-vaw.

This word means to tie or wrap around.

What are you saying this morning Pastor?

The harder a situation get's in your life, the closer and tighter you should get to God!

Because when you are close to God, He will make everything alright!

David said in Psalm 27:2, "When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell".

Isaiah 59:19 says, "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him."

Paul says in Romans 8:32, "If God be for us, who can be against us?"

The hymn writer put it like this, "Time is filled with swift transition.

Naught on earth unmoved can stand.

Build your hopes on things eternal, hold to God's unchanging hand.".

After, my brothers and sisters, you hold on, you must know there is something prepared for those who are holding on through faith.

What is prepared for me Pastor?

I'm glad you asked!

Jesus said, "In my Fathers house are many mansions".

When, the struggle of this life is completed.

When as the old saints would say, "this business of living is over".

We have a new home waiting for us!

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:1, "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens".

In heaven, there is a resting place for those who have fought a good fight and finished the race.

In heaven there is ample room for all who will be there.

But I must stop here and tell you that heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people.

If, my brothers and sisters, you are going to make it to heaven: you must be born again!

Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:3, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God".

If you want to make it to heaven all you have to do is follow the steps laid out in Romans 10:9, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved".

My brothers and sisters once you accept Jesus, I come to let you know this morning; you have a place in heaven that is waiting for you.

I don't know the size and I really don't care about the color.

I just want to be where Jesus is!

As I close this morning my brothers and my sisters, Jesus says in verse three, He will come again.

My heart is lifted knowing that one of these days, Jesus is coming back again.

I have to ask you a question this morning.

Isn't it good to know today my brothers and sisters, the Lord is not going to leave us in this nasty, profane, rotten, vicious, vile and villainous world.

Jesus said in John 14:18, "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you".

Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord".

I heard the hymn writer say, "Some glad Morning when this life is over I'll fly away"!

When I get to heaven, the bible says the wicked shall cease from troubling and the weary will be at rest.

When I get to glory bible says in Revelation 21:4 , "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away".

Is there anybody here this morning glad you are going where Jesus .