Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction to Series

Last week was community Sunday: If you dropped in this room at 10:30 it was mostly empty - the round tables were set up, people were in the kitchen getting ready for lunch.

140 of us were out in the community cleaning, mulching, singing, sorting.

an example of what it means to be the church.

We gather for worship, but the real task comes when we are scattered into the world to be the body of Christ.

(the banner?)

To serve.

To proclaim the good news.

When we go out into the world on Monday, how do we know where / how / who to serve in our workplaces and neighborhoods?

As a church how do we decide which ministry or mission to take on?

Shirley’s Place, Farming 4 Hunger, Project Echo, Heartfelt Backpack ministry and Food for the Hungry?

They need the help and we need to serve.

There is an opportunity for us to partner with them and be faithful to Christ in the world.

How can we share our faith in a world that says “faith is a personal and private matter?”

Because Jesus says so.

We can just muster up the will power, grit our teeth and do it.

But do we ever ask yourself, the Holy Spirit is leading me to do this?

(sign up sheet or conversation at work)

That’s what we see in the book of Acts.

Acts is a story of the first Christian missionaries.

The disciples of Jesus who are now called apostles - people are sent with a message.

One constant theme through out the whole book is “missions that are led by the Holy Spirit.”

This month we’re going to look at missions, but we’re going to remind ourselves that we are not here to run programs - we’re here to listen to the Holy Spirit and follow His guidance.

Introduction to Sermon

Today we are looking at the Holy Spirit, as the author of missions.

If you were to look at the church calendar - and by church calendar I don’t mean the one in your bulletin or the one on the wall in the fellowship area, but THE CHURCH CALENDAR: the one most churches use; the one that takes us through the Christian story.

It begins with Advent (not January) and takes through Christmas, through Epiphany (Magi), a few weeks later we have Ash Wednesday, which begins Lent (that 40 days where we walk with Jesus during his final days; Holy Week, where we remember Jesus Last Supper, death, and of course there’s Easter.

(Christ is risen!)We are still in the Easter season, the great 50 days as some call it.

We read in Scripture that after His resurrection Jesus spent 40 days with his disciples.

After that he ascended into heaven, and we read in Acts that the disciples waited 10 more days for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

That’s where we are in this story - somewhere between Easter and Pentecost.

Jesus’ last words before he ascended into heaven.

Last words are so important - it is the last memory people have of you.

The last chance to communicate.

I remember my grandma Sharpe’s last words.

I was in NC visiting family and my dad had told me that Grandma was declining.

Her memory was fading fast.

She had no appetite, and dad said this might be the last time I could see her.

I stayed with her a while, and when it was time to go my aunt said to grandma, “Corey’s leaving; don’t you want to say something to him; it might be the last time you see him for a while.”

Grandma took a deep breath, did her best to sit up in bed and said, “Turn off the tv and study.”

Her words seemed out of context, but when I was sick I would stay with her, and we would watch soap operas.

But she would at some say, “Turn off the television and study.”

Last words - they are the most important.

They are the last memory people have.

Jesus is giving last words - it’s different than our last words, because Jesus isn’t dying, he is ascending to His Father, and one day he will see his disciples - see us all - again.

But at the same time he stays with them through the Holy Spirit.

But he has important last words.

Luke (we are familiar with his Gospel) gives an introduction to his story, then he shares Jesus’ last words: Here they are:

Acts 1: