Sermon Tone Analysis

Tone: Hopeful, clear, inviting

LOVE THE CHURCH, LOVE THE PEOPLE

What if this?

What if that?

How could this?

I put those thoughts to rest as we frantically tried to establish where my brother could be or what could have happened.

In May of 2016, it was Mother’s Day and also my 30th birthday.

As the day ended, I realized my younger brother, Gregory, hadn’t called which was very strange since we’d always been so close.

I contacted my mom and found he hadn’t called her either.

Even in those early moments, my hope was beginning to slip.

Time: Breathing, paced, calm

Have you ever done something over and over again until you forget why you’re doing it?

These patterns develop until we forget or are afraid to ask “why” because of what we might discover or not discover.

Biblically, Communion is symbolic of both Jesus’ sacrifice and the unity of the Church in His name.

When we think of church as something we do or a place we visit, that repetition can cause us to forget why and be afraid to ask.

To know why, how, and what it looks like to find hope here, we have to start by making sure we’re aware of some major hurdles and roadblocks that will keep us from that goal.

But before we look at them, we have to remember that this text comes after 3 chapters of his letter to the church.

What has Paul been writing about before this?

What has been the central, recurring theme?

The Gospel, the good news that Jesus loved us, that Jesus is our hope, and that He builds the church through the power of His Spirit.

Have you ever done something over and over again until you forget why you’re doing it?

These patterns develop until we forget or are afraid to ask “why” because of what we might discover or not discover.

We’ll start in the middle of the letter in chapter 4 verses 1 through 16 as you’ve already heard read.

I think it’s important for us to read the Bible in context and so I’d actually encourage you to do some homework and read the first 3 chapters of Ephesians so you can comprehend the full context of the letter.

Especially because the word “therefore” pops up right at the beginning and we want to know...what’s it...THERE FOR?

Have you ever done something over and over again until you forget why you’re doing it?

[INSERT EXAMPLE - Fidgit Spinner?

Pogs?].

We can get into a pattern where we’re afraid to ask “why” because of what we might discover or not discover.

Time: Breathing, paced, calm

But I know this can also leave you feeling overwhelmed.

Feeling more defeated.

Feeling like a failure.

LACK OF REAL LOVE

We ask now for more of You.

More of your presence, more of your love, hope, and courage.

Would you grow this family for your glory and your good?

If we’re going to find hope here together, there are three things I think this text gives us to help us overcome these obstacles.

Time: Breathing, paced, calm

But finding hope here isn’t a task or a burden we bear in our own strength.

There’s a lens that we have to filter all of these obstacles and thoughts through and that lens is the Gospel, the good news that God loves us perfectly, that in Jesus we have real hope, and He relentlessly builds his church and nothing can stop Him.

Have you ever done something over and over again until you forget why you’re doing it?

[INSERT EXAMPLE].

We can get into a pattern where we’re afraid to ask “why” because of what we might discover or not discover.

Time: Breathing, paced, calm

Have you ever done something over and over again until you forget why you’re doing it?

[INSERT EXAMPLE].

We can get into a pattern where we’re afraid to ask “why” because of what we might discover or not discover.

Good morning!

My name is Mike and I’m the Worship Pastor here at One Hope Church.

If you need a Bible today, raise your hand and someone will bring you one.

And if you don’t own one, that’s our gift to you today.

Let’s start in verse 1:

His phone was off.

He didn’t report to work.

He wasn’t in his apartment.

His car was gone.

His friends hadn’t seen him.

Give us a genuine love for your bride, the church, and call us to unite around hope.

When we think of church as something we do or a place we visit, that repetition can cause us to forget why and be afraid to ask.

When we think of church as something we do or a place we visit, that repetition can cause us to forget why and be afraid to ask.

Heart: Gentle, compassionate, caring

LOVE THE CHURCH, LOVE THE PEOPLE

Communion is a built-in weekly status check for your heart.

Where have you drifted?

What have you forgotten?

What are you chasing?

When we think of church as something we do or a place we visit, that repetition can cause us to forget why and be afraid to ask.

Heart: Gentle, compassionate, caring

When we think of church as something we do or a place we visit, that repetition can cause us to forget why and be afraid to ask.

When we think of church as something we do or a place we visit, that repetition can cause us to forget why and be afraid to ask.

Francis Foulkes wrote a commentary on Ephesians and said this about the relationship between the two halves of this letter:

This is where you have to lean in as much as you can and hear this.

If you’re brain is processing where do I start or even if you’ve been completely checked out until this point, I want you to listen and hear this:

What if this?

What if that?

How could this?

I put those thoughts to rest as we frantically tried to establish where my brother could be or what could have happened.

When we understand Church as who we are instead of what we do its different completely.

We actually become able to ask the hardest questions because we know they’ll help us grow.

First, we’ve been called to love the church which means loving people..

Throughout this text we find a word that continues to be a source of confusion and misunderstanding in the world and in the church: love.

Paul seems to be addressing a clear lack of real love.

There is most likely some fighting, division, judgement, maybe even hatred among the people of the church in Ephesus.

Sound familiar?

Heart: Gentle, compassionate, caring

Have you ever done something over and over again until you forget why you’re doing it?

These patterns develop until we forget or are afraid to ask “why” because of what we might discover or not discover.

Heart: Gentle, compassionate, caring

God Loves You Perfectly

Feel: Passionate, personal (I have found hope here; I want to help others find hope here)

And then, after a random phone call to a hospital, we found him.

We are called to love the local church.

Not as a concept or on principle but in practice.

We are called to love OUR local church and that translates directly to loving one another.

Feel: Passionate, personal (I have found hope here; I want to help others find hope here)

Fill us now with your Spirit as we process and reflect on what you’ve said to us and done for us.

When we understand Church as who we are instead of what we do its different completely.

We actually become empowered to ask the hardest questions without fear.

Specifically, if there is any brokenness, division or conviction about your relationships with people in this room, Jesus tells us this is the time to make it right.