Sermon Tone Analysis

What motivates you as a Christian?

Intro

What are you afraid of?

Christians can be motivated by fear

frozen by fear

Illus: Dr. Kistemaker and elders

“I forgive you” versus “will you forgive me?”

Fear of vulnerability

Fear of being uncomfortable

Drama

Disciples locked down by fear

Fear is an emotion that can freeze us and cause us to go internal

Jesus comes and gives them peace

“Peace be with you.”

He knew they were afraid

He showed them what they needed to see to bring that peace

The Disciples were commanded to move

John 20:

Their main goal was to go - Great Commission

Their message was forgivness

How does one forgive sins - It is not an act but a message

Christ accomplished the act, the disciples were messengers

Jesus gives them the power to move

Breaths on them the HS

The HS is the very Spirit of Christ

For the disciples this was a special gift given to them at the moment for the purpose of discernment - They knew the elect, those to whom forgiveness of sins is available

The Disciples are the agents of the message

The HS is the source of the forgiveness

Doctrine

Justification

Q. 70.

What is justification?

A. Justification is an act of God’s free grace unto sinners, in which he pardoneth all their sins, accepteth and accounteth their persons righteous in his sight;y not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ, by God imputed to them, and received by faith alone.b

Justification is applied by the HS

Q. 58.

How do we come to be made partakers of the benefits which Christ hath procured?

A. We are made partakers of the benefits which Christ hath procured, by the application of them unto us, which is the work especially of God the Holy Ghost.k

Q. 59.

Who are made partakers of redemption through Christ?

A. Redemption is certainly applied, and effectually communicated, to all those for whom Christ hath purchased it; who are in time by the Holy Ghost enabled to believe in Christ according to the gospel.m

Forgiveness of Sins shows us God’s grace

Doxology

What motivates you as a Christian?

Is it God’s grace?

The world motivates by fear!

However we should be motivated by Forgiveness

Jesus commands his disciples to move

To move from behind closed doors motivated by fear to out into the world motivated by forgiveness

Rather than be consumed and frozen by fear we need to trust in the HS and move as commanded with the message of forgiveness

We do this as one who has received this forgiveness

Jesus Empowers this movement

He provides His Spirit

The very Spirit of God is with you as you go into the world

The HS which formed the earth

Jesus provides forgiveness

Jesus provides forgiveness

Goal of going out into the world - message of forgiveness

What is more compelling?

You are condemned or you are forgiven

Problem:

We can take forgiveness and live a life taking advantage of that sin

or

We can refuse the forgiveness God offers us and live a life of fear

Illus:

A woman who grew up abused by her Father

When Father died she held her Mother accountable and harbored a ton of anger toward her

As she was dying she decided to confront her - she did so with forgiveness

They spent the past two years of her mother’s life having meals together and had a relationship they would never have had

Forgiveness - We accept it as the grace of God and we extend it and share it with those God puts in our path

Who has God placed in your path that needs to hear the message of forgiveness?

Maybe its you!

Maybe it will be someone God places in your path.

This is evangelism.

We do this as one who has received this forgiveness