Sermon Tone Analysis

Welcome to Renew!

Standing at the base looking over 29,000 feet in the air, he couldn’t help but think of the people before him.

Men have died here.

People he knew had tried to accomplish this feat but had failed.

He had read stories of previous attempts to accomplish this.

Over the last 30 years several had put in the research and the work to make this possible.

Could he do it?

Will I make it?

On the morning of May 26th, 1953, facing the fears of the severe weather, falls from high cliffs or into deep crevasses, and even the chance of mountain sickness, Edmund Hillary and his partner Tenzing Norgay readied themselves to make it to the peak of Mt.

Everest.

For three days, the two explorers faced excruciating cold weather.

They lugged their supplies with them every step of the way, struggling to acclimate to the environment.

But they were committed.

They knew this was their time.

ON the morning of May 29th, they departed the final camp to make the final ascent.

Only a few hours into the final climb, they reached a peak that they found almost impossible to climb.

Wedging himself in a crack in the face, Hillary inched himself up what was thereafter known as the Hillary’s Step.

Hillary threw down a rope, and Norgay followed.

At about 11:30 a.m., the climbers arrived at the top of the world.

Where many had come before them, including men from their own team, and failed, they were finding themselves the first to ever make it to the top of Everest.

What was once seemingly impossible, was now a reality.

What seemed to be inevitable failure turned out to be an epic victory!

On the final day of 2017, I am sure we are all getting ready to start the new year with some resolutions

Maybe you want to spend more time with family or read more, or maybe even lose weight and get healthy

All of these things take commitment

It takes a complete dedication to fulfilling those resolutions

According to an article on Forbes.com

only 8% of people complete their New Year’s Resolutions

92% of people fail at finishing what they started!

Why?

From setting too many to making them too lofty, most of the time it all comes down to staying 100% committed.

They stand at the base of their Everest and look up at the 29,000 foot climb, instead of letting the desire of knowing what it will feel like on the tip of the mountain drive them.

Maybe it’s not resolutions, but dreams

You’ve set out to climb Everest, but fear of failure, negative influence in your life and other circumstances have pushed you back down the mountain.

Commitment means we turn around and start over.

Begin the ascent again

Failure is not final

We have spent 2017 concentrating on being Rooted

We have focused on how we can get our roots deeper in our relationship with God, and with our community

We have strived to be rooted in Jesus

But now as we dive into 2018, it is time to focus on being Committed

Whatever the call, whatever the cost

Committing to this church, this community and more importantly to the advancement of the Kingdom!

Committing to seeing the vision and mission of this house come to fruition

Committing to the call that he has for us as a body and as individuals

2018 is the beginning of a new chapter in Renew Bryant

We have made many memories over this year

We have had some big wins this year

But we have only scratched the surface of what God has for us

2018 is the beginning of a new chapter in your life as well

I am sure 2017 has brought its challenges and adversity, but I am sure it has had many victories as well

But we are only scratching the surface as to what he has for us this year!

None of this comes without a commitment level bigger than we have ever had

2018 will present the possibilities of moving from 1 tier to the next

But we have to be all in!

We have to be completely committed to make it happen

Whatever the call, whatever the cost

Commitment requires a new mindset

A change in our approach to the call that God has for us individually and corporately

My goal for you today is to walk away from this gathering with a shift in your mindset

Or at least the keys to move toward that shift

finds Jesus being, in a sense, formally introduced.

He had alluded to his death only once () and his resurrection only once ()

Now he would begin to teach his disciples, from this moment on that he would be betrayer, arrested, beaten and crucified, but promises to rise again ()

This was a difficult message for them to hear

This man was to be the one to bring the new kingdom of Israel to fruition

He was the promised messiah

And now he is going to die

This message didn’t fit their idea of who Jesus was going to be

They were all standing at the bottom of their Everest.

Jesus would have to climb this mountain that would lead to his death

Jesus was asking them to climb this mountain with him

Were the committed to him?

Were they 100% in with this?

The message that was being delivered would shape not only their present situation, but would echo throughout eternity

Jesus was asking them to walk this

The decision of commitment would literally shape the world in a manner none of them could even fathom

We find ourselves in that position as well

Our decision this year will shape the outcome of our homes, our families, this church and this community forever.

Whoa!

I know that is intense to think about but let me assure you, regardless of whatever level you are on, your decision to commit will change EVERYTHING your future self does.

Let’s Pray - PRAY for Renew and for Bryant

I Have No Rights and My Feelings Don’t Matter

As a fifteen year old I scoffed at this

Why do I have no rights and why does what I feel not matter?

I challenged my youth pastor on this

I was young and immature

Much like the disciples I had no idea what it meant to commit completely to Jesus

What a tense rebuke for Peter!

Just a few moments earlier, Jesus had proclaimed that the church that Jesus would build would be built on the him and nothing could stand in the way!

Then he called him SATAN!

Why?

Peter knew who Jesus was in his mindset

A mindset that meant Jesus would fill the Peter’s concept

Peter had a right to be free from this Roman control

Peter’s began to get all in his feels because it wasn’t fair that HIS messiah was saying he was going to die

Peter could only see his present day circumstances

We tend to view Jesus the same way

He should do for us what is beneficial in the here and now

We must begin to view Jesus with an eternal viewpoint