Sermon Tone Analysis

Last week we saw that Paul is happy to live or die and whatever the case, he would do it for Jesus.

So, what happens then if he is not put to death?

Well this is a man on a mission.

For Paul he was going to be putting in effort working for the Gospel.

The word ‘labour’ is there for a reason.

Labour is work.

It gives the impression of someone like a builder who digs into the ground with pickax and spade.

When he works it is obvious that something is happening and there is an end plan.

And that is exactly how Paul is talking when he talks of fruit from his labour.

Paul was no layabout.

Paul again speaks of departing in verse 23 and going to be with Jesus.

He cannot think of anything better than this but if he had a choice it would be incredibly hard but he leans more to remaining and helping the Church further – but in reality he does not have the choice – but his confidence has grown to the point that he thinks that, on the balance of probabilities, God still has work for him to do in being alive and freed – and the Church, he says, will be joyful that God will allow such a scenario.

And we are all here for such a time as this.

We are all needful here.

In the deacons’ meeting we are already talking about vision that will bring vitality to the work ahead.

One of those aspects, for me, is to reach every household in Manselton with the Gospel.

Whether that is through delivering Gospels and tracts or inviting to events or just plain door to door or some other way.

This means that there is still work for us to do – this is good news for we are all needed.

What that work entails is something we all have to work out, for us as individuals and together.

The important thing is that we carry on with those things that we are doing until the Lord closes the door.

But with this we do have enemies:

We are to get on with the work that God has given us to do in whatever way He has given us ability and look for ways to improve this work.

Though last week I talked of death – I want to speak of it again in relation to hope – and we shall see why in due course.

Paul

did not simply desire to escape his present sufferings; he longed for “even deeper fellowship with Christ”

It makes me ask just how deep my fellowship is with Jesus and wonder how strong my desire is for this deeper fellowship with Him.

What about you?

Is this what we are cultivating in our lives?

A deeper, more zealous walk with God will make this life much more interesting.

There is no doubt in the way that Paul puts it that when we die we are no longer contained by our bodies – as our bodies are not us but only our frame – our spirits go to be with Christ – in real time.

There is no sleep in the sense that we are no longer aware of what is going on – some call this soul sleep – as if there is a gap between the time when we die and when we are resurrected.

Billy Graham has been quoted as saying:

Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead.

Don’t you believe a word of it.

I shall be more alive than I am now.

I will just have changed my address.

I will have gone into the presence of God.

Actually it was DL Moody that said but I am sure Billy Graham had the same sentiment.

Paul says to die is to be with Christ which gives more a sense of immediacy.

Jesus Himself alluded to the fact that we are alive to God at all times even when we are dead:

And in another place Jesus spoke of two people to remind us that when we die we are not asleep:

Both Lazarus and the rich man were alive and not asleep or having ceased to exist – and the comfort or the pain of where they were was felt.

Clearly you would not want to be the rich man in this story.

And then there is what Jesus said to the man on the cross next to him:

So, like the thief we will go to be with Jesus in Paradise.

Today, he said.

Not at the resurrection.

Not after 2000 years or more of sleep.

This gives us great hope.

But at the time of our resurrection will be reunited with a body – though not in the form we have now – which is a good thing as it is out of shape as far as perfection goes.

No one has a perfect body, even those who are considered to be beautiful – everyone has flaws – well, in Heaven our heavenly body will be perfect in every way.

Let’s read about this in:

And this is it – we have this hope – a hope that may have lost its edge in the Church, in our lives.

A hope that looks forward to the time when all things will end in Christ.

Earlier on in 1 Corinthians 15 it says:

It is all too easy to get caught up in the affairs of this life and to lose the hope that we have in Christ – it is of no surprise that

Love is the greatest but there are three things that remain for a Christian – and hope is on the list.

Why?

Because – well, let’s see, shall we? Did you notice verse 58 of 1 Corinthians 15? Therefore.

Therefore – ask why it is there for.

What is the ‘therefore’ if it is not the hope of the resurrection?

And what comes as a result of this hope?

Labour.

Work.

This is our happy lot until the day we die or we be taken.

There is no retirement in this life from the life of a Christian.

No sitting contentedly in front of a TV or on the sand or in our beds – unless, that is, we are too unwell to do anything else – our lot is to work for God in whatever situation and Church we find ourselves in.

Our most important goal and aim is to make Jesus known.

And we are driven by hope.

For us though we find the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

We go on living each day with no real regard to Christ, not looking for opportunities to share Jesus with others.

It is simply not in our thoughts to live in this way.

And that is a problem for we have to start living differently.

It is one thing for sermons to be heard on Sunday – and another for me to write them – but if we find we come back the following Sunday with no change because we are so familiar with hearing the same things as you have heard before then we think that we not are accountable to God for what happens in a week.

Then we are going to carry on living as we did the week before, the year before, the decade before – and this is not moving forward but backwards.

If only I could point the finger at you all and say: well, come on!

What kind of witness have you been this week?

With whom did you share Jesus?

To whom did you do a good work in the name of Jesus?

For whom have you prayed for without them knowing about it?

Then I have to change the questions to: What kind of witness have I been this week?

With whom have I shared Jesus?

And so on.

Last week I said that the Christian life is not a boring one.

It should be one of adventure with His leading but, perhaps, we are like new born babies needing to be fed and carried and washed and laid down incapable of doing anything ourselves.

It would not be expected of me to dig holes or cart rubble but if it was necessary I would.

I’m not volunteering, by the way!

But if I did, in a reasonably short time I would become efficient and muscularly; this is no different from reading Scripture, from praying, from sharing Jesus with others – perhaps we need a good deal of guidance to start with – but then we should be feeding ourselves and then feeding others – we would get efficient, and spiritually muscular – and become more than babies and children but mature Christian adults.

The hope of the Christian life would permeate every part of our being that it will be second nature; this the life of the Spirit, this deeper fellowship with Christ.

What’s going to change this week?

Perhaps this week is the start of something new and perhaps we can pray to this end:

This is it, you see, we have hope and that hope is steadfast and certain – we will go to be with Christ when we die – we will enjoy eternal life - and this hope should spur us on no matter how hard this life is.