Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro.

The devil has a lot of tools in tools in his tools box.

I believe one of his greatest tools to use against followers of Jesus is the discouragement.

One of the things we use tools for is to build things.

(Steel fabrication)

If the devil can use the tool of discouragement aginst us, he can do what he wants with us.

Tools are used to build things, but they are also to tear things down.

And that is what the devil likes to do with us.

Discourage us to tear us down.

Discouragement causes to be depressed.

Then you don’t want to do anything, you want to just give up.

Everyone at sometime has gone through discouragement.

We see people in the bible that have gone through discouragement.

• Moses

The Greatest leader, handpicked by God!

Had God’s power on his life, but in he said to God, “if thou deal thus w/ me, kill me, I pray thee!”

• Joshua

Greatest General, handpicked by God to lead Israel into the Promised Land…but in

He felt like quitting!

He got over it, thankfully!

• Elijah

Greatest prophet of OT/willing to challenge the idolatry of his day/called fire down from heaven/won a face off w/ prophets of Baal, but in after it was all over, he requested for himself that he might die, and said, it is enough now, O Lord, take away my life!

• Jonah

He wanted God to kill him, and was spiritually depressed and not even happy for the all the souls that just got saved in Nineveh!

In we find Paul in his 2nd missionary journey, arriving from Athens to Corinth experiencing a low time in his life (of depression)

In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians he would tell them what was going in his life

I Corinthians

AT this point when Paul arrives in Corinth, he had traveled over 50 miles.

He was alone, Silas and Timothy were in Macedonia and would catch with Paul later.

He may have even felt a since of failure.

In Athens when he preached their, he was called a babbler.

(Seed picker) It was as a bird that just picked up peoples scraps.

Paul was stressed, VS 5 “pressed in the spirit.

In Thessalonica, his great success was followed by being forced out of town, and he fled to Berea.

There he was persecuted.

At this point on this trip alone, he’s been beaten and jailed at Philippi, persecuted at Thessalonica and Berea, ridiculed in Athens, and now he has to face Corinth!

He was at a low point, a crossroads in his ministry, and he was just about to quit!

But God was about to give him some much needed encouragement.

I. Fellow believers to help us move forward.

VS 1-5a

VS 1-3

Paul finds someone that he had something in common with.

A Jew named Aquila and his wife Priscilla.

a. Jews had had been forced to leave Rome.

They would become missionaries that would travel with Paul.

Paul called then “Follow workers in Christ Jesus”

b.

Like Paul they were tent makers, this a trade of Paul’s and it helped him make money needed in ministry.

c.

One of the greatest God given encouragements are friends.

It is always tougher if you have to bear it alone.

Remember Silas and Timothy are still in Macedonia.

So God knew that Paul needed someone to help him shoulder the burdens of the work.

d.So what does God do?

God stirs up a little trouble in Rome.

God puts it on the heart of the Roman Emperor Claudius to expel all Jews from Rome.

Given eviction papers Aqulia and his wife Priscilla come to Corinth.

It seems that Aquila and Priscilla had a tent making business that they set up in Corinth.

Paul just so happened to be a tentmaker and so he began to work with Aquila and Priscilla in their business.

d.

This gave him the funds for his support so that he could go into the synagogue every Sabbath and reason with the Jews and Greeks for Jesus Christ.

What a blessing Aquila and Priscilla were to Paul.

They became his best and closest friends.

e. It’s good for us to have friends.

Someone you have things in common with.

Good christian friends.

Someone you can share your burdens with.

f.

Just like God put Aquila and Priscilla in Paul’s life, he has someone for you too.

And you may be the one God puts in someone else’s life.

else’s life.

VS 4

Paul would go to the synagogue on the Sabbath and reason (discuss) with them out of the scriptures (not he N.T, but out the O.T and show them Jesus)

a. Paul was doing what he loved to do, what he was called to do.

It was the encouragement that helped him along.

Helped him to get back on tracked.

b.

Question for you.

Are on on track, or off?

Are you doing what you love to do? Spiritually speaking.

VS 5a

One of the greatest God given encouragements are friends.

And Paul now has two of his best friends back with him.

One of the greatest God given encouragements are friends.

Encouragement bring positive results

VS 6

1. Paul’s preaching finally stirred the opposition of the Jews.

The opposed Paul and his preaching, they accused him off blasphemy.

b.

Paul shook his raiment.

Jesus told His disciples when he sent them 2x2.

If they don’t want to hear you, “dust off your feet as a warning to them”

c. Paul had poured out his soul to them.

He had warned them of their wicked ways, and they had rejected his message.

d.

This could have caused discouragement, but the encouragement Paul had received kept him moving forward.

e. Paul had preached, he warned them and they would not listen.

f. “I am clean” Paul had been faithful to declare the message of the gospel.

Their blood was on their own hands.

1. Paul had warned.