Sermon Tone Analysis

Opening Scripture

Story/illustration

Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth because He understood their potential.

Potential can only be unleashed by obedience.

Paul’s point of reference was Israel’s story.

Achan’s sin had affected everyone.

Brought defeat, death, destruction.

what you don't know won't hurt you

Remaining ignorant or uninformed about something will allow you to not have the sense of responsibility to worry or think about it.

A: "Where are you going?" B: "It's better that you stay in the dark about this.

What you don't know won'thurt you."

Do you remember the Navy seals?

How they work together, they cover each other’s back?

What if one the leaders was not informed of a glitch before a mission?

He not only would be mad after the mission, he could be dead along with many of his team.

It’s a life or death situation.

And listen, we only get one shot in this life.

We only live once…

“Without knowing our potential, there will be an absence of the desire and drive to achieve something.”

As we have been through this series the emphasis has been in the power of community, unity, and purpose as the body of Christ.

We will get more personal in the following weeks.

But let me ask you this....

What should our vision be for our community?

I think the answer to this question will motivate us to continue to pursue, to search, to uncover what is hindering us from our potential… there’s gotta be more!

Isaiah is not talking about heaven here.

He is not referring to the last days described in Revelation.

He is not talking about the new heaven and new earth foretold by Peter and other writers.

I believe with all my heart that the prophet is speaking of our days.

According to him, deep darkness is going to be upon people.

And isn’t it darkness growing deeper?

We see humanity drifting further and further from the heart of our creator.

And i’m not only talking about those that deny God’s existence or false cults and doctrines.

But also many who profess Christianity.

Paul also talked about this:

Isaiah states that authentic believers are going to shine!

Darkness can’t overcome light!

Jesus said

We should shine, we should be stronger than darkness, but how and what does this looks like?

According to Isaiah, we should shine in a way that unbelievers will see his glory.

The Hebrew word for glory is kabod.

It means splendor, greatness, wealth, might, abundance, honor, majesty, and heaviness.

So when the Bible speaks of the Glory of God, it’s referring to:

the splendor of God,

the greatness of God,

the wealth of God,

the might of God,

the abundance of God,

the honor of God,

and the majesty of God...

The final word “heaviness” or “weight” of his glory indicates that all of these attributes are not in short supply...

Before the light can shine through us, it must illuminate our hearts.

Israel had been waiting for years to be comforted.

Isaiah’s words came in a time of persecution, oppression, suffering.

Is 9

Affirmation that light will ultimately prevail in a situation so bleak as to threaten to extinguish the human spirit can be dismissed as utopian only by those who have not experienced the dark moment when all human resources have been exhausted.

There’s no way things will get better…

But Jesus came...

I said Jesus came...

He is the light...

He is your light...

And it is your time to shine...

Your pain has a purpose,

Your suffering is not wasted in God’s hands, it is an opportunity to show His glory.

Job understood this.

Paul puts it this way...

2 C

You may feel under oppression today...

You may feel defeated today...

The truth is, you’ve been hurt...

mistreated, undervalued, unappreciated...

But God has been watching over you.

Waiting for you to come and give him all your sorrow.

Reminding you that there is still hope, purpose, glory, this is your time to shine!

Give him glory!

Job understood this.

What should our vision be for our community?

Let’s shine bright for Jesus.

Let’s live for Jesus.

Let us become agents of change in our community.