Sermon Tone Analysis

LIFE SITUATION NO. 3

 

 

TOPIC: Dealing With Souls *SUBTOPIC: *Wisdom Used In TITLE: A Ride With A Lumberman

 

I was returning from Bethany-Peniel College.

where I had given the spring "Aycock Lectures."

My subject there had been.

"Life Situations of Jesus and How He Met Them."

I had been telling the students that Jesus met trying situations while on earth, but He never failed to satisfy a human need, whether He met a ruler by night, a woman at the well, or a blind or leprous sinner.

I was full of my subject while there, and left the school with the desire in my own heart to more fully emulate the example of my Master.

I changed trains at Newton.

Kansas, and boarded the fast Santa Fe from there to Kansas City.

The train was crowded, and I was forced to ask a gentleman if I might share a seat with him.

"Sure, Brother," he replied, "I'm glad to have you."

He was in the lumber business.

So I talked lumber for fifty miles.

His daughter was in college, and so was mine, and that took another fifty miles.

But after awhile I told him who I was, and where Iliad been, and where I was going.

"I knew you were a preacher as soon as I saw you," he exclaimed.

I was glad there was something about my bearing that revealed that.

But now the talk started about religion.

I found him as needy as most travelers.

I talked to him about Jesus.

I do not know that I endeavored to explain much theology to him.

He had some ideas and I listened kindly to them.

He was not much of a church man he said.

He did not like preachers very well.

They always tried to shove their ideas on him and discount his.

I assured him I had no desire to do so.

I agreed with him that there were too many denominations and too much confusion about dogma and creed.

I also offered no complaint when he said

there was too much pomp, form and ceremony in some churches.

I let him talk on and on.

When he began to tire I commenced on my subject.

I told him that Jesus came not to conform to the erroneous ideas of religion in His day, and would not in ours.

I insisted that Jesus came in the flesh to reveal God to us, and also that He might represent us to God.

I pictured Him as a companion, a friend, a burden bearer, a Saviour.

I did it kindly, but firmly.

To his question about the suffering of humanity I replied that it is not always God's will to take away hardship, trial, temptations, suffering and death, but it is always His will to give us enough grace to endure these things.

I finally lapsed into silence and so did he.

Then he tried to talk and could not.

Sobs choked his voice.

He was so filled up he was inarticulate.

Just then the trainman called "Kansas City."

I grabbed my Gladstone bag and started out.

My friend, still silent, followed close behind me.

Friends met me at the station.

But before I hurried off my friend of the train took me by the hand and said, "God bless you, sir.

You have done me a lot of good.

You have given me a new outlook on life and a new insight into religion.

And you are one of the few preachers I have met who seemed to understand my need."

I went away happy with the thought that I had successfully met his life situation, and incidentally I had successfully faced one of my own.

LIFE SITUATION NO. 4

 

 

TOPIC: Trusting God *SUBTOPIC: *When Resources Fail TITLE: Melting Ice

 

They sat before me each Sunday morning with shining faces, but I knew well the situation they were facing.

They had an ice concession on a lake, or pond as they called it.

They made their living by cutting ice from it in the winter time, storing it, and then selling it in the summer.

A favorable winter gave them plenty of work and money, but the previous winter the pond had not frozen over, and now winter was almost over and still no ice.

It was aggravating, too.

Several times it got cold enough to freeze the pond and they would tell me they intended to cut ice next week.

for by that time the ice would be thick enough.

But always the weather moderated and away went their ice and prospects.

Spring was on the way for the second time.

There was little hope for ice now unless we had a hard freeze soon.

But the hard freeze came and the pond froze to such a depth that they could cut in a day or two and they were very happy.

But suddenly the temperature commenced to climb and each day the ice got thinner.

I prayed for it to stay cold and so did they, but as Sunday approached the ice was going fast.

I knew I would have to face them on Sunday morning with something to say that would help them in their time of need, but how could I help them?

I prayed for a message, and I believe God gave me one especially for them.

On Sunday morning my text was, "And ... the brook dried up" (I kings 17: 7).

I preached to two hundred, but my message was really for only two.

I asked my audience this question: "Have you ever been compelled to stand helplessly by and see that on which you are depending slowly and surely taken from you?"

I told them that Elijah had that experience at Cherith.

I emphasized the fact that the experiences of men of the present day are not different from those of men of past generations.

I pointed out that whether it be a brook

receding, or stocks and bonds or a bank account the situations are analogous.

I related how Elijah trusted God when the brook was receding, and even after it dried up.

I reminded them that God took care of Elijah and that the ending of the Cherith experience was the beginning of better things for him at Zarephath.

I insisted that God yet takes care of folks who will trust Him when outward appearances are against them.

Several people were helped that morning, but God had given me a message for at least two.

Their happy faces shone that morning and they smiled through their tears.

At the close of the service they voiced their faith in God, come what may.

They did not cut a pound of ice that winter, but they did learn a lesson of dependence on God.

It is true that God does not promise ice for those who desire it.

or warm weather for those who enjoy it.

One man in a community may pray for ice to help him in his business, while another equally righteous prays for sunshine because he is without fuel and of course God could not answer both prayers at one and the same time.

But God promises this transcendent blessing that, "thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee" (Isaiah 26: 3).

I believe that promise and I believe that God can and will minister to us in every life situation.

LIFE SITUATION NO. 5

 

 

TOPIC: Soul Saved *SUBTOPIC: *But Life Lost TITLE: Eleven Fifty-Nine O'clock

 

One Sunday afternoon I was asked to visit an old gentleman in Lynn hospital.

A nephew of the sick man accompanied me.

When we arrived we found him unconscious and apparently dying.

"May we speak to him?"

I inquired of the nurse.

"You can try," she replied, "but he is so far gone that I doubt if we can arouse him."

After calling him loudly several times and shaking him vigorously he slowly returned to consciousness.

"Uncle," cried Archie, "I've brought the preacher to see you!"

There was no response.

Turning to me Archie pleaded.

"Please do something for him.

He has been an awful sinner.