Sermon Tone Analysis

*Authentically Communicating God's Message*

*1 Thess.

2:1-13*

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*            *It's a temptation we all face.

When we have not been doing something right we seek to cover it up so we hope to look better in someone else's eyes.

Adam and Eve literally covered their nakedness before God with leaves from the garden of  Eden.

Then when specifically confronted by the Lord, Adam sought to duck by placing the blame on Eve. 

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Wayne Smith, "Amen."

"Yes, Mr. President."

"I'm here to install your phone."

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*            *In his book /Becoming A Contagious Christian/, Bill Hybels writes that he sometimes strikes up conversations with people who don't know what he does and asks them if they know any Christians and what are they like.

He says he gets answers like:  They are uptight and narrow.

They're isolated and in a world of their own.

Others say, they're self-righteous, simplistic and hypocritical.

Hybels goes on to write, I wish the answers would be:  They're people with integrity and moral courage.

They're filled with compassion.

They tell the truth.

The impressions people have of us will have a profound effect on how they view God.

He includes a letter of appreciation from a relatively new Christian to the older Christian who had influenced her.

 

            "You know, when we met, I began to discover a new vulnerability, a warmth and a lack of pretense that impressed me.

I saw in you a thriving spirit--no signs of internal stagnation anywhere.

I could tell you were a growing person and I liked that.

I saw you had strong self-esteem, not based on the fluff of self-help books, but on something a whole lot deeper.

I saw that you lived by convictions and priorities and not just by convenience, selfish pleasure and finanacial gain.

And I had never met anyone like that before.

I felt a depth of love and concern as you listened to me and didn't judge me.

You tried to understand me, you sympathized and you celebrated with me, you demonstrated kindness and generosity--and not just to me, but to other people, as well.

And you stood for something.

You were willing to go against the grain of siciety and follow what you believed to be true, no matter what people said, and no matter how much it cost you.

And for those reasons and a whole host of others, I found myself really wanting what you had.

Now that I've become a Christian, I wanted to write to tell you I'm grateful beyond words for how you lived out your Christian life in front of me."

A letter like this could have been written about Paul by the Thessalonians.

In the Thessalonian case the roles are reversed and Paul reminds them of his ministry with them, and  because it has been preserved, we learn from his example, too.

Chapter 2 of the letter opens:  "You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure."

He continues to describe the reasons it was effective.

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*            *If people we know are going to become Christians*, *we need the same effectiveness in the ministry of our lives.

For people to know the truth our presentation of God's message must be:  1) Biblical, 2) genuine, 3) gracious, and 4) relevant

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* I.

Biblical in Content*

 

"We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition."

[vs.

2]

 

            It's the only message the church has exclusively.

It's the only message world needs ultimately.

Temptation is to water down message to get acceptance.

"Itching ears."

Like politicians to say whatever it takes to get elected.

To promise everything.

[God's message can't be bought.

Balaam's message -- I have no message but God's message.]

[Zedekiah prophet ct.

w~/ Micaiah during Jeshoshaphat and Ahab's war with Arameans at Ramoth-Gilead. 1 Kgs.

22, "I can tell him only what the LORD tells me.”]

We don't need to be ashamed of it.

Gospel does its work when we present it to hearts of good soil.

~*~*~* "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes."

[Romans 1:16]

 

[But we don't know the condition of the heart from the outward appearance.

Can't tell which will respond.

e.g.

elect having stripe on back--go around pulling up shirts to find those to tell.

We have to 'broad' cast.]

Sound clear note.

There's already enough messages of all other kinds.

There is a great temptation to attract people to things that are peripheral and confuse the message God wants people to hear.

We tell people about the good programs the church has for children and teenagers--and we do.

But so what.

So do the scouts, and the Y, and the Parks Department, and the school system.

Good programs are not God's message.

We may tell people how friendly people at the church are, what a wonderful spirit there is among the people, how loving they are and how good-looking the singers are, but none of these are God's message for broken, burned out, messed up, confused lives.

Jesus is the message--not us; not our ideas.

Our only authority is "The Bible says."

Our work is not a contest of who is right.

That's God's business.

He settles that score.

We can't.

But it is a matter of what He has said.

Preach the Word.

Jesus is the Word of God displayed on the canvass as it were of a human life.

He said, "If I be lifted up, I will draw all men to myself"  Jn.

12:32

 

So, Paul said:  "I determine to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and him crucified."  1 Cor.

2.2

 

Matthew 22:16 (when about to trap Jesus about paying taxes)

"They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians.

“Teacher,” they said, “we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.

You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are."

"I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me."

Jn.

8:28

 

This is authentic communication of God's message.

* *

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* II.

Genuine in Character*

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"We never tried to influence you by saying nice things about you.

We were not trying to get your money."

[vs.

5, New Century Version]

 

"Even though we had some standing as Christ’s apostles, we never threw our weight around or tried to come across as important, with you or anyone else."  [vs.

6, The Message]

 

:5  not flatterer; not greedy

(flattery not a method nor greed a motivation)

 

:6  not seeking praise; not "throwing weight around"

(no winning by intimidation nor pulling rank)

 

*            *The reason for communicating God's message is Generated by God Himself.

Our reason to speak is to please Him.*  *Message is not so messenger can get something out of it, but that hearer can.