Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

One thing I failed to do last week is explain this series title,Traveling Together.

American Christians often wrestle with belief that we are supposed to be rugged individuals.

This often results in church members who fall into several traps.

One trap we addressed last week is sin.

Though we are accountable to God, it is clear in scripture that we need each other to help in the battle against sin.

A more subtle trap is ineffective ministry.

This may not be noticeable at first, but over time you will see that people who are disconnected from a local body, even if they are investing in those around them will often struggle to plug people in with those around them.

Another trap is often isolation.

Most of the time we find this okay until we run into trouble and look around realize we don’t know anyone.

This sad reality happens becuase we refuse to travel together.

We are called to be a body, which for the most part means we all have to work together to help each other in times of need and in opportunities to grow and minister together.

In other words in our journey towards eternity, believers are not just grouping together to run programs and services.

We are called to traveling together to encourage each other to ultimately know Jesus more fully and make Him known.

Traveling together is a series meant to help us learn to follow Jesus by loving each other well and to loving the world around us together.

So as we look at this weeks topic please take time to meditate on both your personal responsibility in the Kingdom of God and also on this beautiful thing we call the body of Christ.

In other words in our journey toward eternity believers are not just grouping together to run programs and services.

We are called to traveling together to encourage each other to ultimately know Jesus more fully and make Him known.

Traveling together is a series meant to help us learn to follow Jesus by loving each other well and to loving the world around us together.

So as we look at this weeks topic please take time to meditate on both your personal responsibility in the Kingdom of God and also on this beautiful thing we call the body of Christ.

NASB95“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

This reality is not new to many of us but let me ask a

Take a look at .

This week are trying to address the second trap.

The trap of less effective ministry.

Individualism taints our ministry but also cause us to lose sight on what our overall goal is.

So what is it?

I guess another way to ask it is, “Why are we here?”

That is a huge philosophical question.

Let me ask it another way, “Why don’t we just die when we accept Christ?”

Paul shows us that it is healthy for us to understand that God has made us all unique, but that the Holy Spirit binds us together.

If we do not embrace this uniqueness we will end up frustrated or even divided.

This is not only very dangerous it is honestly sin.

It cause us to focus on power, winning and ultimately building our own kingdoms rather then God’s Kingdom.

So what do we do?

One of the first things we needs to do is to recognize that we all come with gifts, skills, quirks and baggage.

The second thing is we need to embrace those non-sinful differences and recognize that Christ has called us to be active members of His Kingdom.

Embracing this reality actually helps us be more patient and loving.

It helps us to travel together.

How this looks will vary, but it also has some consistent principles for everyone.

Today we are going to focus on one of these principles.

Living by this principle helps us to understand how our gifting, passions and personalities fit together to make something bigger then our imagination could ever dream up.

I also think it answers an important question.

When I was asked to speak tonight all this had not happened.

So on Tuesday, Dave called me and gave me some more updates.

We talked and decided to keep my topic the same.

He asked me to be very practical and applicable.

Of coarse that is my desire.

As we talk tonight I, I am not going to defend the goodness of God in the midst of tragedy.

He is good, I do not have to.

There are people in our church who will discuss this with you if you feel the need.

I will also not give you a list of things to do, the Internet still works for most of us, if you are looking for ways to engage I am sure there will be people willing to help you do that.

No tonight we are going to briefly talking about the lifestyle we have to have to engage properly.

For some of you that last statement might make you think, “what?’

That is right I said, “lifestyle we have to have to engage properly.”

In response some might think, “Alex, we just need to get out there and do something.”

In some respects your right.

However there is an underlying truth, for believers in Jesus that must be there to engage people properly.

It is found in .

Before we go any further lets take a second and read this passage:

One of the beautiful things about God’s Kingdom economy is that He fits us into His Kingdom in a way that makes sense.

When we receive His free gift of salvation He gives us a spiritual gift in the body of Christ.

Then when we humbly follow Him, He uses our gifting, our passions and our personalities to impact those around us.

What this looks like will vary, but it will also has some consistent principles for everyone.

Today we will hit on several of those consistent principles but we are going to hone in on one.

This an essential principle for every believer in Jesus.

When we live by this principle it changes the way we look at people, our reason for being here, even the way we look at our schedules change.

Take a look at this video.

(Play first part) - 44:10 - 45:30

(Play first part) - 44:10 - 45:30

(Play first part) - 44:10 - 45:30

Take a look at this video.

(Play first part) - 44:10 - 45:30

First:

1.

This Kingdom work will be an overflow of your personal relationship with Jesus.

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If we struggle to be in relationship with Jesus.

We will struggle to have be a consistent ambassador for Him.

When we do not seek to follow Him we often do not deal with our sin, remain in conversation with Him or seek to maintain healthy relationships with others.

All of these things effect how we view those around us and how we will interact with people.

Related to this is we are called to live for Him in the power of the Holy Spirit.

2. We are called to live by the power of His Spirit.

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Dave will talk about this more in the next few weeks but abiding in Him is a key role in our lives with Him.

However there is an underlying truth, for believers in Jesus that must be there to engage people properly.

It is found in .

Before we go any further lets take a second and read this passage:

Dave will talk about this more in the next few weeks but abiding in Him is a key role in our lives with Him.

One of the key ways to do this is by having a consistent and healthy prayer life.

Next:

3. His Word is our primary source.

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This passage connects the goodness of being a people in the word with being a holy priesthood.

The last essential will be what we look at the for the rest of our time together.

Here it is,

4. We are called to be His ambassadors.

4. We are called to be His ambassadors.

This an essential principle for every believer in Jesus.

When we live by this principle it changes the way we look at people, our reason for being here, even the way we look at our schedules change.

Take a look at this video.

(Play first part) - 44:10 - 45:30

However there is an underlying truth, for believers in Jesus that must be there to engage people properly.