Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro

My initial topic was fear on this week but I had a conversation two weeks ago that changed my thoughts.

We were discussing an overzealous church-goer who had described their boyfriend as being loved less than by God because they did not want to attend church with them.

As I listened I heard a bit of heart in the voice of the person in addition to something that shook me to the core.

They stated “I don’t believe you have to go to church every Sunday.

I just pray and my relationship with God is good.”.

In that moment I thought they are missing out and I realized in his thinking how it lined up with the thinking of some of us here today.

When those tough moments in life come we stop coming to church.

When we fall back into the sins that we were previously freed from, we are too dirty to come to church.

Or maybe the individuals that go to church with you are not genuine and are extremely hypocritical.

But what if I told you that you were wrong about your thinking as it pertains to church?

672 The Perfect Church

I think that I shall never see

A Church that’s all it ought to be:

A Church whose members never stray

Beyond the Strait and Narrow Way:

A Church that has no empty pews,

Whose Pastor never has the blues,

A Church whose Deacons always deak,

And none is proud, and all are meek:

Where gossips never peddle lies,

Or make complaints or criticize;

Where all are always sweet and kind,

And all to other’s faults are blind.

Such perfect Churches there may be,

But none of them are known to me.

But still, we’ll work, and pray and plan,

To make our own the best we can.

—Selected

The perfect church will never exist, especially as long as it is made up of human beings.

But there is plenty of benefit to being a part of and worshipping God on Sundays.

What is Church?

In the New Testament, the Greek word ecclēsia, usually translated “church,” is primarily used in two ways: to describe a meeting or an assembly, and to designate the people who participate in assembling together (whether they are actually assembled or not).

Carpenter, E. E., & Comfort, P. W. (2000).

In Holman treasury of key Bible words: 200 Greek and 200 Hebrew words defined and explained (p.

252).

Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

This word is used in many NT passages in addition to the Septuagint (OT in Greek)

jgs 20 2

acts 19

The word ecclesia is used many times throughout scripture to describe assemblies of people not a building.

When you see the word in the Bible understand that it is speaking about a group of people.

Now in what we speak about today.

The group of people are special in that they have a commonality among each other.

They are called by God to be His eschatological people.

The Church Jesus spoke about

Jesus spoke of building a group of people that even death would not win against!

That’s a tough group!

To build would mean to erect, or put together from different materials.

The rock is the confession that Peter makes earlier in the passage, it’s a firm foundation to build upon.

There’s not one geographical location we must worship.

Jesus promises this, dies on the cross, is buried, rises from the dead, gives instructions, and goes back into heaven.

His apostles and disciples spread the word on how to be this special group of people called out from the world.

And then they begin to be known.

These people had a philosophy based on what Jesus had told them.

They were called to be the eschatological people of God.

Philosophy- The most basic beliefs, concepts, and attitudes of an individual or group.

Eschatology- A branch of theology concerned with the final events in the history of the world or of mankind.

So to begin with the early church, or followers of Christ, were more concerned with being doers of what God said to do more than they were concerned with what to be called.

So to begin with the early church, or followers of Christ, were more concerned with being doers of what God said to do more than they were concerned with what to be called.

The Church is the group of people concerned with being the eschatological people of God through Jesus Christ.

A.K.A. Christians

Why “Go To Church”?

Carpenter, E. E., & Comfort, P. W. (2000).

In Holman treasury of key Bible words: 200 Greek and 200 Hebrew words defined and explained (p.

252).

Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

A Response To God

Because God has done, is doing, and will do more for you than you can ever imagine, the least we can do is respond with a “Thank You”.

That thank you is called worship.

We don’t go to church, we are the Church.

The Church comes together to worship God, through Jesus Christ.

Worship before the church has always been a prescribed thing by God that was inclusive of many different actions, many showing/teaching us what exactly worship was.

A Couple of examples

Bowing down before God was an outward response to an inward sense of reverence for a God who had done much for us.

Singing is an outward response of us only singing about God, forgetting ourselves, placing Him up high for all to witness His glory.

Giving was an outward response in recognition that He owns all and we give back a portion to the owner as good stewards.

Worship is us lowering ourselves and lifting God up in the process.

The only proper recipient of worship is the humanity creating and saving God.

If you KNOW that God is your creator and the manufacturer of your salvation then worship is due Him.

OT Worship

Throughout the history of God’s people, God has always prescribed that His people worship Him.

Whether it be in portable tents, synagogues, or in the Temple.

It was prescribed not because God needed it, but for the sake of the people.

It served as a reminder, it served as a route for people to build relationship with God, and was a vehicle towards their salvation.

THE REFLECTION COLLECTIVELY OF GOD PRODUCED PRAISE AND A PEOPLE WILLING TO LIVE ACCORDING TO HIS WILL.

NT Woship

What has happened is that today we have taken what was prescribed by God through the Jesus and the apostles and we have, as a society said, it is not good enough.

We have stated within our hearts some things that will lead to our destruction.

Fellowship, breaking of bread, prayers...

The remembrance of the method of salvation for the whole world.

1 cor 16 1 2

Giving...

Singing… mention hallel if time permits.

Worship extends beyond Sundays into our daily lives..

all that we do should tell the story of who God is and how great that He is...

We do not “go to church”, the Church comes together to worship God.

We assemble on the day that Jesus rose from the dead.

We give thanks to a God who has provided the way for our eternal salvation and a way for us to live within a troubled world.

A Common Response To God

We Have Said Things Like Or Heard

“I don’t like going to church (worshipping God), it is a waste of time and the people are hypocrites.”