Sermon Tone Analysis

Our Heavenly Dwelling

5 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.

4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So we are always of good courage.

We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.

8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

(ESV)

1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.

4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So we are always of good courage.

We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.

8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil

Goal: for the Hearer to Understand that the earthly destruction that we are seeing today is just a reminder of how temporal our “earthly Home” truly is.

1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.

4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So we are always of good courage.

We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.

8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Good morning Sons & Daughters of St. Paul’s … May the Grace & Peace of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be with you all … Let Us Pray.

Goal: for the Hearer to Understand that the earthly destruction that we are seeing today is just a reminder of how temporal our “earthly Home” truly is.

Good Morning Sons & Daughters of St. Paul’s … May the Grace & Peace of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be with you all … Let Us Pray.

So, I was debating on what I was going to preach on this week.

I wanted to build on our theme from last week’s message regarding being faithful, but I was struggling to come up with a practical example of this message of faithfulness.

Then I was watching ESPN on Tuesday morning and I saw a few interviews of pro athletes that reside or grew up in California near or around the wildfires that are currently happening in California.

It got me to thinking about this passage from 2nd Corinthians.

So, I was debating on what I was going to preach on this week.

I wanted to build on our theme from last week’s message regarding being faithful, but I was struggling to come up with a practical example of this message of faithfulness.

I was watching ESPN on Tuesday morning and I saw a few interviews of pro athletes that reside or grew up near or around the wildfires that are currently happening in California.

It got me to thinking about this passage from 2nd Corinthians which I have decided to use as the basis of today’s message.

(ESV)

(ESV)

1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.

4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So we are always of good courage.

We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.

8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil

6 So we are always of good courage.

We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.

8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil

1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.

4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So we are always of good courage.

We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.

8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

What is happening in California is truly devastating.

But in reality it is just another phase of destruction that has occured and will occur over the course of humanities existence on earth.

I am, in no way, minimizing what the residents of California are dealing with.

I cant even imagine what it would be like to lose everything I own … but my thoughts then travel to the Louisiana residents that are still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that happened way back in 2005.

I think about the residents of Puerto Rico that are still without the creature comforts we take so for granted since Hurricane Maria devastated their homes in 2017.

I think about the Houston Residents still trying to come back from Hurricane Harvey’s destruction in 2017.

And lastly, I think about the many parts of Florida that are still trying to function after Hurricane Irma caused so much damage to the Florida coastline making it the costliest storm in Florida’s history.

What is happening in California is truly devastating.

But in reality, it is just another phase of destruction that has occurred and will occur over the course of humanities existence on earth.

I am, in no way, minimizing what the residents of California are dealing with.

I can’t even imagine what it would be like to lose everything I own … but my thoughts then travel to the Louisiana residents that are still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that happened way back in 2005.

I think about the residents of Puerto Rico that are still without the creature comforts we take so for granted since Hurricane Maria devastated their homes in 2017.

I think about the Houston Residents still trying to come back from Hurricane Harvey’s destruction in 2017.

And lastly, I think about the many parts of Florida that are still trying to function after Hurricane Irma caused so much damage to the Florida coastline making it the costliest storm in Florida’s history.

Unfortunately, natural disasters will continue to plague us while we reside on this earth.

Atheists always seem to use these type of events as proof that “if” there really was a “loving God,” He would never allow such suffering amongst His followers … so they then assume in fact because of the struggling going on that there is no God.

This is a very sad discourse that they put their “faith” in.

Last week week we heard from the persecuted Apostle Paul as he wrote to his protege Timothy.

He was talking to Timothy about being chained and flipped it around to show how God’s word is not bound …

Unfortunately, natural disasters will continue to plague us while we reside on this earth.

Atheists always seem to use these types of events as proof that “if”

(ESV)

there really was a “loving God,” He would never allow such suffering amongst His followers … so they then assume in fact because of the struggling going on that there is no God.

This is a very sad discourse that they put their “faith” in.

Last week we heard from the persecuted Apostle Paul as he wrote to his protege Timothy.

He was talking to Timothy about being chained and flipped it around to show how God’s word is not bound …

10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

11 The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; 12  if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; 13  if we are faithless, he remains faithful

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;

(ESV)

Paul suffered greatly to proclaim the Gospel of Christ.

His suffering related to his bondage and the damage inflicted to his earthly body.

In his suffering though, he still spoke of Our Savior’s faithfulness, regardless of the level of our faith.

Our passage from 2nd Corinthians talks about a different type of suffering.

This tent that Paul is referring to is just that.

Tents are made to be mobile and do not offer permanent protection from the elements.

These tents that are mentioned do not just refer to our earthly dwellings … they also reference our earthly bodies.

Just as our houses can be destroyed by nature’s fury … Our “tents” or bodies will someday succumb to an earthly death.

But as our “tent” dwelling fades away, the cloak of God’s eternal dwelling is sure for all those who trust in Him.