Sermon Tone Analysis

Face To Face

What was one of your greatest dreams when you were young?

My was to see Continental Singers concert live.

I’ve heard of them; friends brought tapes, listened to their music;

Spiritual music in communist Yugoslavia was pretty dull.

Classical music I was studying complex but without soul.

Rock, Pop, Folk didn’t meet any of my desires.

And then I heard Continental Singers.

Young protestant singers, enthusiastic, professional, complex, spiritual, beautiful, orchestral, vocal, exciting, passionate, un-ashamed.

Dreamt for long time to see them.

That would have been a mind-blowing experience.

Listened to others who have been there describing their concert: Orchestra, instruments, singers, smiles on faces, special clothes, singing without music sheet, singing with enthusiasm.

Finally an opportunity: Continental Singers coming to Cakovec

Got there early.

Walked in as soon as it opened.

Instruments on stage.

Auditorium started filling up.

The orchestra walked in

The singers walked in

The music started, and my heart stopped.

The real event was exactly like I heard it would have been, but again so much better, and bigger, and louder, and more glorifying!

No one could have prepared me for the event.

You had to be there to feel the power of fulfilled dream.

Luke 2:25-

What was Simeon expecting and now seen in the baby Jesus?

‘My eyes have seen your salvation’

Simeon’s eyes have not only seen the beautiful, but ultimately helpless, baby.

His eyes saw much farther, much deeper, much wider - the ultimate salvation.

And not only to Israel, but also to all people - ‘to the Gentiles.

Jesus’ birth wasn’t the main event in Simeon’s eyes.

Not even Jesus’ death and resurrection, but the ultimate salvation.

The salvation not only from the sin, but also from the sinful world.

And as beautiful as Jesus’ first coming was, His second Coming will be something to behold.

Hebrews 9:

As I was sitting in that small Baptist church, listening to the Continental Singers, my heart was full, knowing the life will never be the same.

As Simeon was watching the baby Jesus, his heart was full, knowing that the Saviour has been born, and now… it’s only the matter of time until He delivers us from our sin.

As we will be standing, resurrected in the new bodies, or transformed on the spot, watching for Christ coming down in His glory and with all of his holy angels, our heart will not only be full - it will melt, observing that glory, that majesty, that beauty, that power, that fulfillment of all our dreams and delivery from all humanity’s misery.

And from then on, the life in the universe, and the life in you, will never be the same.

I want to pray for each one of you.

I know you have heard the call from God, because I’ve just delivered it personally.

The dreams do come true!

Our God did come the first time, and He is coming the Second Time too!

Where is your heart?

With the world and its desires or with Christ?

What’s your plan?

To fight God?

To deny God?

To excuse your apathy?

Or to wait eagerly, actively, engaged in His plan and mission, your heart having been fully surrendered to him; your life having been fully aligned with His values; your salvation having been fully placed upon Jesus’ holiness, not on your own; until the orchestra of holy angels and singers of ages eternal break into our reality, and the Great Conductor, the First and the Last, he who was born a human, died a sacrifice, and is coming as the King of Kings, and fulfil the dreams fo countless ages?

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I hope you will say with me, now