Living OUT Hope
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Background
Background
We are beginning a new sermon series: Living OUT Hope. in the new year we are going to take several weeks to examine the life of Jesus to learn how we can apply the hope of his coming and the hope his imminent return into our daily lives as we live OUT.
When you head down to the fellowship hall after service be on the look out for the words: UP, IN, and OUT. If you’re not familiar, these describe our relationships. Up with God, IN with each other (other believers), and OUT with others (everyone else). There is a lot more teaching to unpack with those 3 relationships and how they relate to each other. If you are interested in knowing more a great place to start is the roots class on January 26th. There is a sign up in the narthex.
Living OUT Hope: is learning how to live the hope of Jesus in our OUT relationship with others. It is the backbone of our Growing OUT focus this year with volunteer hours and donations locally and internationally. So we are going to start at the beginning of Jesus ministry as we looking at the baptism of Jesus.
As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison. Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Who is Looking?
Who is Looking?
As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ,
The passage starts with everyone being in expectation and questioning.... They were looking for something.
I was sitting at Starbucks on Friday morning with my neighbor (We get coffee about once a week.) This is an of my Out relationships. He is a great friend and good conversationalist I really enjoy the time. We got to talking about the cultural climate of spiritual things.
We are no longer in the modern age. We are deeply rooted in the post-modern. There are lots of differences but the ones pertinent to us are the spiritual ones.
The modern age say the advancement of science which questioned some deep rooted ideas religion had made in scientific areas. This came to a head with the evolution verse creationism battles. The church deciding that on this hill we will die.
Well through the progression from the modern age to the post modern age the church lost a lot of ground that it had held for a millenium. We’ve come to the realization that people are too caught up in their technology and knowledge and don’t have any time for spiritual things. But this isn’t true.
The modern age was dominated by the atheist monster. Truly just a mouse with a light shining on it creating a monster on the wall. It was only the shadow of atheism that was actually intimidating. And we would cower under our sheets from the shadow. Unwilling to show ourselves for fear that it would get us...
The post-modern age is different. We think that shadow out there is scary and will try to get us but the truth is its not being cast by atheism. The culture today is very spiritual. They accept that some things operate outside the fields of science and they are willing to accept that. They are agnostic. (Believe in higher power, but not sure to its character or role in the universe)
In the last three years there have been 6 major cinematic movies based on biblical stories. Remember some? in 2014 we had Noah & Exodus. Lately “the Star” “Risen” “Samson”.... They aren’t being made by the churches, they are being produces by real movie companies like Sony and Universal. Now if you saw those movies chances are they didn’t resinate with you because of differences from the bible. Maybe you didn’t like the rock giants in Noah, or the child depiction of God in Exodus. What ruined that movie for me was Brittany leaning over the first time Christian Bale was on screen and whispering in my ear…”I’m Batman.”
People are out there thinking and wondering about spiritual things. And the best part is they see a shadow on the wall. It’s not buddha, or tao. Its Judeo-Christian. Unless I missed it, there hasn’t been a movie about Buddha to hit the silver screen lately....
The point is Hollywood has figured out that people are interested in spiritual stories but not interested in the traditional packaging. They aren’t coming to church to figure it out.
I’m Not Him
I’m Not Him
John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
As the people come to hear John’s words they are filled with truth and knowledge. He doesn’t invite these wonderers to come to the temple to offer a sacrifice or participate in service. He answers their questions and teaches them the faith.
My favorite teaching of John the Baptist comes from
He must increase, but I must decrease.”
because it reminds me that its not about me… all of my relationships are about Him. IN and OUT. So I must focus on the UP relationship with God so that I don’t get in the way of those relationships and forget what my purpose is. So that my speech is seasoned with the living words of God and not coarse joking or vain speculations.
Keep at the front of your mind that every interaction we share with someone bares testament to something. As people question spiritual things and look to John he points to Jesus.
The Time is Now
The Time is Now
His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
The message John presents is one with urgency. God is not waiting for your death bed 70yrs from now to get involved. He doesn’t want your death he wants your life. A life to the full. I’m not saying you should finish every conversation with the question, “If you were to die tonight where would you go?” I am saying take every opportunity to share the love of Jesus and invite them to some kind of next step. “Should we get coffee again next week?” Why don’t you and kathy come over for dinner. (Invite them to your oikos)
Presenting the Good News
Presenting the Good News
So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people.
There is no cookie cutter way that God lines up opportunity for you to share his love. God has given you Hope in His promise. That might look like sobriety, it might look like a healed relationship. Tell the story, and share it with others. If you are wondering what that story is for you, you can look at your baptism. As your sins were drowned in the water and you were raise to new life you were baptized into Christ’s baptism.
Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Not by my own ability or desire but God’s faithfulness. Share the story of God’s faithfulness with your friends.