Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

To celebrate Easter this morning we will be reading from .

Now you may ask why I’m not reading from one of the gospel accounts of the resurrection in order to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

I’m reading from this passage for three reasons: One gives us one of the most beautiful accounts in the bible about not only the death and resurrection of Jesus, but his incarnation as well.

By carefully studying this passage, we can learn not only about the nature of Jesus, and the purpose of his death and resurrection.

Two, Paul connects the resurrection to the ongoing mission of the church.

three: Dal was sick this past week leaving me to do whatever the heck I wanted.

Illustration: Have you ever worked really hard, expecting a wonderful reward for your hard work?

The meanest teacher I have ever had was my sixth grade science teacher.

She graded very hard, she didn’t teach well, and she mocked me in front of the class many times and made me cry. to make matters even worse, Midway through the school year i had a C in her class.

And I do not get c’s.

But she offered a glimmer of hope.

Anyone who came after school to work in the school garden would get extra credit.

I decided that i would come every day until the end of the year in order to get enough extra credit to get an a in the class.

toiled in the school gardens, it was hot, I was dirty and sweaty and i hated it.

but i worked hard in the hope that one day in the end, i would have an a in my class.

At the end of the school year my teacher called me into her office and said: “Trevin, you know i was never going to give you more than ten points on your grade, but here is a gift for your hard work.

and as a gesture of respect and dare I say even friendship, she gave me to celebrate the upcoming summer, a pack of water balloons.

and i said in my heart, “that’s it?

I worked my butt off for ten points and a pack of water balloons??

People of God our Lord gives far better gifts than water balloons.

When we do good works for each other and for the people around us, what are we working for?

Are we working so that people will think well of us, and praise us and say what nice people we are?

Or are we working out of faith for the glory that God gives which lasts forever?

Are you working for an A in your science class?

or are you working to receive a handful of water balloons?

Too often in our daily lives

We work for the rewards of man, instead of the glory of God

It seems like the church in phil is one of Paul’s favorite churches.

in acts 16 this church was planted while paul was visiting for a very short time, and he was quickly kicked out of town and often called the epistle of joy, but just as often as paul talks about joy he is talking about suffering.

Phil is not about how to be happy empty Christians but how to have joy even when we are suffering terrible persecution and sorrow.

the passage we are reading this morning is the climax of this entire book where Paul teaches how we ought to live in light of who Christ is and the historical fact of his death and resurrection.

It seems like the church in phil is one of Paul’s favorite churches.

in acts 16 this church was planted while paul was visiting for a very short time, and he was quickly kicked out of town and often called the epistle of joy, but just as often as paul talks about joy he is talking about suffering.

Phil is not about how to be happy empty Christians but how to have joy even when we are suffering terrible persecution and sorrow.

the passage we are reading this morning is the climax of this entire book where Paul teaches how we ought to live in light of who Christ is and what he has done for us.

We will see what says in response to this, but first let’s talk a little about the context of the passage.

The church in Philippi was one of Paul’s favorite churches.

Paul planted this church in , but he was quickly forced to leave town.

But Paul stayed in touch with this little church.

Eventually while Paul was in prison, he wrote this letter to encourage the church and to thank them for their generous support of his ministry.

It is often called the epistle of joy because of how often Paul talks about joy, but just as often he talks about suffering.

Philippians is not about how to be Christians who pretend they are happy all the time, but how to have joy even when we are suffering terrible persecution and sorrow.

the passage we are reading this morning is the climax of this entire book where Paul teaches how we can experience joy in suffering because of who Jesus Christ is and because of the historical fact of his death and resurrection.

read the passage

read the passage

pray

Have you ever asked yourself the question, Why would Jesus, the Son of God who lived in perfect bliss and harmony with the Father come to earth, live a life of perfect submission to the Father and to others, teach us, heal us, and voluntarily die on the cross for us?

We see in the gospel accounts that when Jesus was on trial, he did not allow his disciples to fight for him and when he was on trial he did speak a word to defend himself.

Sometimes we get sentimental about it.

I know a song that says that I know that even if i was the only one that would be saved, Christ would have still died for me.

I don’t think this is the case.

Jesus Christ did not come to die and save one sinner alone, even though he does love each of us with an overwhelming love.

He came and died in the full hope and expectation that the Father would vindicate him before the whole world by raising him from the dead so that people from every nation would believe in him, and be saved and worship him as Lord!

Christ was raised from the dead on easter morning 2000 years ago and ascended into heaven earning the salvation of all of his people who come to him by faith.

You who believe in Jesus are forgiven of every evil thing you have ever done, given the hope of the resurrection, are able to call God your father, and worship Jesus Christ this morning only because of the hard work, self-sacrifice, blood, sweat and tears of Jesus.

your salvation is a reward given by the father to the Son

the point of the passage is that God promised Christ a reward for his work on the cross, God gives much better gifts than my 6th grade science teacher.

and do you know what the reward that the Father gave for the sacrifice of Christ?

Turn to your neighbor, turn to your family, look at all the nations.

we are the reward.

Christ was raised from the dead on easter morning 2000 years ago and ascended into heaven earning the salvation of all of his people who come to him by faith.

You worship Jesus Christ this morning only because of the hard work, self-sacrifice, through blood, sweat and tears.

your salvation is a reward given by the father to the Son

the point of the passage is that God promised Christ a reward for his work on the cross, God gives much better gifts than my 6th grade science teacher.

and do you know what the reward that the Father gave for the sacrifice of Christ?

Turn to your neighbor, turn to your family, look at all the nations.

we are the reward.

Christ was raised from the dead on easter morning 2000 years ago and ascended into heaven earning the salvation of all of his people who come to him by faith.

You worship Jesus Christ this morning only because of the hard work, self-sacrifice, through blood, sweat and tears.

your salvation is a reward given by the father to the Son

Sometimes we get sentimental about it.

I know a song that says that I know that even if i was the only one that would be saved, Christ would have still died for me.

I don’t think this is the case.

Jesus Christ did not come to die and save one sinner alone, even though he does love each of us with an overwhelming love.

He came and died in the full hope and expectation that the Father would vindicate him, and raise him from the dead and that people from every nation would believe in him, and be saved and worship Jesus Christ as Lord!

God gives much better gifts than my 6th grade science teacher.

Christ was raised from the dead on easter morning 2000 years ago and ascended into heaven earning the salvation of all of his people who come to him by faith.

You who believe in Jesus are forgiven, given the hope of the resurrection, are able to call God your father, and worship Jesus Christ this morning only because of the hard work, self-sacrifice, blood, sweat and tears of Jesus.

your salvation is a reward given by the father to the Son

Because Christ died and rose again to save us, we must work out our own Salvation.

What are you living for?

What are you working for?

Will what you are living for give meaning to your life?

Will anything that you do last beyond the grave?

I know for me, I’ve recently started doing fitness.

I’m feeling stronger and more healthy than I ever have in my life!

And yet, no matter how hard i work, in twenty years I will be weaker than I am right now at the beginning of my training, and not too long after that, i’ll be dead!

And the compliments on how good i look then will be for the mortician and not for me.

So it would be foolish to make my entire life about working out!

How can I invest in something that will last?

We find the answers in our passage this morning, Paul teaches us two things in light of the death and resurrection of Jesus:

Christ suffered for the glory that God gives, and we are his reward

Christ Suffered for the glory that God gives, and we are his reward.

Work for the glory that God gives, and wait for his reward

Work for the glory that God gives, and wait for his reward

Main Point 1

What is the point of the Cross?

Some people teach that Christ was only modeling what self sacrificial love looks like.

Christ loved people so much that he was willing to die for them.