Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction- Your life’s distractions need to be disrupted

Secularism, as defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary,[1] is the "indifference to, or rejection or exclusion of, religion and religious considerations."

In different contexts the word can refer to anticlericalism, atheism, desire to exclude religion from social activities or civic affairs, banishment of religious symbols from the public sphere, state neutrality toward religion, the separation of religion from state, or disestablishment (separation of church and state).

Illustrated: Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth In A Distracted Age by Alan Noble

A Distracted, Secular Age

The Barrier of Endless Distraction

The Barrier of the Buffered Self

Bearing a Disruptive Witness

Disruptive Personal Habits

Disruptive Church Practices

Disruptive Cultural Participation

Transition: Jesus shows up (again) and disrupts the disciples distractions

Reason for Lock doors:

1.

You have seen what has happened to others

2.

You are afraid it can happen to you

2.  You have experienced the same in life for yourself

Why Do We Lock Doors?

Illustrate:  You have seen how life has treated someone close to you or some important person in your life whom you love

Who or what are we trying to lock out?

Jesus shows up again and has to do the same thing essentially again but with a twist

“Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them.

Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."”

‭‭John‬ ‭20:26‬ ‭ESV‬‬

https://www.bible.com/59/jhn.20.26.esv

Where we live and work are we afraid?

Sometimes the closed door is in our own home

So you just come home, heat your food up in the microwave,  go to your bedroom, and lock the door and eat dinner and watch tv by yourself 

And the scripture is not just describing physical doors/barriers

What are some barriers in our lives both physical, emotional, and spiritual?

Sometimes alcohol and drugs are our barriers/doors.

Sometimes bad and dysfunctional relationships are our doors/barriers because we have such low self esteem of ourselves that we do not want to risk being vulnerable

Broken heart

Broke childhood

Broken spirit due to the debilitating effects of poverty

Broken marriage

But our resurrected Jesus has the power to come through our locked doors

Body- Effects Of Fear Upon The Church

Fear Places Barriers On Ministry

2 Timothy 1:

What are the disciples still doing 8 days later?

Fear of different people

Fear of change

Fear of death

Last week we learned Jesus came, stood, and spoke

Jesus gave the disciples an

Assignment

Anointing

“Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you.

As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you."

And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld."”

‭‭John‬ ‭20:21-23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

https://www.bible.com/59/jhn.20.21-23.esv

“And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:18-20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

https://www.bible.com/59/mat.28.18-20.esv

Fear Places Barriers On Christian Witness

Consider how Thomas responds to the disciples testimony of Jesus Christ’s resurrection

What did the disciples exactly say to Thomas?

What were the disciples supposed to be doing?

But what were they still doing?

What about the effectiveness of the disciples Christian Witness?

How effective is it?

Yes because had a Jesus just blown the Holy Spirit on them?

(Go back and review the scripture from last week’s Sermon)

Are the disciples acted like they saw Jesus Christ resurrected alive just eight days ago?

What happens when the church is not walking, going, moving With the power and authority that Jesus Christ has and powered her through the Holy Spirit

Does the disciples baggage hinder Thomas?

Andrew

Peter

Philip

Nathaniel

James and John

Fear Places Barriers On Faith

Now Consider who at the time had been following Jesus for 3 years and heard what he kept saying

Thomas wasn’t around the first time in resurrection Sunday

Why didn’t Thomas show up?

Illustrate:  Why didn’t some people come past Sunday but they came today?

Like James Brown:  “I don’t know!”

Else he will never believe

Some people have to see and touch the marks for themselves in order to believe?

Illustrate:  Aretha Franklin’s “Something He Can Feel” from the album Sparkle

And we within the church ought not get upset either!

Close

llustrate:

Rev. Dr. Cathy Gilliard at White rock Baptist church down in Durham, North Carolina at

3400 Fayetteville Street

Zipcode 27707

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001.

I had lost my job.

And couldn’t find any work.

I’ve been faithfully serving in the church walking with Jesus in it and just doing my best to represent Jesus Christ.

Rev.

Dr. Cathy Gilliard telling me it’s all right I’m just gonna have to run faster when I get back in the race.

And then packing up everything and moving up to Cambridge Massachusetts.

I had to let someone else pick out our place to stay.

Because we were unable to find anyone who would allow us to rent from them with the number of children we had in our family.

So a friend of mine picked out the place for me.