Sermon Tone Analysis

THE LAWN CHAIR PILOT: In 2009 one of my favorite pixar movies came out called Up. (SL*) Before His house is taken away He ties a lot of helium balloon to it and goes up and to a place that he always wanted to visit.

Of course some people had to try it in real life.

(SL*) But long before these there was this guy; (SL*) (The lawn chair pilot…one day while sitting in his back yard he is bored and has an idea…elab(SL*)…When asked why by the news stations he replied... “can’t just sit there” or in other words you have to do something instead of sitting there and doing nothing.

(He did all that out of boredom and it accomplished little... what if we (who have much more important reasons) say very seriously “I can’t just sit here and do nothing?”

Illustration of balloon man… “can’t just sit there” or in other words you have to do something instead of sitting there and doing nothing.

(Now on a much more serious note:)

As followers of Christ we cannot “just sit there” and do nothing.

God has called us to work!

He has called us to do things that the world call foolish and even a waste of time and even dangerous and unnecessary!

The work that He has called us do HIS work!

(The very opposite of the silly story) we have The most important work!

The most essential work.

It is work that touches PEOPLES LIVES AND eternity.

SO NOT DOING ANYTHING IS NOT AN OPTION!

WE HAVE WORK TO DO!

And we should be excited and privileged that God has entrusted us with the work of the kingdom AND HE HAS GIVEN US HIS SPIRIT AND POWER TO HELP US ACCOMPLISH IT!

Because of the important of God’s work we cannot sit there and not say “we have got to do something.”

WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT IN CHRIST BEING WORKERS FOR GOD IS WHO WE ARE (OR AT LEAST SHOULD BE) IN CHRIST.

(SL*)

(GOD HA

TRANS: FOR US TO GIVE GOD’S WORK THE PRIORITY IT HAS TO HAVE YOU MAY NEED TO...

RENEW YOUR COMMITMENT TO DO GOD’S WORK!

FOR US TO RENEW OR MAYBE FOR THE FIRST TIME COMMIT FULLY TO GOD’S WORK WE MUST SEE OURSELVES AS “MADE FOR IT!” GOD CREATED US TO DO HIS WORK!

BORN FOR THIS: When I was in my first few years of full time ministry I had become pretty discouraged and was doubting whether it was for me.

Another minister found out and encouraged me.

He grabbed me by the shoulders and looked me in the eyes and said very confidently “we were born for this.”

There is a world of difference in whether or not you commit to something if you believe it is your purpose.

(SL*)

AS CHRIST’S FOLLOWERS “WE WERE BORN AGAIN FOR THIS” TO DO GOD’S WORK!

DOING GOD’S WORK IS WHAT HE CREATED US FOR AND A PART OF WHY HE SAVED US.

IN CASE YOU DID NOT CATCH IT THIS VERSE SAYS God’s work is what we were made for!

God saved us and created us to do His works, He even prepares it beforehand (goes before us) so that we walk in (or daily live) life of doing His work.

GOD HAS A PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE!

People often talk about how God has a purpose for your life (and He does) as something that has yet to be revealed or done (and He may).

But before we focus so much on that let’s not forget that God’s purpose for our lives is not a mystery God has made it plain as day through Jesus!

Our purpose is to continue Christ purpose.

Christ purpose is to do the works of God.

God has a purpose for your life to prosper you (maybe, but He might want you to prosper you spiritually while you stay poor physically)....

The part of God’s purpose for your life that you hear about less is being a part of what God intends for your future is for you to get to work and accomplish what He has laid out for us to do!

To show just how serious God is about us (not just being saved by God’s grace) but saved to do God’s work…let’s take a trip through the Book of Titus so we can see just how much God wants to make sure we are NOT JUST DOING GOOD WORKS OCCASIONALLY BUT DEVOTED TO, WALKING IN AND LIVING TO DO GOD’S WORK!

(The first thing we see is in which gives us a huge truth that Jesus not only died to save us but He gave Himself up so we would be doers of God’s good works!

CHRIST GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR US TO DO GOD’S WORK.

(SL*)

DOING GOD’S WORK IS ONE REASON CHRIST DIED!

We know very well that Christ died to save us from our own sin (by taking the punishment for it) to purify us from it but also notice make a people who do God’s work!

He gave himself up for us to DO GOD’S WORK TO CARRY ON THE GOOD WORKS THAT HE DID!

SO if OUR view of the cross is only that Christ died to save us from our sins then your view of is too small!

‘Christ gave His life so that we could be saved but He also died so that we would give our lives to serve!” - sm

To say it another way: “Christ sacrificed His life to save you so you would sacrifice your life to His service” - SM

It is no wonder God is so serious about us doing His work!

HE GAVE HIS SON SO THAT YOU WOULD BE SERVANT so if you are not doing His work one of the purposes of His Son’s sacrifice is not being fulfilled.

Now Titus 3...

GOD INSISTS THAT WE BE CAREFUL TO DO HIS WORK!

Trans: Now to and notice just how serious God is about ALL of His children being involved in good works; (SL*)

Look at the persistence in these verses: God wanted Titus to insist on these things.

(What things?

What was just said that we were justified by His grace and we are heirs of heaven…so that…or in other words…so that God’s people would be motivated...

So that those who believed in God…(Q: How many of you believed in God? Raise your hand.

Yes!) God want you to be careful to devote yourself to good works.

HE INSISTS!

But he shouldn’t have to because of what He has given us.

trans: One more time in the second to last sentence in the letter God says again(SL*)

Titus 3:

So without a doubt God wanted us to learn to devote ourselves to good to not be unfruitful!

We are often very driven to live productive lives but if we are not being fruitful for God and doing what we do for His glory then we are not being productive at all not matter what we get done.

As God’S people we DESPERATELY need to rise above the cultural mindset that Christ came to die for us to save us and as long as we do not do bad things and worship occasionally we are good.

CHRIST died for so much more!

We are saved to carry out Christ’s works, some of which include “helping cases of urgent need,” as points out!

DOING GOD’S WORK AND BEING DEVOTED TO IT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE WE ARE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST AND WE SHOULD BE DOING WHAT HE DID! b/c...

JESUS CAME TO DO THE FATHER’S WORK AND HAS GIVEN THE WORK TO HIS DISCIPLES

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN OUR LIVES IF WE REALIZED THAT “SOME OF THE SITUATIONS THAT WE ENCOUNTER AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE WE MEET ARE THERE AT THE TIMES THEY ARE BECAUSE GOD WANTS US TO WORK SO HE COULD BE GLORIFIED!”

Jesus’ ministry is a great example of this and what happened in .

If you remember Jesus and His disciples came in contact with a man born blind from birth (9:1).

The disciples assume that He is this way because of sin.

Jesus responds: (SL*)

John

So this man is blind and Jesus comes in contact with Him at this time so that God’s works can be displayed in Him and God can be glorified!

If we could only see the situations in our lives where God gives us opportunities as being there so that God’s works can be displayed in them.

(Whether God’s work of love, compassion, guidance or providing…)

The disciples saw in the man a theological question mark?

Jesus saw a man who needed help and an opportunity to work for God and glorify Him! Notice verse 4...

jOHN

God has given us works to accomplish as well just as He did Christ!

Notice, “whoever believes” will do the works I do.”

Q: How many of you believe in Jesus?

JESUS SAYS YOU WILL DO THE WORKS OF GOD AS WELL!

You are a witness to yourself that you are to do God’s works.

You are a witness to yourself that you are to do God’s works.

Notice: Q: “Who must works the works of God who sent Christ?”

There are two hugely powerful small word here “WE” and “MUST.”

IF WE WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS (HOW MANY OF YOU WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS?) WE WILL WE MUST BE DOING THE WORK OF GOD WHO HAS SENT US!

(OPTIONAL: Jesus says here He is the light of the world as long as He is in the world.

Who else did Jesus call the light of the world?

His followers.

In this context how would people see His light?

The works!

Now, how will people see our light that points to His light?

By doing God’s works!)

VERSE…GIVEN US HIS MOST IMPORTANT WORK...

Jesus says night is coming when no one can work…so if we are not working for God now, what are you waiting for…the clock is ticking…”we do not have all day.”