Sermon Tone Analysis

CHURCH 911

SERMON 5

WHERE DO I FIT IN?

INTRODUCTION:

EVERYONE HAS A DESIRE TO BE VALUED.

PUAL CAPTURES THIS TRUTH IN HIS WORDS TO THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH HERE IN VERSES 26 THROUGH 31.

BUT HE CAUTIONS THEM NOT TO OVERVALUE THEMSELVES.

HE REMINDS THEM THAT THEIR TRUE VALUE; THEIR SENSE OF WORTH, CANNOT BE BASED ON WORLDLY STANDARDS, BECAUSE IF THIS WERE THE CASE, THEY WOULD NOT BE CHOSEN.

RATHER, THEY ARE TO FIND THEIR VALUE, AND THEIR PURPOSE; THEIR CALLING, IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST, AND IN GOD’S STATED PURPOSE FOR HIS FOLLOWERS.

VERSES 26 THROUGH 31 CALL BELEIVERS TO REFLECT UPON SEVERAL TRUTHS.

HERE’S THE FIRST ONE…

1. CONSIDER YOUR CALLING.

a. FOR CONSIDER YOUR CALLING, BROTHERS: NOT MANY OF YOU WERE WISE ACCORDING TO WORLDLY STANDARDS, NOT MANY WERE POWERFUL, NOT MANY WERE OF NOBLE BIRTH.

b.

NOT MANY IN PAUL’S DAY, AND TO BE HONEST, NOT MANY OF US TODAY, CAN LAY CLAIM TO ANYTHING SPECIAL, ACCORDING TO THE STANDARDS OF THIS WORLD.

i. FOR THE MOST PART, NONE OF US ARE CATEGORIZED AMONG THE WISE OF THIS WORLD;

ii.

NONE OF US WIELD ANY REAL INFLUENCE OVER THE AFFAIRS OF THE WORLD;

iii.

AND NONE OF US ARE PEDIGREED, THAT IS WE ARE NOT DESCENDANTS OF NOBILITY OR ROYALTY.

c. STILL YET, GOD CHOSE TO INCLUDE YOU IN EXECUTING HIS PLAN FOR THE REDEMPTION OF MAN.

2. SO, GOD CHOSE YOU IN SPITE OF YOURSELVES.

a. BUT GOD CHOSE WHAT IS FOOLISH IN THE WORLD TO SHAME THE WISE; GOD CHOSE WHAT IS WEAK IN THE WORLD TO SHAME THE STRONG; 28 GOD CHOSE WHAT IS LOW AND DESPISED IN THE WORLD, EVEN THINGS THAT ARE NOT, TO BRING TO NOTHING THINGS THAT ARE,

b.

REMEMBER IN VERSE 26, PAUL WRITES THAT NOT MANY BELIEVERS WERE WISE, POWERFUL, OR NOBLE.

c. SO GOD CHOSE THE FOOLISH, THE POWERLESS, AND THE COMMON TO REVEAL TO THE WORLD THE FUTILITY OF WHAT THE WORLD VALUES.

i. HE CHOSE WHAT IS FOOLISH.

1. HE CHOSE WHAT THE WORLD CONSIDERS TO BE FOOLISH TO SHAME THE WISE.

2. THE WORD “FOOLISH” IS A WORD THAT MEANS UNINTELLIGENT, OR DULL-MINDED.

d.

THE CULTURE HAS LONG ACCUSED THE CHURCH OF BEING UNINTELLIGENT, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN A LOVING, REDEEMING, CREATOR GOD.

i. THE CULTURE CHOOSES TO PLACE ITS FAITH IN ITSELF.

1. IT HAS LITTLE INTEREST IN DOING GOD’S WILL.

ii.

AND THE DANGER IN THAT IS THAT GOD SAYS WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE, HIS WILL, OR OUR OWN WILL.

1. BUT IF WE REJECT HIS WILL, AND CHOOSE OUR OWN WILL, THE PAYMENT FOR THIS CHOICE IS OUR ETERNITY.

iii.

HE ALSO CHOSE WHAT IS WEAK.

1. HE CHOSE WHAT THE WORLD CONSIDERS OF LITTLE INFLUENCE TO MAKE A GLOBAL IMPACT FOR CHRIST.

e. IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING A DEEP IMPACT FOR THE LORD AROUND THE WORLD, WE USUALLY THINK OF CELEBRITY SPIRITUAL LEADERS LIKE FRANCIS CHAN, OR FRANKLIN GRAHAM.

f.