Sermon Tone Analysis

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imagine a life in which you had absolutely nothing to look forward to… Several years ago there were a number of ponzi scenes going on… well off people… the rich and famous.. upper middle and also .

.. the blue collar work force.. the ones that go to work day after day.

just to feed their family.. and if they are fortunate enough.. they are able to take a vacation and when they turn 60.. they can retire....

a number of them when they went to retire .. found out that the money they had been sacrificing and putting in the bank… investing....was all gone… they had been taught.. to sacrifice.. put off those pleasures unitl retirement… save.. save save save… and now when the season comes that they should finally be able to reap the blessings of sacrificing all these years..

instead of being able to sit back an relax.. they have to go back into the work force…many 60, 65, 70 years old… faced with the reality that.. i will work my self to death...

in our text… we find ... ​Some in Corinth were teaching that Christians had nothing to look forward to, no resurrection.

no.. eternal life… no purgatory… no streets of Gold… no pearly gates.. all you had to look forward to was being stuck in some wood or metal box...

imagine a life in which you had absolutely nothing to look forward to.

​Some in Corinth were teaching that Christians had nothing to look forward to, no resurrection.​In

our passage, Paul corrected them, telling them that when Jesus comes, we will receive a body just like His: one that is spiritual, powerful, incorruptible and immortal.​Focus

verse:​ NKJV58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.​:58Sometimes,

we can feel that the sacrifices we make for the Lord are a waste of time.​But

our future participation in the resurrection will make all our labour for the Lord more than worth it!​Note:

We can only look forward to the resurrection if we are labouring!​What is labour?

It is hard work.

It is the opposite of laziness.​

NKJV6 Go to the ant, you sluggard!

Consider her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest.

9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard?

When will you rise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep— 11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.​God’s

grace doesn’t produce laziness, it produces hard workers:​Grace doesn’t produce laziness, it produces hard workers:​ NKJV10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.​​We are not saved by our works, but true faith is always accompanied by works:We are not saved by our works, but true faith is always accompanied by works:​ NKJV17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.​​This

presents us with the question: are you labouring for the Lord?​There are different types of labour...​​

Paul corrected them, telling them that when Jesus comes, we will receive a body just like His: one that is spiritual, powerful, incorruptible and immortal.​

n our passage, Paul corrected them, telling them that when Jesus comes, we will receive a body just like His: one that is spiritual, powerful, incorruptible and immortal.​

Focus verse:​

1 corit

Sometimes.. as men and women of God… As believers... we can feel that the sacrifices we make for the Lord are a waste of time.​.. especially in a time .. in a world when we look a round and we see the ones that aren't making any sacrifices .. seem to be prospering…not just financially.. but in there homes .. their families ..on the job...

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.​:58Sometimes,

we can feel that the sacrifices we make for the Lord are a waste of time.​But

our future participation in the resurrection will make all our labour for the Lord more than worth it!​Note:

We can only look forward to the resurrection if we are labouring!​What is labour?

It is hard work.

It is the opposite of laziness.​

NKJV6 Go to the ant, you sluggard!

Consider her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest.

9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard?

When will you rise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep— 11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.​God’s

grace doesn’t produce laziness, it produces hard workers:​Grace doesn’t produce laziness, it produces hard workers:​ NKJV10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.​​We are not saved by our works, but true faith is always accompanied by works:We are not saved by our works, but true faith is always accompanied by works:​ NKJV17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.​​This

presents us with the question: are you labouring for the Lord?​There are different types of labour...​​

But the thing is … I know the mother use to say.. it will pay off after while… and she was absolutely correct.. if you hold on to God… then heaven belongs to you..

there use to be a song we use to sing… if you live right Heaven belongs to who....

if you love right.. no anger.. no bitterness heaven belongs to you

III.

Labour

Tomorrow is a holiday called Labour Day… a day created in 1880.... and made into a national holiday in 1887.......​What is labour?

It is hard work.

It is the opposite of laziness

AS many of us are living under gace and mercy .. ​God’s grace doesn’t produce laziness, it produces hard workers:​

.

.​God’s grace doesn’t produce laziness, it produces hard workers:​

.​

NKJV6 Go to the ant, you sluggard!

Consider her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest.

9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard?

When will you rise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep— 11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.​God’s

grace doesn’t produce laziness, it produces hard workers:​Grace doesn’t produce laziness, it produces hard workers:​ NKJV10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.​​We are not saved by our works, but true faith is always accompanied by works:We are not saved by our works, but true faith is always accompanied by works:​ NKJV17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.​​This

presents us with the question: are you labouring for the Lord?​There are different types of labour...​​

Grace doesn’t produce laziness, it produces hard workers:

​

​​We are not saved by our works, but by our faith...... and faith is always accompanied by works

:​ NKJV17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.​​This

presents us with the question: are you labouring for the Lord?​There are different types of labour...​​

This presents us with the question: are you labouring for the Lord?........you say you have faith.. but what is your faith producing...

:We are not saved by our works, but true faith is always accompanied by works:​ NKJV17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.​​This

presents us with the question: are you labouring for the Lord?​There are different types of labour...​​

IV..There are different types of labour...​​

Labour of love

10

what we do to each other.....we do to His name (“you have shown toward His name”).​Whilst

we are called to love all people, we are especially called to love our brothers and sisters in Christ

what we do to each other we do to His name (“you have shown toward His name”).​Whilst

we are called to love all people, we are especially called to love our brothers and sisters in Christ:​ NKJV35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”​​

NKJV10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.​​​

​The labour of love is when we minister to one another.​Notice

what we do to each other we do to His name (“you have shown toward His name”).​Whilst

we are called to love all people, we are especially called to love our brothers and sisters in Christ:​ NKJV35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”​​

NKJV10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.​​​

:​ NKJV35

By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

​​ NKJV10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.​​​

Labour of giving

​

NKJV28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.

​This labour of giving also extends to giving to God’s house - the church.​

in the days of Haggai the prophet, the temple needed to be worked on..

Haggai 1

The lesson was simple: God wasn’t blessing the labour of their hands, because they lacked in the labour of giving to Him!​

.​

NKJV3 Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?” 5 Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! 6 “You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.”

7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! 8 Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the Lord.

9 “You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away.

Why?” says the Lord of hosts.

“Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house.

10 Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit.

11 For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.”​The

lesson was simple: God wasn’t blessing the labour of their hands, because they lacked in the labour of giving to Him!​Giving to God is an essential part of our labour.

He has given so much to us, we should be more than happy to give back to Him.Giving to God is an essential part of our labour.

He has given so much to us, we should be more than happy to give back to Him.​God commanded His people that they were to support His work by giving a tithe (i.e.

tenth) so that His house could be looked after.​Jesus

commanded that the tithe must not be neglected:​ NKJV23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!

For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith.

These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.​Note:

tithing must not be left “undone” according to Jesus.

If we claim to follow Jesus, we must take these words seriously and get involved in the labour of giving by tithing to the church we are part of.​​​​

Giving to God is an essential part of our labour.... that we are showing towards GOd..

He has given so much to us, we should be more than happy to give back to Him......​God commanded His people that they were to support His work by giving a tithe (i.e.