Sermon Tone Analysis

It’s a mad, mad, mad world

Turn on the new’s, pick up the newspaper or turn on the radio and you will have it confirmed that we live in a mad, mad world in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation (Php2:15)

We are faced with living in the midst of this world and to be a shining light to the world, shining the light of Jesus, but how do we do it?

Work out your personal salvation (singular) so then can work it out as ours (plural) by being a light (Php2:12; Eph2:8-10; Tit3:1-8)

Php2:12

So, how are we to work it out?

- with fear and trembling; let me expand on that more, may we remember we are saved by grace through faith.

We are not saved by our works, or deeds, we hear, believe and respond to the gospel to accept the Lord’s righteousness not righteousness of our own.

Credited, saved, all with a purpose

Now this next section is longer, turn to Tit3:1-8 with me and lets see what we can glean from the scripture about working out our salvation.

Tit3:

(work out picture)

There is so much we can get from this passage i want to focus on things that help us work out our salvation.

Ask questions on these

Work out being ready for every good work (v.1)

Work out knowing it was not because of our righteousness (v.5)

Work it out knowing how our salvation came to be (v.5)

Work it out being careful to maintain good works (v.8)

We need to be careful because we are not saved by good works but for good works, our salvation will produce fruit of good works, now as we move on to see what that means.

Developing Christ Like Character

As have stated many times before becoming a Christian is easy, being the Christian God wants us to be following the example of Christ takes effort, takes perseverance, takes the Holy Spirit and each other to do it.

We do it by growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ (2Pt3:17-18; 2pt1:5-11)

How can you grow in grace?

Isn’t knowledge works?

Or does knowledge help to produce good works?

Let’s look at some scripture and let it tell us.

What is the instruction in (v.18)?

Why is the instruction given (v.17)

What is the results if you follow the instructions (v.18)?

Now the next passage is longer and I need you to turn to 2Pt1 please.

As we look at this next passage look at the graces to be developed and how they are developed.

(Work on developing grace picture)

There is the free gift of grace through faith that saves us (Eph2:8-9) and there is the measure of grace given to each person (Eph4:7) and the grace that we are to develop, to work it out, it takes effort and I think you will see that as we look at the breakdown of the passage.

What are the graces to be developed?

faith, moral excellence, knowledge (v.5)

self-control, perseverance, godliness (v.6)

Brotherly kindness, love (v.7)

What are the results if these graces are developed (v.8)

The warning if not developed (v.9)

What is the instruction, command given (v.10; also in v.5)?

What is the promise if developed and applied (v.11)?

This is truly a bible study tonight and it is scripture rich, but it will take diligence and perseverance to stay the course of it.

But don’t worry those are graces we are developing now, so turn to Col3:1-17 now.

We do it by putting off the old and putting on the new (Col3:1-17)

(Putting off the old - putting on the new picture)

As Peter had admonished in (2Pt3:17-18) and then gave the antidote to developing godly graces (2Pt1:5-11) when we do we re putting off the old and putting on the new.

So when we look at this passage let’s pull some things out.

Put on the new by doing what (vv.2)? - setting our mind on things above

Put on the new by considering what (v.5)? - members of our earthly body as dead.

He goes on to describe the earthy body, the old man in (vv.6-8)

What does he say we lay aside (v.9)? our old self, lying and evil practices

What does the new man look like (v.10-11)? - image of the One who created him, in which there is no distinction!

Having told you what the old looked like, what the new looks like, then he goes on to tell us more

Putting on the new, beyond salvation, he tells us to put on what (v.12-14)

Heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another and forgiving, and love, the perfect bond of unity.

What further instructions regarding the new man does Paul give in (v.15-17)?

Let the peace of Christ rule our hearts (v.15)

Let the Word of Christ dwell within (v.16)

May the thankfulness to Christ be displayed (v.17)

We develop these characters and we will be a reflection of God’s light (2Cor4:5-6)

By developing such Christ-like character, graces, we not only save ourselves,we then are truly lights in the world.

May we remember we are bond-servants of Christ for Christ’s sake.

Fulfilling what God wanted, shining the Light (Jesus) out of the darkness.

Developing Christ Like Service

Working out “our” salvation is displayed in developing Christ-like service, so may we look at how we can fulfill our function within the body and how we can be a good steward of God’s manifold grace.

Develop by effectively fulfilling our function within the body (Rom12:1-8)

I told you, warned you, promised you that it was scripture rich tonight, so let’s pile on some more, turn to Rom12:1-8

What is Paul urging (v.1-2)?

- present your bodies; renew your mind

Why is He urging it (v.1-2)? it is our spiritual service of worship; also so that you may prove the good, acceptable and perfect will of God.

He tells us each one of us has an alloted measure of faith (v.3)

But then in (vv.4-5) what does he tells us? we are one body who do not have the same function

He calls to action what we are to do with the Christ like service here in (vv.

6-8) - exercise it, and he describes some of the gifts, graces given that are Christ like character and display Christ like service.

Develop by ministering and being a good steward of God’s manifold grace (1Pt4:10-11; Mt25:14-30)

1

What are we to do with the special gift (v.10)?

Why are we to employ it (v.11)?

Our gifts are not for us, not for our glory but for others and for God’s glory and purpose, there is a diversity of gifts as seen in Rom12 also here in 1Pt4.

May we remember:

Minister with the proper spirit of humility (Rom12:3)

Minister with the diversity of gifts given and be a good steward of them as Jesus spoke in the parable of the Talents in (Mt25:14-30)

Look back at (v.11) again, may we finish with our service being that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ because of our Christ like service!

(Encouragement slide - zealous for good works picture)

encouragement prayer, (exit slide)