Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Illustration: Life Together is a book by the German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, written while Bonhoeffer taught at an underground seminary.

At a time when hatred and suspicion were on the rise due to the world wars, Bonhoeffer lifted up text on love and living in harmony.

He believed that God bestows brotherhood upon us because we are in fact our brother's keeper.

In his writing he expounds upon his premise, "Without Christ there is discord between God and man and between man and man . . .

Christ opened up the way to God and to our brother".

He opens with the quote from : "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity."

He then gives several examples of times when we are to come together through praise.

He writes that community is not something to be taken for granted.

Because this gave him an inside view to the needs of the Body of Christ, he was able to articulate what he saw as the gap in reality between what the Church should look like according to the Book of Acts, and what the Church actually looked like before the eyes of the world.

He found it hard to accept that most pastors considered the way the Nazis treated the Jews to be acceptable, which they expressed through inaction.

He struggled with the moral dilemma of obeying the authorities or following the higher laws of Christ.

Notes:

They meet one another as bearers of the word of salvation

One is a brother to another only through Jesus Christ

Christian brotherhood is not an ideal but a divine reality

Instead of being thankful daily for the Christian fellowship we have been placed, we complain that Everything is so paltry and petty, then we hinder ourselves from the blessings and riches of Christ Jesus.

When a person has become alienated from a Christian Community in which he has been placed, and begins to complain, he had better examine himself to insure his issue is not due to his wish dream which God is destroying.

Life Together Starts With Prayer

We take our cue on praying from the prayer life and example of Jesus Christ.

Pray according to the word of God.

Christian prayer takes its stand on the solid ground of the revealed word.

The psalms teach us to pray as a fellowship.

Life Together Involves Devotions

Common devotions will include, besides prayer of the psalms, a longer reading from the old testament and the New Testament.

A Christian fellowship should be able to listen to at least a whole chapter of the old testament and half a chapter of the New Testament every morning and evening.

In devotions, prayer and God‘s word belong together.

Life Together Involves Fellowship of the table

God’s word, hymn of the church, and the prayer of the fellowship stand at the threshold of the day.

Three types of table fellowship that the Lord keeps with is one:

Daily fellowship at the tableTable fellowship of the Lord supperFinal table fellowship in the kingdom of God

Life Together Involves Ministry or Service To One Another

First service is active listening

The beginning of love is listening to your brother or sister in Christ

Our attitude towards our brother and sister in Christ, reflects our attitude towards God

Second service is active helping

Third service is active bearing- Jesus Christ bore the burden of man in his body therefore we are called to do the same.

See &

To bear the burden of the other is to be involved with the creative reality of the other and To accept it and affirm it and to break through to the point that we find joy.

Fourth Service/Ministry of proclaiming to one another- proclaiming from a spirit of bearing and forbearing

forebearing

Ministry of authority

The church does not need brilliant personalities but instead faithful servants of the master Jesus Christ.

They are guided by the word of the good shepherd Jesus Christ.

Once authority is measured by one’s faithfulness to Jesus Christ.

Now come, as the sinner you are, to the God who loves you.

God loves the sinner but he hates sin.

The church is a blessing to us because the church has been giving authority by Jesus Christ to forgive ones sins?

Life Together Involves Confession

Through confession the breakthrough to new life occurs.

Confession is conversion.

In confession the disciple gives up and follows.

Confession is discipleship.

Through confession, Life with Jesus Christ and his community has begun.

What happened during baptism is bestowed upon us anew through confession.

Mutual confession helps us to insure ourselves against self-deception.

Life Together In the joyful sacrament

Preparation for the Lord supper is filled with brother admonition, encouragement,, Prayers, and with fear, And with joy.

It is here at the Lord’s supper that Joy in life and in his community is made complete.

Transition To Body-

2020 Theme: Life Together In Christ

Theme: Life Together In Christ

2020 Vision: Becoming A Community Of Jesus Followers Who Are Growing Spiritually And Care For One Another As Well As Those On The Margins Of Our Society

Acts 2:42-47

Holy Spirit Filled Apostles and followers of Jesus Christ at Pentacost

Body- They Were Committed Church Converts

Acts 2

They Were Committed Church Converts

devoted = to stick by or be close at hand, attach oneself to, wait on, be faithful to someone

to continue to do something with intense effort, with the possible implication of despite difficulty—‘to devote oneself to, to keep on, to persist in.’

devoted = became disciples

disciples = People who followed Jesus and listened to his teachings

Disciples Are Devoted To:

Committed To Evangelistic & Edifying Teaching

Gospel Centered Teaching

Apostles

one who fulfills the role of being a special messenger (generally restricted to the immediate followers of Jesus Christ, but also extended, as in the case of Paul, to other early Christians active in proclaiming the message of the gospel)—‘apostle, special messenger.’

Teaching

to provide instruction in a formal or informal setting—‘to teach, teaching.’

the activity of teaching, teaching, instruction

the content of teaching, teaching

Content of Apostles teaching (what ought be the content of our teaching or rather what type of content of the apostles teaching is so attractive)

“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."”

ESV

https://www.bible.com/59/mat.28.19-20.esv

Wheat dad/does Jesus command of His apostles/disciples?

Love One Another

Illustration: I Want To Be Like Mike commericials

I want to be like Christ- Flame

Committed To The Fellowship Of The Faithful

close association involving mutual interests and sharing, association, communion, fellowship, close relationship

attitude of good will that manifests an interest in a close relationship, generosity, fellow-feeling, altruism

sign of fellowship, proof of brotherly unity, even gift, contribution

participation, sharing

The essence of the Christian life—fellowship with God and fellowship with other believers in Christ.

As a result of Christ’s finished work on the cross, God now makes his permanent abode in the believer’s heart (Jn 14:23).

Hence the fellowship which now prevails under the new covenant is nothing less than the vital, spiritual union of the believer with Christ (Jn 14:20, 21).

Fellowship with God is the goal of the Christian life (1 Jn 1:3), and this relationship will be perfected forever when we see our Savior “face to face” (1 Cor 13:12), when God dwells with his people in the heavenly kingdom (Rv 21:3).

The gospel restores fellowship not only with God, but among believers as well.