Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Science tells us that we are hard-wired for relationships – God created us that way.

Life change/transformation happens in the context of relationships.

NOTE: accountability does not CHANGE people - life-giving relationships do!

The definition of doing life together is; strangers become friends, friends become family!

Christianity is imparted in relationships, not taught.

God hides the kingdom in Community:

​Matthew 16:19 NLT19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

From this statement we can draw two immediate conclusions:1.

The Kingdom of God is hidden behind multiple locked doors.2.

It is necessary to operate in the “Kingdom keys” given us by Jesus to enter into, and walk consistently in His kingdom.The first of these keys /principles is relationship; Jesus said He wasn’t showing up for the Lone Ranger;

GOD’S PLAN FOR SPIRITUAL MATURITY AND FRUITFULNESS

Father God is above all things, relational.

God did not come to a fallen creation because heaven was lacking order or holiness.

He considered all of heaven and its perfection along with his own holiness secondary to restoring relationship with a messy and broken creation.

CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:

We are beings created in relationship - we were created in the image of a triune God in relationship.

[1]“Let us make man in our image” – we are created in the image of a relationship.

We were created for relationship - God created us in His image to be in relationship with Himself.

We are called “the bride”, “children”, “sons and daughters”, “brothers and sisters”; everywhere is the paradigm of intimate relationship.

We continue to exist by relationship - We continue to exist as a creation only as long as we are willing to pursue and cooperate in relationship.

By requiring relationship, he requires us to operate in that nature to walk in His By requiring relationship, he requires us to operate in His nature to operate in His Kingdom.

Kingdom Relationships achieve exponential results:

When 2 or more Christians cooperate in something, it is a non-linear equation; to quote Aristotle put it this way: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

Our ability to affect change in the earth increases exponentially when we are in community.

Knowing that we can greatly increase our impact in the earth through community, how then can we justify working alone?

Our individual witness is important, but it pales in comparison to our corporate witness in community.

Jesus said this:

In Revelations is says this: