Sermon Tone Analysis

*September 7, 2008 Bothwell & Clachan

Jesus Wants Me to Do What? - No. 02.

“Will the Circle Be Unbroken?”

*Matthew 18:15-20*

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*Communion*

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*INTRODUCTION*

*A Communion Meditation - “Will the Circle be Unbroken?”*

This morning’s message is not intended to be a full-length message which deals with all the points raised in the controversial verses read earlier this morning.

My intention is to direct our thoughts and attention to this morning’s Communion Service or Lord’s Supper.

That is why I choose the title, based on the old gospel song: “Will the Circle be Unbroken?”

Whatever I say today is done with the intention of having our hearts and minds prepared for that observance at the end of this message.

Today as we look at two of Jesus’ very famous promises I will also have a request for you to consider.

You may be surprised at this request.

Basically, I am going to ask you this morning not to just blindly quote or claim these 2 verses without being aware that they come from this specific part of the Bible.

And because of that pastoral request I am going to start from the end of these verses and work backwards.

Matthew 18:20 contains a promise of Jesus Presence Among us, while Matthew 18:19 contains a promise of Answers to Prayer.

*JESUS PRESENCE  AMONGST US*

First we need to admit that not everyone believes that Jesus is among us.

*Humour: Jesus Wasn’t There*

Joyce Parsonm writes: My three-year-old grandson found a quarter in the driveway as the family left for church.

When they returned home, he pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to his mother saying, "You can have this money, Mommy.

I was going to give it to Jesus, but he wasn't there."[1]

On the other hand some among us are very perceptive when it comes to being aware of Jesus.

*Jesus Opens Doors*

C.L. Null writes: The preschool Sunday school teacher was explaining to her class that Jesus would always be with them even though they could not see him.

"I already know that," piped up one 4-year-old.

"He's the one who opens the door when we go into a store."[2]

*PROMISES IN THE BIBLE*

*Jesus Presence*

Perhaps the most famous promise in the Bible about the presence of Jesus is found at the end of Matthew.

There in Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus sends out all of his disciples and commands us to make disciples, baptize and teach.

We refer to those verses as The Great Commission.

And they close with the wonderful promise in verse 20 “ And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

It doesn’t get much better that that.

Jesus is saying, “As you are going and serving me in this way I will be there for you.”

And that also, by the way, is a statement in which Jesus is basically saying, “Oh yes, and I am God.”

How else could he promise to be with us where ever we were forever and ever?

That is your first promise for this morning and it wasn’t even in the regular Bible reading.

So here is my first request this morning: If you want to remind yourself or any one else that Jesus is with us please use Matthew 28:20 rather than the verse that was read earlier this morning from Matthew 18:20: “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

And I’ll tell you why in a few moments.

*A Three strand Cord*

But first I have another promise for you from Ecclesiastes.

It is that tiny book in the Old Testament that we rarely read but has those famous verses about a time for everything etc.

In Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 there is a promise about a three stranded cord.

Three-stranded cord, you ask?

It goes like this:

 

9Two are better than one,

because they have a good return for their labor:

10If they fall down,

they can help each other up.

But pity those who fall

and have no one to help them up!

11Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.

But how can one keep warm alone?

12Though one may be overpowered,

two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).[3]

That makes sense, doesn’t it?

We have probably all at one time braided three strands of something together and then been amazed at the strength that it took to separate them.

It is the principle behind the creation of cord or cable.

A year ago I was very glad for braided steel cable as Robert took up on the “Canopy Tour” at Haliburton Forest.

As I walked on those thin boards, 3 stories up in the air, I was praying that they had not been purchased from the lowest bidder.

There is strength in numbers.

Sports teams do so much better when the individual stars try to complement the other player’s skills.

When the final prize is awarded how often do we hear one of the players praise the “role” players on the team.

These are ones who may not be stars but they still have a very special niche to fill on the roster.

In the Bible, Paul talks about the needed roles within the church.

In his first letters to the Church in the City of Corinth, he writes that not every one is a Missionary or an Evangelist, because that would be like having a body composed of only a giant eye or an ear (1 Corinthians 12).

Why mention “A cord of three strands” or of First Corinthians 12?  Again it is because of this morning promise from Matthew 18:19, which talks about “agreeing together”.

I want us to remember that there are other verses which mention this theme.

*SYMPHONY “AGREES”*

Agreeing together.

They were still using the old Massey Hall when I attended my first, and probably only, symphony concert.

Back then I was a Music student at the Bible College.

Our professor had told use to listen and watch very carefully.

One by one, the finest classical musicians in Toronto took their seats, instruments at the ready.

Then they began to play.

I cringed.

It sounded more like rush hour outside my dorm window on Spadina Avenue.

The sound from that stage was more like that which might have been created if they had instead been torturing a thousand stray cats.

But fortunately it was only scores of separate instruments tuning up.

Each musician played without paying any attention to the others, and it sounded /bad/.

Then the conductor took the stand.

The instruments fell silent.

A hush came over the audience as he raised his baton.

At the downbeat, an ocean of harmony cascaded into the auditorium.

The musicians now played /in concert/ with each other.

/Together/ they were an orchestra.

/Together/ they expressed sounds that simply couldn’t be created individually.

You might be surprised to know that Jesus called His people to be a symphony.

In Matthew 18:19, He said, *"If two of you on earth /agree/ about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.

For where two or three come together in my name there am I with them".*

The Greek word for */agree/* in this passage is the one/ /from which we derive our word /symphony/.

When we are in agreement before the Lord in our lives and ministries—and in our worship together—the combined effect is like that of a symphony.[4]

So an “agreeing” symphony is just another word for a “Team” or a “Cell” group which is committed to working together.

*A PASTOR’S REQUEST RE USING THE BIBLE*

By this point I hope that some of you are at least asking yourselves: Why does Steve care which verses I quote or use from the Bible?

To answer that question, let me first say that I am grateful for an article from Discipleship Journal entitles: “The seven basic principles of interpretation.*”*

*/The seven basic principles of interpretation /*

1. Look for the author’s intended meaning.