Sermon Tone Analysis

Jesus Often Withdrew

 

/If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.

Let him step to the music which he hears however measured or far away./

/                                                  WALDEN/

 

Without Christian culture and Christian hope, the modern world would come to resemble a half‑derelict fun‑fair, gone nasty and poverty‑racked, one enormous Atlantic City.

(Russell Kirk)

 

1.

Jesus is our pattern.

Graffiti found on a wall of St. John's University:  Jesus said unto them:  "Who do you say that I am?"

And they replied:  "You are the eschatological manifestation of the ground of our being, the kerygma in which we find the ultimate meaning of our interpersonal relationships."

And Jesus said:  "What?"

 

Napoleon's Testimony

 

Listen to the testimony of Napoleon Bonaparte.

He was discussing Christ with Henri Bertrand, an officer who faithfully accompanied him into exile but did not believe in the deity of Jesus.

The former emperor of France gave this witness:  "I know men, and I tell you that Jesus Christ was not a mere man.

Superficial minds see a resemblance between Him and the founders of empires and the gods of their religions.

That resemblance does not exist.

There is between Christianity and the forms of pagan worship the distance of infinity.

Everything in Christ astonishes me.

His spirit overawes me, and His will confounds me.

He commands us to believe and gives no reason besides His own inspiring claim, `I am God.'  Between Him and others in this world there is no possible comparison.

He is truly a Being by himself.

His sentiments, the truths which He announced, and His manner of life are unexplainable.

Philosophers who try to solve the mysteries of the universe by their empty dissertations are fools!...Christ...speaks with authority.

The closer I come, the more carefully I examine Him; everything is above me...and has a grandeur which overpowers...I search in vain in history to find one similar to Jesus or anything which can approach the Gospel He preached.

Everything about Him is extraordinary!" 

 

*/Why do we need a pattern?/*

We need positive direction as we construct our lives to be like Christ.

\\  

We need a reference point against which to check our lives.

* Denominationalism, good or bad?*  Personal accountability is an absolutely necessary thing.

Without checks and balances, we are all capable of being tangental in certain areas.

It is crucial to the cause that we remain focused.

For the purpose of making a copy.

Farther away from the original you get the greater the difference.

No copies of copies please.

Only one - even the apostles were not on a par with him.

There is deliverance in no other name and if that is the only name that you have then that alone is enough.

*/ /*

*/Martin Luther once said, "Anything that one imagines of God apart from Christ is only useless thinking and vain idolatry."

/*

 

 

There has always been deliverance in Christ.

It comes by /faith/, not by /understanding/.

2.

We are what we do repeatedly.

We are what we repeatedly do.

Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.

Aristotle 

 

*/These repeated actions are the visible representations of our priorities./*

What we do repeatedly is either a testimony to priorities when we are talking issues of self-control, or a testimony to our enslavement if we are talking addictive behavior.

I believe that this evident practice of Jesus is a statement of personal priority that many times escapes us.

For too many the rat race begins when the alarm clock goes off in the AM and never stops until the day is done.

Im not certain that it always needs to be that way.

Perhaps there are no alternatives but I am sceptical

/ /

*/Why do people have a hard time with this practice?

Why do we find it so very difficult to say /**//**/NO/**//**/?/*  I think that we sometimes believe our own press and we are convinced that others cannot survive without us.

So we elect to meet others needs ahead of our own.

Not true.

God knows your limits and he loves all people alike.

If you cannot meet someone elses needs then God has others who can.

 

Dont let people convince you that you are Jesus.

There are many who would have you think that

only you can help.

You alone hold the answers.

Dont believe it.

SKIT - ILLUSTRATION

 

\\ Youve reached the offices of the Wesleyan Church.

Currently our offices are closed.

If you are in need of pastoral assistance, call Pastor Karl at 386-5529.

If you cannot reach Pastor Karl, call Pastor Buckingham at 389-2038

 

If you cannot reach Pastor Buckingham, call Pastor Blake at 383-8304

 

If you cannot reach Pastor Blake, call Pastor Joel at 389-1596

 

If you cannot reach Pastor Joel, call Pastor Ken at 857-8463

 

If you cannot reach Pastor Ken, call Pastor Willie at 388-4819

 

If you cannot reach Pastor Willie, call Pastor Loren at 387-2906

 

If you cannot reach Pastor Loren, call Pastor Paul at 383-8292.

If you cannot reach Pastor Paul, call Pastor Burbury at 386-5323.

If you cannot reach Pastor Burbury, call Pastor Cann at 852-4873.

If you cannot reach Pastor Cann please call Rev. Fernley at 388-2763.

If you cannot reach Pastor Fernley, try God.  /He may be able to help/, . . .

or you may leave message at the sound of the tone.

Misbelief in being Indispensable

 

 1.

I am the Called One and the anointing to help and direct others is upon me alone.

2.

I've got something special and unique from the Lord that nobody else has.

It's up to me to              deliver my revelation to the world.

3.

Nobody else can do the job I do as well as I. 

 4.

No matter what time of day or night it may be, I must always make myself available to meet            all the needs of all others.

5.

Jesus expects me to give up all my rights to privacy, rest and recreation if I am to serve Him           fully.

6.

In order to serve God with my whole heart, I must put my family second to my ministry.

7.

I've given my children to the Lord so that the Holy Spirit can teach and guide them because I          have no time to do this in my life as a Christian worker.

8.

God has called me to help certain people.

If it weren't for me they would be in pitiful shape.

9.

It's my Christian duty to provide all the answers and solutions to the people God has called             me to help.

If I don't, consequences are on my head.

10.

Others should recognize my calling and be of help and support me in the work God has called         me to do.

\\ 11.

If someone is less spiritual than I, they have NO right being in the ministry; furthermore they           have no right to be more succesful than I.

 

Are you believing any of these lies?

If you are you can change your unhappy situation.

You can tell yourself the truth.

What does your schedule testify to in your own life?

What priorities are revealed there?

3.

Withdrew - took his name out of the running.

Pace of life is something that many times goes unconsidered.

It is crucial to our finishing strong.

God Leads a Pretty Sheltered Life