Sermon Tone Analysis

! Scriptures: Philippians 2:12-16

 

/“Never excuse.

Never explain.

Never complain.”/

motto of the British Foreign Service.

Leadership, Vol.

16, no.

3.

 

1.

Small Stuff – “Do everything without complaining or arguing.”

Sometimes it is the very small things that make the greatest impact.

Many times it is the little things that make the most significant difference for eternity.

Too many times God’s people communicate themselves as unhappy, disgruntled, malcontents to the people that they work with and share life with.

If spiritual vitality is linked to our ability to face life squarely and positively, then there are a few people who have some challenges ahead of them.

I think that God challenges me with the truth that I believe I am to communicate.

This AM I was both bothered and blessed

 

q      3 tries at Tim Horton’s

 

q      sermon notes didn’t come through

 

q      computers & e-mail

 

q      Parking lot

 

q      Hugh Elkins – “God’s taking good care of me – I have no reason to complain.”

The saintly Horatius Bonar, reflecting on this subject, realized that the little things can either make or break the Christian.

He wrote, "A holy life is made up of a multitude of small things.

It is the little things of the hour and not the great things of the age that fill up a life like that of the apostles Paul or John, or David Brainard, or Henry Martyn.

Little words, not eloquent speeches or sermons; little deeds, not miracles or battles, or one great heroic effort or martyrdom, make up the true Christian life.

It's the little constant sunbeam, not the lightning, the waters of Siloam that go softly in their meek mission of refreshment, not 'the waters of the rivers great and many' rushing down in torrent, noise, and force, that are the true symbols of a holy life."

One afternoon, our 5-year-old daughter, Katie, was singing a Scripture song we had recently learned.

While my husband and I listened proudly, she came to a verse about becoming blameless.

Katie confidently sang out, "Do everything without arguing, that you may become brainless and pure, children of God" (Phil.

2:14-15).

Lynn Hall, Worland, WY.  Today's Christian Woman, "Heart to Heart."

 

a)     Is this really possible?

Can I face every task , every request, every circumstance and respond without complaint or argument?

You might say to me this morning that this is an unreasonable request.

If Paul the Apostle stood before you this morning and read this short scripture passage, written while he was in chains and imprisoned, what would your response be?  Would you try to ascertain all the reasons that he was “expecting too much” or would you set your minds and hearts on finding a way to be this kind of person?

What would have to take place in my own life for this to truly happen?

God would have to deal with my ego.

He would have to take away my tendency to be oversensitive.

He would have to give me a basic respect for other people and an ability to see that there are many ways to “skin a cat”.

He would have to help me to understand that people’s actions are a product of their values and if I want to understand their actions I must take time to understand their hearts.

If it depends on circumstances being personally favorable, we will never be anything more than complainers.

If it depends on me getting my own way, we will be unhappy.

There are greater issues that are internal that determine whether or not a person can truly avoid the complaining habit.

i)        There are certain people who have to exercise control.

ii)      There are certain people who genuinely believe that their insights are better than others.

This is pride.

iii)    Perfectionism is another problem for certain people.

They cannot handle things that are not “up to snuff”.

I certainly believe that we should all aim for excellence but we need to realize that imperfection is a reflection of humanity.

We all are imperfect in every way.

b)     Is this really desirable?

People who complain are unhappy about something and generally, people who are argumentative are angry or dissatisfied about something.

I believe that people are happier, healthier, easier to live with when they can release certain aspects of life.

I cannot live other people’s lives for them.

I don’t need to have an opinion on everything.

I am not my children.

My children are not me.

I am not a perfect parent and feel no obligation to try to pretend that I am.

On and on the list goes.

c)      Is this really necessary?

It depends on what your spiritual aspirations are.

It may not be as far as you are concerned.

However, if you are to have a positive impact for the kingdom of God then it is essential that we express our faith and trust in God by letting Him be God alone.

Let’s remember that he created a world full of gifted people.

2.

Standing Before God – “. .

that you may become blameless and pure, children of God, without fault. .

.”

There are certain “un-skippable” steps in the pathway to godliness.

There are things that you can’t bypass.

a)     It is an elementary principle of faith.

This is baby stuff.

James 5:9 Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged.

The Judge is standing at the door!

Your attitude is one of the first things that God proposes to change when you come to him.

"Suppose we return your tithes, give you a reserved parking place, make you an elder, fire the youth minister, and eliminate the music committee.

Would that be satisfactory?"

Cartoonist Jonny Hawkins in Leadership, Vol. 13, no.

1.

 

Ephesians 4:20 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way.

[21] Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.

[22] You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; [23]* to be made new in the attitude of your minds; *[24] and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

b)     Attitude is contagious.

The people with whom you work reflect your own attitude.

If you are suspicious, unfriendly and condescending, you will find these unlovely traits echoed all about you.

But if you are on your best behavior, you will bring out the best in the persons with whom you are going to spend most of your waking hours.

- Beatrice Vincent

 

Five guideposts have governed my life:  To thank God for every adverse event; to hold a bolt of lightning in my hand rather than to speak against a brother; to pay any price in order to be obedient to the Holy Spirit; to administer in love and never to govern in anger; to pay three compliments every day.

-- R. Stanley Tam

           

c)      Bad attitudes indisputably block growth toward spiritual maturity.

1Corinthians 3:1 Brothers, *I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly*--mere infants in Christ.

[2] I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it.

Indeed, you are still not ready.

[3] *You are still worldly.

*For since there is *jealousy and quarreling* among you, are you not worldly?

Are you not acting like mere men? [4] For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men?

A mature Christian has no part with pettiness or grudge bearing or divisive talk.

Petty people are ugly people.

They are people who have lost their vision.

They are people who have turned their eyes away from what matters and focused, instead, on what doesn't matter.

The result is that the rest of us are immobilized by their obsession with the insignificant.

It is time to rid the church of pettiness.

It is time the church refused to be victimized by petty people.

It is time the church stopped ignoring pettiness.

It is time the church quit pretending that pettiness doesn't matter.

...

 

Pettiness has become a serious disease in the Church of Jesus Christ--a disease which continues to result in terminal cases of discord, disruption, and destruction.