Sermon Tone Analysis

The Message: from the Church to the World

*Aug 3, 2008*

 

Churches all around have a variety of messages they transmit to world around them.

Just look a few of their signs tell us a lot about the church

 

*Church signs*

Let the church help – Makes you want to rush to that church!

Perhaps the message should target a particular group - \\ Like our ball players across the street who freely use our parking lot: (Trespassers will be Baptized)

 

Maybe we ought to use a scare tactic (die at 10:30)

 

Or maybe should speak on biblical issue that affect each one of us (Why didn’t Moses swat)

 

Or perhaps relate a biblical message of encouragement \\ (Moses was a basket case)

 

However we are in the season of political campaigns so maybe our message should be more political (He approved this message)

 

The real message this morning is the message God has given the church and this sign tells how it is to work \\ : \\ WE DON’T CHANGE THE MESSAGE \\ THE MESSAGE CHANGES US

 

How can we expect the message to change the world if it doesn’t first change us?

If the message of the church fails to change a dying world – \\ It must first change us.

\\ \\

Read 1 Tim 4:1:5

 

4:1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: \\ \\ 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction.

\\ \\ 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.

Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

\\ \\ 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

*Background:*

 

Paul’s last words of instruction – given to Timothy.

\\ perhaps this was written 6 months prior to his execution in Rome around 68AD. \\ \\ These words of Paul were solemn – Timothy, as pastor of the church in Ephesus was there in part to lead and guide the church there but also stop any heresy.

\\ \\ a lot of the NT writings dealt with false teachings – so Paul’s word to Timothy was not just for him but for the whole church.

\\ \\ Look at the verses preceding our text today – well know text concerning scripture

\\ 2 Tim 3:14-17

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

NIV

 

Paul then follows this passage with a charge to solemn to Timothy: \\ \\ In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:

 

\\ Solemn \\ As God as our witness \\ Jesus will one day judge us in light of this charge

 

\\ Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction.

Look at these5 imperatives – commands Paul gives Timothy.

PREACH THE WORD

 

BE PREPARED

 

CORRECT

 

REBUKE

 

ENCOURAGE

All done with great patience and careful instruction.

\\ patience – some people needs to hear it more than once \\ Illustration: story of the new pastor who preached the same sermon over and over.

The Word of God

 

        Heb 4:12 NIV \\ For the word of God is living and active.

Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Illustration: How To Handle A Knife \\ My leatherrman  - good tool when its open \\ Closed, it’s no good \\ \\ But in the wrong hands, it could be dangerous

 

Likewise, the Word of God - living and powerful sword, must be handled with even greater care, caution, and respect.

Teachers learn more than their students

 

Teachers are given a special warning

 

James 3:1 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

NIV

 

\\ *PREACH THE WORD*

      Does not mean to stand behind a pulpit \\ To Public heralding like a town crier \\       whether in mass or person to person

 

      What is the WORD?

Not just Scripture \\ \\ John 1:1 NIV \\ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

We’re talking about the Gospel of Jesus Christ –

And the world doesn’t know the Gospel \\ \\ It has been watered down in America \\ \\ Recent news article:  Americans including a large percentage of American Christians believe in many different ways to heaven \\ \\ Why??

Because they do not know the Word – they do not know the Gospel \\ \\ The article said that Christianity in America is 3000 miles wide and 1 inch thick – */and they are right./*

We are to PREACH – PROCLAIM – DECLARE the Gospel to a lost and dying world.

\\ \\ How arrogant for me to say that???? \\ Not I but Jesus said “I am THE WAY \\                                           THE TRUTH \\                                           THE LIFE \\ No one come to the Father but by me.”

Well….

What is the Gospel??? \\ Jesus died for our sins  OH HUM!!!!  We have heard those words over and over – do we really understand then meaning?

We have completely missed it  - \\ \\ Why – because we have missed the high and Holiness of almighty God \\ \\ We don’t understand who God is – \\ \\ we don’t understand Holiness \\ \\ we don’t understand sin

only after we begin to understand Holiness can we understand sin

Isaiah is Isa 6 fell on his face

Isa 6:5 Woe to me!" I cried.

"I am ruined!

For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."

Now listen carefully \\ compared to the holiness of God \\ there is little difference between us and Hitler

 

The “smallest sin offends and infinitely holy God

 

we don’t understand repentance \\       the message of the OT \\       the message of John the Baptist \\       the message of Jesus in the gospels

 

Tto truly repent means to live a transformed life.

Only then can we begin to understand the price Jesus paid for us on the cross – and that is the essence of the Gospel \\ \\ Jesus is not the one thing that will make our lives complete \\ HE IS THE ONLY THING \\ \\ *Without Jesus we have nothing* \\ \\ Jesus is not our last choice – not our first choice \\ HE IS OUR ONLY CHOICE

 

Jesus said he is the way truth and life

Without Jesus we have no life.

But the world does not want to hear that

 

That’s why we must

*BE PREPARED*

In season and out of season

when the time is right and when the time is not right

when conditions are favorable and when the conditions are not favorable

When people want to hear the Gospel and when they don’t want to hear the Gospel.

Paul always found an opportunity to share the Word – temple courts, market place, the stormy seas, and even in prison.

We are to use the Word to

 

CORRECT

 

REBUKE

 

ENCOURAGE

 

1 Peter 2:9 NIV \\ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

You may say that you’re not good with words \\ You’re in good company – with the Apostle Paul

 

\\ 1 Cor 2:1-5 NIV \\ When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.   2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.

4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

That’s where I am – Ever been in an argument you lost just because you could think of a snappy come-back – then two days later you wake up in the middle of the night with just the right words you should have said?

\\ \\ that’s how Paul was – he was a smart guy but not the most charismatic person you have ever meet.

\\ \\ But Paul let the Word speak for itself \\ \\ The Word has power.

The God behind the Word has power \\ \\

      REVIEW Heb 4:12 NIV \\ For the word of God is living and active.

Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

But the church today believe it must be entertaining \\ we have to dress up the Word \\ \\ God’s Word stands on it own \\ We are called to be obedient  - Preach the Word \\ \\ The rest is up to God \\ \\ but we are warned

 

*Scripture tell us that some won’t listen*

\\ 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.

Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

\\ \\

*Today what the world wants to hear is not the Word of God*