Sermon Tone Analysis

LET THE CHURCH BE THE CHURCH \\ ECUADOR 2004

\\  

 

 

O You Vainglorious Churches!

1

 

A Biblical Understanding of Worship                                                                                              2

 

A Biblical Understanding of the Gospel                                                                                          5

 

A Biblical Understanding of Conversion                                                                                         8

 

A Biblical Understanding of Evangelism                                                                                       12

 

\\ O you vainglorious churches!

(Adapted from Spurgeon's sermon, "A Most Needful Prayer Concerning the Holy Spirit" #954 Psalm 51:11)

'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,'  says the Lord Almighty.

Zech.

4:6

Everybody may be saying, "How wondrously that church flourishes!

What power!

What influence!

What numbers!"

And suddenly some radical evil which had been eating out the very soul of the church may come to its issue, and then in a moment all the apparent prosperity will subside, and the Philistines will rejoice.

When the Spirit of God departs from a church, what remains is but its old records, ancient creeds, title deeds, traditions, histories and memories.

The great power of the church does not lie in the power of her organizations.

You may have good schemes for work, wisely arranged and managed, but they will be a failure without the divine energy.

Too often excellent methods are rigidly adhered to, and confidently relied upon, and yet without the Holy Spirit they are sheer folly.

Formal routine satisfies many.

Souls are not saved by systems, but by the Spirit.

Organizations without the Holy Spirit are windmills without wind.

Methods and arrangements without grace are lamps without oil.

Even the most scriptural forms of church government and effort, are null and void without the "power from on high."

Nor does the strength of a church lie in her wealth.

Money avails nothing to a church devoid of grace; it does but increase the evil which is corrupting within.

O you vainglorious churches, you may gild your domes, you may make your pillars of alabaster, and cover your altars with precious stones, you may clothe your priests in scarlet and in fair white linen, you may make your ceremonies imposing, your processions gorgeous, and your music enchanting, but all this avails nothing if the Spirit of God is gone; all that remains to you is as sounding brass, and a tinkling cymbal.

Nor does the strength of a church lie in her numbers.

What is a large church without the Lord's presence, but a mass of chaff to be scattered with a whirlwind, or to rot on the threshing floor?

Nor does the strength of a church lie in her doctrines.

The Laodicea church did not hold false doctrines, yet she was nauseous to the Lord.

Truth may be held in unrighteousness.

Orthodox churches may become lifeless corpses.

'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,'   says the Lord Almighty.

Zech.

4:6

 

\\ A BIBLICAL UNDERSTANDING OF WORSHIP

Psalm 100:1-5

Introduction

When you think of Church, what do you think of?

Are your thoughts positive?

Ø      Friends

Ø      Fellowship

Ø      Spiritual growth

Ø      Support

Ø      God

Are your thoughts negative?

Ø      Rules

Ø      Hypocrites

Ø      Long sermons

Ø      Boring music

More specifically when you think of Worship, what do you think of?

Positive things…

Ø      God's presence

Ø      Upbeat tempo

Ø      Positive, practical messages

Negative things…

Ø      Irrelevant messages

Ø      Music that you can't understand

Ø      Boring, Boring, Boring

Lets look at what the psalmist thought about concerning worship… 

1A       Notice How we are to Worship 

1B.

We are to celebrate God's presence (100:1-2)

With our music (100:1)

*Shout*, this is the sound the trumpets!

*Psalm 98:6* With trumpets and the sound of a horn; Shout joyfully before the LORD, the King.

*Psalm 33:2* Praise the LORD with the harp; Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.

With our mouths (100:2)

*Psalm 95:2* Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.

2B.

We are to anticipate God's blessings (100:44)

We are to come to worship with a thankful heart (100:4a)

*Psalm 116:17* I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, And will call upon the name of the LORD.

*Psalm 103:1-*Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, /bless /His holy name!  2Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:

We are to continue in worship with a joyful heart (100:4b)

*Psalm 68:26* Bless God in the congregations, The Lord, from the fountain of Israel.

*Psalm 106:1* Praise the LORD!  Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for /He is /good!

For His mercy /endures /forever.

2A.

Notice Whom we are to Worship (100:3)

1B.

He is the God of the Covenant "the Lord, He is God" (100:3a)

He is the God who keeps His promises

*Genesis 12:1-3* Now the LORD had said to Abram: Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you.  2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

He is the God who cares for His people

*John 14:1-3* Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if /it were /not /so, /I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, /there /you may be also.

2B.

He is the God of creation (100:3b)

*Colossians 1:16* For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.

All things were created through Him and for Him.

Everyone and everything were made by Him and for Him!

3B.

He is the God of Compassion (100:3c)

*John 10:14-15* I am the good shepherd; and I know My /sheep, /and am known by My own.  15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

He knows us intimately (John 10:15a)

He loves us passionately (John 10 15b)

\\ 3A.

Notice Why we are to Worship