Sermon Tone Analysis

The Spirit of Love

δύναμις- it describes the ability to perform an activity; by extension, it refers to someone in a position of power or the force of a person’s action.

Matthew 25:15: “And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.”

Ephesians 1:21: “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:”

Used here as a noun to denote a ruler in a position of power

used for miracles (Matthew 13:54) both of Christ and His disciples (Acts 8:13)

In Luke 9:1 and Revelation 12:10, Jesus power (dunamis) is linked with his “exousia” (authority)

This is the Unlimited Power of God- God is almighty and all other power is derived from him and subject to him.

I Chronicles 29:11-12: “Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.

Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.”

Limited Power God Gives to His children; Power is given to men: physical strength (Jgs 16:5, 6), power to fight (Jgs 6:12), and the power to do good and the power to do harm (Gn 31:29; Prv 3:27; Mi 2:1).

Rulers have God-given power and authority (Rom 13:1).

Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (The Power of God in the Lives of His People) The Power of God in the Lives of His People.

In the OT it is often said that by the power of God the weak are made strong.

“He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength” (Is 40:29) so that they “go from strength to strength” (Ps 84:7; see also Ps 68:35; 138:3).

We read in particular of his power being given to prophets (Mi 3:8) and kings (1 Sm 2:10; Ps 21:1) and it is said that in an outstanding way power will be given to the Messiah (Is 9:6; 11:2; Mi 5:4), but to all God’s people power is offered that they may live for him and serve him (Is 49:5).

When we turn to the NT we read of the gospel itself as “the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith” (Rom 1:16).

“To all who received” Jesus Christ “who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God” (Jn 1:12).

In that life as children of God power is received from the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:8), inner strength to live in his service (Eph 3:16), power to be his witnesses (Lk 24:49; Acts 1:8), power to endure suffering (2 Tm 1:8), power that enables for ministry (Eph 3:7), power in the face of weakness (2 Cor 12:9), power through prayer (Jas 5:16), and power to be kept from evil (1 Pt 1:5).

Those who do great things in the service of Christ do not do them in their own strength (Acts 3:12); he sent out his disciples confident only in the assurance that all things are under his authority and that they would have the power of his unfailing presence with them (Mt 28:18–20).

God has given us a spirit.

He has given us the spirit of power!