Sermon Tone Analysis

“Church on the Move”

“Unencumbered for Eternity”

This morning we are continuing our series titled “Church on the Move.”

As we have worked through this series, I have spent a lot of time preaching on the establishment of the church.

We started by going back into the Gospels.

I set up the scene starting with Jesus telling the disciples that there would be a church, telling them the purpose of the church, the need to wait for power, and then the birth of the church that came with the outpouring of the Spirit that endued them with power.

From there Peter preached a powerful message that cut the hearers to the heart.

They asked the question, “What must we do,” to which Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the lord our God calls to Himself.”

3000 PEOPLE WERE SAVED!

3000 PEOPLE IN A SINGLE DAY, AT A SINGLE EVENT!

THAT MY FRIENDS IS REVIVAL!

THAT IS DEAD BONES COMING TO LIFE!

THAT IS OLD THINGS PASSING AWAY, AND ALL THINGS BECOMING NEW!!!

THIS EVENT WAS SO REVELATORY TO THOSE IN ATTENDANCE THAT THERE LIVES WERE CHANGED TO THE POINT THAT THEIR DAILY ACTIVITIES SHIFTED!

THEY NOW SPENT THEIR DAYS BEING THE CHURCH!!!

Last week we looked at the basics… we looked at the Biblical Formula For Success.

DAY BY DAY!!!

Day by Day they kept doing the right things!!!

They prayed, they studied, they fellowshipped…

DAY BY DAY!!!

Day by day they helped meet the needs of the community!

Day by day they looked at their own materialism or their excesses, and they parted ways with the things they didn’t need, so they could help the next person out!

I said last week that most scholars say that this was a temporary act that was helping out those that were staying in Jerusalem form other cities or countries.

The charity was extended, so that those that wanted to grow in their new-found faith had the means to stay in the hub of the newly founded Church.

I didn’t spend much time on that last week, but I am going to dive into that a little more today.

Let me start with a question…

How many of you have ever had to move from one house to another as an adult?

How many times did you take more stuff with you than you needed to?

I have told on myself before, but I’ll do it again…

More than a few years ago I lived in Columbus Ohio.

While I was up there I got into woodworking.

One aspect that I really enjoyed was called “INTARSIA.”

Intarsia is an art where you take a picture of say an Owl.

Then you cut random pieces of different wood, different colors, different grain patterns etc. that are different thicknesses to form a somewhat 3 dimensional picture.

Long story short to do that kind of woodworking you need lots of different kinds of wood.

SO, I had all of this wood.

When I moved to Arkansas, I took the wood with me.

I stored that wood in a rented storage building for quite awhile.

Eventually, I moved to a place where I had room to store it, so I moved the wood there.

Kristi and I sold that place and moved to a new house, but in the process I moved the wood to her dad’s shop where I had some equipment available to do some woodwork.

I finally got a shop setup at our new house and moved the wood there.

Then we moved from Fifty Six to Leslie, SO I moved that wood along with a bunch more wood I had accumulated to Leslie.

Then we moved here and…yup you guessed it, the wood followed us to Missouri.

As a matter of fact, I rented a U-haul truck primarily to that wood and a few other things from Lelsie to Greenfield.

Can you imagine the amount of time and money I spent hauling WOOD?

Not just wood, but the same wood!!!

Now, How many of you have things in your life that are hauling around?

Things that cost you more time and more money than they are worth.

Things that are keeping you from being everything God has called you to be?

How many of you have baggage, whether literal stuff, or mental and emotional baggage, that is keeping you from fulfilling your role in the Kingdom?

Keeping with the theme of “The Church on the Move” How much more effectively can the Church Move when it isn’t encumbered or overloaded with a lot of extra stuff???

What would life look like if we were “Unencumbered for Eternity?”

What would life look like for us personally and the church corporately if we had such a loose grip on our STUFF (physical, mental, or emotional), that we were willing to give up our possessions, our preferences, or our positions, what if we were actually willing to die to ourselves, so that someone else could grow closer to the Lord.

That’s asking A LOT, but that is what Jesus requires.

As the disciples continued steadfastly in the Apostles Doctrine, they were clinging closely to the words of Jesus.

They were emulating His life and His teaching.

In Acts 11:26 it says,

Acts 11:26 (ESV)

and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch.

For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people.

And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

This word literally meant Christ followers or Little Christs.

The people saw them to be so intimate with the One known as Jesus the Christ, that they mockingly called His followers by a similar name!

While it was meant as an insult, they considered it one of the greatest compliments…as we should today.

The disciples had heeded to His instruction in such a way that they were recognized by their fruits.

For the next few minutes, I want to look at some of the things we could stand to give up, for the benefit of another.

I want to look at how we can be “Unencumbered for Eternity.”

I want to talk about ways that the Church can not only gain, but Maintain Momentum.

I WILL WARN YOU AHEAD OF TIME.

THIS SERMON SHOULD COST YOU SOMETHING.

I AM QUITE LITERALLY GOING TO BE CHALLENGING EACH OF YOU TO GIVE SOMETHING UP!!!

I. (Possessions) Own Your Stuff, But Don’t Let Your Stuff Own You

a.

The Rich Young Ruler Matthew 19:16-22

b.

Following Jesus is Greater than Any Possession we could ever “OWN”

c.

Clinched fists can’t receive God’s Blessings

d.

Often times God will call us to give up something, so He can give us something better

II.

(Preferences) Remember, Your Opinions Are Yours

a. Romans 14:13-23

b.

My Opinions can slow down the progress of another believer’s progress.

c.

My “opinions” can prevent an unbelievers from coming to Jesus

d.

We must surrender our opinions to the Mind of Christ

e.

Too often we allow our pride to keep us from surrendering our opinions to others 1 Peter 5:7-8

III.

Give your grief to Jesus

a. Matthew 11:28-30

b.

Most of us get stuck in the worst part of the grieving process.

We get stuck in the guilt, anger, and depression.

BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO REALIZE IS THAT PAST THE DEPRESSION IS ACCEPTANCE AND HOPE.

IV. (Position) Forgive, Quickly and Completely