Sermon Tone Analysis

Northside Church

Next Steps LAC #4

3/27/22

Jamey Mills

This climate of for the miraculous

Gary Eaton… MT candidate… bio… two weeks for feedback, sent to the church office.

Intro Brielle and Megan… Kids and youth assistants

Interview with

Steve and Claudia Lee

Short intro… by Jamey

How many large fundraising/capital campaigns have you guys been a part of?

What were those experiences like and how does that sort of stack up with what you see happening at Northside?

Claudia, in one of our emails you share an interesting statement… i think sort of in jest… but upon hearing the MT believed God was moving NS toward raising funds, you said… Lord not that…

I feel like I know where you were going, could you share a little about that?

Sort of a side note, Steve, you have worked with several church plants in your career, how does your experience with Northside compare with those?

How does your experience here at Northside compare with the others?

In light of the experience God has given you guys… what is one message (each) that you would encourage Northside as we are just a week away from commitment sunday?

I remember the day I was interviewed at Suburban… It went great and then they showed me around… they were right at the beginning of building a new foyer… and I remember I fell into a hole… like a 6ft hole… and all I know is that interview must have been amazing… for a guy to be able to fall into a hole and still get the job… I guess they could have been dodging a lawsuit.

Got a great email on Monday… a family that’s been a constant source of encouragement sent this to me…

“When we first heard about the pledge Sunday that was to come – before you and Tim preached your sermons, we began to talk about what our pledge might be.

We prayed individually and agreed on an amount.

Then we heard you list all the ways you and your family would be sacrificing to meet your pledge.

Then Tim came and added to the vision and we began to think we had not dreamed big enough.

The practical side of me began to argue that as retired folks we are on a fixed income.

We thought about our small nest egg.

We thought about possible needs and wants that might be ahead of us, but then we knew we had to trust God for more.

We changed the amount we wanted to give.

It was kind of scary to think about but we felt strongly that it was something that would please and honor the Lord.

We believe in what Northside is doing and we believe in this location.

Then, God began to show us that HE is the One who is our Source.

We were in the midst of refinancing our house.

The bank called and said they had gotten the figures wrong and would be refunding some of the costs.

A couple days later they said they had gotten it wrong again and would send us MORE.

one of us had some health problems that they said required special equipment, but it didn't help.

They only refund was in store credit… but decided to go talk with them in person and they gave a full refund.

Then, an opportunity popped up that might possibly lead to a business venture that could be right up our alley.

It’s still in the incubation process but maybe in a few months we’ll have a tiny side job too.

We know there will be many testimonies to the faithfulness of God and ours is just a small piece of the Northside story but we want to make an investment in the future.

It’s not about creating a comfy place for us to worship, but about listening to and obeying God which allows us to make an investment in the future of North Albany and what God wants to do here.

The point I want to make is that we didn’t set out to “test” God or to get something based on what we were giving.

We just wanted to obey and respond to what we felt He was saying to us.

As Tim said in his message, “It’s not about equal giving, it’s about equal responsibility” God has always been our source and has piled on so many blessings we can’t say no to Him – we don’t WANT to say no to Him.”

What a way to start the week right… all along thats been my heart for each of us… to simply and honestly seek the Lord with open hands and respond it the way that He leads…

It’s interesting… some of what Claudia shared earlier…

I’d never really noticed this but she’s right… every single financial journey I’ve ever seen with a Church that was successful… somehow… happened in unfavorable climates or fairly large outside stressors of some sort.

I mean… to the point of backing up and wondering is somehow… I don’t know this for sure… but it seems like God often creates this refining atmosphere… that allows us to view it two ways…

Not in this present season…

Regardless of this present season…

It reminds me a little of when Israel was wandering in the wilderness… homeless…

(NLT)

2 Remember how the LORD your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands.

3 Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors.

He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. 4 For all these forty years your clothes didn’t wear out, and your feet didn’t blister or swell.

5 Think about it: Just as a parent disciplines a child, the LORD your God disciplines you for your own good.

6 “So obey the commands of the LORD your God by walking in his ways and fearing him.

7 For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land of flowing streams and pools of water, with fountains and springs that gush out in the valleys and hills.

IAllowed the struggle… for your and our own good.

So that He, His truth, His provision, His power were more clearly seen… and in that light… we would come to know the reality of God… more clearly in our lives.

What if… that was even happening today.

What if… that was even happening in our own lives as we speak…

I’m not going to lie, it would be easy to back up and say… God, what a jerk… allowing us to struggle… that's what Cain would have done… that mentality is self absorbed and will always lead to anger and isolation and distance with God.

The other option is… is to open your eyes to where its leading… to realize that the the most loving thing the God of the universe could do is mold you… move you… teach you… those things that are truly right and good and that move you toward greater trust… a greater sense of the full life he has… and the true freedom (not american freedom) to real freedom… that He has for you.

I feel like this is saying… I let it be hard… for your own good.

I let the circumstances be less than Ideal so that we’d have the opportunity to see His work more clearly…

The difference between fireworks in the daytime vs at night… Pictures

Smoke… in the sky vs. the sky lit up.

Does God’s provision echo in the heart of someone… or does it feel or mean more to someone who is starving than someone who has more than enough… Honestly, I don’t know… just being honest… I have no idea.

I’d think so.

And inside of that it is refining for us… the opportunity to see God move despite or within the circumstances… It's an incredible thing.

It reminds me of this…

(NLT)

Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia.

2 They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor.

But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.

3 For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more.

And they did it of their own free will.

4 They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem.

5 They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.

6 So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving.

7 Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us—I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.

Paul was encouraging the Corinthian church based on the example of others… these Macedonian churches… were churches he planted.

Philipp, Thessalonica, and Berea…

And their giving, their sacrifice was aimed at helping the believers, the church in Jerusalem…

Why did they need help?

The people in Jerusalem didn’t know what to do with Jesus… and so those who came to this conclusion that He was the one they've been told about and waiting for… met all sorts of resistance.

It wasn’t cool to be a Christian in Jerusalem… and it was a culture where genetics meant everything… following Jesus was a commitment that would impact the bottom line… It would mean losing jobs… it would mean losing support… being pushed to the edges of society…

Their giving was about the Kingdom… caring for it, growing it… moving it forward…

And it was marked by several important things.

First action… Gave themselves to the Lord; recommitted to Jesus and His priorities.

Recommitted to Jesus… His purposes and priorities.

Evaluated life… served as an opportunity to step back and ask the question… what am I really about and I am content with that answer… Paul's call to give seemed to inspire some soul searching..

Their response is incredible… they recommitted themselves to Jesus and the purposes and priorities of God.

The language in this passage talks about the liberty of their generosity… there was freedom in giving…

The mentality is… they knew

They had experienced the abundant generosity of God through Christ in a way that compelled them to joyfully be generous no matter what was going on in their lives too.

They were living like the forgiven… like those who know the reality of grace.

There are three words used in this passage that really help us understand it…

Charis = they saw it as God’s great favor or their great privilege to give.

Who are we to be able to give back to the Lord like this.

Koinonia = they saw this as impacting God’s Kingdom beyond themselves.

.…

partnering with other churches… but also with future believers.