Sermon Tone Analysis

On February 5, 1812, five eager future missionaries sat in a church in Haverhill, Massachusetts.

They listened to Jonathan Allen preach a commissioning sermon.

These were the first American missionaries to be sent out by the fledgling American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, then only two years old.

At one point in the sermon Allen spoke at length directly to these young ladies:

It will be your business, my dear children, to teach these women, to whom your husbands can have but little, or no access.

Go to them and do all in your power, to enlighten their minds, and bring them to the knowledge of the truth. . . .

Teach them to realize that they are not an inferior race of creatures; but stand upon a par with men.

Teach them that they have immortal souls; and are no longer to burn themselves, in the same fire, with the bodies of their departed husbands.

Go, bring them from their cloisters into the assemblies of the saints.

Teach them to accept of Christ as their Savior, and to enjoy the privileges of the children of God.

Mrs. Phyllis Stirewalt shared with us when she became very burdened for the women of Kenya.

They were being pushed away from one false teaching to another.

But she began teaching them the unshakeable doctrines of God.

So much of what God did in Kenya, hundreds of churches, go back to the Bible studies Mr. Stirewalt had with that first generation of Christian women in Kenya.

Romans 16:1-2 “1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: 2 That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.”

Commend unto you

God commands only what is good for us, so it’s no wonder he commands us to send.

This is what the Great Commission demands of churches.

We have the joy and responsibly to commend Tracy Paver for the work in Chile.

TEAM Christian Missions Blog > Sending Churches > 5 Tips for a Great Commissioning Service

When a brand-new ship is ready to set sail, it is “commissioned.”

The event is arranged by the ship’s builders and shareholders and serves as a public declaration that the vessel is seaworthy and ready for the voyage.

The commissioning is the launching point of the ship’s active service.

Servant of the Church

Being a servant of the church certainly means she is a servant of the Lord.

Succourer: one who gives help, especially in a time of distress

It appears that Phebe delivered the letter to the church at Rome.

God knows women should be entrusted in the ministry, Paul knew this, and Tracy we know this.

Receive her in the Lord

receive her in a manner that you should receive the saints of God

This is the same manner that we should send her out.

In a godly manner.

3 John 5-6 “5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; 6 which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:”

Church we do well, to send well.

“There is a big difference in responsibility between a church that has missionaries and a church that sends missionaries.”

(1) the value of sending - brought great joy to John.

Believe it is safe to say after the passage this morning, it brings great joy to the angels and to God.

(2) the mandate of sending - 3 JOhn 8 “8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.”

(3) the manner of sending - They go out for His namesake, we should treat them as carriers of His name

Assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you

Just as we hear Jesus say in Luke 2 we also know that Tracy will be about our Father’s business

We believe that the God of Heaven has led you to this place.

Practical help: Titus 3:13 “13 Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them.”

Servants find work where others do not know to look, which is at the feet of Jesus.

Luke 7:37-38 “37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.”

Those in that story saw a woman wasting her talents, but we see an beautiful act of worship.

Tracy could aspire to do many things but the fact has chosen to pour out her life as a “servant of the church” is something that we honor today.

“It is a beautiful thing when the worth of Jesus and the love of his followers match.”

Judas suggested a more reasonable, logical use of her life and resources.

“If any voice tells you to moderate our love for Jesus, do not listen.”