Sermon Tone Analysis

Why is it that us as Christ followers make the life that Jesus called us to live for Him so difficult?

We are starting a brand new sermon series entitled B.E.L.L.S.

Surprise the World: The Five Habits of Highly Missional People, authored by Michael Frost

Missional Habits: Sometimes called missional rhythms or missional practices, missional habits are those habits we foster in our lives that in turn shape our missional outlook.

By missional, I mean all that we do and say that alerts others to the reign of God.

The South African missiologist David Bosch wrote, “Mission is more and different from recruitment to our brand of religion; it is the alerting of people to the universal reign of God through Christ.”

In other words, mission derives from the reign of God.

In that respect, the ideas of mission and Kingdom are irrevocably linked.

Mission is both the announcement and the demonstration of the reign of God through Christ.

Reign: hold royal office; rule as king or queen.

"Queen Elizabeth reigns over the UK"

(Pic of Riverside symbol) https://images.app.goo.gl/uEvWNPDuGVNhVNVg8

The unique Raincross symbol is derived from combining a replica of the mass bell used by Father Junipero Serra, missionary priest and founder of the California Missions, and the cross to which the Navajo and Central American Indians prayed for rain.

Called the "Raincross" symbol, was originally designed for the Mission Inn and given to the city by Frank Miller and has been identified with Riverside since 1907.

When you see the “Raincross” around Riverside or a bell I want you to think about incorporating one or all of the “missional habits” we will cover over the next few weeks.

In forming habits they call these triggers.

A trigger is defined as an event that kicks off the automatic urge to complete a habit.

Triggers are the key to forming new habits and breaking old ones.

Simply put, triggers make the habit action happen.

A trigger can be anything in our environment which our brains associate with a habit.

The “Raincross will remind us of Gods reign.

The B in B.E.L.L.S is: Bless

Today, Christians use the word “bless” in a variety ways.

In most respects, it means to confer prosperity or happiness upon another.

Even blessing someone who has just sneezed is an expression of such goodwill and a desire for continued health.

Have you ever heard someone sneeze and you said out loud to them “God Bless You”?

Have you ever had anyone say back to you “no thank you”? Who does not want to be blessed?

etymology • \eh-tuh-MAH-luh-jee\ • noun. 1 : the history of a word or phrase shown by tracing its development and relationships.

I’ve heard that part of etymology of the term Bless is “to add strength to another’s arm.”

Therefore, to bless another is to build them up, to fill them with the encouragement for them to increase in strength and prosperity.

(Incidentally, I know Christians often talk about “blessing God” and since it’s impossible for us to add strength to God’s arm, it seems an odd use of the term.

The reason for it, though, is that the Old English word bletsian was also chosen to translate the Hebrew word brk, which meant “to bend the knee, worship, praise, invoke blessings.”

An entirely appropriate reference to our relationship to God.)

So, what does it mean to add strength to another’s arm?

Anything that relieves their burden in life.

Anything that helps them breathe more easily.

Anything that lifts their spirit or alleviates their distress.

It can be a small thing or large.

Ill: Lifting a 50lb weight.

Blessing another generally takes three different forms.

1. Blessing others with words of affirmation

This is the simplest way to bless someone.

Send them a note, write them an email, text them.

Send them some words of affirmation and encouragement.

Let them know you’ve noticed something worthwhile about them.

Mark Twain once said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment.”

I’ve heard it said that a word of encouragement is like oxygen to the soul.

Beautiful.

A word of affirmation helps our souls to breathe more easily.

Dr. Gary Chapman included words of affirmation as one of his five love languages and he describes them as verbal support to communicate love.

But he goes further.

He identifies the importance of empathy in blessing others with words of affirmation: “Encouragement requires empathy and seeing the world from [another’s] perspective.

We must first learn what is important to [the other].

Only then can we give encouragement.

With verbal encouragement, we are trying to communicate, ‘I know.

I care.

I am with you.

How can I help?’

We are trying to show that we believe in them and in their abilities.

We are giving credit and praise.”

2. Blessing others with acts of kindness

Verse 45: Give to anyone who had need.

- Blessing

Verse 47: Enjoying the favor of all the ppl.

Greek word (charis) good will,

Who doesn’t feel blessed when someone does them a favor or provides some kind of practical support?

Cutting a house bound seniors lawn.

Babysitting an exhausted couple’s kids.

Helping a neighbor move.

These acts of kindness literally add strength to their arm.

They lighten the recipient’s load.

Look for ways to perform an act of kindness in someone’s life.

Have you ever read the Alcoholics Anonymous “Just For Today” card which contains nine daily promises a recovering alcoholic is required to make as part of the program.

The fifth promise is, “I will do somebody a good turn and will not get found out.

If anybody knows of it, it will not count.”

That’s nice, isn’t it?

I’m not suggesting you have to perform secret acts of kindness like the AA program, but it’s the same principle.

Exercise your soul and bless another person by doing them a good turn this week.

It will not only bless your soul, but will also provide practical assistance to another and hopefully, over time, deepen your bonds with each other.

3. Blessing others with gifts

Vs. 38: good measure, pressed down, shaken together.

Ill: 31 flavors pint packed in.

The recipient of a gift thrives on the love, thoughtfulness and effort behind the gift.

A gift can show the recipient that they are known, cared for and valued.

And I’m not just talking about birthday or Christmas gifts.

I mean totally random gift giving.

Almost everything ever written on the subject of love indicates that at the heart of love is the spirit of giving.

A gift is a symbol of that thought.

Gifts come in all sizes, colors and shapes.

Some are expensive, and others are free.

Some gifts are given for obvious reasons.

A struggling single mother would appreciate a food basket, or the victim of some misfortune would value being cheered up.

But some gifts are nothing more than expression that the recipient has been thought of.

What would happen if you, me, us “blessed” at least one member of our church and one person who is not a Christ follower yet?

Each week.

This means the blessing ricochets around our church, as members are affirming, gifting and performing acts of kindness for each other.

It also means church members are propelled outwards to bless unbelievers in these ways.

Just watch how unleashing a culture of blessing—words of affirmation, acts of kindness, gift giving— binds people to each other.

It has the effect of strengthening the Christian community while launching its members more deeply into the lives of outsiders.

And even more than that, the simple act of blessing can have huge evangelistic impact as well.