Sermon Tone Analysis

A couple of Churches were having problems with some squirrels

The Presbyterian church called a meeting to decide what to do about their squirrel infestation.

After much prayer and consideration, they concluded that the squirrels were predestined to be there, and they should not interfere with God’s divine will.

At the Northern Baptist church, the deacons met and decided to put a water-slide on the baptistry and let the squirrels drown themselves.

The squirrels liked the slide and, unfortunately, knew instinctively how to swim, so twice as many squirrels showed up the following week, and soon ended up destroying the church.

However, the Southern Baptist Church came up with a more creative strategy!

They baptized all the squirrels and made them members of the church.

Now the squirrels are only seen at Christmas and Easter.

Historical/Cultural Context -

Paul preached the gospel in Corinth in the early 50s AD during his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1–18).

When opposition grew fierce there, the Lord Jesus spoke to him in a vision assuring him that he had ‘many people’ in the city (Acts 18:10).

With this encouragement, Paul stayed on for eighteen months, ‘teaching them the word of God’ (Acts 18:11).

God used Paul’s ministry to bring about the birth and establishment of the church in Corinth.

Biblical Text -

-[Prayer]-

Life Principle - Be Zealous With Your Witness & Have A Goal In Mind

Life Point- The True Christian Is Zealous In Their Witness

Exegetical -

Homiletical -

As we discussed last week Paul was talking about what it costs to see people saved and in the Kingdom of God.

This section of scripture is not separate from its context.

Too many people see this as a loss of salvation, when salvation is not what is in view here.

What is in view is the loss of people’s eternal souls.

He likens the Christian walk as one that is a race it is about giving up the things that we know we can have, such as meat sacrificed to idols, if by giving that thing up will not cause my sister or brother to not sin or it will cause someone to come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.

Here he shows that athletes are disciplined, make sacrifices and make their bodies do their will.

All for a crown that is made of some leaves, but we give up things and are disciplined in our lives against sin because we seek to see the Lost saved.

Also what is in view here is loss of rewards.

You see will be given reward in heaven for how we treat the Gospel, crowns and one day we will throw them at the feat of Jesus for He alone is worthy of all worship and reward.

Do life as one who their main focus is nothing but seeing people saved, to come to know Him.

First we know that not everyone who runs a race can win.

We are told to run as one who can win.

We know that there will be those who say they are Christians, but really aren’t.

Because if they had been they would never have left the faith.

If you are born-again of the spirit of God then you know that you do good works not to earn a place in heaven but of a heart that has been changed.

We as Christians, when we are saved, become zealous for things of God and for the salvation of souls.

If you say you have faith, but nothing is shown in your life.

No good works, no fruit is shown.

Then your so-called faith is useless.

It is not real, you are not really saved.

There are churches all across this world, this nation, this state, in lake county that are filled with people sitting in a pew who show up for services but do nothing for the kingdom.

They don’t witness, they don’t volunteer and they do nothing but take up space on a pew.

They have no desire to do anything else either.

They showed up, paid their weekly dues and went home.

They think they have faith, but really they are dead and dyeing in their sins.

They will close their eyes and wake up in hell because they are self-deceived.

They think they know, but they do not know.

I beg of you to look inside and make sure you have the insides of a believer.

That your heart has been changed, that you have been born-again before it is too late.

Second, we know that unlike the athletes of this world in the Olympic games and other endeavours who work hard and deny themselves things to win something that is perishable, that we should be all the more zealous toward spreading the good news and denying what we want for what God wants, we do it for an eternal purpose and prize.

What that will not perish but will last for all of eternity.

The crown He gives is forever.

Christians endure because we have been saved, we had that born-again experience.

We are being saved, God is cleansing us day-by-day to help put sin away from us and live for Him here.

We will be saved, that when we get that resurrected body on His return we will receive the eternal Glory of Jesus Christ.

Are you willing to endure all hardships to bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen?

This is what we want.

To please our Master, our Lord on the day of His coming or on the day we enter eternity.

It’s up to you who are born-again.

“Will you hear well done my good and faithful servant?” or “Well, your done.”

Life Point - Have A Goal In Mind & Work Toward It

Exegetical -

Homiletical -

When Paul went and preached the Good News about Jesus Christ.

He didn’t just go to one city and then back track.

No he had a plan in mind.

He knew what his goal was and he always stuck to it.

He didn’t just say “Hey Ephesus looks good today” and then go.

He thought it out.

What is between where I am and where I want to be?

What is every step in-between where I can spread the Gospel.

Plan it out.

Now will your plan always work out?

No.

But will God use you where your at?

Yes.

When Paul was shipwrecked, he wasn’t afraid because he had His trust in God.

Paul had been falsely accused before Rome and as a Roman citizen he appealed to caesar.

So as a prisoner he is being sent to Rome under guard.

He tells them not to go on because they are entering winter.

They go ahead anyway and they encounter an awful set of circumstances and a storm that batters the ship for 14 days.

Trust me shipwreck was not Paul’s original plan.

But it was God’s plan.

All 276 people were saved.

Now that is a fantastic witness.

What’s more?

Through Paul’s witness to the people on the island God worked a massive miracle.

How many do you think came to Christ because Paul was Shipwrecked?

You see, he had a goal.

God told Him he would be arrested and that he would go to Rome.

That was Paul’s goal in his mind, but on the way he was shipwrecked.

Did he stop working?

No, he was gathering fire wood for the fire and he was bit by a poisonous snake.

Did he freak out?

No, he shook it off and went back to work.

Then he starts laying hands on people who are sick and everyone on that island got healed.

Let me tell you something oh Christian who is running the race.

Not everyone is going to be happy with you.

Not every idea you have is going to be the right one either.

Do you know what happens when you put 5 Christian Southern Baptists in a room and give them a goal?

You are going to get 500 ways to reach that goal.