Sermon Tone Analysis

*Christian Joy*

*2Corinthians 7:2-16               November 30, 2003*

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*Scripture Reading:*

 

Unison Reading: # 692 Hymnal, Psalm 16

 

*Introduction:*

 

Bumper Sticker Theology: “What if the ‘hokey pokey’ is what it’s all about?”

Happiness and joy are not the same.

We can assume a wrong view of joy by thinking it is supposed to be happiness.

Like our national constitution, we have come to believe we have the “inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”.

/Topic:  Joy/

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/Happiness depends on what happens; joy does not.

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/   Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) /

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/Happiness is a feeling.

Joy is an attitude.

A posture.

A position.

A place.

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/   Tim Hansel /

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/Happiness is caused by things that happen around me, and circumstances will mar it; but joy flows right on through trouble; joy flows on through the dark; joy flows in the night as well as in the day; joy flows all through persecution and opposition.

It is an unceasing fountain bubbling up in the heart; a secret spring the world can't see and doesn't know anything about.

The Lord gives his people perpetual joy when they walk in obedience to him.

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/   Dwight Lyman Moody (1837-1899) /

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/   -Edythe Draper, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1992).

Entries 6527-6529./

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,” (James 1:2 NIVUS)

 

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2 NIVUS)

 

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,” (Romans 14:17 NIVUS)

 

ILLUS: “It’s a Pleasure”, p. 354, /Strength for the Journey/

 

2Corinthians 6:3-13 ---

/In what ways might we know whether a servant of Christ is serious about serving?/

A serious servant of Christ does not discredit the gospel message by a passionless presentation.

A serious servant of Christ charts a path to God by passionately going the distance - no matter what.

A serious servant of Christ speaks of his passion by his life.

A serious servant of Christ calls for passion in the life of others.

2Corinthians 6:14-7:1 (A serious servant of Christ has a passion for holiness.)

/In what ways should we carry out our passion for holiness?/

/Or - In what ways are we to be stewards of the gift of holiness we have been given?/

We must guard against sinful relationships.

We must guard against satanic entrapments.

We must guard against defaming God.

We must celebrate our difference.

We must celebrate our new family relationships.

We must enable God’s promise of holiness for ourselves by participating in it.

As we move from chapter 5 to 6 to 7 and to 8, we see the following progression taking shape.

Motive         Passion          Joy          Generosity

    (5)                (6)                (7)                (8)

 

Paul’s passion for Christ, born of right motives in ministry, moves him now to deep expressions of joy.

As we look at Paul’s expression of joy, we can ask ourselves how we too can experience the type of joy he can boast about because of his pure motives and profound passion.

*Big Question:*

 

2Corinthians 7:2-16

/In what ways can Christians experience real joy?/

We can experience real joy by courting an unfettered conscience.

We can experience real joy by abiding in fearless love.

We can experience real joy by looking beyond present trouble.