Sermon Tone Analysis

ATTENTION

The heat was unbearable.

Heat sweltered the crowd and melted the runners.

They were here to run the marathon, and not just any marathon.

It was the Olympic Marathon, held in St. Louis in 1904.

But it wasn’t just the heat that made this day different, it was those on the starting line of that marathon.

Of course all sorts of countries sent runners, but most of them had backers.

Felix Caracal did not.

He had to quit his postal job in Cuba and beg on the streets of Havana to get the money to travel.

Finally, he collected enough money to take a boat to New Orleans.

On the way, he lost all his money in a dice game.

When he arrived he hitched rides to St Lous where he arrived hungry and in rags.

Members of the American team befriended him and gave him some food and a place to sleep.

He had no running clothes and no running shoes, only heavy street shoes.

Nevertheless, he cut off his pants above the knees and there he was at the starting line, street shoes and all when the day for the race arrived.

The gun sounded and the race began.

The heat worked to Felix’s advantage.

Being from Cuba, he was used to it.

One by one, many of the other runners collapsed.

In fact, of the 31 who began the race, only 14 finisned.

Felix, however, being from Cuba, thought nothing of the blistering conditions.

With only two miles to go, Felix had a huge lead.

He was running alongside an orchard and he spotted some apples and stopped to eat some of them.

They were green, and soon he was stricken with severe stomach cramps.

He lost the lead, though he did come in fourth, doubled-over with pain.

He went from fame to fourth because of his hunger for apples.

He knew how to start and he knew how to run, he just didn’t know how to finish.

He missed his opportunity for greatness.

NEED

He reminds me of many believers.

They have begun the race, and they have run well to this point, but then they see the apple orchard.

They say something like, “I’ve run hard and I deserve a break.

I’ve sacrificed for Christ and I need this little indulgence.”

And they leave the race and that thing, whatever it is, sabotages them and keeps them from becoming the believer God wants them to be.

Whenever I see this happening (and believe me, as a pastor, I see it constantly) Whenever I see this happening I want to ask those people what Paul asked the Galatian church in Gal 5:7: You were running a good race.

Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?

Or, to put it another way, what was your apple orchard?

What was the thing that got you off track?

Now, I must tell you that this message is for everyone today.

If you’re a teen here today and you’re just learning how to walk with God, you need to listen.

You see, I know that between now and the time you turn your toes up in some cemetary, Satan is going to put all kinds of apple orchards in your way.

He’s going to try to get you off target and I want you to be prepared.

Just because you’re young does not mean that you’ll always be able to get back on track if you take a detour.

Some things you get involved in can permanently disqualify you from the race.

Other things can make you so compromised that you may limp across the finish line, but you will be embarrassed by your finish.

If you’re an adult here today, please listen.

You’ve already experienced a few “apple orchards.”

You’ve known what its like to take a break and now you sit there with a hurting stomach thinking what’s the point?

I’ve already blown it.

I can’t get back in the race because I’m so far behind I could never win.

Besides that, they’ll just be another distraction somewhere up ahead and I’ll just fail again.

If that’s you, I want you to listen today.

God’s in the “runner-reclamation” business.

It’s never too late for a fresh start!

And you may be here today as a senior citizen.

You’ve run well all your life, but something has happened.

With the finish line in site, you have sit down.

You had a lead!

You were about to win!

And you thought you could afford to coast home.

Let me tell you!

Coasting won’t cut it!

The finish line will never run to you, you must run through it.

Some of you used to serve God, but now all you do is sit.

Some of you used to pray, and now you’ve just quit.

Some of you used to mentor other believers and invite people to church but now you just make excuses.

I want you to listen.

It’s not the start that counts, it’s the finish!

Greatness is only achieved by those who know how to finish well!

BACKGROUND

You see, if you are to be a great believer, if you are to go from good to great, it’s finishing that matters.

That’s what Paul is talking about in the last part of Philippians 3 and the first part of chapter 4. In fact, v1 of chapter 4 says this: Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.

In other words, he says, “This is how you do it.

This is how you persevere.

This is how you keep the apple orchards of your life from distracting you.”

He goes on to mention two actions great believers take to finish well.

First,

DIV 1: THEY DISCRIMINATE THEIR RELATIONSHIPS

EXPLANATION

Paul says in v 17:

Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.

18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame— who set their mind on earthly things.

Paul tells the Philippians that they must learn to discriminate in their relationships and he gives them, at least 4 reasons why they should do so.

In the first place, he tells talks about those who are not living right and he tells the Philippians to “note” them.

In other words, he is telling them that there are certain people they need to “red flag.”

There are certain people that they must be careful how they relate to.

Why?

Because their association with them could become their “apple orchard.”

Their association with them may lead them to be deceived by them.

The first reason they must discriminate is the danger of deception.

The second reason they must discriminate is because of the disappointment of defection.

These people who had detoured from the faith, if, indeed, they were ever saved, greatly disappointed Paul.

You hear a catch in his throat as Paul says in v 18, For many walk, as whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ.

Paul says, “They have broken my heart!

They have turned away from Christ and they have crushed me!

And I don’t want the same thing to happen to you.

Discriminate!”

They must discriminate because of the danger of deception and because of the disappoinment of defection.

The last reason is because of the description of defection.

First Paul describes the impact of their defection in v 18.