Sermon Tone Analysis

spiritual gifts : 1 cor.

12-15

The gospel: ; 7

false apostles: 2 cor 11

We have reached part 3 and the conclusion of our Writings in Paul series.

I do realize as I speak to you every other week, it can be difficult to maintain the progression of thought that has gone into each message.

I will try and give you a brief review.

Part 1 dealt with Phillippians 3 and 4 and talked about Paul showing how to have genuine and quality faith, with transfers into acknowledging our duty to accept Jesus as Lord of of our life and not simply just focusing on living perfect, which we also learn is not the goal as Christians, when we focus on individual perfection, we are sure to fail, and our eyes go off from Christ and begin to be self-centered.

Perfection comes with the erradication of sin, which Christ will take care of.

We also learned this is cause for rejoice and is important part of surrenduring to God.

God is not the joy police, God is a joy well, because He is the giver of living water, the giver of life.

(wow I just summarized about 40 minutes of preaching!

Maybe you just want the cliff notes of todays message…dont nod your heads in agreement ;)

Part 2

We were largely in the letter to the ephesians chapters 4 and 5.

Paul clarifies, the type of unity God is calling us to.

There is not to be a blending or compromise of theology and doctrine with false theology and doctrine, but he does allow for differences in preference and action largely based on personal calling and spiritual gifts.

Some who grow to be oversea missionaries and others who do local urban ministries can carry out the same mission with different strategies yet still maintain a unity of the faith.

We also talked about the cultural standards of mutual submission between husband and wife is really an overtone our need to submit to God out of love for Him and what He did for us.

God doesn’t ask us to love Him and have blind faith.

We are not to interpret the texts to try and defend abuse, slavery, or blind submission.

God doesn’t ask that of us as followers of him and we should not condone those behaviors either.

It is through this journey we’ve been on which I hope you have picked up on has been about the hard questions involving the Christian life, that we conclude this series in largely in Paul’s writings to the believers in Corinth.

Today we are going to examine the topics of spiritual gifts, sharing the gospel, and false prophets.

Before we get into today’s message, let us bow our heads in prayer.

If you have your Bibles, I would encourage you to turn to 1 corinthians 12.

I’ve mentioned, Paul’s letters are largely a matter of pastoral care for churches he either planted, or had established a relationship with.

Paul founded the church at Corinth during his second missionary journey (probably around ad 51).

Paul likely wrote the letter known as 1 Corinthians.

he had received a report concerning the Corinthian believers quarreling (see note on ) and a letter from them that raised questions about spiritual gifts, collections, and marriage.

Paul turns to a new topic here, contrasting the church’s former life of idolatry with its new life empowered by the Holy Spirit.

In his discussion of spiritual gifts, Paul emphasizes the diversity of the gifts and proper use of them for the mutual benefit of all believers.

Understanding Paul’s reason for writing is a matter of settling the quarreling, I can definitely empathize with Paul in that often during these quarrels that are brought to the pastor or a church leader and we want that person to just take our side, so the leader or pastor feels temptation to take a hard side.

Sometimes we definitely need to stand against things to often there is room in our sanctuary for diversity.

We are not going to agree on everything, and our passions are often not going to be exactly the same thing.

Based on what we just read, the Holy Spirit will both approach each of us, the members of the church body differently, and for different purposes .

Some being blessed in being wise, some as preachers, some as healers, and not just limited to those subjects mentioned.

This is purposeful.

For instance, when I go and get my haircut, the different persons cutting my hair will often ask me what my occupation is.

When I tell them I am pastor, I often get met with the person becoming uncomfortable, not wanting to get into a spiritual discussion, or sometimes they’ll want to talk about the church and this or that, but my point is that often people will put up walls, when I say, I am a pastor.

Those walls won’t go up as much to someone who works construction, or is a doctor or nurse at the hospital, or what ever else profession.

Now I don’t think the wall is even up against the profession, its to friendship or relationship.

The work of ministry, is not contained to the pastor.

If it were, the church would be in a real bad state.

Paul expounds on this point in verses 12-30

highlights include

1Corinthians 12:

If you can’t surmise, God has purposes for each of us!

I especially want to get your attention those of you who think you don’t have much to offer.

I have talked to many of you in person, who share, because you are reduced to a wheel chair, or bed, or maybe because of circumstance you can’t make it to every event or the energy just isn’t there.

Some of you have expressed to me you don’t know what you are offering to the body.

paul writes, the members of the body who seem weaker, are considered indespensible.

There isn’t a person who has come today that God does not value their contribution.

I think we are all able to do more than we think, but at the same time....God sees each of you as indespensible.

That is also I think we should view each other as well.

Even those who have different gifts and dare I say opinions.

What is it that binds us?

Is it mission?

Is it the gospel message of Jesus coming again?

Is it the news Jesus died for our sins?

The answer to all of those questions is YES!

Listen I get it, there are those out there with theologies that are not Biblical, nor Holy Spirit driven and I will deal with that question, in greater detail a little later.

But I also have seen SDA Christian against SDA Christian battling each other as if they were on opposing teams, and not in defense of the gospel, but in defense of their own pride and stubborness!

(Im not making an accusation against anyone here, but I’ll also say none of us are immune to that behavior including myself.

It would be good for each of us to ask ourselves, is pride preventing me from working with others?

2 corinthians 4:

The gospel is the good news!

It stands out in a world full of pain and suffering.

It is not the only good news, but it is the only lasting good news.

For instance, if I told each of you you just won 1 million dollars!

That would probably be really good news, and you’d be pretty excited, but even 1 million is not infinite.

The almighty God of the universe is infinite in power, and love for us.

The Gospel does not fade.

The gospel also presses us onward!

It gives us to the resolve to continue the fight, the things seen and unseen, and felt suffering.

2 corinthians 4:7-18

Having extolled the glory of the new covenant, which he preached (), Paul now explains his suffering (see 1:6 and note).

While believers share in the knowledge of the glory of God (v. 6) and are being transformed into the image of Christ (3:18), they do so in their frail, mortal bodies.

Because of this, Paul suffers and faces hardship, but he perseveres (vv.

8–10).

He regards this as part of his ministry, since such hardships benefit the church in Corinth (vv.

11–12).

Moreover, believers can endure suffering because of the hope provided by the resurrection of Jesus (vv.

14–15).

Suffering is temporary and will give way to an eternal glory (vv.

16–18).

When we are in the midst of suffering and going through a great challenge, understand it is the good news, the gospel that has power to bring hope in a hopeless situation.

It is the gospel that brings relief during insufferable pain.

It brings peace to the anger and calm to the storm.

Anyone here who has needed that assurance lately?

I have, and as I have made quite a few visits to hospitals and nursing homes visiting some of our beloved members here in the midst of awful battles, it is a real testament to hear of the joy they find in Christ.

God doesn’t prevent us from experiencing every trial or battle but he does stand with us as they befall us.

But the good news is Jesus is coming soon!

We don’t live in a world doomed with out hope.

We have a blessed assurance.

Now I will say, suffering, struggle, and trials, can, if we are not grounded in the faith, fall to a false gospel.

For every promise, the devil has a counterfeit.

He also has counterfeit messengers.

He has them.

Paul experienced them in his day, and we experience them in our day.

We mentioned last time how Paul had to write to churches when some would independently, and not ordained to do so, would try and speak as a messenger of God but really false teachers.

They would purposely twist truth with either Pagan or traditional aspects, and inserting them to the same level scripture.

Or just plainly use scriptures or even Paul’s own words outside of their intended context.

Again this is bearing false witness.

I don’t say this to fear monger.