Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Investing Time
August 6, 2006
We are so sad to see Tom & Angie Thompson going.
Angie has done such a *great* *job* keeping this *church* *clean*.
I was in the Boat Shed, *tucked* *away* in the back, working on this sermon.
I heard *Angie* and *Michelle* *Cruse* walk in to clean it.
I could hear Angie saying, “That’s strange, the door’s *unlocked*.
Did you know they once found a *homeless* man *sleeping* in here?”
So I quickly laid on the floor and waited for them to find me.
· I didn’t know Angie was capable of *screaming* that loud or *running* that fast!
*investing our talents*
Today’s sermon is the second in a two-part series.
Last week, we talked about the *two* *tests* we take before we enter heaven:
1.
The Entrance Exam: What did you do with God’s Son?
2. The Performance Review: What did you do with God’s stuff?
Everything is *God’s* *stuff*, it all belongs to Him.
Every believer’s life will be *evaluated*, to see what we did with what we were *given*.
If any man builds on this foundation [of Christ] using *gold*, *silver*, *costly* *stones*, *wood*, *hay* or *straw*, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day [of judgment] will bring it to light....
· Our *reward* in heaven is affected by how we do on this review.
If what he has built survives, he will receive his *reward*.
If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself *will* be *saved*, but only as one escaping through the flames.
/1 Corinthians 3:12-15 NIV/
God has *loaned* us our *time*, *talents*, and *treasure*, and we are responsible for how we use them.
Last week we focused on *talents*.
The good news is that this is not a *competition* to see who accomplished the most, and we don’t *compare* ourselves to others.
God will examine how we did with the talents we were given.
· God is more pleased by the *rate* of *return* than the *net*.
[photo]
God *invested* in us by giving us our *talents* and He wants to get a *good* *return* on that investment.
I gave four *investment* *tips*:
1.
*Acknowledge* and *appreciate* our talents: God has given everyone of us talents He wants to use.
2.
*Develop* them: An undeveloped talent is a buried talent.
3.
Take *risks*: Fear of not *measuring* up or of *failure* prevents us from using our talents.
God prefers that we *try* and *fail* than *never* *try*.
4.
Spend *wisely*: If we only spend our talents on *ourselves*, we will be *out* of *balance*.
Like our Father, we should *serve* *others*.
I closed by asking where we find the *time* to develop our talents and spend them on others.
Today, we are going to talk about how to *invest* the time God has given us.
*Death clock*
Remember “The Death Clock”?
It describes itself as “The internet’s friendly reminder that life is *slipping* away...*second* by *second*.”
You enter your *information* and it tells you your *life* *expectancy*.
What makes it particularly *morbid* is that is gives you a *specific* day of death and a *countdown* *clock*, in seconds.
· I am scheduled to die Saturday, August 17, 2047.
If you are interested, be warned that this is *NOT* a *Christian* website, and it links to some *inappropriate* material, but if you want to track your life, the website is www.deathclock.com.
This website teaches us a profound *theological* *truth*.
It is vital that we not just *know* and *understand* this truth, but that we fully *integrate* it into our *daily* *perspective*.
· You’re gonna die.
Teach us to realize the *brevity* of life, so that we may grow in *wisdom*.
/Psalm 90:12 NLT/
How is it that knowing life is short makes us wiser?
Because *wisdom* in the Bible is not knowing *facts* and *figures*.
*Wisdom* is the ability to make *wise* *choices*.
· If we know how *precious* time is and how *short* life is, we are far more likely to make *wise* *choices* in spending our time.
*the good investments*
As with talents, our time does not belong to us.
It’s on *loan* from God and we will have to *give* an *account* for how we used it.
Like our talents, our time is best spent on things that will *outlast* this life: *God* and *others*.
We all agree on the sort of things we should spend our time on:
· Worshiping *God*.
· Being with our *family* and *friends*.
· *Serving* other.
· *Growing* personally – these are the gold, silver & costly stone.
But then there are all the things we do instead:
· Surf the *web*.
· Engage in *hobbies*.
· Check our *e*-*mail*.
· Watch *TV** *– these are the wood, hay & straw.
Here’s a simple exercise to remind us how productive TV is: Force yourself to *continue* watching it after you’ve *turned* it *off*.
If we ask ourselves which items are the *most* *important*, we would say the things on the *first* *list*.
But if we ask which things *take* *priority*, too often it is the things on the *second* *list*.
These things *aren’t* *bad*.
They become a problem when they *displace* things of *greater* *value*.
When they do, it tells us that our *priorities* have *shifted*.
For where your *treasure* is, there your *heart* will be also.
/Luke 12:34 NIV /
This is equally true of *time*: Where your *time* is *spent*, there your *heart* will also be.
Apparently my heart is in my computer!
· A sermon like this is great for guilt – I know I misuse time.
So long as we’re living this world with *limited* *time*, we’ll have to make *choices* about our time, the choice isn’t necessarily between *good* and *bad*, it’s between *Gold *and *straw*.
· God’s plan is for these *limits* will *teach* us to choose the things of *highest* *value*.
Because we have *limited* time, we have to learn to use our time *well*.
Some people are exceptionally *gifted* at this, they are *well*-*organized* and *disciplined*.
It’s their talent.
It is certainly *not* my talent.
I really have no business preaching this sermon, which has made it *very* *hard* for me to *write* it, which made it *easier* to *avoid* *working* on it.
· I spent my time checking my *e-mail*, surfing the *web*, and *scaring* our cleaning team.
But because this is not my strength, I have to work very *hard* at getting *organized*, so I can use my time well.
I have read *books*, gone to *seminars*, and I try to *imitate* Cheryl Neff.
· I like to go into her office and *move* *papers* around just a little and see *how* *long* she can handle thing out of place.
*Stress meter*
In my quest to get organized, I’ve learned several important lessons which I want to pass on to you.
First,* disorganization* is *infectious*.
When I get disorganized in *one* *area* of my life, the *rest* of it also goes out of control.
My desk is a great *stress* *meter*.
There’s three different stages:
· *Busy*, but *happy*
· Starting to get *out* of *control*
· Put me out of my *misery*
This is also true of my *car*, my *bills*, or my *garage*.
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