Sermon Tone Analysis
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Tonight we will be gathering together - as a fellowship - for our church dinner… and because of the timing of the dinner...
Normally we would have our church dinners in April - to more correspond to our fiscal year...
BUT...
This year we started thinking about that timing...
And we thought that because this is the time of year when - as a church - we KICK OFF our new season of bible studies - kids program - etc...
It just made more sense for this to be the time that we GET TOGETHER - look back on the past year...
AND...
Look ahead to a new season of life at AFBC...
And so with this really being a - starting point - for a new year of MINISTRY...
in MANY ways and in MANY forms...
TODAY - we’re going to look at - MINISTRY...
And HOPEFULLY - realize how INTENTIONAL we have to be - in LIVING out our lives of MINISTRIES...
Today - we’ll start by looking at the apostle Paul...
Looking at how HE handled ministry...
and hopefully learn from him...
And then we’ll close by looking at some characteristics of the HEART that we need to examine in our own lives.
So to start - let’s go to 2 Cor 5:17-19 and see what Paul has to say to us - as we GAZE OUT into a new season of life in the church...
We’ve said this many times here at AFBC - but we all need to realize that we ALL (all who have bowed the knee to Jesus)...
We are ALL - currently - in - Ministry!
Paul says - to the Corinthian church - and by IMPLICATION- to us...
That God has SIGNED US UP - for ministry!
The Ministry of Reconciliation!
To be RECONCILED:
is to reestablish a close relationship
to be ACCEPTED
The CALL that goes out to the world - THROUGH US - is this:
BE reconciled to God - In Christ!!
That’s the message!!
And so - If we to think about the MINISTRIES that we PARTAKE IN...
What’s the GOAL of that MINISTRY?
Every ministry - has the same GOAL - ultimately…!!
What is it?
Let’s look at Paul’s ministry to see...
We know that Paul was considered the - Apostle to the Gentiles…but what was his AIM / GOAL?
Paul was a minister of the Gospel....for what reason?"
(v16) - so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit."
So the aim of Paul's ministry was to offer to God the Gentiles....offer them how?
To offer them as ACCEPTABLE...
...Sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
What does Paul mean?
What does it mean to be Sanctified?
Let's say you're someone who had always hid certain income on your taxes...
You then get saved, and you begin to tell the truth on your taxes...That's sanctification
Let's say you're someone who had always lied on your timesheet at work...
But then you get saved and you begin to follow Jesus...and you begin making accurate entries on your timesheet...That's sanctification
Let's say you're someone who had always given 'misinformation' on facebook....
Or someone who had always boasted in yourself on facebook...
But then you surrender your life to Christ and begin following Jesus...
And that misinformation becomes 'truthful' information and the boasting stops...That's sanctification
To help us more with this, Paul gives us a more detailed picture of what this is in verse 18
What is sanctification....?
Obedience to Christ.
It’s the PROCESS in life - of spiritual growth!
Where we - MORE AND MORE - begin to live LIKE Jesus!
BUT - understand what this is saying - Paul’s AIM is to - - “bring the GENTILES to obedience”
Paul’s focus was on the Ministry of Reconciliation - to BRING OTHERS to Jesus - so that they may then GROW in Christ - and learn to OBEY Him!
That’s Paul’s AIM...
What about his motivation for doing this?
We see Paul's motivation in verse 20
“and thus I make it my [ambition to preach the gospel], not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation”
Paul was controlled by a Holy Ambition in his life...
His holy ambition!...to preach the gospel in places where Christ had not been preached.
There are people out there who have never heard the gospel...And the Bible says that there is a group out there who will believe...
They're just waiting for someone to speak truth to them...They're just waiting to hear the gospel...
Now, we all have different giftings, There are as many different callings in this room as there are people....from a specificity standpoint...but the question goes out to each of us...
Am i driven by a Holy Ambition...?
What drives my life?
What drives your life?
Do you WAKE UP each day - asking of yourself - What can I DO TODAY - to advance the kingdom of God?
And that can HAPPEN - anywhere!
In your home...
your place of employment
your neighborhood
ANYWHERE
Are we putting time and ENERGY into FIGURING this out for ourselves?
Paul’s ULTIMATE GOAL in life? - - Carrying out the Ministry of Reconciliation!
NOW - HOW should we THINK about doing that?
(Living out the Ministry of Reconciliation)
Because here’s an IMPORTANT truth -
SLIDE:
We must be intentional in how we go about carrying out the ministry of reconciliation
From this point on - in this sermon - we’re going to DIVE INTO some content from Desiring God Ministries...
Content that will hopefully get us thinking about our own walks of faith!
TO help us examine ourselves (hearts) to more efficiently walk thru a LIFE of MINISTRY...
We’re going to start with characteristics that EACH OF US need - and SHOULD CULTIVATE - Because we’re CHRISTIANS...
So these first set of HEART characteristics are - ESSENTIAL!
They’re not - OPTIONAL...
What are they?
SLIDE: (1) Essential Desire: That Others Will Glorify God
Essential Desire
This REALLY is the ultimate goal of ALL ministry....
Whether it’s a Food Ministry...
Sewing Ministry
Youth Ministry
Music Ministry...
Whatever it is - the REASON we...
hand out food
sew blankets
talk to teenagers
Sing songs...
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