Sermon Tone Analysis

When I was a kid, the county decided to rebuild the small bridge near our house.

The bridge went over a railroad track and was in pretty bad shape.

After they were done, it was nice.

While they were building it, it was fascinating.

We would walk down the road to the clearing in the trees and watch them work.

After they would leave for the day, we would walk through the construction site, exploring their progress.

That’s the first time I was able to feel semi-fresh asphalt.

I love the smell of fresh asphalt.

I find enjoyment in watching someone who is skilled in construction or building.

They are able to throw together something out of nothing so easily.

Every builder has their own style.

Every builder has their own proficiency.

Every builder has an area that they probably shouldn’t do.

Last week, we discussed how we are God’s builders, so we should build.

Well, this week, we are going to take our eyes off of ourselves and consider the builders around us, people whom God has called to build into our lives: teachers and leaders of churches.

Let’s read 1 Corinthians 3:5-17 with that perspective.

Paul says: They are God’s builders, so let them build!

Pray

Paul tells us that God has placed servants among his churches to lead his churches.

They are God’s builders.

Paul says: let them build.

1A.

Their Identity

Let’s talk about their identity.

They are called by God

Paul wrote:

Paul believed that both him and Apollos, though different in style and theology were both called by God for their task.

He openly claimed this at the beginning of the letter.

Other letters that he wrote, he claimed the same thing.

He firmly believed that everyone who is in a position of authority has been placed in that position by God.

This is true for people in government.

It is true for those who are leaders in churches.

Those who lead and teach in a church have been called by God for that assignment.

Unfortunately, many leaders and teachers in churches these days do it because it is something to do, or someone told them they would be good at it.

They don’t have a sense of the work.

Charles Spurgeon, in teaching young pastors, said:

“Let every man abide in the calling wherein he is called, unless there be to him some special call from God to devote himself to the ministry.”

And

“I do not ask whether you are much instructed or learned, or all that; I do not need to ask you; for I do not care about it myself.

But I ask you these questions.

Have you tried to address a Sabbath-school?

have you gained the attention of the children.

Having tried to address a few people, when they have been gathered together, have you found they would listen to you after you have preached?

Had you any evidence and any sign that would lead you to believe that souls were blessed under you?

Did any of the saints of God who were spiritually- minded, tell you that their souls were fed by your sermon?

Did you hear of any sinner convinced of sin? Have you any reason to believe that you have had a soul converted under you?

If not, if you will take one's advice for what it is good for- and I believe it is advice which God's Holy Spirit would have me give you-you had better give it up.

You will make a very respectable Sunday-School teacher, you will do very well in a great many other ways; but unless these things have been known by you, unless you have these evidences, you may say you have been called, and all that; I don't believe it.

If you had been called to preach, there would have been some evidence and some sign of it.”

When that evidence is there, the understanding of a mandate from God, the leader must lead, and the teacher must teach.

Who are they?

They are called by God.

They are called by God to serve together

Paul writes:

Every single person who preaches the Word of God or who leads a church is part of a greater work.

I think about the church we attended while I was in high school.

Evergreen Baptist Church.

Pastor Jon Rumley.

He believed that God had given them the ministry of sending.

God would lead people to attend Evergreen, and then after several years, they would move to a different city or state.

Very few people would stay.

Whenever they moved however, they were always more spiritually mature, a leader in whatever church they attended next.

Pastor Jon knew that he was serving together with other ministers around the nation to build the Church of Jesus Christ.

Who are these men?

They are called by God to serve together.

They are called by God to serve together with one purpose

Paul writes:

Paul and Apollos had one purpose: preaching the Gospel and calling followers of Jesus Christ to live as followers of Jesus Christ.

They were two different people, but they were coworkers with one purpose.

There are some preachers who are insecure when they hear that the congregation is listening to other preachers.

I am not.

I know that I am only human.

I am not adequate to lead you as a church to maturity.

So, I welcome special speakers into the pulpit.

I welcome you to listen to other ministers.

That’s one reason why we have RightNow Media, so that you have the opportunity to grow in Jesus Christ through the teaching of Jesus’ church around the world.

One day Jesus’s disciples were arguing on who was the greatest among them.

Jesus told them that they were to be a servant of all, not concerned about who was the greatest.

Then John moved the discussion from who was greatest among the disciples, to how the disciples who followed Jesus all the time were better than those who don’t.

John wanted to lift himself up as a true follower of Jesus Christ, above all those whom he thought didn’t make the cut and Jesus says: don’t stop his ministry, for whoever is not against us is for us.

There are many people who we would look at and say: they are not leading people correctly.

They are not teaching people correctly.

We would do it differently, therefore they are wrong and need to stop.

However, these teachers, while they are different from how we would prefer, are not leading people away from Jesus.

In fact, through their ministry, people are growing in spiritual maturity, they are confessing sin and changing.

Instead throwing a barrier in the church, saying: they are wrong and we are right, should we not realize that we serve together with one purpose, while acknowledging our differences.

I’m not a fan of Joel Olsteen.

Some of you might not know who he is.

He is megachurch pastor in southern Texas.

He preaches what’s called prosperity Gospel, that Jesus saved us so that we can be healthy and wealthy.

I do not believe that is true.

But, there are somethings that I agree with Joel Olsteen on.

When he preaches, he reads this poem:

"This is my Bible.

I am what it says I am.

I have what it says I have.

I can do what it says I can do.

Today I will be taught the Word of God.

I boldly confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive.

I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, ever-living seed of the Word of God.