Sermon Tone Analysis

My Friend and a friend to many of you.

For many years we worked together.

Thomas Thomas

What a name , when i heard it from him I thought he was kidding.

I new Thomas well, we had many conversations, He even stayed with us when His knee went out.

He wasn’t used to being served.

He wanted to get up and serve us

We talked about life, his upbringing, his mother who he loved dearly, His siblings everything.

He also honored my wife and kids - always respectful to me.

He liked taking his time, usually alone getting things ready, setting up, etc.

It was easy for me to come up with a theme for Thomas Thomas

A servant of servants

Around 90 servants are listed in the Bible

Many of them are listed as temple servants.

it is obvious God has a special place in his heart for them.

They serve without complaint

They serve in the background

They serve for little to no wage

They serve when it is 100 degrees out side or when it is 40 below zero

They serve when it is raining or snowing

They serve when they feel like it and when they don't

They serve when they have money and when they don’t

They serve when they have stuff and when they don’t

they put others above themselves

They serve because they realize it is Jesus who they ultimately are serving.

They look like Jesus.

there was a point when Jesus had to point this out to his disciples

Matthew 23:11-12 “11 “But the greatest among you shall be your servant.

12 “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”

In this world Position and Power are everything.

It is in the form of a pyramid.

The higher you go the less you have to serve.

All who are under serve those who are above, until you come to the apex, and there stands some one who has to do no service, but whom all the others have to serve.

Those who exercise dominion and authority, thinks it a fine thing to be served.

But it is not so in the kingdom of heaven.

The form there is entirely reversed.

it is an upside down pyramid.

The Son of Man lies at the inverted apex of the pyramid; He upholds, and serves, and ministers unto all, and they who would be high in His kingdom must go near to Him at the bottom, to uphold and minister to all that they may or can uphold and minister unto.

There is no other law of precedence, no other law of rank and position in God's kingdom.

God’s servant delights in what is good and delights in serving.

Not only did he delight in serving - He delighted in His Lord

He lived a life worth living

Sure he had his challenges, who doesn’t.

He had a personal understanding or racism - It wasn’t easy for Thomas

But he lived with a purpose.

A purpose not set upon himself but a purpose set upon him by Jesus.

A mission was given to him and he carried it out.

2 Timothy 4:6-8 “6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

Thomas received no earthly crown here , no star on Hollywood Blvd, he is not going to be known for an abundance of stuff.

But he received something greater

His life was an act of worship

If Thomas could ask us a question

Maybe he would say, “ Are you living a life worth living?

It is a life serving others rather than yourself - A life of service to Jesus

Using Jesus as our example

Phil 2:5-11 “5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Thomas Thomas has transitioned out of this life into the next he has received the crown of righteousness

He walked with two good legs and feet into glory.

He probably picked up a towel on the way and said to Jesus where do you want me to serve.

Jesus will look at Thomas and say,

Matthew 25:23 “23 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave.

You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’”

My question to you is - are you going to be welcomed as Thomas was welcomed?

In this world of self centeredness- would you give it all up to serve the one who is allowing you to breath at this very moment.

The one who gives you strength, the one who knows every hair on your head, The one who has a plan and purpose for you.

The one who you must go through to enter into glory.

Thomas would say kneel before Jesus and serve Him now.

No one is guaranteed another day.

I expected to see Thomas every time I would come to the Dream Center.