Sermon Tone Analysis

al style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:

normal'>Lord, may we clearly see you and the glory that you have redeemed for us through those that you have chosen as your saints.

Amen 

 

Today as you know by now we are celebrating All Saints Day – The actual day is November 1st, which this year is Thursday past, however it is a day to be celebrated and not to be missed.

I say not to be missed because it is a wonderful opportunity in this harvest season, this thanksgiving season, to lay claim of the Saints that have gone before and ministered in the Lord

                        All Saints Day is lost amongst most of our culture… taking a backseat to Halloween

But in fact the tradition of Halloween came second to what we celebrate today ‘All Saints Day’ – Halloween is short for *All Hallows' Eve* or *All Saints' Eve*

 

That distinction is lost and so following up from what has become the second busiest retail time of the year

– a time separated from its foundational understanding… many in society would question

Why do people go to church?

Why do they embrace religion?

Why do they listen to religious radio programs?

One of the common answers to these questions goes like this: /"People are looking for something uplifting--something that will help them make it through another week."/

Some would say, /"The work week beats you down, so Sunday should lift you up.

Life is hard.

Church is like a shot of adrenaline.

It gets you through!"/

Others would speak of moral obligation, the ordering of society, and fulfilling the commandment to keep the Sabbath.

Down through the centuries, Christians have articulated all sorts of different reasons for belonging to a faith community.

In some settings, people have spoken, first and foremost, about church being a place where you can search for God, find a personal Savior, or at least, learn the *content* of the Christian faith.

Others emphasize their connection to a community of love and support.

Still others point to a liturgy: to their thirst for the sacraments, the music, and the prayers.

Others still indicate that they have sought out church because they long to be part of a prophetic community

Or a group dedicated to meeting human need: feeding the hungry, caring for the poor, reaching out to a broken world.

Many might say… “all of the above… and more”

In every age, there have been those who have expected church to provide a moral compass for themselves or their children.

This past week in between games of squash, while catching our breath, my opponent (a catholic), knowing that I am a minister, said that people focus too much on the differences of denominations, and that scares people away from church,

When at the end of the day getting the kids out to hear a moral message is so much more important than the minutia of the details – especially with all they hear in the world around them.

And I agree, and that is why I am so thankful that this church is committed to youth ministries.

In this post-modern age in which all authority… and all structures of authority… are questioned,

A large number of Christians give a different reason for associating with church – for them it is                                                        simply….for

having faith.

Now more than ever the struggle for faith taking a role in our lives is under attack

            Yet, this is not new – consider the following situation from over 100 years ago

 

An Atheist Professor of Philosophy was speaking to his Class on the Problem Science has with GOD, the ALMIGHTY.

He asked *one* of his New Christian Students to stand and… \\    \\ Professor :*   *You are a Christian, aren’t you, son ?

\\ Student    :*   *Yes, sir.

\\ Professor :*    *So, you Believe in GOD ?

\\ Student    :*   *Absolutely, sir.

\\ Professor :*    *Is GOD Good ?

\\ Student    :*    *Sure.

\\ Professor :*    *Is GOD ALL - POWERFUL ?

\\ Student    :*    *Yes.

\\ Professor :*    *My Brother died of Cancer even though he Prayed to GOD to Heal him.

Most of us would

attempt to help others who are ill.

But GOD didn’t.

How is this GOD good then?

… Hmm?* * \\ \\ /(Student was silent )/* *

* *

Professor :*   *You can’t answer, can you ?

Let’s start again, Young Fella.

Is GOD Good? \\ Student    :   Yes.

\\ Professor :   Is Satan good ?

\\ Student    :*   *No.

\\ Professor :*   *Where does Satan come from ? \\ Student    :*   *From . . .

GOD . . .

\\ Professor :*   *That’s right.

Tell me son, is there evil in this World?*

* \\ Student    :*   *Yes.*

* \\ Professor :    Evil is everywhere, isn’t it ?

And GOD did make everything.

Correct?

\\ Student    :*   *Yes.*

* \\ Professor :*   *So who created evil ?* * \\ \\

/(Student did not answer)/* * \\ \\ Professor :*   *Is there Sickness?

Immorality?

Hatred?

Ugliness?

All these terrible things exist in the World, don’t they?

Student    :  Yes, sir.

\\ Professor :*   *So, who Created them ?

\\ \\

/(Student had no answer)/* *

* *

Professor :*  *Science says you have 5 Senses you use to Identify and Observe the World around you. \\                   Tell me, son . . .

Have you ever Seen GOD?

Student    :*  *No, sir.

Professor :*  *Tell us if you have ever Heard your GOD?

Student    :*  *No , sir.

Professor :*   *Have you ever Felt your GOD, Tasted your GOD, Smelt your GOD?  Have you ever had any Sensory Perception of GOD for that matter?

Student    :   No, sir.

I’m afraid I haven’t.

\\ Professor :*   *Yet you still Believe in HIM? \\ Student    :*  *Yes.

\\ Professor :*   *According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says your GOD doesn’t exist.

What

do you say to that, son?

Student    :*  *Nothing.

I only have my Faith.

\\ Professor :*  *Yes, Faith.

And THAT is the Problem Science has.

\\ \\ Student    :*   *Professor, is there such a thing as Heat? \\ Professor :*   *Yes.*

* \\ Student    :*   *And is there such a thing as Cold? \\ Professor :*   *Yes.

\\ Student   :*    *No, sir.

There isn’t.*

* \\ \\

/(The Lecture Theatre became very quiet with this turn of events)/* *

* *

Student    :*   *Sir, you can have Lots of Heat, even More Heat, Superheat, Mega Heat, White Heat, a Little Heat or No Heat.

But we don’t have anything called Cold.

We can hit 458 Degrees (273 Celsius) below Zero which is No Heat, but we can’t go any further after that.

There is no such thing as Cold.

Cold is only a Word we use to describe the Absence of Heat.

We cannot Measure Cold.

Heat is Energy.