Sermon Tone Analysis

Title: Enjoying Christ’s Epistle Among Us

Theme: Christ Working In and Through Doris Stump

Series: Pillars of the Local Church

2 Corinthians 3:2-4, “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody.

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God.”

Accreditation of Ministry of Christ Working In and Through

Doris Isabel Stump

This wonderful passage of Scripture gives us an accreditation of ministry.

It seems like there is much that opposes God’s work today just as there was opposition against the labors of the Apostle Paul in his work with Jesus Christ.

Opposition can come from people who stand against the work of the Lord or it may be the intimidation that causes workers to question the effectiveness of their labors in the “Great Commission.”

This intimidation builds its strength through a world view evaluation, that result of sin that causes workers for the Lord to determine their value through the size of the church or ministry in which they serve.

The fact is regardless of the opposition, Christians must find their strength in Christ and be hungry for God’s approval in their labors with the Lord Jesus Christ.

I would propose to you that Christians who attend CrossRoads and the United Methodist Church in Long Island, Kansas, can say as the Apostle Paul, “‘Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God,’ the Lord is at work among us.

The Apostle Paul realized how the false apostles would take a swipe at the creditability of his labors with the Lord Jesus Christ and try to destroy the work God was doing not only through him but through those who served sacrificially with him.

Paul’s confidence would not rest in the approval of man, but in the work of the Holy Spirit, taking the words they have taught in Christ Name and writing them in the hearts of those who respond to the gospel message.

His faith was in the power of God to do a great work among the people to whom he ministered to in Christ.

Just how can the local Body of believers enjoy God doing a work among them as the Holy Spirit anoints the children of God?

It is imperative that Christians make themselves aware of and focus on the truth, God does not anoint buildings or programs, the Holy Spirit anoints obedient Christians who are sold out to the cause of Christ.

The Body of Christ is not the beautiful buildings or grounds where they gather to worship, but those who have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of Christ.

(Romans 8:10; 1 Corinthians 3:16)

The first step to enjoying the Lord’s work among His people is to catch the truth, that God uses human vessels as instruments to proclaim the Word of God about Christ so people may believe in the Lord and be saved.

The Apostle Paul told those in the Corinthian church that they were, “the results of their ministry.”

The Bible says, “ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?

And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?

And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

And how can they preach unless they are sent?

As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ …Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”

(Romans 10:14-17)

There was one life who heard the message of Christ and came to truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord, Doris Isabel Stump.

Her life is a powerful testimony of the life changing work of Christ.

She is an epistle worthy of reading.

Faithful men who preached and taught God’s Word to Doris

There were three men who had the call of God to “preach” and teach God’s Word to Doris.

God’s grace was evidently working through them as they had an influence in Doris’ life.

It was through the ministry of Pastors Richard Krenz, Jerry Vincent and Ronald Scheimo that Doris grew to enjoy serving the Lord.

It should be noted that other men of God and faithful servants of the Lord also planted the seeds of God’s Word into Doris’ life.

However, it was the Lord working through the three pastors already mentioned that Doris got involved in long time service to both CrossRoads and the Long Island United Methodist Churches.

The purpose of this compilation of testimonials is for a memorial of Christ working in and through the life of Doris Stump as she faithfully served her Savior and Lord in these two Bodies of Christ since the early 1970’s.

Both congregations speak of Doris Isabel Stump as the Apostle Paul did of the early church, “…we thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe [in Christ].”

(1 Thessalonians 2:13) Doris was always very appreciative of men and women who have the gift to preach and teach God’s Word.

While serving the Lord in the prime of her spiritual service she knew the difference between a Holy Spirit anointed preacher and a hireling, a true shepherd of the flock of God from a denominationally approved man.

Revelation of what God’s Word says about Going to Heaven

The congregations of Long Island Methodist and CrossRoads churches are very thankful for faithful men who preached and taught God’s Word to Doris.

They are more excited that Doris had revelation of what God’s Word says about who is going to heaven.

Jesus said, “…I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

(John 3:3) Ezekiel 36:26-27 says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”

These two passages of Scriptures had real meaning to Doris for the Holy Spirit had illuminated them into her spiritual heart.

She enjoyed hearing Dr. Billy Graham proclaim these two passages of Scripture in many of the evangelistic crusades that he was doing with the Lord.

He would call sinners’ attention to the words of Christ and then explain to all who would come forward to receive the Lord Jesus, just what God wanted to do in their hearts.

Doris had mentioned on several occasions “to observe any of God’s Word means nothing until this relationship with God, Christ and the Holy Spirit is in proper order.”

Those who are born again through faith alone in Christ will see Doris in heaven with Jesus.

Let the Holy Spirit probe your spiritual heart, are you born again?

Is there a time you invited Christ to come into your heart and life and surrendered to the Lordship of Christ?

Enabled to Overcome Sin

All who are born again will be in heaven with Doris and Christ Jesus.

Doris Stump not only had illumination of being born again, she knew the joy of being enabled to overcome sin.

1 John 5:3-4 says, “This is love for God: to obey His commands.

And His commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world.

This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

Who is it that overcomes the world?

Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Revelation 2:7 says, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”

Doris not only loved and appreciated the preaching and teaching of God’s Word, she allowed the written Word of the Lord to be spiritual food for her soul (Matthew 4:4) and she never found His commands burdensome.

As a matter of fact she found obeying the Lord’s Word liberating and knew the joy that comes in every step of obedience.

There was a time she lived north of Long Island, Kansas.

When it came that time in her life to move into town and sell the farm house she was given the opportunity to choose truthfulness or be overcome by the world’s view.

A family came out to look the house and property over.

She told him everything she could think of as they visited.

The family left and as Doris meditated upon all that was said, the Lord brought to her memory of some possible termite damage in the house.

Doris’ flesh moved her to think as many in the world do today, “They were here and looked everything over, it is no big deal if I do not tell them.”

The Holy Spirit kept prompting Doris to love truthfulness, so she obeyed her Lord and called the perspective buyers about the possible termite damage.

Doris had an unexplainable joy of the Lord pour into her soul through the Holy Spirit and as she related the incident to her daughter Bonnie and her son-in-law Terry Laughlin, she said with such excitement, “This means I am able to overcome this world’s view.

In Christ I am an over-comer!”

Who to Trust

Not only was Doris able to overcome this world’s view, she knew who to trust in at all times.

Psalm 9:10 says, “Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

Doris lived a life that said, “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.”

(Psalm 13:5)

When Doris’ husband, Alfred Fischer died his physical death she had often said, “I should think more upon the truth that Alfred is in heaven with Jesus forever, and not so much on my temporary loss, but it is okay to be sad.

I am thankful the Lord will look after me.”

Doris grew tremendously in trust in the Lord after the first five years after the death of Alfred and in the taking care of her third husband, Gerald Stump when he was afflicted with brain cancer.

Doris expressed genuine faith at the times of the physical death of her husbands because she was illuminated with the truth which was revealed to the Apostle Paul who wrote, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and be present with the Lord.”

(2 Corinthians 5:8 KJV)

How to deal with the anxieties of life

Doris had a trust in the Lord that enabled her to have faith in the most difficult times in life and she knew how to deal with the anxieties of life.

Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanks giving, present your request to God.”

In her physically healthy days and at the peak of her walk with the Lord it was common to see a prayer list next to Doris’ Bible because she was constantly in prayer.

Bible reading and prayer was the common fruit of her life.

In her spiritual height she was a modern day example of the disciple who came to Christ and said, “Lord, teach me to pray…” (Luke 11:1)

Doris was never ashamed to pray because the Lord had taught her how to pray and enjoy prayer.

She had prayed through to see her children and in laws come to know Christ personally as their Savior and Lord.

She had prayed for loves ones to be filled with the Holy Spirit that they be enabled to do great things with the Lord.

She has prayed for new ministries to be raised up and has kept those ministries in prayer.

In a time when her illness really afflicted her in the early months of 2007 she had commented to one person who she had prayed for to know Christ and for the ministry the Lord had given this person, saying, “I still pray for you and your ministry.”

The Lord had so revealed the power of prayer to Doris enabling her to be like the faithful few who have illumination of Romans 8:26-27, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.

We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.”