Sermon Tone Analysis

THE CHURCH THAT JESUS IS BUILDING

The reason that the Church today is losing ground to the world is because it has resorted to using the wrong fighthing tactics.

What I mean by that is the church has become “Secular”.

The expression "secular church" may be a contradiction in terms, but it is what many sociologists say is emerging on the American religious scene.The secularization process that has transformed Western civilization over the past two centuries has taken different paths in Europe and in America.

In Europe, secularization has meant large-scale defection from religion and the appearance of many empty church buildings and cathedrals.

In America, churches have survived, however, by adapting to secularization and by commending themselves in terms that are attractive to "secular man."

I been sent on an assignment to tell this house today that the Church that Jesus is building is not Secular; It is the enemy of the secular because it is understand that the Secular is the Highways to"the gates of hell.”

Why is the Church of today (Postmodern/Contemporary/Secular) losing ground?

THE GATES OF HELL

Context of the Text:

Jesus is in the third year of His public ministry and the time for his crucifixion is near.

He removes Himself from the public eye and away on retreat so that he could see what they had learned and give them further instruction for the coming days.

The text says:

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update.

(1995).

().

The La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

A Strategic Location

A. The doctrine of the Fall of Man

Satan’s plan is to “drag humanity to Hell”

Satan’s plan is to “drag humanity to Hell”

B. Satan’s plan is to “drag humanity to Hell”

By New Testament times, “Hades” could refer simply to death or the grave, as opposed to gehenna (“hell”), which was always a place of judgment.

In the New Testament, Hades is sometimes personified (; ) and sometimes seen as a place (; ; ; ; , ; ).

In some places it is placed opposite heaven (; ) or Abraham’s bosom ().

In the Septuagint, hadēs is almost always used to translate the Hebrew שְׁאוֹל (she'ol) (sheol; e.g., LXX [Eng.

9:17]; ; ; ).

Jesus’ Declaration at Caesarea Philippi

The gospel accounts present Caesarea Philippi as the site of a defining confession in the story of Jesus’ life.

There, after Jesus asked the disciples who they believed Him to be, Peter confessed Him to be “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt 16:16).

In Matthew’s Gospel, the account continues with a powerful declaration by Jesus about the Church and its mission (Matt 16:13–20; compare Mark 8:27–29)—a statement that continues to inspire interpretation about the nature of the Church and its role in God’s redemption of creation (see note on Matt 16:18, see also note on Matt 16:19).

The Bible only records Jesus traveling to Caesarea Philippi on this one occasion.

Why would He intentionally take a 14-hour walk (a 30-mile journey) away from the region of the Sea of Galilee where most of His ministry took place?

Caesarea Philippi is located in the northern part of Israel in a plain in the upper Jordan Valley along the southwestern slopes of Mount Hermon.

This ancient city was built on and against a majestic rock formation with lush vegetation.

It served as the water source for the Huela Marshes that gave birth to the Jordan River.