Sermon Tone Analysis

I. INTRODUCTION

ONE MAN SAID

“Fame is a vapor, popularity is an accident, and money takes wings.

The only thing that endures is character”

A middle-aged business executive approached the front entrance of the office building in which he worked.

A young feminist came up at the same moment, so he stepped back and held the door open for her to pass on through.

She looked at him and said with annoyance, “Don’t hold the door for me just because I’m a lady.”

To her surprise, he looked right back and replied, “I’m not.

I’m holding it open because I’m a gentleman.”

Likewise, we as Christians must always act toward others on the basis of what we are in Christ Jesus, and not on the basis of what they may or may not be.

It is not enough to simply know you must grow in specific areas of character; you must become intentional about character growth, taking steps that demonstrate that solid character is essential for your long-term success as a spiritual leader.

Remember, the character transformation process will have its ups and downs.

God is patient with you, and you can be patient with yourself.

It will take time to see lasting change, sometimes more time than you want to take.

But God takes much longer to grow an oak tree than a squash!

He is the enabler of this change through the work of the Holy Spirit.

You can trust in His power to help effectuate this change as you work on the exercises.

WHILE EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT GOD’S PROMISES AND WHAT GREAT THINGS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO FOR GOD

GOD SAYS,

TO BE CONFORMED MEANS TO BE LIKE NATURED.

GOD IS INTERESTED IN YOUR CHARACTER

BECAUSE GOD IS INTERESTED MOST IN OUR CHARACTER, WE SHOULD PRIORITIZE OUR CHARACTER

BUT, HOW CAN WE BE LIKE CHRIST WITH SO MANY WORLDLY THINGS GRASPING FOR OUR ATTENTION?

HOW CAN WE BE LIKE CHRIST WHEN OUR CULTURE OR FRIENDS SAY WE HAVE TO ACT LIKE THEM?

IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE LIKE CHRIST IN THIS MODERN ERA?

A. A CHANGE OF CLOTHES

ONE OF PAUL’S DISTINCTIONS IN WRITING IS WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY BEFORE

HE GIVES US THE INDICATIVES BEFORE THE IMPERATIVES

IN OTHER WORDS, HE SAYS, SINCE YOU ARE, THEN YOU SHOULD DO

ALL OF HIS LETTERS DO THIS

HE BEGINS BY TELLING YOU WHAT YOU ARE OR WHO YOU ARE, THEN TOWARDS THE MIDDLE AND END OF THE LETTER, HE SAYS THESE ARE THE THINGS YOU SHOULD DO

THINK ABOUT WHAT JESUS SAYS

WHAT YOU DO IS GOING TO TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE.

1. PAUL BEGINS THE CHAPTER BY SAYING IF YOU ARE RISEN WITH CHRIST, SEEK THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ABOVE

THEN HE GOES ON TO SAY,

IF YOU ARE DEAD, THEN YOU ARE GOING TO KILL THE EVIL THAT ATTACKS YOU

IF YOU ARE REALLY DEAD, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO COMMIT SEXUAL IMMORALITY, POSSESS IMPURITY, HAVE EVIL DESIRES, AND COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR’S WIFE, WHICH IS IDOLATRY-IDOL WORSHIP

2. PAUL SAYS AS CHOSEN ONES

TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR, I’M CHOSEN BY GOD

CHOSEN TO REPRESENT HIM, WORK FOR HIM, TO BE A WITNESS, LAY HANDS ON THE SICK AND SEE THEM RECOVER.

YOUR FRIENDS MAY NOT BE CHOSEN, YOUR TEACHER MIGHT NOT BE CHOSEN, YOUR FAMILY MIGHT NOT EVEN BE CHOSEN

BUT YOU SHOULD THANK GOD THAT HE CHOSE YOU

CHOSEN TO BRING FORTHH FRUIT, CHOSEN TO PROSPER, CHOSEN TO PROCLAIM HIS WORD, CHOSEN TO BE SUCCESSFUL, CHOSEN TO STEP INTO MY DESTINY REGARDLESS OF THE ADVERSITY, CHOSEN TO WALK IN THE NEW LIFE OF THE SPIRIT

3. PAUL USES THE METAPHOR OF CLOTHING TO DESCRIBE THE SANCTIFIED LIFE

WE LAY ASIDE ONE COAT AND PUT ON ANOTHER

ONCE WE WERE WEARING THE DEVIL, BUT NOW WE ARE WEARING CHRIST

HERE IS WHERE THE SHIFT COMES

WHEN YOU PUT ON CHRIST YOU BECOME COMPASSIONATE, YOU ARE KIND, MEEK, PATIENT, FORGIVING, AND LOVING

VERSES 12-17 SHOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO LIVE AS ONE ENTIRELY CLOTHED WITH CHRIST

How painful almost to get a situation, but to miss it.

How vexing almost to catch a plane, but to be left at the terminal.

How sad almost to escape drowning, but to be engulfed in the water.

But, oh, how above-all-things terrible to be almost a Christian and yet in the lake of fire for eternity!

It has been said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

May it not be said also that it will be trodden by millions of almost-Christians!

Oh, be warned, then, against being an almost-er, for to be almost saved is to be certainly lost!

DON’T BE AFRAID TO CHANGE CLOTHES

TO WALK IN NEW LIFE, REGARDLESS OF PEOPLE’S OPINION OR YOUR CULTURE

YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO MISS OUT

CHANGE YOUR CLOTHES

LIKE THE BIBLE SAYS,

B. A CHANGE OF CONDITION

THE OUTSIDE CHANGE BECOMES THE CONDITION FOR THE INSIDE CHANGE

IF IT IS COLD OUTSIDE AND I PUT ON MY COAT, THEN I GET WARM ON THE INSIDE

THE ACTION ON THE OUTSIDE IS GOING TO CHANGE THE RESULT ON THE INSIDE

IF YOU CHANGE YOUR COAT, THE PEACE OF GOD WILL RULE IN YOUR HEARTS

I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT WITH ALL OF THE RESTLESSNESS AND ANXIETY AND UNCERTAINTY

I NEED SOME PEACE AND IF I CHANGE ON THE OUTSIDE, THERE IS NO ANXIETY, STRESS,

THE ESSENTIAL CHARACTER OF CHRIST’S KINGDOM RULES ON THE INSIDE

WHEN CONFUSION COMES, IT HAS TO BOW, BECAUSE SOMETHING ELSE IS RULING

WHEN WEARINESS COMES, IT HAS TO BOW BECAUSE PEACE IS IN CONTROL

WHEN WORRY COMES, IT HAS TO BOW BECAUSE PEACE IS IN CONTROL

WHEN FEAR COMES, PEACE IS IN CONTROL

CONFLICT, PEACE IS IN CONTROL

ANOTHER INSIDE BENEFIT IS THE WORD OF CHRIST

1. WHEN YOU PUT ON THE LORD JESUS, THE WORD WARMS YOU FROM THE COLD

THE WORD WILL STRENGTHEN, CULTIVATE, AND REMIND US THAT HIS WORD IS THE VERY AIR WE BREATHE.

BUT WE HAVE THE CHOICE TO EITHER TO RECEIVE OR REJECT

WE HAVE TO LET IT LIVE ABUNDANTLY IN US

NOT JUST ON SUNDAY

NOT JUST WHEN WE ARE IN A CRISIS BUT ALL OF THE TIME

AND NOT JUST THE PARTS WE WANT BUT THE ENTIRE COUNSEL OF GOD

PAUL SAYS IN

YOU CANNOT JUST PICK WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM GOD

YOU HAVE TO LET IT DWELL IN YOU IN ALL WISDOM

THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST CONTAINS THE WEALTH OF GOD’S WISDOM

ILLUSTRATION

APPLICATION

STOP FAULTFINDING IN ONE ANOTHER AND LOVE, FORGIVE, BE HUMBLE

STOP ALLOWING WORLDLY THINGS TO FILL YOUR HEART AND LET GOD’S WORD DWELL RICHLY OR ABUNDANTLY IN YOU.

THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO TAKE TIME TO LISTEN TO THE SERMON

YOU HAVE TO READ YOUR WORD DAILY

JUST A SERMON ON SUNDAY IS NOT ENOUGH

IT’S TIME TO REMOVE ALL OF THE DISTRACTIONS FROM YOUR LIVES AND START GIVING YOUR TIME TO THE WORD.

III.

A CHANGE IN HOW THINGS ARE DONE

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO IT IN THE NAME OF THE LORD

IF WE ARE TEACHING, WE DO IT IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, INSTRUCTING, SINGING AND GRATITUDE EMBRACES ALL OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

WHEN WE ARE UNITED AND LIVE UNDER CHRIST’S NAME IN HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION

EVERYTHING SHOULD BE DONE WITH AN AWARENESS OF HIS CALLING, HIS COMMANDS, HIS PROMISES, HIS LIFE