Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction & Context

As I arise today,

may the strength of God pilot me,

the power of God uphold me,

the wisdom of God guide me.

May the eye of God look before me,

the ear of God hear me,

the word of God speak for me.

May the hand of God protect me,

the way of God lie before me,

the shield of God defend me,

the host of God save me.

May Christ shield me today.

Christ with me, Christ before me,

Christ behind me,

Christ in me, Christ beneath me,

Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit,

Christ when I stand,

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

Amen

Patrick of Ireland was a missionary in the 5th century who was captured by Irish pirates as a youth.

He was brought to Ireland and put to work in farm and field.

After a divinely provided way of escape, Patrick made his way over 200 miles to the Irish coast, where he was able to travel to Britian.

After a fresh committment to his faith and training, he returned to Ireland, to the land where people had kidnapped him and put him to work, to preach the gospel.

In the face of death threats and opposition, the Lord worked mightily through Patrick, and many in Ireland were converted.

Listen to this prayer, attributed to Patrick:

As I arise today, may the strength of God pilot me, the power of God uphold me, the wisdom of God guide me.

Patrick of Ireland was a missionary in the 5th century who was captured by Irish pirates as a youth.

He was brought to Ireland and put to work in farm and field.

After a divinely provided way of escape, Patrick made his way over 200 miles to the Irish coast, where he was able to travel to Britian.

After a fresh committment to his faith and training, he returned to Ireland, to the land where people had kidnapped him and put him to work, to preach the gospel.

In the face of death threats and opposition, the Lord worked mightily through Patrick, and many in Ireland were converted.

Listen to this prayer, attributed to Patrick:

As I arise today, may the strength of God pilot me, the power of God uphold me, the wisdom of God guide me.

May the eye of God look before me, the ear of God hear me, the word of God speak for me.

May the hand of God protect me, the way of God lie before me, the shield of God defend me, the host of God save me.

May Christ shield me today.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit, Christ when I stand, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

Amen

May the eye of God look before me, the ear of God hear me, the word of God speak for me.

How does a man, who had so much to lose in going to Ireland, have such a God-centered perspective on his life?

He prays acknowledging that it is only by God’s grace that he is led, protected, and has breath.

More than that, how did he have such a Christ-centered perspective?

Patrick prays that he would be surrounded by and overshadowed by Christ, such that “Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me”.

Patrick seems to have understood that his living, his dying, his acting, his speaking, his coming, and his going were all to revolve around Christ.

Patrick seems to have understood that his living, his dying, his acting, his speaking, his coming, and his going were all to revolve around Christ.

This is the picture before us in .

What we are about to read is truly one of the most glorious, wonderful, lofty, most satisfying passages in the entire Bible.

The Lord has chosen to reveal these things about Himself and about the present reality around His throne in heaven that are awe-inspiring and glorious; I hope that we will stand in awe at the glory in these verses.

However, my hope is not just that we will stand in awe of these things.

We must remember that this vision, given to John, is apart of the book of Revelation, written to first-century churches.

How would a first-century believer have read and responded to ?

We are called to respond the same way, though the specifics may look different.

We may not be staring down Roman officials or be faced with death in a gladiator’s arena, but we are called to live with the same death-defying faith.

How do these passages call us to repentance, faith, and mission?