Sermon Tone Analysis

Changing the World

Good afternoon!

I’m glad to see everyone back for a third service today.

Some of you think you’re out here to support me, and I certainly appreciate that.

But I’m pretty sure the reason for this extra service was that the Dolphins were playing the Patriots this evening, and there’s no way two services of prayer alone were enough.

We definitely need all the prayer we can get!

LOL

Seriously, I want to thank God for this calling, and Dr. Hughes for his leadership, tutelage, opportunity and platform.

I’m thankful for so many of you that have supported me on this journey with your prayers and presence today, and my parents for raising my brother and I in a way that we couldn’t help but know who the Lord is.

But, the most important thanks and acknowledgement, behind only our Lord and Savior, goes to my Rib, my Butterfly, my Queen, Sarah.

Min sumo bo!

Turn with me to .

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Prayer

Seriously, I want to thank God for this calling, Dr. Hughes for his leadership, tutelage, opportunity and platform.

I’m thankful for so many of you that have supported me on this journey with your prayers and presence today, and my parents for raising my brother and I in a way that we couldn’t help but know who the Lord is.

But, the most important thanks and acknowledgement goes to my Rib, my Butterfly, my Queen, Sarah.

Min sumo bo!

“For revival is not a green valley getting greener, but a valley full of dry bones being made to live again and stand up an exceeding great army ().

It is not good Christians becoming better Christians - as God sees us there are not any good Christians - but rather Christians honestly confessing that their Christian life is a valley of dry bones and by that very confession qualifying for the grace that flows from the cross and makes all things new.”

This is something William Fay sought to address in illustrating a dream he once had.

In it, there’s a woman clutching her young daughter, trying desperately to keep their heads above water.

Nearby, there was a man struggling to do the same as waves crashed into him.

“All around, the ocean churned with drowning people, gasping for air and desperately trying to push their heads above the surface.”

Then a huge rock appeared and a voice called into the darkness.

People began climbing upon that rock to safety.

Then the most peculiar thing occured.

Once upon the rock, people got real busy - building rock gardens, working rock jobs, listening to rock music, and going to rock meetings (where they talked about all the people who were still drowning in the ocean).

But no one went back out to try to help those very people they were talking about.

William Fay, the author of Sharing Jesus without Fear, and a former atheist, describes a dream he once had.

In it, there’s a woman clutching her young daughter, trying desperately to keep their heads above water.

Nearby, there was a man struggling to do the same as waves crashed into him.

“All around, the ocean churned with drowning people, gasping for air and desperately trying to push their heads above the surface.”

Then a huge rock appeared and a voice called into the darkness.

People began climbing upon that rock to safety.

Then the most peculiar thing occured.

Once upon the rock, people got real busy - building rock gardens, working rock jobs, listening to rock music, and going to rock meetings (where they talked about all the people who were still drowning in the ocean).

But no one went back out to try to help those very people they were talking about.

Fay surmised this is the condition of our church in this world.

The rock was the cross at Calvary.

The voice they heard was Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, inviting them to come join Him.

And just like the dream, so many who are now saved get so busy and involved in the safety of the rock that they forget what it was like to be drowning in our own sin.

They’ve forgotten to reach out to those that are still drowning.

Fay’s contention is that a revival was needed, and this revival is one of Christians proactively sharing the Gospel with the world.

I’d say that while there is certainly a need for the sharing - for it’s actually commanded of us in the Great Commission.

Just as important is the need to live the Gospel for the world.

See, the world is tired of lip service.

It’s tired of hearing folks preaching a political ideology based on their Christianity, while at the same time asking their mistress to have an abortion.

Wait, what?!!

We can share all we want, but if our actions aren’t matching our words, even the secular world has a disdain for that.

The three young men we’ll study in chapter 3 have their names mentioned more times than the number of sentences they speak.

There’s more action than words from these young men, and that’s a lesson in and of itself.

And whether you’re vision is to “impact the world for Christ,” (as with FCA) or on a mission to “win the world for Christ,” (FBCPG) we’re all still in the world changing business.

And it’s the living the Word, that allows us to credibly share Word, which ultimately leads to changing the world.

It’s easy to proclaim the goodness of the Lord when things are going your way.

What about when things get rough?

You’re two weeks away from being evicted, and there’s an opportunity to guarantee your stay, but it’ll require something funny for a little money.

You didn’t get that financial aide package you hoped, but there’s an opportunity to do something strange for a little change… What do you do?

The world is watching.

The question begs, How do we live the Word when we’re in a bind?

We don’t BEND to pressure, we don’t BOW to idols, and BURN when the heat gets turned up.

This is our “Blueprint for Change.”

We’re going to step back to see how our Hebrew boys got into this predicament, we’ll study how they got through it, and focus on how we can utilize this blueprint to traverse the fiery furnaces of our lives, so that we can effectively witness to and change the world for Jesus.

For it’s the living the Word, that allows us to credibly share Word, which ultimately leads to changing the world.

“Blueprint for Change”

Here we are.

God’s people have broken faith with Him by continually rebelling against Him, His Word, and His mandates.

For this, God judged His people by sending them a new leader.

This leader was born with a silver spoon.

His wealth was amassed by building upon the fortunes accumulated by his father.

During his inaugural address, he spoke of legacy and sought the adulation from rulers/leaders around the world.

And he had this things for walls… He wanted his territory surrounded by a huge wall with a big beautiful golden gate.

He was a bit of a narcissist; He longed to have his architectural creations recognized as “wonders of the world,” and wanted just about everything branded with his symbol.

It’s been said that he’s a bit temperamental, as well.

He acts impulsively/hastily, and loves to be surrounded by “yes” men.

There were some rumors that while in power, he even lost his mind.

Yes.

I know what you’re thinking.

Better yet, I know who you’re thinking... King Nebuchadnezzar.

And the year is 587 BC.

opens with King Nebuchadnezzar having a 90 foot tall statue of himself being erected.

Why?

At the end of chapter two, Daniel interpreted the king’s dream and declared:

Daniel 2: We read where the king is upset because they wouldn’t bow to his idol, and their response to it.

It’s in their response that the formula for change is revealed.

Nebuchadnezzar had gotten a little full of himself.

He heard some good news about himself and his status, and completely forgot about his own declaration at the end of chapter two, when he proclaimed to Daniel, “your God is God of gods and Lord of kings...”

We read where the king is upset because they wouldn’t bow to his idol, and their response to it.

It’s in their response that the formula for change is revealed.

Daniel 2: We read where the king is upset because they wouldn’t bow to his idol, and their response to it.

It’s in their response that the formula for change is revealed.

Sadly, there are a bunch of Nebuchadnezzars today talking about “in two Corinthians”, but evidently are even too good to ask God for forgiveness for anything.

Look, I don’t care how successful you are, how much you’re worth, how smart you are, or how fast you can run.

No matter your lot in life, be careful of falling into the trap of thinking too highly of yourself.

It’s God who’s the king maker!

Ok, y’all don’t feel me over here.

Let me try this side… I don’t care how successful you are, how much you’re worth, how smart you are, or how fast you can run.

No matter your lot in life, be careful of falling into the trap of thinking too highly of yourself.

It’s God who’s the king maker!

says:

“He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;