Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

When you think of the word great what comes to mind?

Typically, greatness is categorized by the best ever.

If you watch ESPN or watch any type of competitive event you will see that some people are not just a part of a sport, industry, or business to be mediocre, but they are there to be great.

For instance, greatness defies history.

For instance, the banners of championships, the rings of champions, the highlights of epic plays continue to be repeated and replayed for years to come because greatness never gets old.

People never forget the epic fights that Muhammad Ali had, people never forget the game winning shot that Michael Jordan took to win his sixth championship for the bulls, people never forget Emmitt Smith running for over 100 yards against the Giants with a separated shoulder.

Understand that being great is ok.

God did not call us to be mediocre men.

God describes the future of Abraham as him becoming a great and mighty nation.

He describes great men as great, God is one that has never been compelled to utilize mediocrity to advance his kingdom.

I do not think that Martin Luther King Jr. started the Montgomery Bus Boycott at the age of 26 because he wanted to be mediocre.

I doubt Jesus died on the cross of Calvary because he just wanted to get by.

It took an attitude of humility and being perfectly aligned with God’s plan to achieve such greatness.

God said directly to Abraham in I will bless you and make your name great.

Again in the bible describing David states, “I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you; ad I will make you a great name, like the names of great men who are earth.

Remember it is ok to be great, you do not have to assume the position of mediocrity because that what other people believe you should be.

How does this align with us?

Well, Jesus tells us in , Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; ad greater works than these he will do.

Situation

The disciples were dealing with the same thing we deal with on a daily basis.

Seeking clarity nonetheless uncertain about the direction God is pointing us in.

Jesus begins with “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me”.

Being great begins with believe, nonetheless greatness is typically carried out by being aligned with God.

This is why Jesus states that we should believe in God as well as Jesus.

Typically we cannot step into our greatness because we are uncertain and do not have faith that God as well as Jesus sustains the future.

Jesus informs them that he knows of the place being prepared, but in order to get there it is not about the destination as much as it is about following Jesus to get there.

The situation is Heaven is the destination and we have to have faith that following Jesus will get us to that destination.

Same with our greatness Jesus has destined us to be great, although we may not know the directions to the greatness it is imperative that we follow him accordingly.

embodies our doubt, “Lord we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way”?

Even when we doubt, understand we can never forget that Jesus is as he states, the way, the truth and the life, we cannot get to God except through Jesus.

Through our doubt and our sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Complication

Stepping into greatness is complicated, being a great man is complicated especially when the pressure to be great is a daily task.

Understand that there are times when your heart is going to be troubled.

Troubled in this text has double meaning: Do not be afraid, meanwhile refrain from being distressed.

Understand what God has prepared for you .

The issue is we doubt like Thomas, we want the longitude and latitude to our greatness when Jesus is saying just follow me and I will lead you there.

Faith is difficult because it is not sight dependent but Holy Spirit dependent.

Being great requires great faith.

The reason we cannot get close to God because we refuse to follow Jesus.

The issue lies within the middle of our becoming great.

The issue remains on the fact that we have to understand that our greatness begins and ends with Jesus.

In effort to become great we need Jesus, in order to stay great we need Jesus and in order to leave a legacy of greatness we need Jesus.

Phillip begins to believe that he needs more than Jesus to understand who God is.

Understanding that the road to God begins with Jesus himself.

“Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Phillip?

Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

How can you say, “Show us the Father”.

The Solution

Jesus is our solution to greatness.

If you are looking at an example of sacrificial love look at his life.

If you are looking at an example of serving mankind look at Jesus.

If you are looking for an example of manhood look at Jesus.

If you are looking for an example of meekness and humility look to Jesus.

The goal should be that we believe in Jesus and model his life in effort to do the works that he has done.

Jesus knows where he is going therefore in order to get where he is going we have to follow him.

He is the direction on this map of salvation and eternal life.

Jesus lets us know that it is okay to be great!

God does not oppose greatness he opposes pride.

But He gives a greater grace.

Therefore it says, God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.

People may believe that you should strive for mediocrity but Jesus believe that you can be great.

“and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father”.

Understand that Jesus did great things so that we could do great things!

So we could be great fathers, great husbands, great sons, great disciples, great men and women of the kingdom.

Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be taken up and cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.

If we desire to be great, there is no more doubting!

We are following a savior that conquered death, therefore these things we hope to accomplish for the kingdom God will provide!

But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid.

Peter said to Him, Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the Water.

And He said Come!

And Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink he cried out Lord, save me!

Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him and said You of little faith, why did you doubt?

We are not achieving greatness because we do not have the skill set, we aren’t achieving greatness because we lack faith and we doubt was Jesus has already called us to do.

Why would Jesus call you to do something and then let you fail when you step out of the boat.

Stop focusing on the winds and the storms of life.

They are there to distract you from the greatness God has called you to walk into.

Celebrate the Fact that You Are Called to Be Great

God has been calling his people to be great since the beginning of time.

He told Abraham I will bless you and make your name great.

Celebrate the fact that not only did Jesus call you to be great!

Jesus called you to do greater things than he did!

whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

Greatness begins when we ask and do everything in the name of the Lord.

Everything we do has to begin and end with Jesus.

Whether, them, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

We cannot achieve greatness if we are not doing things we have been called to do for God.

Tell your haters, I’m not here to achieve you standard of mediocrity that you have set for me.

We can be great together in Jesus or I can follow Jesus and be great with him on my own.

I’m done being mediocre because you do not want to be great.

Jesus called me to be great and that is what I am going to be!

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