Sermon Tone Analysis

Confidence Series

We live in a world where nothing seems to firm.

Everything changes.

And with these changes in society, we find that there are challenges that we never had to deal with before.

You think about it in multiple realms, from the political sphere.

It used to be that whenever a candidate was running for office, they would appeal to the mighty middle.

Because those in the middle were the majority.

But recently, and quite dramatically, we see that they are no longer spreading their net, so to speak for the middle, but to the outer fringes.

Appealing to those of the gender and sexual revolution, even though it is a very small minority in America.

You can think about in the sphere of morality, as we touched on a bit ago.

You can think about the tv programming, commercials, and songs that are out there now.

Our educational systems are cowering to the change and bowing down as well.

And what are we to do?

1) Do we concede to their demands and just surrender?

That seems to be the strategy of some.

They say, well there is nothing we can do about it and so they just give up and no longer try and voice their opinions on the matter.

They no longer stand firm for the truths that they once held dearly to.

2) Do we conform to what they are asking?

Unfortunately, there are many who do this in the church as well.

Many pastors and theologians and denominations who say.

“well if you cannot beat them, join them.”

Rob Bell put it, “I think the culture is already there and the church will continue to be even more irrelevant when it quotes letters from two thousand years ago as their best defense.”

3) Or do we remain confident in what God has said?

Do we trust what God has said?

Do we desire God’s glory and honor more than our own?

Confidence is much more than a silent resolve.

A person who is confident knows the truth and certainty about something and nothing can change their minds.

We need more men and women with confidence.

A great need in the church is people with firm beliefs and trust in what God has spoken.

We need confidence.

And so, I want to encourage all of you as we go through this series on confidence to really examine your lives and see where you are lacking.

You may think, well I am not a timid person.

I am bold.

Well, that may be the case, but I am not talking about it in general terms, I am speaking about a godly confidence.

One that matters and will echo into eternity.

I am talking about being confident in the right things.

Because I am sure that I can speak to some of you about various different things and you will not hesitate in carrying on the conversation, but if I were to challenge you in your faith, how confident would you be?

If someone outside of the church were to challenge you, how confident would you be?

I go running a lot.

In the past month, I have accumulated over 250 miles and sometimes when you run in the neighborhood or park, you encounter a beast.

This beast no matter the size will defend it’s property and it will make a lot of noise.

This ferocious beast will…bark.

Yes, I am talking about a dog.

A dog will yap and bark and chase you by the fence causing a huge ruckus.

And no matter the size of the dog, they are fairly confident that they can take you down.

Even the smallest little thing will try and get you.

I say all this because I am hoping that everytime you think about a dog or hear a dog bark, you will remember the principles we are going to be walking through in this series.

I want you to think BARK.

Boldness in the Proclamation of the Gospel

Assurance of Christ’s Work on the cross

Resolve to stand firm for the truth

Keep trusting in God

Boldness in the Proclamation of the Gospel

This is where we will spend our morning together on.

Assurance of Christ’s Work on the cross

We will look to what Christ has done and what that means for us.

We will also look at what that looked like in practice by looking to the life of the disciples.

Resolve to stand firm for the truth

That week, we will examine several heroes of the faith who had a resolve to stand firm for the truth even though it was not particularly favorable for them.

We will also reflect on how those who stood firm for the truth have kept the faith so that we may be blessed by their labors.

Keep trusting in God

Finally, we are going to see that we do not confidence in ourselves.

But in the God who is sovereign.

He is God and He is not one to be trifled with.

Too many times, we are overly confident in ourselves and we try to usurp Him and to take His place.

No, He is God.

We are not.

And so we serve Him faithfully knowing that we serve an almighty God and we can trust in Him.

Boldness in the Proclamation of the Gospel

We are to be a confident people.

Why though?

With all the changes in the world, why is it that we can be confident.

Especially nowadays, when we may feel at times like the minority on certain issues.

When it comes to the origin of life and the creation of all things, we are silenced in many ways.

When it comes to gender and sexuality, we are criticized.

As crazy as it seems, in today’s post-modern culture, even our firm hold on truth being truth, we are resented.

For your truth is your truth and you should not try and commit your truth to anyone else.

Truth is relative they say.

Why is it that we can have boldness to proclaim the Gospel.

Well in an eschatological sense, we are not worried about the sky falling.

We are not like chicken little running from the clouds, we know that our God is coming again and so we can live with confidence.

This is not the end.

We know that this flesh and this world will pass away, but we are not living for this world.

Additionally, we know that God’s word is truth.

No matter how much they speak against it, it does not remove the fact that it is true.

Like denying gravity or that fire burns or that water is wet, it is foolishness to think otherwise.

Gerald Borchert said….

Christianity is not a mere religion humans practice; it is a confident way of living based on what God has done in Christ.

But Christian confidence does not mean that Christians cease to be human or lack human characteristics.

Even Paul went through periods of discouragement when his troubles were almost unbearable (2 Cor.

1:8).

But the resurrection of Jesus provides the key throughout life that confidence is based not on ourselves or our activity but on God who can raise the dead and give us the capacity to face adversity (2 Cor.

1:9–10).

Gerald L. Borchert[1]

And it is because of this that we have boldness in proclaiming the Gospel.

We know that everyone will go on into eternity and it is our deepest desire that all will come to know Christ.

But we also have a boldness knowing that Christ is with us.

Matthew 28:19-20 “19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the age.”

Christ is with us.

Always.

And so we are not timid.

We do not fear.