Sermon Tone Analysis

* “THE MANDATE TO MINISTRY”  2 COR.

4:1*

*NEW SPIRIT COMM.

PRESBY CHURCH – FOUNDER’S DAY -  NOV. 25, 2007*

*MACEDONIA** BAPTIST CHURCH** – FOUNDER’S DAY-  DEC.

2, 2007*

*/ /*

*/2 CORINTHIANS 4:1-18/**/ /*/     THEREFORE, SINCE WE HAVE THIS MINISTRY, AS WE HAVE RECEIVED MERCY, WE DO NOT LOSE HEART.

/

/ /

/2// BUT WE HAVE RENOUNCED THE HIDDEN THINGS OF SHAME, NOT WALKING IN CRAFTINESS NOR HANDLING THE WORD OF GOD DECEITFULLY, BUT BY MANIFESTATION OF THE TRUTH COMMENDING OURSELVES TO EVERY MAN'S CONSCIENCE IN THE SIGHT OF GOD.  3 BUT EVEN IF OUR GOSPEL IS VEILED, IT IS VEILED TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING,  4 WHOSE MINDS THE GOD OF THIS AGE HAS BLINDED, WHO DO NOT BELIEVE, LEST THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL OF THE GLORY OF CHRIST, WHO IS THE IMAGE OF GOD, SHOULD SHINE ON THEM.  5 FOR WE DO NOT PREACH OURSELVES, BUT CHRIST JESUS THE LORD, AND OURSELVES YOUR BONDSERVANTS FOR JESUS' SAKE.

6 FOR IT IS THE GOD WHO COMMANDED LIGHT TO SHINE OUT OF DARKNESS, WHO HAS SHONE IN OUR HEARTS TO GIVE THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST.

/

/ /

/7// BUT WE HAVE THIS TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS, THAT THE EXCELLENCE OF THE POWER MAY BE OF GOD AND NOT OF US.  8 WE ARE HARD PRESSED ON EVERY SIDE, YET NOT CRUSHED; WE ARE PERPLEXED, BUT NOT IN DESPAIR;  9 PERSECUTED, BUT NOT FORSAKEN; STRUCK DOWN, BUT NOT DESTROYED --  10 ALWAYS CARRYING ABOUT IN THE BODY THE DYING OF THE LORD JESUS, THAT THE LIFE OF JESUS ALSO MAY BE MANIFESTED IN OUR BODY.

11 FOR WE WHO LIVE ARE ALWAYS DELIVERED TO DEATH FOR JESUS' SAKE, THAT THE LIFE OF JESUS ALSO MAY BE MANIFESTED IN OUR MORTAL FLESH.

12 SO THEN DEATH IS WORKING IN US, BUT LIFE IN YOU.  16 THEREFORE WE DO NOT LOSE HEART.

EVEN THOUGH OUR OUTWARD MAN IS PERISHING, YET THE INWARD MAN IS BEING RENEWED DAY BY DAY.  17 FOR OUR LIGHT AFFLICTION, WHICH IS BUT FOR A MOMENT, IS WORKING FOR US A FAR MORE EXCEEDING AND ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY,  18 WHILE WE DO NOT LOOK AT THE THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN/

/ /

INTRO: WE LIVE IN A DAY AND AN AGE WHERE MANY PEOPLE LOOK AT THE CONDITIONS OF OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR CITIES OUR SUBURBS AND WORLD.

WE SEE SICKNESS, SUFFERING, AND UNSPEAKABLE CONDITIONS OF CHAOS.

AND ALL WE CAN INITIALLY SAY IS, LORD HAVE MERCY.

AFRICA IS RAVAGED AIDS..AND DARFUR IS STILL IN NEED OF HELP.

ANTARCTIC CRUISE SHIP HIT AN ICEBERG IN THE FRIGID WATERS OF ART ARICA...LHM

WAR IN IRAQ...THOUSAND OF MEN AND WOMEN DYING...LHM

WORRY IN PAKISTAN...AS SUICIDE BOMBERS ARE THE NEWS OF THE DAY.

LHM

 

HOME MORTGAGE AND HOUSING FIASCO

 

EARTHQUAKE IN CALIFORNIA

 

WILD FIRES IN CALIFORNIA...DESTROYING LAND AND HOMES...LHM

 

DROUGHT IN THE SOUTH...ALABAMA, TENNESSEE AND GEORGIA

 

CRIME IN PHILA..FROM YOUNG MAN AT THE END OF THE BLOCK ..

TO THE POLICEMAN IN NW PHILA.

AND A YOUNG MAN LIFE MESSED UP FOR LIFE..

ALL WE CAN SAY IS LORD HAVE MERCY...

 

BARREL OF OIL APPROACHING $100 WHICH MEANS AT THE PUMP...CLOSE TO AND OVER $3.

 

IN THE MIDST OF ALL THIS ...BLACK FRIDAY...WHERE MAY CANNOT AFFORD THE BARGAINS.

ESP.

SINCE THE US DOLLAR IS AT AN ALL TIME LOW..@ WORLD MKT.

WE HAVE MALADIES OF SUGAR, OBESITY, ASTHMA AND CANCER...LHM.

BRITNEY HAS LOST HER MIND AND HER KIDS...

KANYE LOST HIS MOTHER...OVER COSMETIC SURGERY IN A DEATH THAT DIDN’T HAVE TO BE...

 

ALL OF US CAN LOOK AT OUR LIVES, LIVES OF OUR LOVED ONE’S AND COLLECTIVELY SAY...LORD HAVE MERCY.

*IN AN ANSWER TO THIS PRAYER THE LORD GIVES US MINISTRY....HE CALLS US TO SERVE ...THE QUESTION IS ...WILL WE ANSWER THE CALL TO MINISTRY....AND EMBRACE THE MANDATE TO MINISTRY.

*

* *

*ONE CHURCH DID....THIS PAST WEEK ... *

 

 

SUMMIT, N.J. (AP) _ FOUNTAIN BAPTIST CHURCH HAS MADE GOOD ON ITS PROMISE TO HELP HURRICANE KATRINA RECOVERY EFFORTS BY RAISING $1 MILLION _ AN AMOUNT THAT'S CONSIDERED ONE OF THE LARGEST EVER DONATED BY A SINGLE CHURCH.

\\ \\ IT'S A PLEDGE THE SUMMIT CHURCH MADE IN MAY 2006 AND COMPLETED A FEW WEEKS AGO, SIX MONTHS BEFORE ITS SELF-IMPOSED TWO-YEAR PLEDGE TIMETABLE.

THE FEAT WAS CELEBRATED AT THE CHURCH'S ANNUAL THANKSGIVING SERVICE LAST SUNDAY.

\\ \\ "ANYTIME YOU HELP SOMEONE AND KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE BLESSED BY YOUR EFFORT, THERE'S NO BETTER FEELING," MICHAEL WILLIAMS, A TRUSTEE OF THE CHURCH, TOLD THE STAR-LEDGER OF NEWARK FOR THURSDAY EDITIONS.

THE CENTER ON PHILANTHROPY AT INDIANA UNIVERSITY SAYS IT'S AWARE OF ONLY ONE OTHER DONATION FROM A SINGLE CHURCH THAT IS LARGER: THE LOS ANGELES ORIENTAL MISSION CHURCH'S $3 MILLION DONATION TO EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS IN EL SALVADOR IN 2001.

\\ \\ REV.

J. MICHAEL SANDERS TOLD THE STAR-LEDGER THAT $400,000 HAS GONE TOWARD JOB AND LIFE-SKILLS TRAINING FOR 200 FAMILIES IN LOUISIANA AND MISSISSIPPI, $300,000 HAS GONE TO CHURCHES IMPACTED BY THE STORM, $200,000 HAS PAID FOR HOUSING AND COMMUNITY BUILDING PROJECTS, AND $100,000 HAD PAID FOR GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.

\\ \\ "AFTER A WHILE, PEOPLE OFTEN FORGET CERTAIN THINGS AND PEOPLE LOSE THEIR COMMITMENT, THEIR EXCITEMENT OR CONCERN," SANDERS SAID, SPEAKING OF HOW PROUD HE IS THAT HIS CHURCH KEPT GIVING AFTER ATTENTION FADED AWAY FROM THE 2005 DISASTER.

\\ \\ CHURCH OFFICIALS SAID ABOUT 1,200 OF THE CHURCH'S 1,900 MEMBERS GAVE AN AVERAGE OF $833 TO RAISE THE MONEY, WITH TWO DONORS WHO WISHED TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS DONATING $33,000 AND $15,000.

\\ \\ AND SOME MEMBERS DON'T THINK THE GIVING IS ABOUT TO STOP.

\\ \\ "I DON'T THINK THE EFFORTS ARE GOING TO BE OVER," PATRICE EDWARDS, A CHURCH MEMBER FOR 17 YEARS, SAID.

"THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE IN THAT AREA.

IT'S NOT LIKE WE MET A GOAL AND THAT'S IT." \\ \\ FOUNTAIN BAPTIST CHURCH _ WHICH STARTED IN 1897 WHEN A GROUP OF BLACK WORKERS, MOSTLY GARDENERS AND DOMESTIC WORKERS, STARTED PRAYING TOGETHER _ IS KNOWN TO MAKE CHARITABLE DONATIONS, INCLUDING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THAT WENT TO THE UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND AND TO THE BAPTIST CONVENTION HEADQUARTERS BUILDING IN SOUTH AFRICA.

\\ \\ THE CHURCH ALSO DONATES THOUSANDS ANNUALLY TO HELP 850 STUDENTS IN KENYA.

EXPL: CORINTH WAS A COSMOPOLITAN CITY OF GREECE; LARGE AND PROSPEROUS IT WAS ONE OF THE LEADING CITIES FOR TRADE AND COMMERCE.

IT WAS KNOWN FOR ITS BRASS AND POTTERY WARES....BUT IT WAS ALSO KNOWN FOR ITS DARKSIDE; IT WAS A CENTER FOR SLAVE TRADE BUT ALSO A CENTER  FOR SEXUAL VICE AND IMMORALITY.

AND HERE THERE WAS A CHURCH.

IT WAS A CARNAL CHURCH AND

 

PAUL WROTE THE FIRST LETTER TO CORRECT MANY OF IT’S PROBLEMS

 

PAUL WROTE THE SECOND LETTER TO

 

#.

DEFEND HIS APOSTLESHIP,

#.

DESIGNATE OUR PATTERNS OF GIVING

#.

DECLARE TO US THE MANDATE OF MINISTRY.

(2:14-7:16)

 

 

CH 1. MINISTRY PLAN

CH 2. MINISTRY CONCERNS

CH 3. MINISTRY COMMENDATIONS

CH. 4 MINISTRY MANDATE – MERCY IN THE MIDST OF MADNESS

CH 5. MINISTRY MOTIVATION – NEW CREATURES IN CHRIST

* *

*INTER: THUS THE QUESTION IS WHAT IS INVOLVED IN MINISTRY?

MERCY! *

* *

YES, THERE IS THE TEACHING, AND PREACHING, THE VISITING, THE FEEDING, THE CLOTHING, THE GIVING, THE GOING, THE SHARING, THE SERVING.

YES, REMEMBER, JESUS SAID,

 

*MATTHEW 25:40-45 *  40 "AND THE KING WILL ANSWER AND SAY TO THEM, 'ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, INASMUCH AS YOU DID /IT /TO ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE MY BRETHREN, YOU DID /IT /TO ME.'  41 "THEN HE WILL ALSO SAY TO THOSE ON THE LEFT HAND, 'DEPART FROM ME, YOU CURSED, INTO THE EVERLASTING FIRE PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS:  42 'FOR I WAS HUNGRY AND YOU GAVE ME NO FOOD; I WAS THIRSTY AND YOU GAVE ME NO DRINK;  43 'I WAS A STRANGER AND YOU DID NOT TAKE ME IN, NAKED AND YOU DID NOT CLOTHE ME, SICK AND IN PRISON AND YOU DID NOT VISIT ME.'  44 "THEN THEY ALSO WILL ANSWER HIM, SAYING, 'LORD, WHEN DID WE SEE YOU HUNGRY OR THIRSTY OR A STRANGER OR NAKED OR SICK OR IN PRISON, AND DID NOT MINISTER TO YOU?'  45 "THEN HE WILL ANSWER THEM, SAYING, 'ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, INASMUCH AS YOU DID NOT DO /IT /TO ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE, YOU DID NOT DO /IT /TO ME.

 

BUT WHAT ELSE IN INVOLVED WHAT SHOULD BE OUR MINDSET TO EMBRACE THE MINDSET OF MINISTRY.

* *

*TS: AS WE LOOK AT 2 COR. 4 WE WILL GET LEARN A FEW MORE LESSONS THAT WILL FURTHER ENABLE US TO EMBRACE THE MANDATE OF MINISTRY.

*

 

IN ORDER TO EMBRACE THE MANDATE OF MINISTRY; MERCY IN THE MIDST OF MADNESS...WE MUST,

 

MP I. MINISTRY TAKES HEART.

MP.

II MINISTRY MUST BE HONEST   MP III.

MINISTRY IS HARD.

*MP I. MINISTRY TAKES HEART V.1 **/18 /*/     THEREFORE, SINCE WE HAVE THIS MINISTRY, AS WE HAVE RECEIVED MERCY, WE DO NOT LOSE HEART.

/

* *

MINISTRY IS THE WORD...DIAKONIA...WE GET THE WORD DEACON FROM IT..IT MEANS TO WILLINGLY SERVE; WILLING WORKER; WAITER OF TABLES; ONE WHO IS WILLING AND ABLE TO ASSIST OR HELP SOME TO THE GLORY OF GOD.

FEARLESS- WE MUST BE FEARLESS, BOLD, HAVE COURAGE...COURAGEOUS CONGREGATIONS; BRAVE BELIEVERS; NOT FEEBLE FAINTHEARTED OR SCARED.

CONSIDER;

 

* ABRAHAM WENT TO RESCUE LOT

* MOSES WENT BEFORE PHARAOH

* DAVID TOOK ON GOLIATH

* ESTHER WENT BEFORE THE KING

* NICODEMUS AND JOSEPH OF ARIMATICAH AGAINST THE COUNSEL

 

IMP.

FAITH -  WE MUST EXERCISE FAITH IF WE ARE TO SERVE IN MINISTRY

 

*TIMOTHY 1:7* FOR GOD HATH NOT GIVEN US THE SPIRIT OF FEAR; BUT OF POWER, AND OF LOVE, AND OF A SOUND MIND.

*ROMANS 8:15* FOR YOU DID NOT RECEIVE THE SPIRIT OF BONDAGE AGAIN TO FEAR, BUT YOU RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION BY WHOM WE CRY OUT, "ABBA, FATHER."

*1 JOHN 4:18* THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE; BUT PERFECT LOVE CASTETH OUT FEAR: BECAUSE FEAR HATH TORMENT.

HE THAT FEARETH IS NOT MADE PERFECT IN LOVE.

APPL:  FIT – FIT FOR MINISTRY – ARE YOU FASTING AND PRAYING

ARE YOU SPENDING TIME ALONE WITH GOD

ARE YOU GENEROUS IN YOUR GIVING

ARE YOU WATCHING WHAT YOU WATCH AND WHAT YOU SAY AND WHERE YOU GO.

ARE YOU ABLE TO SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY AND THE GOSPEL.

DON’T STOP TELLING YOUR STORY

DON’T STOP SHARING THE GOOD NEWS

DON’T STOP PASSING OUT TRACTS