Sermon Tone Analysis

Wedding and Funeral Sermon

Class- Evangelism 102

Teacher- Dr. Mathis

Name- Eric Truesdale

Date- November 28, 2007

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Reflection on Marriage, 1 Corinthians 13:1-8

*/Marriage Ceremony (my works are inserted towards the end and separated by italicized words) \\ /*Virgil & Amy, today is one the most significant & defining moments of your lives.

Not to say that there have not been other similar moments: Such as your first days of school, first dates, first kisses, your graduations; first real jobs, & so on.

And, there will be other such defining moments for each of you as you journey in this life together.

\\ \\ But, this day will always be a special memory for you since it is the day you will have begun a new life together.

Thus, it is the appropriate time for you to publicly declare your love for each other \\ As well as the commitment you both have to life-long matrimony \\ \\ And so, it is from this day forward, that you will no longer be considered single persons.

Rather, you will be considered among those clearly designated as married, & thus checking those boxes on forms so many of us have to check.

And whether you realize it or not, you’ve been preparing for this day over several years, now.

In actuality, for your entire lives.

\\ \\ I say that simply because everything you have ever experienced: Every blessing, every heartache, every gift, talent, & trait that you’ve developed, every hope & desire, expressed & unexpressed.

All of this you are now offering to each other.

\\ And you will continue to receive from each other in those ways for the rest of your lives.

\\ \\ Now, for the most part, all of this is very positive.

But, along with these positives, are some gifts that are not always so desirable: \\ Gifts such as dirty socks left wrong place, toilet seats left in the wrong position & those times when the need to be right is especially strong.

\\ And thus, I’m obligated to inform you that the full implications of the love you commit this day are yet to be fully known.

\\ \\ Virgil, to adequately care for Amy, you must really get to know her.

Do not think you are there yet.

And Amy, to adequately care for Virgil, you must really get to know him.

Do not think you are there yet.

\\ \\ That’s because intimate knowledge of the truest sort is nothing short \\ of a life-long quest.

There’s ebb & flow.

Beliefs & inner struggles change with life’s seasons.

It’s a challenge matched only by our continued willingness to accept each other.

Despite the things we sometimes find.

\\ \\ And thus, we are left to depend upon God for the virtue of grace he provides--& many others.

Patience, sincerity, forgiveness, empathy, quietude, joyfulness, simplicity, compassion, transparency, creative expression, industriousness, thoughtfulness, mutual respect, \\ & many more come to mind.

In addition to those mentioned in the biblical text you chose for this special day: Faith, hope, &, of course, the greatest of all, love.

\\ \\ Still, & perhaps to your astonishment, you will find that it is precisely in your being together that the perfect opportunity to nurture, grow & mature, in all those profound graces is yours.

And you benefit personally, as well as everyone who knows you.

\\ \\ But it also means that your home will have the potential to become like a garden, \\ or perhaps, like an orchard.

A place for you to enjoy the fruits of your new-found humanity.

And if the devotion is pure & faithful, it can also become a place of such love, in abundance & overflowing, that others, too, may feast & so benefit.

\\ \\ I know both of you are mature persons.

I know that you know success in life can be measured in many ways.

But because you are mature persons, I think you will agree that success in life really depends on our ability to rid ourselves of all the selfishness & pride that stand in the way of becoming the persons we want to be.

And this is primarily accomplished thru service to all people.

Service that should begin in the home, foundationally.

\\ \\ Thus, marriage can never be the kind of 50~/50 split we so often hear about.

Rather, it would seem more accurate to say that each of us should try and give at least 90% while expecting only 10% in return.

\\ If it is to be the kind of relationship that honors God, the kind of relationship others admire & respect & the kind of relationship we ourselves want it to be.

*(My insert of the evangelistic theme) /But lets not forget about this is what God also requires of us.

All that we do we must be willing to always put him first in our lives.

We must give him 90% we know that God gives us a 110% all the time but so many times we give him only 1%.

What have you given God in your life?

Do you actually know who Jesus is? Have you actually given any percent to him at all?

Before any marriage or anyone’s life can truly be complete we must give our life to God.

Just as the movie Jerry McGuire when Tom Cruise told Rene Zellwinger that she completes him, this is what God does for our lives.

Just as the newly weds here today complete each other here so does our spiritual lives become complete when we accept Jesus in our lives.

So as we look at the love this couple has and the joy in there lives that they will share can you say you share the same with God?

There is no one that can answer that question except for you and yourself alone.

If you don’t I urge you to look open your heart and accept Jesus.

DO not wait or postpone because this is a urgent matter.

This is not union that can be put aside or postponed.

If Jesus is calling just accept today so you will not deny him and his love for you that he wants to give you./*/

/ \\ \\ Finally, let us acknowledge that each of your lives represents an investment of care, concern, & above all, the love of your respective families.

And while it is true that your parents & families have prepared you for this day & that their concern for you will continue throughout the years ahead,….the

time has now come for the to of you to establish your own family by the coming together in marriage.

And that time is now.

\\ \\ The Hagerman Church blesses & supports your commitment.

Those present bless & support your commitment.

And above all, the richest blessings & support of God are yours’ in your new life together because of the sincere commitment you are making today.

Amen

This Sermon was taken from sermoncentral.com.

The web site of the above sermon is http:~/~/www.sermoncentral.com~/sermon.asp?SermonID=114556

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Funeral Sermon

Jhn 11:21   Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

Jhn 11:22   But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give [it] thee.

Jhn 11:23   Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

Jhn 11:24   Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

Jhn 11:25   Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 

Jhn 11:26   And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.

Believest thou this? 

Jhn 11:27   She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Today we gather to remember our friend and loved one John Doe.

We remember the many things he has done for his family, friends, and others.

John was know for the great things he done for the community, and the service he has done for the church.

He was a firefighter for our community for the past 25 years and retired 2 years ago from Springs Industries.

It was always known that if there was a fire in the community you could find him there.

He loves to help others in need and to jump right in and help.

We also remember all the things he has done for this church.

He helped shape the church and make it grow for the past 30 years.

When I arrived here a few years ago he was one of the first people I met.

He told me of the churches past and how everyone knew each other.

He also told of how close the community was and took me and my family in.

When I talked to his family the other day they reminded me of all the things that make you smile when you say his name.

I remembered the smile he had when he played pranks on us, I remember the kindness he had when he knew you needed someone to listen or care.

I also remember that he was a model Christian for our church and our community.

As I was speaking to his wife and daughters they new that he was in heaven and that he was better off than he had been.

That is the reason today we are not morning the death of John Doe but that we are celebrating the new life that he has taken.

I want to read a few verses out of John 11.

In verses 21- 27 it sums up what we know about John Doe today as we sit here and remember him.

In these verses we see that Martha, Lazarus sister at first blamed Jesus because he was not there to save him.

Then we notice that she knows who Jesus truly was .

Just as Lazarus knew who Jesus was so did his family.

Jesus tells her that Lazarus will rise again that his day will come, and she knows this and does not doubt it.