Sermon Tone Analysis

NORTHEAST HOUSTON COMMUNITY CHURCH

!!!!! Sermon – Guidelines for 2008

*Scripture:     *1 Thess 5:14-23

*01~/06~/08 *

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We are in another year given to us by our God.

What resolutions and how many have you made only to forget and to break.

The first clues that you will forget and or break is that many will not even write them down.

Why then do we go through the exercise of saying them?

I think it is because it makes us feel good and demonstrates good intentions.

There are list of resolutions that are already written for us along with many other for every year and even every day.

Today I want to present to just one set found in 1Thess 5:14-23 for your consideration.

To encourage you.

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Paul opens this message to the church at Thessalonica with an exhortation.

*14** Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.

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Exhort = to urge strongly.

He is speaking to brethren = fellow Christians (followers of Christ).

This does not apply to nor is expected of Non-Christians.

1.

*Warn the unruly* – Those are people that are disruptive and think that God’s rules and expectation do not apply to them.

They make their own laws even modifying or ignoring God’s laws.

Warn them.

2.

*Fainthearted *– those that are losing hope.

We are to be an encouragement to them.

Every time our name is mentioned in prayer isn’t that encouraging.

We are to do that for others so that they know it.

Look around you, everyone you see needs encouragement of some kind.

Let us make sure that when people come to NEHCC, guest and members alike will find encouragement.

Encouragement is different from patronizing.

(Pretending to be flattering and encouraging but not meaning it in the heart.)

3.

*Uphold the weak* – those around us that are not as strong as us physically, financially, emotionally, intelligently or as confident as we are.

To uphold is to step up beside.

We uphold them against others that may tend to talk about them or bring them down.

4.

*With all we are to be patient* as God has been patient with us.

We all have faults and we all as Christians are a work in progress.

*                           Patient:    *1*:* bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint 2*:* manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain 3*:* not hasty or impetuous.*

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    /James 1:3-4 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

*4 *But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

NKJV/

 

Patience is a product of faith through testing.

Sometimes the tests are subtle and sometimes the tests are right in your face.

Either way if we exercise faith knowing that God is in control, that things will work out, and that God only wants the best for us, patience will develop.

We will have patience to wait on God, and we will have patience with others.

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*15** See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.

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Do not return evil with evil.

We are going to have people mistreat us, misunderstand us but as Christians we are to respond differently than the way the world responds.

Seek that which is good for us and for others.

Being upset is not good for anyone, carrying a grudge is worse for us than for the person we are carrying a grudge against.

Let provocations go (example –road rage).

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Sometimes we get so upset about something that may be an honest misunderstanding on our parts or theirs.

(Has that ever happened?)

Have you ever felt that someone was upset with you and you did not know the reason why?

If I turn that statement around would you have ever been guilty of being upset with someone and they had no idea why?

I ask you, who is that good for?

It is probably the worst example of pride, deceit and disrespect.

Know this that God is not pleased.

Look how the problem spreads.

First it is the person that initiates the evil or is perceived to have done so.

Then there is the person to whom the evil has been done to or perceived it to have been done to them.

Then it is the people (ALL) that are around or know if it.

If we seek to pursue that which is good for all everybody wins.

Grudge holders are being used by the devil.

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*16** Rejoice always, *    

/Phil 4:4*4 *Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice/.

One evidence of rejoicing is on your face in the form of a smile.

How does a smile get there?

It can get there because you heard a funny story; that is an external stimulus.

It can get there because you had a pleasant thought; that is an internal stimulus.

People who go through life only smiling when they have been externally stimulate are people that are not very comfortable to be around.

You really don’t know if they want to be there.

Compare that to a person that as soon as you make eye contact there is a smile or at least a pleasant look on their face.

Doesn’t that make a difference?

We love a smile at the checkout counter, a smile from the doctor, a smile from our parents, our children and our Christian brothers and sisters.

If you are not in the Lord then it becomes hard to rejoice.

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*17** pray without ceasing, *    

/Phil 4:6-7        *6 *Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; *7 *and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus/.

NKJV

 

Who does not want peace of mind?

Prayer, supplication and thanksgiving will guard~/protect the heart and mind of the Christian.

I don’t know about those that only go to God in prayer when things are going bad.

Some people are anxious about everything (extreme uneasiness of mind or brooding fear about what may or may not happen) and the Word of God say, “be anxious for nothing.”

If you find yourself getting anxious about certain things and you feel you just can’t help yourself, then get away or leave those things or people alone.

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*18** in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

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I know that some things may be out of your control, but most things are in your control.

Whatever the case give thanks to God for this is His will for you.

It may be God’s will for something we call bad, happen to us , but I may be His way of getting your attention to get you back on the right track.

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Have you ever wondered why it is a good thing for you to be burnt if you touch a hot stove?

First you will make every effort to get away from it before you get hurt badly; second you will stay clear of it in the future.

Thirdly you will approach it or tell others to more carefully.

And fourthly you will be able to warn others of the danger.

I think you can make that application to life.

So even when hurting things happen to us; they are for our good.

God has made it clear that it is not His will that any should perish.

/2 Peter 3:9…but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

NKJV/

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*19** Do not quench the Spirit.

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Quench - b*:* to put out the light or fire c*:* to cool suddenly d*:* to cause to lose heat or warmth

 Don’t “diss” the Holy Spirit.

Don’t cause the spirit to lose His affect on you.

We do this by ignoring the right to do the wrong.

Don’t ignor the will of God to do our will our way.

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*20** Do not despise prophecies.

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Prophecies are words from God.