Sermon Tone Analysis

Focus verse:

The words “uneducated” and “untrained” may indicate that they “lacked the sophisiticated rhetorical training to which the elite had access” (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible).

As the far as the natural order of things goes, the apostles were at a disadvange in this respect.

I don't know how you feel about yourself right now.

How you feel about your outlook for lifem how you feel about you capabilities or prospects.

But I want to tell you today, that God uses those thing that appear weak to overcome those things that appear strong.

And this verse in front of us reminds us of that very thing.

Throughout Scripture, God has used things that appear weak to do great things....

A rod

Gideon’s 300 men

A jawbone

A Jawbone wasn't known as a weapon of war.

But it is what was available.

God uses those who make themselves available to Him.

But unfortunately, not everyone makes themselves available to Him...

When he said “let me first go and bury my father”, his father had probably already been dead for about a year.

In those days, when someone died,they were put in a tomb, and then a year later, after the flesh had rotted from the body, there was a second burial, in which the dead persons’ bones were put in a special box, and placed in another part of the tomb.

It was this second burial that the man is referring to.

What does this mean?

“Let the dead [i.e.

those who had already been reburied] bury their own dead [i.e.

those who were awaiting reburial]”.

Jesus’ comment was intentionally tongue in cheek.

He was in effect saying, “Let the dead people in the tomb look after themselves, you focus on the living who are on their way to hell and go and preach the kingdom to them”.

Notice that both these persons siad “let me first go and do such and such a thing”.

Being available to God is not merely a matter of just asking Him to use you.

It is about being willing to sacrifice the things you want to do so that you are truly available to Him.

A stone

When the boy David, who had no armour, and no expeirence in war, went to fight the giant and experience warrior Golliath, who was well-armoured and had proper weapons, we read...

A jar of oil

Bethlehem

Five loaves and two fish

When the multitudes needed food...

God’s power made perfect though weakness

Therefore, if our circumstances, background, and prospects look weak, we should not be discouraged:

It is easy to wish that we had a better background, better opportunities when we were growing up.

But Paul said;

Paul did not trust in his previous accomplishments, and neither should we...

Summary

Throughout Scripture, God has used things that appear weak to do great things

God uses those who make themselves available to Him

Being available to God is not merely a matter of just asking Him to use you.

It is about being willing to sacrifice the things you want to do so that you are truly available to Him.

God wants us to completely depend on Him, so that He alone will get the glory