Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro; Last Sunday morning we talked about the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And as we closed in the scriptures, Jesus warned His disciples and all that they needed to “Watch!”

Watch- look, take heed, keep awake; turn one’s attention to, beware, to guard.

Watchfulness or watching indicates that the Christian is alert or vigilant in order to defend himself against a spiritual foe.

To be in a continuous state of readiness to learn of any future danger, need, or error, and to respond appropriately.

He is to be properly prepared for any change in his circumstances in order that his fellowship with God in prayer may be undistracted and successful.

[Word Study Dictionary]

The best definition of scripture for “watch” as far as what Jesus meant, I believe is found in the Book of Titus;

So for us to live “soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age, looking [watching] for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”, then we must be active in good works till He returns.

That work is proclaiming the Gospel!

Text; Mark 16:15-20

Mark 16:15-16,20 (NKJV)

15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.

Amen.

1. Go Preach; 15

“Watching” is to “Go Preach the Gospel”

It is not an option, but a command to all who call Jesus “Lord.”The

church has a preaching task.

It is the duty of the church, that means that it is the duty of every Christian, to tell the story of the good news of Jesus to those who have never heard it.

What is the Gospel?

It is the history of Jesus Christ.

His life, death, and resurrection.

We are to instruct people in the meaning and intention of this and the advantages a person has in believing them.

Where are we to preach the Gospel?

In all the world!

That means we start where we are [home, neighbors] and then tell it wherever we go [work, trips, missions].

We are not all evangelists in the formal sense, but we have all received gifts that we can use to help fulfill the Great Commission.

Who do we preach too?

Every creature [everyone].

No people group is to be left out.

Every human being, regardless of their sinfulness, the color of their skin, their religious background, or where they live is a candidate for the “good news.”

Here is a great evangelism text and I marvel that I have never heard it used in that connection.

It allows for only two kinds of people.

It is not relative but absolute.

We divide humanity horizontally, high class, middle class, low class.

God divides vertically, to the right and to the left.

This cuts against the grain of popular thinking.

They say that there are so many grades, shades, degrees, varieties of people, they cannot be lumped arbitrarily into lost and saved, for Christ or against Christ.

But Christ leaves no neutral ground, no middle way.

He does not recognize neither nor.

With Him, we are either or.

Havner, V. (1976).

All the Days (p.

62).

Fleming H. Revell Company.

2. Baptise; 16

Is Jesus saying that a person has to be baptized to be saved?

Or that if you are saved but not baptized you will be damned to hell?

No. Jesus is saying that the person who is saved will desire to be baptized.

It is the rejection of Christ that condemns the soul not the failure to be baptized.

If baptism is a necessity of salvation, then the thief on the cross beside Jesus would be in hell and Jesus would be a liar!

But if a man is saved it will be his desire to be baptized.

Baptism is an act of obedience and identification in Christ.

Obedience- comply with an order, request, law or submission to another's authority.

Belief is an act of obedience to God’s demand if a person wishes to be saved.

[Jesus is our substitute for sin, He died and rose again!

“Confess with your mouth and believe in your heart and you will be saved”]

Baptism is an act of obedience to God’s demand if a person believes.

It’s pretty simple, if a man wishes to be saved, God demands that he believe; and if a man believes, God demands that he be baptized.

Identification- the action or process of association with someone; regard as having strong links or ties with someone; regard oneself as sharing the same characteristics or thinking as someone else: Baptism identifies with us Christ!

“How can a person honestly be saved if he rebels against being baptized?

A person who truly believes in the Lord will not refuse to follow Jesus in baptism or anything else!

3.

They Went; 20

After His ascension into heaven, the disciples went in obedience and did what Jesus commanded them to do, “Preached the Gospel to every creature, everywhere!”

But they didn’t go with their own opinions or in their own strength.

They went in the power of Christ with His message.

Going in the power of the Holy Spirit is the only way the gospel is effective.

Pentecost- 3000 were added to the church [Acts 2]

Peter and John heal a lame man and preach the gospel and are put in custody.

From their obedience the church grew from 3000 to 5000.

[Acts 3-4]

Stephen preached with such power that the religious council were cut to the heart and gnashed at him with their teeth.

They stoned him but it had an impact on a young man named Saul of Tarsus.

[Acts 7]

Philip held preaching services in Samaria and multitudes were saved [Acts 8]

Peter preaches to Cornelius and the Gentiles [Acts 10]

Paul is saved and preaches to the world [Acts 9]

The Acts of the Apostles was the power of Christ working with them and through them for His glory that men would be saved!

We have the same command [Go], with the same purpose [Gospel], with the power [Holy Spirit], for the same purpose [the salvation of souls].

Close;

Are You Watching?

Are you working for the growth of His kingdom?