Churchgoing for the wrong reasons
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
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Social
Introduction:
I. To follow a man or minister (v.12)
-people come to churches just because of a certain personality, nor for Christ
-when this happens conflict can easily arise.
What is to be done?
-people must understand that Christ is the reasons the church exist in the first place and the persons by which they were saved
-this wrong reasons will affect the church
II. To seek for worldly wisdom (v.22)
a) What?
-self-improvement without self-denial (cross) and Christ
-comforting messages without the terms of the Comforter
-pure knowledge without personal change
b) Why is this worldly wisdom useless?
-because God chose Christ to be the one who fixes our problems and saves us, not humans (v.21)
-because God wanted to humble people and to show them that nothing that they possessed like power, education, or wealth could ever save them or spiritually help them (v.27)
Do we come to the church to look for cheap and superficial solutions for our problems or are we willing to accept God’s terms that are our self-denial and crucifixion of our flesh and to rely only on him alone, not on your wealth, not on your morality?
To look for an answer to our spiritual problems in worldly wisdom is like looking for water in a desert – wrong place.
Or looking to quench the thirst with ocean water. It creates the impression that it can quench our thirst when in fact it makes it worst.
III. To look for entertainment
a) realized by human skill (cap 2:1)
1.. like funny and ear-tickling preaching
2. show off with clear explanations for the wrong reasons
3.singing
How?
a) Some come to the church to be entertained by a powerful speaker, or by a show of miracles and signs and not because of Christ to whom the wisdom and the signs point to. Some people come to the church just to hear a preacher that preaches in such a way that other people’s lives are changed. These kind of people do not come at church to be changed, but to admire the skill of the preacher or be entertained.
b) Skills come from God, but apart from him, they are useless in building up the church. Human skill, intellect, and capacity to explain something to someone did not save the people of the world. In the church, we do not glorify human skills, but God works with those skills to sanctify us, not entertain us.
b) realized by supernatural gifts and signs
-like prophecy
-like healings
-like dramatic testimonies
The problem is that people demand overt these things and lose sight of Christ.
Conclusion:
Christ-centered church services and christ centered desires are the solution.