This paper focuses on analyzing a Matt Chandler sermon delivered back in 2015.
As extracted from the video clip, the core theme of the sermon is faith in God and redemption. Through his life story, the orator tells the audience about the main principles of getting to walk in the glory of God in Christian life. In his sermon, the audience should avoid seeing themselves as very significant and should look at God instead. He further explains that the more a person thinks about how bigger she or he is, the more they become enslaved. Hence to begin walking in God's confidence full of Holy Spirit and be amazed by His works, one needs to stop valuing how awesome they are in all manners and instead value God and all that about Him.
The central passage that the speaker developed is based on four main points drawn from the Book of Romans Chapter 11, verse 33-36.
Thus he addresses points including God's transcendent wealth, wisdom, knowledge, and power, how unsearchable and inscrutable God's ways are, God has a mind that is known to no man and giving God gifts in expectation of some sort of repayments. Additionally, he bases his sermon on the fact that it is only from God and through Him and to Him that all things come and that may Glory be to Him forever Amen.
Chandler's thesis revolves on the steps that an individual who does not know God or whoever has doubts about God can take to walk in the path of God in order to feel confidence in His deeds, walk without feeling unsafe and eventually be salvaged.
This he supports by explaining to the audience from the Book of Psalm 23, 2-6 that in walking in God's path and living a life of righteousness, the Lord shall be a shepherded and that one shall not want, He will make the individual lie down on greener pastures and will him/her by still waters, he will restore the souls and lead in the path of righteousness for His name's sake, that even though one shall walk through the valley of the shadow of death, such an individual will fear no evil for God will be with him or her and that his rod and staff will be the source of comfort. Moreover, such an individual's table will be set before the enemies, anointed on the head with oil, and blessed with a flowing cup. For sure, walking in God's shadow is full of goodness and mercy that follows all the days of one's life and that they are promised a dwelling place in the house of the Lord forever.
The speaker finally clearly articulated and made his case for the thesis and persuaded the audience to believe so. For instance, he used his life story to inform the audience that he was never perfect. Fortunately, through being in good company of a friend, he landed in the right place at the right time back in 1997 when he attended Passion Conference where his life changed for the better person he is today. As such, he persuaded the audience through using supporting verses that informs the audience of God's greatness and the benefits one can get from knowing God, walking in his path being righteous.
Concisely, one "Big Idea" drawn from the sermon is that the ways of the Lord are beyond human understanding and comprehension. For instance, God, as exemplified from Psalm 23, is a generous God and from Romans 11, He is beyond reproach. All that man knows, will no and those that no one will ever know of, He already knew. Above all, He is the Beginning and the End.
Work cited
Chandler, M. Passion (2015). Retrieved on 05/12/2017 from: https://youtu.be/eRE6a9R4F-U
