Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
A score of 0.5 or higher indicates the tone is likely present.
Emotion Tone
Anger
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Disgust
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Fear
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Joy
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Sadness
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Language Tone
Analytical
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Confident
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Tentative
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Social Tone
Openness
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Conscientiousness
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Extraversion
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Agreeableness
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Emotional Range
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Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
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VP Calvin Coolidge presided, one fine day in the US Senate.
But soon, 2 Senators began to argue, angrily.
As they argued, Cal leafed through a book.
Finally, one told the other, "Go straight to hell!"
The offended Senator complained to VP Coolidge.
Calmly, he replied.
"I've been looking through the rule book."
"Senator, you don't have to go." True that.
Jesus shows us today that we have to choose.
(No choice or a delayed choice picks for us.)
One day, that choice will be fixed.
No do-over.
No chance to change our choice.
One more thing.
If we choose heaven, the way we live better show it.
How? Just before our verses, the unjust steward teaches us to use all God gave us (time, skills, $, etc.) shrewdly to lay up treasure in heaven.
Jesus now tells us how disastrous it'll be if we don't.
Let's look at Lk 16:19-31.
19a"A rich, no-name any-man dresses in king's purple & the finest snow-white linens.
He's ultra-rich & flashes it.
19bHe lives in luxury, every day.
The best foods.
The best wines-by the numbers.
(26 bottles of this.
18 of that.
31 of another.
...) 20aAt the gate of his mansion was laid a beggar named Lazarus.
Just this once, Jesus names someone in a story.
The name? Greek Lazarus = Hebrew Eleazar.
'God is My Help.' Ironic.
Homeless, he shelters at a rich man's gate.
He may be crippled.
Someone even has to lay him at the gate.
20bHe's covered with running sores.
Did God bless that?
No! 21aHe longs to eat what falls from the rich man's table.
Crumbs.
Loafs of bread used as napkins at parties.
21bEven wild dogs come & lick at Lazarus' sores.
Not to ease things.
They only add to his torment.
The beggar is worse than unclean.
He's 100% outcast.
Least of the least.
Has God helped him?
Ever?
Then why name him 'Lazarus'?
Later.
No one knows how long we have.
One day, 22a"the beggar's time came.
He died.
No mourners.
No long funeral procession.
No burial.
His body?
Most likely at the dump.
On earth, he had none of life's comforts.
In the story, he doesn't even speak.
At death, there's no funeral procession.
His only escort?
22bAngels carried him to Abraham's side.
All his life, he endured poverty, illness, rejection, being crippled, hunger, & being an outcast.
In death, no one missed him.
Yet he endured it all without a word.
No complaint.
But he had faith.
Saving faith.
Now, he's in heaven.
He had saving faith.
In the end, God does help him: into heaven.
The time came for 22cthe rich man, too.
He also died.
But his memorial service?
Lavish.
Well attended by the wealthy.
Fine food & drink galore.
In life, he knew no lack.
Many came to enjoy fine food & drink & the professional mourners.
(Family & friends were too busy counting their inheritance.)
His body?
A long procession to escort his body to the graveyard.
22dHe's buried in a fine mausoleum.
But no angel escort.
No one remembers him.
Where is he now?
23aIn hell.
Why?
What did he do?
Nothing really bad.
God didn't balance things out with Lazarus by sentencing him to torment.
What sent him to hell?
Instead of doing good, he did nothing.
God even provided chances to show God's mercy at his front gate: Lazarus.
Plenty of chances.
But his only concern had been his own comfort.
No life of obedience to God's word.
No saving faith, like Abraham.
Now, 23bhe's in torment.
(Hell sounds like a place I don't want to be.) 23cHe looked up & saw Abraham far away, Lazarus by his side.
All his life, others catered to his every wish.
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