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Paul’s Longing to See Them Again
PRAY
In this text we see a dramatic separation between loved ones.
The text says, “But since we were torn away from you, brothers.”
This word for torn away though is dramatic.
It has the idea of two people holding hands being ripped apart from each other.
In fact, in the NIV a stronger word is used.
It says, “we were orphaned by being separated from you.”
That was the pain that Paul was feeling for his beloved brothers and sisters in Christ in the city of Thessalonica.
Being ripped apart from them felt like he had been orphaned.
He felt completely alone.
But the text goes on to say they were torn away, they were separated, in person but not in heart.
In the NIV says, in person but not in thought.
This was the kind of love that Paul had for these people.
We all have good friends that we would say we love.
However, maybe they moved to a different city, and you simply don’t see them as much anymore.
And you can go most days without thinking about them and even missing them.
It’s possible they may be gone from your life and if you were honest most days they are forgotten.
Out of sight and out of mind.
Maybe you get to see them occasionally and you love to spend time with them but it’s not like you long to be with them.
You wish they lived closer.
You wish you could see them more but life goes on.
That is not the kind of relationship that Paul is talking about in these verses.
Paul is talking about something much stronger, something much deeper.
When my wife and I were first married it wasn’t uncommon for her to take a week and go spend time with her family.
It was hard for me to get time off so she would leave me behind.
When we first were married I looked forward to these times.
I loved my wife but I also really enjoyed being by myself.
Having the apartment to myself.
It was kind of fun.
However, the longer we have been married the less I look forward to her ever being gone.
In fact, I’ll be honest, when she’s gone for anything longer than a day I’m miserable.
I’m like a lost puppy.
I don’t know what to do with myself.
That’s how Paul is feeling in this text.
He has been ripped away from those whom He loves and He’s miserable.
They are gone but they are not forgotten.
They are still in his heart and in his mind.
A simple question then arises.
What has caused this separation?
We find the answer in Acts 17.
It says Paul and Silas had made their way to Thessalonica and Paul was preaching the gospel in the synagogue.
And revival started to break out.
The text says that some of the Jews were persuaded and a great many of the Greeks were persuaded to follow Christ.
But the leading Jews of the city were jealous so they banded together with evil men and formed a mob and set the city in an uproar and attacked the house where Paul and Silas were staying.
But when they could not find Paul they dragged Jason, the owner of the house, to the authorities and said one of my favorite lines in all of the Bible.
They said, these men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.
Because of the danger that Paul was in he was forced to leave and go to the neighboring town of Berea.
However, when the Jews from Thessalonica heard that many Bereans were also being saved they came there to try to capture Paul and they stirred but the crowds in Berea also.
So again Paul was forced to leave and get even further separation between him and the people of Thessalonica.
So you see why Paul says he was torn away.
He did not leave under peaceful circumstances.
He was separated by force to leave those whom he loved.
He was torn away from those He had just lead to Christ.
And the text says it was like he was orphaned.
But as you would except someone to do in this circumstance Paul tried again and again to see them face to face.
However, Satan had hindered Paul from seeing them.
That is where we find ourselves this morning.
A desperate man wanting to know how his children in the faith are doing.
But it is from Paul’s desperation that we find two realties of love.
Paul was separate from the Thessalonians.
They were gone but not forgotten because Paul had a love that lasts and the big idea this morning is this.
A love that lasts brings glory and pain.
A love that lasts brings both glory and pain.
We see the glory of love in verses 19–20
19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming?
Is it not you?
20 For you are our glory and joy.
Paul is trying to explain to them why he has tried to fervently to see them again.
Why he has tried again and again to see them.
He says something quite honestly that is shocking.
He says that they will be his crown of boasting before the Lord.
What???
You almost want to take a double take.
Did Paul really just say that?
Did Paul really just say that before the Lord he will have something to boast about?
Did he really just say that they are his glory?
What could Paul possibly mean by this.
You may be tempted to quote Paul back to himself.
Paul says in Galatians 6:14 (ESV)
14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
What is happening here.
What does it mean for Paul to say that they are his crown of boasting?
That they are his glory and joy.
As I read this passage the humanity of Paul really stood out to me.
Because Paul has written so much of the New Testament it’s easy to place him on a pedestal where he doesn’t belong.
I once heard someone say it’s like we think Paul is the fourth member of the trinity.
It goes the Father, the Son, Paul, then the Holy Spirit.
Which is obviously blasphemous.
However, it’s understandable why we struggle with this considering how often we say the phrase, God says, and, Paul says, interchangeably.
Our theology reminds us that it is the Holy Spirit, it is God that is inspiring the words Paul wrote and yet it can be so easy to miss that and elevate Paul to a standard he does not belong.
But in this text we see the humanity of Paul.
We see a man struggling with the realities of love.
This realities of love that Paul is experiencing is most easily seen in a parent-child relationship.
When Suzy succeeds I feel like I succeeded.
When Suzy fails I feel like I failed.
Because Suzy is the thing that I am most proud of.
It’s not uncommon to hear someone say of their kid.
They are my pride and joy.
That’s what Paul is saying here and we shouldn’t over think it.
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