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.
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Analytical
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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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Introductory Comment
Are you ever guilty of using redundant phrases?
For example, some people speak of an “unexpected surprise”, without stopping to realise that all surprises are unexpected!
Question
Can you think of any other examples of redundant phrases?
Commentary with Questions
In Psalm 143, on two occasions, the psalmist speaks of the Lord’s “unfailing love”.
Isn’t that another redundant phrase?
Surely true love can only ever be unfailing?
Perhaps the psalmist has to remind us of this because only God is able to love with unfailing love.
Our love fails far too often.
It is just as well that our loving relationship with God does not depend on our love as much as it depends on God’s unfailing love.
The opening lines of the Psalm examine our love for God against his love for us, and point to the fact that God’s love is the decisive one:
The fact that we are in relationship with God at all is a testament to God’s unfailing love - his faithfulness and righteousness - not to ours.
It is God’s unfailing love that ensures he always does the right thing and is always faithful.
The supreme expression of God’s unfailing love is his sending his one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem us.
All we can do in response is to give him our sin and show our willingness to trust in Jesus.
Question
How would you describe God’s unfailing love?
It’s difficult, isn’t it?
Elsewhere, the psalms describe it like this:
Much later, in his letter to the Ephesians, Paul prays his readers would experience and understand God’s love, unique in its width, length, height and depth (Ephesians 3:18).
We are recipients of an unfailing love that is so incredible, it’s beyond description.
Question
Do we find it difficult to sustain our confidence in God? Why?
In response to this unfailing love, the psalmist wants to hear God’s Word:
God’s Word reminds him of God’s unfailing love.
It strengthens his faith.
It gives him guidance on the dangerous path he is taking.
The psalmist also longs for God’s protection:
He recognises God is his Rock.
He can hide in God and be safe from his enemy.
Knowing God loves him with unfailing love gives him confidence to ask for knowledge of God’s will:
He trusts God’s good Spirit (what a wonderfully warm, loving phrase that is!) would teach him from the Word and show him the path he should take.
This is what gives him confidence in the difficulties he faces.
Question
How do we respond when God reminds us we are still sinners dependent on his unfailing love alone?
Like the psalmist, we discover that God’s unfailing love transforms us.
As we live in relationship with our unfailing, loving God, we slowly realise he hears our prayers, takes our concerns seriously and provides for our needs.
It gives us the “covenant confidence” we need to begin to love others in ways that more closely resemble God’s unfailing love.
Paul describes what that looks like:
This is unfailing love.
It’s amazing love, and it comes from God and it transforms us moment by moment and day by day!
Question
In what ways does our love for others reflect God’s unfailing love to us?
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