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.
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A pastor who was known for his lengthy sermons noticed a man get up and leave during the middle of his message.
The man returned just before the conclusion of the service.
Afterwards, the pastor asked the man where he had gone.
‘I went to get a haircut,’ the man replied.
‘Why didn’t you do that before the service?’ the pastor exclaimed.
‘Well,’ the man said, ‘because I didn’t need one THEN.’
Well, I hope to get you out of time, but you DO need to know that you are about to hear “The Greatest Sermon Ever.”
And no, I’m NOT talking about MY SERMON.
We are going to begin to hear Jesus teach outside near the shores of Galilee, a teaching typically referred to as
The Sermon on the Mount.
And just in case you don’t know how significant this teaching is, let’s compare it to some phrases from a few of our past Presidents, "Four score and seven years ago...Ask not what your country can do for you...Mr.
Gorbachev, tear down this wall."
But most people are unlikely to remember much more than those tweetable phrases.
But what about these phrases?
"You are the salt of the earth.
You are the light of the world
Whoever strikes you on the right cheek
Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you
Our Father who art in heaven
where your treasure is, there your heart is
Seek first the kingdom and all these things will be added to you as well
Do not judge - first remove the log out of your own eye
Ask and it will be given to you
Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on rock."
These and many others are packed into 3 chapters (Matt.
5-7) that are typically referred to as “The Sermon on the Mount”, and the speeches of our presidents pale in comparison to the words of Jesus that have rung through the ages, across cultures & continents.
Kent Hughes rightly says, “Like it or not, everyone in western civilization has been touched in some way by the Sermon on the Mount.
No one can legitimately minimize its influence…No other section of Scripture makes us face ourselves like the Sermon on the Mount.”
Crowds loved to hear Jesus teach.
He was different than others they had heard before.
Just look at the response of the people who heard him.
Matthew 7:28–29 (NIV)
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Jesus was full of grace and truth.
Jesus didn’t dilute the truth.
He called people to turn from sin.
But He also extended grace, offering forgiveness to anyone who would simply trust in Him.
Today we begin to explore these teachings of Jesus.
Over the next few weeks we will be encouraged, confronted, corrected, & challenged by Jesus.
HOMEWORK: I encourage you to read the words of Jesus from Matt.
5-7 over and over again in your own quiet time.
Before we dive in, we need to be aware of a couple of things about the Greatest Sermon Ever.
First, some say this sermon so great, because it is so short.
One could read these words and imagine them being spoken in 15-20 minutes, but it’s unlikely that this is ALL Jesus had to say.
Remember when people came to hear Jesus teach and he needed to feed them because they had been hanging out with him for 3 days?
(Matt.15:32)
So for those of you who say, Jesus preached the most powerful sermon ever in 20 minutes, why can’t you?
I would say,
#1 - I’m not Jesus and...
#2 this is likely of summary of all that Jesus taught that day.
Second, this sermon is more than just HOW we should live; it’s about WHO we should live for.
With that said, let’s PRAY and get started.
Today we are going to hear from Jesus about what is means to be...
BLESSED - that’s a word that many Christians use, but what does it mean?
Blessed is more than being healthy or being wealthy.
Blessed is more than having friends and family who love you.
BLESSED is Livin’ Forgiven & Looking Forward to Forever
Let’s catch the context where we left off last week.
Matthew 4:23 (NIV)
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
Matthew 4:24–25 (NIV)
News about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and He healed them.
Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed Him.
And now we pick up on today’s teaching
Matthew 5:1–2 (NIV)
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down.
His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.
As the norm for Jewish rabbis of His day, Jesus sat down to speak about the Scriptures (cf.
Luke 4:20-21).
VIDEO: Here’s the traditional site called “The Mount of Beatitudes”.
IN today’s teaching we will consider 8 characteristics that Jesus expects from His followers.
Of those 8, the first 4 focus on our relationship with God; the next 4 focus on our relationship with people.
Here are the first 4 that focus on our relationship with God.
Matthew 5:3–6 (NIV)
He said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
In our American culture we might expect to hear televangelists & celebrities say “Blessed are....NOT THE POOR IN SPIRIT, but the SELF-CONFIDENT PROUD in Spirit.
Blessed are, NOT THOSE WHO MOURN, but those who LAUGH.
Blessed are, NOT THE MEEK, but the PRESTIGIOUS.
Blessed are, NOT THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, but those who hunger and thirst for RICHES.
Yet Jesus says it is the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek & those seeking righteousness who are blessed.
How are these people blessed?
BLESSED in this case obviously doesn’t refer to immediate health, wealth, & happiness, but those who have received God’s favor.
In other words, being BLESSED isn’t about how you feel, but about how God feels about you!
Tonya & our family are a part of those weren’t happy ABOUT the circumstance of cancer.
We wept hot tears and asked the question of WHY, but through it all we KNEW that we were BLESSED.
Despite the difficulties, we knew we had the favor of God.
You see, Blessed, according to Jesus is….
BLESSED is Livin’ Forgiven & Looking Forward to Forever
These folks KNOW that they have the favor of God - they are RIGHT with Him, not because of their good works, but because they recognize and respond to God’s grace extended to them.
Matthew 5:3–4 (NIV)
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Regardless of your bank account, the poor in spirit are those who recognize they are spiritually bankrupt before God.
The PROUD in spirit come looking to make a deal.
Those who are POOR in spirit approach God in humility, pounding on the door, begging Him to let them in.
And the good news is…He will!
Theirs is the kingdom of heaven!
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