Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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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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Analytical
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Confident
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Tentative
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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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Anger
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! Introduction:
BITTERNESS *(/Anger, Hatred, Joylessness/)
*DANGERS OF BITTERNESS*
*/Why is it important to resist bitterness?/*
BIBLE READING: Hebrews 12:14-17
KEY BIBLE VERSE: /Look after each other so that not one of you will fail to find God’s best blessings.
Watch out that no bitterness takes root among you, for as it springs up it causes deep trouble, hurting many in their spiritual lives./
(Hebrews 12:15, tlb)
*Bitterness will affect others.*
Like a small root that grows into a great tree, bitterness springs up in our heart and overshadows even our deepest Christian relationships.
A “bitter root” comes when we allow disappointment to grow into resentment, or when we nurse grudges over past hurts.
Bitterness brings with it jealousy, dissension, and immorality.
When the Holy Spirit fills us, however, he can heal the hurt that causes bitterness.
BIBLE READING: 1 John 3:11-24
KEY BIBLE VERSE: /Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him./
(1 John 3:15, niv)
*Bitterness undermines our relationship with God.* John echoes Jesus’ words that whoever hates another person is a murderer at heart (Matthew 5:21-22).
Christianity is a religion of the heart; outward compliance alone is not enough.
Bitterness against someone who has wronged you is an evil cancer within you and will eventually destroy you.
Don’t let a “bitter root” (Hebrews 12:15) grow in you or your church.
*AVOIDING BITTERNESS*
*/How can we keep bitterness from taking root?/*
BIBLE READING: Genesis 33:1-20
KEY BIBLE VERSE: /Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him.
And they wept./
(Genesis 33:4, niv)
*Bitterness doesn’t leave by itself.*
It is refreshing to see Esau’s change of heart when the two brothers meet again.
The bitterness over losing his birthright and blessing (25:29-34) seems gone.
Instead, Esau was content with what he had.
Jacob even exclaimed how great it was to see his brother obviously pleased with him (33:10).
Life can bring us some bad situations.
We can feel cheated, as Esau did, but we don’t have to remain bitter.
We can remove bitterness from our life by honestly expressing our feelings to God, forgiving those who have wronged us, and being content with what we have.
BIBLE READING: Luke 15:11-32
KEY BIBLE VERSE: /But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found./
(Luke 15:32, niv)
*Bitterness can be removed by forgiveness.*
In the story of the lost son, the father’s response is contrasted with the older brother’s.
The father forgave because he was filled with love.
The older son refused to forgive because he was bitter about the injustice of it all.
His resentment rendered him just as lost to the father’s love as his younger brother had been.
Don’t let anything keep you from forgiving others.
If you are refusing to forgive people, you are missing a wonderful opportunity to experience joy and share it with others.
Make your joy grow: forgive somebody who has hurt you.
* *
*FORGIVENESS *(/Grace, Mercy, Pardon/)
*HUMAN FORGIVENESS*
*/Why should we forgive one another and how can we do it?/*
BIBLE READING: Genesis 45:1-28
KEY BIBLE VERSE: /And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you./ (Genesis 45:5, niv)
*Joseph is a model of genuine forgiveness.*
Joseph was rejected, kidnapped, enslaved, and imprisoned.
Although his brothers had been unfaithful to him, he graciously forgave them and shared his prosperity.
Joseph demonstrated how God forgives us and showers us with goodness even though we have sinned against him.
The same forgiveness and blessings are ours if we ask for them.
BIBLE READING: Romans 12:1-21
KEY BIBLE VERSE: /Don’t let evil get the upper hand, but conquer evil by doing good./
(Romans 12:21, tlb)
*Forgiveness is a mark of the Christian life.*
Verses 17-21 summarize the real core of Christian living.
If we love someone the way Christ loves us, we will be willing to forgive.
If we have experienced God’s grace, we will want to pass it on to others.
And remember, grace is undeserved favor.
By giving an enemy a drink, we’re not excusing his misdeeds.
We’re recognizing him, forgiving him, and loving him in spite of his sins—just as Christ did for us.
*Forgiveness is contrary to the pattern of the world.
*In this day of constant lawsuits and incessant demands for legal rights, Paul’s command sounds almost impossible.
When someone hurts you deeply, instead of giving him what he deserves, Paul says to befriend him.
Why does Paul tell us to forgive our enemies?
(1) Forgiveness may break a cycle of retaliation and lead to mutual reconciliation.
(2) It may make the enemy feel ashamed and change his or her ways.
(3) By contrast, returning evil for evil hurts you just as much as it hurts your enemy.
Even if your enemy never repents, forgiving him or her will free you of a heavy load of bitterness.
*Forgiveness is an act of the will.
*Forgiveness involves both attitudes and actions.
If you find it difficult to feel forgiving of someone who has hurt you, try responding with kind actions.
If appropriate, tell this person that you would like to heal your relationship.
Give him a helping hand.
Send him a gift.
Smile at him.
Many times you will discover that right actions lead to right feelings.
BIBLE READING: Matthew 6:5-15
KEY BIBLE VERSE: /For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins./
(Matthew 6:14-15, niv)
*If we expect to be forgiven, we need to practice forgiveness.*
Jesus gives a startling warning about forgiveness: if we refuse to forgive others, God will also refuse to forgive us.
Why?
Because when we don’t forgive others, we are denying our common ground as sinners in need of God’s forgiveness.
God’s forgiveness of sin is not the direct result of our forgiving others, but it is based on our realizing what forgiveness means (see Ephesians 4:32).
It is easy to ask God for forgiveness, but difficult to grant it to others.
Whenever we ask God to forgive us for sin, we should ask ourself, “Have I forgiven the people who have wronged me?”
BIBLE READING: Matthew 18:21-35
KEY BIBLE VERSE: /Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me?
Up to seven times?”/ (Matthew 18:21, niv)
*Real forgiveness does not keep track of offenses.*
The rabbis taught that people should forgive those who offend them—but only three times.
Peter, trying to be especially generous, asked Jesus if seven (the “perfect” number) was enough times to forgive someone.
But Jesus answered, “Seventy-seven times,” meaning that we shouldn’t even keep track of how many times we forgive someone.
We should always forgive those who are truly repentant, no matter how many times they ask.
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