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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Openness
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Conscientiousness
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Extraversion
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Tone of specific sentences
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*Don’t Be Such a Baby*
*Luke 18:15-17*
v Opening Illustration
I used to think that the gifts of God were on shelves one above the other, and the taller we grew in Christian, the more mature we became, the easier it would be to reach them.
I find now that God’s gifts are indeed on shelves, but one beneath the other.
And that it is not a question of growing taller but of stooping lower, that we have to go down to get the more precious gifts.
We must stoop in order to understand the deeper things of the Kingdom
v In essence, this what Jesus is teaching us today
Ø Here Jesus’ disciples are trying to do Jesus a favor in their eyes
§ Keeping the mob of mothers with their 1 year old babies away from Jesus
· For that was the custom in Jewish society of the first century
Ø The disciples were simply doing their best to…
§ Protect Jesus’ time
§ Protect Jesus’ energy
v But Jesus decides to use this situation to teach the all-important lesson about the Kingdom of God
Ø *HUMILITY*
§ Jesus has taught it in various ways
· That the way up is down
· That the least desired seat at the table is to be taken
· That to lead you must serve
· That the least shall be first
¨ And now…
Ø *Christian Maturity is to be found in the character of a Child*
v In other words…
Ø The best of the Kingdom is to be found on the lower shelves…
*READ 18:15-17*
v In the parallel passage in *Matt 18:3*
Ø Jesus puts a little finer point on it when he says…
§ /I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven/
/ /
v What is it about children that caused Jesus to use them as examples of what we should be like?
v What Kingdom characteristics can we glean from infants?
v What are the crown jewels that are housed on the lower shelves?
v What is it about babies that makes them examples for the adults?
Ø Let’s go to the lower shelves of the Kingdom and find out…
*1st Shelf Down*
v *Unworldliness*
Ø Babies are not tied down to the world with the tethers that adults have
§ Infants are in the world, but not effected by the world’s desires
· Infants do not care what brand of stroller you buy
¨ We struggle with this, but they do not
· Infants do not measure their success by how many toys they have
· Infants do not compare themselves to other babies
· Infants do not judge other babies
· Infants do not have a self-righteous streak
· Infants do not try to “keep up with the Jones”
· Infants do not look to their jobs for purpose and meaning in life
· Infants do not
Ø Babies are in the world, but not of the world…*YET*
§ And that is how we are supposed to be, Right?
· We are to be like fish
¨ Fish swim around in salt water, but do not taste salty+
§ Babies are part of the world, but not effected by its pressures
· That is how we are to be as Christians
¨ *In* the world, but not *of* the world
*2nd Shelf Down*
v *Unreserved Forgiveness*
Ø One of the things that has amazed me about being a parent is how readily my children forgive me
§ We have all had to discipline our children at one time or another
· Yet no matter what we do or say
¨ Our children always forgive
Ø How do I know that?
§ Young children simply do not hold grudges
· Their behavior is dictated by past events
A man who was telling his friend about an argument he'd had with his wife commented, "Oh, how I hate it, every time we have an argument; she gets historical"
The friend replied, "You mean hysterical."
"No," he insisted.
"I mean historical.
Every time we argue she drags up everything from the past and holds it against meTrue forgiveness is not allowing the past events to impinge on your current relationship
§ You see…
· Forgiveness is all about relationship
· *Matt 6:14-15*
¨ 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.
* *
*Even lower on the 3rd Shelf down…*
v *Complete trust*
Ø There is no better picture
*If we stoop lower yet on the 4th Shelf down we find…*
v *Utter Dependence*
Ø An infant has no illusion that they can provide for themselves
Ø They have no pride that they can be make it on their own
Ø They do not fool themselves into the frame of mind of self-sufficiency
§ They look to their parents for everything
· An infant is utterly dependent on their mother and father for everything
A young woman brings home her fiance, to meet her parents.
After dinner, her mother tells her father to find out more about the young man.
The father invites the fiance, into his study.
"So what are your plans?" the father asks the young man.
"I am a Bible scholar," he replies.
"A Bible scholar.
Hmm," the father says.
"Admirable, but what will you
do to provide a nice house for my daughter to live in as she's accustomed to?"
"I will study," the young man replies, "and God will provide for us."
"And how will you buy her a beautiful engagement ring such as she deserves?" asks the father.
"I will concentrate on my studies," the young man replies, "and God
will provide for us."
"And children?" asks the father.
"How will you support children?" "Don't worry, sir, God will provide," replies the fiance.
The conversation proceeds like this, and each time the father questions, the young idealist insists that God will provide.
Later the mother asks, "How did it go, honey?"
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