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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Emotion Tone
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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Language Tone
Analytical
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Confident
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Tentative
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Social Tone
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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Tone of specific sentences
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Anger
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Because their hearts are darkened.
(21)
Think of how this metaphor applies even today.
When you think of someone who’s had their heart darkened, what do you think about?
An angry person.
One who can be classified as hateful.
Uncaring, Argumentative, Deceitful.
Let’s take a look at some of the Biblical examples of light and dark.
Light:
Dark:
The word you have in your Bible for “foolish” may be “senseless” as well.
This Greek word literally means “without understanding.”
To the point that one does not have the capacity for insight or understanding.
Imagine that if you would.
A mind so dark, it can’t possibly understand the truth.
Have you ever been in a room so dark you didn’t know where you were?
Maybe it was in an unfamiliar room.
You didn’t know if you would stub your toe or not; if the next step would be carpet or the stairs; if you might awaken an angry dog or step on some legos.
The person whose heart is darkened is like this spiritually.
They are spiritually blind.
How does one get this way?
Take a look at verse Rom.
1:21 again.
They Bible says “they knew God.”
People get a darkened heart because although they know the truth, they chose to ignore it.
The Bible uses the word “fool” in verse 22.
In this context, the word isn’t derogatory, it means, “one without wisdom.”
One whose heart is darkened acts as a fool-one without God.
Because of this they follow a lifestyle that is exhibits characteristics of a fool, and are therefore detrimental to themselves and society as a whole.
Because they exchanged the truth for a lie.
(25)
They exchanged God’s truth for a lie.
How did they do this?
They worshipped the created rather than the creator.
They had both placed side by side and purposefully chose the created.
Here’s an interesting note on this verse:
The word for “exchanged” is only used here and in verse 26.
The word form in 23 is a bit different than these two.
It literally takes on the meaning of an old world type of trade.
A bargain.
In other words, they knew what that they were giving up something.
It’s not so much that they had a choice between two things and simply chose one; but they knew which one was better.
Which one was right.
Which one would fulfill them and still chose wrong.
We should expect non-believers to have dark hearts AND to exchange the truth for a lie.
Why do they do this?
The lie is self-serving.
The lie promotes pride.
We are doing something and don’t need God.
The lie busy’s the time of the lost to burn up the play clock of life.
If you are looking for proof of this, listen to how people word their statements about God or morality or truth.
“The God I worship...”
“My God...”
Truth for me may be different than truth for you.”
“In my study, I’ve come to the conclusion...”
Expect non-believers to be different because their truth is not TRUTH
Because they did not acknowledge God.
(28)
Finally, we expect non-believers to act like non-believers because they did not acknowledge God.
Now, this idea of acknowledging God means a “full and precise knowledge.”
They had a dim knowledge.
Sort of reminds you of people today too right?
Remember what I said a few minutes ago?
“My God is like...”
“The God I worship would never...”
People may claim that these are god’s, but they are not the true God!
Read with me John 1:14-18
Verse 17 is key here.
John 1:17
Think about the barriers we sometimes place on people with the Gospel message.
Not only does our presentation come across as a recipe that was handed down; and presented often in such a way that tells the person we’ve never made this recipe or that the recipe may even be too hard to make in my kitchen.
But we often assume those with whom we share will have a working knowledge of a basis on which to build.
Look at John 1:17 again.
What law?
Who is Moses?
What is grace and truth?
Why is this Jesus so important?
You see, non-believers either have a very dim view of scripture; what some would say is incomplete, or it’s simply wrong and made up to what they want!
Listen to this, Rom.
1:28
“He gave them over to a depraved mind.”
Paul used this here in 28, in 24, and in 26.
Gave them over, gave them over, gave them over.
Think about the old White Plains school.
Some of you attended that school.
Now it holds Church Xtreme.
Imagine what would happen to that building if it were to sit unused.
The animals and drug addicts would take over.
Time and abuse would take it’s toil.
Part of God’s judgment on people is seen here.
He gave them over to what they wanted.
You want to life apart from Me, fine.
You live in an unfulfilled marriage.
Try to get happy with material things.
Worship the created through fishing, hunting, making money, and buying things.
See what it’s like to always want more.
You want a same sex relationship, fine.
Deal with all the pain that’s going to cause you.
Our lack of knowledge of God is not simply ignorance, but is a choice and the cause of why things are so broken.
In closing, you could use this passage the next time someone asks you this: “Why is the world so evil?”
Or “If God is so loving, why is there evil in the world?”
Because people’s hearts are darkened, they’ve exchanged the truth for a lie, and they have a poor knowledge of God.
To be honest, we are placing the blame in the wrong place.
It shouldn’t be on God, but on ourselves.
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