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.
Emotion Tone
Anger
0.12UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.06UNLIKELY
Fear
0.12UNLIKELY
Joy
0.59LIKELY
Sadness
0.56LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.5LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.16UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.9LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.66LIKELY
Extraversion
0.18UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.55LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.6LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
Order of worship
Opening Scripture
Response in Song
Response in Prayer
Response in Giving
Scripture Reading
cripture passage
Response in Word
Response in the Eucharist
Response in Song
Benediction
Witness in W
Witness in Wonder
Unity and its enemies
trajectory is spirit infused unity that creates powerful witness.
But we must watch out for the things that get in the way.
notice that God is the one invoking justice, not humans.
It may be our opportunity to reveal the truth, but it is up to God to play it out.
Can you make a mental list of things that have caused disunity in your life, in an organization, and/or a church?
How did you respond to it?
How did you contribute to the disunity?
How did you contribute to the unity?
what carries the unity?
what are things that unify?
what is evidence of unity?
how we live our life?
how we behave?
How we treat one another?
how we meet the needs of others?
4:32–37 This summary of the church’s growth and activities resembles that in 2:42–47.
This section also serves as context for the deception and perverse testimony of Ananias and Sapphira in 5:1–11.
What we know
full number of one heart & soul
shared & had everything in common
apostles giving testimony of the resurrection with great power
grace of Jesus upon them all
not a needy person among them
proceeds brought to disciples and distributed to each as any had need (willfully without coercion)
Barnabas, for example, sold a field, brought money, and laid it at the apostles feet (reminds me of how people treated the Levites)
Taken by itself, this could refer to shared ownership; but in conjunction with the first expression, it also refers to a practice of freely sharing one’s goods with another
characteristics of being of one mind?
what are things that get in the way of being of one mind?
first verses are held as the ideal, yet examples exist and persist that come in the way of unity
central to the unity was the witness of Jesus (He was the power, He was the unifier, He was the provider, He was the protector, He was the deliverer
voluntary: no transfer of ownership, no control of production/income, no requirement to surrender property.
notice how little time is spent on barnabas and how much is spent on A&S? HE made his gift without fanfare or
the gift belonged to God & the community.
the lied about it & embezzled.
God judged, not Peter; instead of the full amt. of $, their lives were the remainder.
They were the community of the Holy Spirit, and in this community they placed all their trust, found their identity and their security.
But this was not so with Ananias.
His heart was divided.
He had one foot in the community and the other still groping for a toehold on the worldly security of earthly possessions.
To lie with regard to the sharing was to belie the unity of the community, to belie the Spirit that undergirded that unity
reminds me of how adam & eve were deceived by satan.
they influenced the church.
later on people begin rumbling of not being cared for or neglected.
The church is a holy body, the realm of the Spirit.
By the power of this spiritual presence in its midst, the young community worked miracles, witnessed fearlessly, and was blessed with incredible growth.
The Spirit was the power behind its unity, and its unity was the power behind its witness.
But just as with God there is both justice and mercy, so with his Spirit there is also an underside to his blessing.
There is his judgment.
This Ananias and Sapphira experienced.
The Spirit is not to be taken lightly.
As the Spirit of God he must always be viewed with fear in the best sense of that word (phobos), reverent awe and respect.
It might be noted that this is the first time the word “church” (ekklēsia) occurs in Acts, which denotes the people of God gathered as a religious community.
Perhaps it is not by accident that it occurs in the context of this story.
The church can only thrive as the people of God if it lives within the total trust of all its members.
Where there is that unity of trust, that oneness of heart and mind, the church flourishes in the power of the Spirit.
Where there is duplicity and distrust, its witness fails.
Polhill, J. B. (1992).
Acts (Vol.
26, p. 160).
Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
first time ekklesia used (this was a unifying event?) what causes the witness to fail
spirit brings unity of community and power of the spirit.
This story reminds us of a further truth.
The church, when it is the church, is a holy community, the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16f.).
Disunity, duplicity, and hypocrisy always “belie” the Spirit and hinder his work.
If the church is to have genuine spiritual power in its life and witness, it must be an environment of the Spirit, devoted to maintaining its sanctity and purity.
The power of the miracles attracts.
The awesome power of the Spirit that judges also demands commitment and responsibility.
Before that power the crowd kept its distance with healthy respect, unless they were willing to fully submit to that power and make a commitment.
Many did, Luke said, making it clear this time that men and women became disciples and were added to the growing community of believers (v.
14).
Attempts to create disunity
Ananias & Sapphira
BUT Ananias, with his wife’s knowledge sold a piece of property and kept for himself some of the proceeds & brought only part of it and laid it at the apostle’s feet.
Peter confronts: was it your property before you sold? were the proceeds yours to use at your disposal?
why did you contrive this deed?
Why have you lied to God?
He heard these words and breathed his last breathe.
(Reminds me of how God responded to the sin of Achan.)
GREAT FEAR FELL ON ALL WHO HEARD IT!
He was wrapped up, carried out, and buried.
3 hours later, his wife came in not knowing what happened.
Peter asked her if the land was sold for so much, she agreed.
How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit?
The feet of those who have buried your husband will carry you out.
GREAT FEAR FELL UPON THE WHOLE CHURCH AND UPON ALL WHO HEARD THESE THINGS
disunity—attack of the enemy from within.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9