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
0.08UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.09UNLIKELY
Fear
0.1UNLIKELY
Joy
0.62LIKELY
Sadness
0.54LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.75LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.57LIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.69LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.58LIKELY
Extraversion
0.11UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.72LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.56LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
Intro:
If you find today’s Scripture Reading rather complicated, you are not to be blamed.
@@ Paul is trying to do 2 things here:
1) teach the principles for deciding whether one should remain single or get married and
2) deal with the different groups of people involved: single, engaged, married, widowed, divorced and marriage with an unbelieving spouse.
When he intertwines these 2 things together, you’ll get a complex series of instructions.
So what I’m going to focus on are the principles for deciding whether one should remain single or get married.
This issue is important not only to single young people in our church but also to their parents who have to advise them.
I won’t be dealing with the issue of divorce and remarriage which this passage also briefly addresses.
Although my outline has 5 points, none of them have sub-points.
So don’t worry.
Relax and enjoy God’s Word.
I. Know what gift God has given you v7
In the past, it is a shame for a woman to be childless.
Hence everyone not only want to get married but also to have children.
Today, being single is quite a common sight in Sg as well as parents not having any children.
If you’re still single and you want to find consolation in the Scriptures, may seem to be a comforting passage.
But the reason Paul encourages singleness is so that you can dedicate more of your time for the Lord.
If you’re single because you want to have more time for your job, then does not apply to you.
Your reason for being single is not biblical.
Hence my message, “Singleness vs Marriage” is about which choice is better if you want to devote your life to God.
And the answer is not a straightforward one because you need to take into consideration some other factors.
And the first factor to consider is what gift has God given you?
In v7, Paul says that he wish all men would be single like him.
“I myself” here is important which he later describes as being completely devoted to God.
In v32, he says this:
1
Then he goes on to say that it depends on whether God has given you the gift of singleness or the gift of marriage.
Generally, most people will get married and so people don’t consider marriage as a gift.
Hence in church circles, we often talk about the gift of singleness.
Then he goes on to say that it depends on whether God has given you the gift of singleness or the gift of marriage.
Generally, most people will get married and so people don’t consider marriage as a gift.
Hence in church circles, we often talk about the gift of singleness.
Then he goes on to say that it depends on whether God has given you the gift of singleness or the gift of marriage.
Generally, most people will get married and so people don’t consider marriage as a gift.
Hence in church circles, we often talk about the gift of singleness.
What does the gift of singleness imply?
1st it means that celibacy (i.e.
being single) is not a matter of personal preference.
If God didn’t give you the gift of celibacy, you’ll find it very hard to be single.
2nd the gift of celibacy is for God’s use and not for your personal use.
Some people think that being single is less financially stressful in this life and so they choose being single.
Such thinking is foreign to the Scriptures.
Every gift of God is to be used for His glory and not for promoting ourselves or making our lives easier.
3rd since celibacy is a gift, don’t expect everyone to have it.
In fact, few have it.
This means that we should be helping those who want to get married but can’t find a Christian companion.
In China, although I didn’t ask for it, one of my Bible study group brothers was concerned to find a sister for me.
So he asked what kind of sister I would like if God were to give me a spouse.
I knew he had kind intentions but at that time I wasn’t interested in getting married.
So I gave him the hardest criteria I could give to discourage him.
And I gave him 3 criteria: 1) she must be very zealous for the Lord, 2) she must be fluent in English and 3) she must not be above 30 years old.
As I expected, that brother told me that the criteria I gave him makes it nearly impossible to find such a sister.
Although I did mean to give him a hard time, the Lord heard my criteria.
To cut the story short, the Lord brought Shelly to me and she met all the 3 criteria.
The point I want to make is that this brother cares enough for me to think about my personal needs.
And our acquaintance is barely a year.
This may be the China culture but in this aspect, it is a biblical one.
Now you must not pester a brother to consider a certain sister.
We all hate people doing that to us.
Just offer your help.
I’m aware that in our culture here, whether a brother or sister wants to get married or be single is none of our business.
But the question still is: does he or she want to single for the purpose of being devoted to the Lord?
If not, his or her reason is not a biblical one.
If your brother is doing something unbiblical, should you not tell him the truth in love?
What if a sister agrees with you but said that she can’t find anyone suitable?
Do you love enough to help?
Or do you say that’s none of my business.
This is why I earlier say that the China culture in this aspect is a biblical one.
BTW, I was match-made by Pastor Yeow of PPCC when he was in China as a missionary.
He told Shelly that I was a Malaysian and I was just above 30 years old when I was 41 then.
And he brought Shelly and introduced her to me.
Even after Shelly knew that Pastor Yeow made 2 terrible mistakes, she still took me seriously.
So don’t be afraid to be a matchmaker even if you got all your facts wrong.
God can overrule your mistakes and bring a couple together.
@@ Let me put the 3 implications of the gift of celibacy for you to see again:
1) celibacy (i.e.
being single) is not a matter of personal preference.
It is a gift.
2) the gift of celibacy is for God’s use and not for your personal use.
(All of God’s gifts are to be used for His glory)
3) since celibacy is a gift, don’t expect everyone to have it.
Actually, few have it.
Knowing what gift God has given you is equivalent to knowing God’s will for your life.
This is because you can best serve God with the gift He has given you.
Imagine if Mohammed Ali’s parents had forced him to be a basketball professional and Michael Jordan’s parents had forced him to be a boxing professional.
Will either achieve great success?
Most likely not, because their gifts lie somewhere else.
II.
Marry if you can’t control your sexual desires v8-9
1Co7
Perhaps you’re asking “how do I know that I’ve the gift of singleness?”
These verses tell us one way by which we can know and that is, if you can’t control your sexual desires, it is a strong indication that you don’t have the gift of celibacy.
It does not mean that those with the gift of celibacy don’t have any struggles with their sex drive.
It just doesn’t burn or overwhelm them.
Their sex drive is under control.
If you look at v8 more carefully, Paul is actually addressing this principle to the unmarried and widows.
In Gk, “unmarried” can refer to singles, widows or even those divorced.
The word “unmarried” here is masculine in Gk and “widows” is feminine in Gk.
Thus the unmarried here must refer to the widowers, the male counterpart of widows.
Now widows or widowers have been married before and so you would think that they shouldn’t have gift of celibacy.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9