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
0.13UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.12UNLIKELY
Fear
0.11UNLIKELY
Joy
0.59LIKELY
Sadness
0.49UNLIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.65LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.4UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.89LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.64LIKELY
Extraversion
0.02UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.63LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.51LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
[Why people need to listen]
[Story]
Truth of being faced with a solution
The kingdom of God cannot be achieved by the flesh
The way must be revealed from above
The way must be achieved from above
Yet people will refuse to recognise the way
1.
The kingdom of God cannot be achieved by the flesh (v1–8)
Test
The scene begins with a mysterious meeting between Nicodemus and Jesus.
Read with me from verse 1:
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .
Nicodemus is a very curious character—we don’t know whether we like him or not.
One on hand, he comes as a member of the Pharisees—a group of elite religious leaders that seem to have a bad reputation for being a barrier between God and his people.
So we don’t like him.
Yet, on the other hand, he comes alone—apart from his duties as a Pharisee.
So maybe we kind of like him.
Again, on the one hand, Nicodemus comes by night—you might even say that he came to Jesus under the secrecy of darkness.
We don’t like him.
Yet, on the other hand, he comes recognising that Jesus is a teacher sent from God and he’s ready to learn what Jesus has to say.
So maybe we do like him.
Have a listen again to what he says:
But what does he say?
“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”
Nicodemus is ready to learn, but what is Jesus going to teach him?
Let’s read on in verse 3:
Verse 3:
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old?
Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
We’re going to stay on this verse for just a little while.
Now, as Nicodemus hears Jesus’ message, it sounds wild and bizarre!
Then, as we shall see, it sounds confronting.
What is the kingdom of God? It’s where God reigns perfectly; where there is no rejection of his good rule, and no consequences of rejecting his good rule.
When you first hear what Jesus says, you think, “Jesus, can’t you be a bit more clear?”
But as we shall see, Jesus is perfectly clear.
The problem is not with Jesus or John, the author.
The problem is with us.
You know when sometimes someone tries to “teach” you something and you end up with more questions than answers?
This may be one of those cases.
Jesus reveals to Nicodemus the way into the kingdom of God.
But firstly, what is the kingdom of God?
The kingdom of God is a kingdom—and, as we shall see, the spiritual and heavenly kingdom—where God reigns perfectly.
It doesn’t mean that God’s isn’t sovereign everywhere else.
But within God’s kingdom—one—there is no rejection of his good rule, and there—two—there are no consequences of rejecting his rule.
Which is in contrast to our world.
See, our world not only rejects of God’s rule, but it bears the consequences of that rejection.
Sin and death reign in our world, but—as Jesus says in —“My kingdom is not of this world.”
God’s kingdom is perfect, and “unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
See, God’s heavenly kingdom is in contrast to our world.
Because our world has not only rejected God’s rule over us, but it also bears the consequences of that rejection.
Sin and death reign in our world.
But——Jesus says, “My kingdom is not of this world”.
There is neither sin nor death in God’s kingdom.
It is perfect.
And Jesus says, “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
See, our world not only rejects God’s rule, but it bears the consequences of that rejection.
Sin and death reign in our world.
But—as Jesus says in —“My kingdom is not of this world.”
God’s kingdom does not contain sin or death.
It is perfect, and “unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
See, our world not only rejects God’s rule, but it bears the consequences of that rejection.
Sin and death reign in our world.
But, as Jesus says in , “My kingdom is not of this world.”
God’s kingdom does not contain sin or death.
It is perfect.
And “unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
We’ll come back to this idea later.
And so—second question—what does it mean to be “born again”?
You can imagine Nicodemus thinking, “Jesus, if you’re talking about something as important as entering the kingdom of God, please don’t give me unclear instructions!”
But Jesus isn’t being unclear.
And obviously, John, didn’t think Jesus was being unclear, otherwise it would’ve been pointless for him to record these words.
So if Jesus isn’t being unclear, what is he talking about?
Verse 4:
And I love that John records Nicodemus’ response.
Verse 4:
Verse 4:
Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old?
Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
What does it mean to be “born again?
You know how there are words in English that sound the same and are even spelt the same way, but they can mean completely different things?
For example—can you think of different meanings when I say the word “bat”?
Is Jesus being unclear?
If someone was teaching me how to put on a parachute that could save my life, I wouldn’t want unclear instructions.
But Jesus isn’t being unclear.
And obviously, John, the author, didn’t think Jesus was being unclear, otherwise it would’ve been pointless for him to record these words.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9