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
0.09UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.08UNLIKELY
Fear
0.1UNLIKELY
Joy
0.63LIKELY
Sadness
0.54LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.7LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.69LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.57LIKELY
Extraversion
0.03UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.92LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.47UNLIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
Intro:
Tonight, we will continue our series entitled, [Matters of the Heart].
The subject of my message is, [I’m So Happy].
Before we study chapter four, I want to review where we are in 2 Corinthians.
Paul wrote this letter to a church he deeply loved.
However, he was concerned for them.
After his first letter, he was discouraged to hear that some in the church ignored the instructions, while others took it to the extreme.
Therefore, Paul wrote to provide clarity.
The underlying problems in Corinth was not the people, it was the leadership.
There were self-appointed leaders who did all they could to undermine Paul.
They questioned his integrity, his call, and his ministry.
To remedy the negative atmosphere, he wrote from the heart.
He strips any pretence and speaks to them about how their actions affect God’s heart and his heart.
He let them know the heartache they caused him.
However, he had hope in the heartache, knowing God would heal the hurt and help the church to move forward.
He taught them how to be triumphant in chapter two.
They would triumph when they learned to forgive each other and when they learned to have faith in God’s supernatural power.
Should they choose to do that, they would emit a fragrance that would attract people to Christ.
He spoke of his personal need for the Holy Spirit in chapter three.
He wanted them to understand how the Lord can supernaturally help through the Holy Spirit.
Tonight as we look at chapter four, the thought came to my mind, [I’m So Happy].
It reminded me of being a child.
My grandfather went to heaven when I was eight, but I have distinct memories of him.
When my sister was a toddler, she was less than happy.
She frequently would get cranky, which quickly spread through the family.
Grandpa would say, “Hannah girl, you have two choices, you can have a good day or you can have a bad day.
Let’s have a good day!”
Some days she made the right choice!
Then when I was nineteen, I held a revival in Tennessee.
The pastor had two daughters in the church.
One daughter had a son named Bradley.
He was three years old.
At some point, he threw a little fit and got mad.
I told his aunt Rebecca, Bradley seems to be a little mad.
In deep southern wisdom, she remarked, “Well Bradly can get in his glad pants just as quick as he got in his mad pants!”
These two stories are cute because they are about toddlers and the fits they throw.
However, we would find them less cute if someone told them to us when we got upset.
Especially if we were to get upset in our walk with God.
We might resent sharing our burdens with a Christian friends, only to have them tell us to get in our glad pants… no matter how bad we need to hear it from them!
But the fact is, as Christians we SHOULD be happy!
We should have joy.
We should be thrilled simply for the fact that we are saved and on our way to heaven.
If anyone had a reason and a right to complain or get upset, it was the Apostle Paul.
But notice his reasoning, we have MERCY, so we will not lose heart.
Because of God’s great grace and love upon us, no matter what may come our way, no matter what circumstances we face, we can declare, I’m So Happy!
Why should I say, I’m So Happy?
Three reasons, [I Am Saved], [I Am Sent], and [I Am Secure].
Let’s begin
1.
I Am Saved
Why would Paul declare, we do not lose heart?
Because false teachers in Corinth had stooped to low levels to discredit and get people to question Paul.
People do not enjoy hearing lies spread about them.
However, Paul knew the source, Satan, who is the father of all lies.
Sure the people were shamelessly crafty, but that is the nature of bullies.
Weak people will always whisper lies and mistruths behind someones back.
Rarely do they go to the source, instead they are content with distorting the truth through shameless gossip.
While Paul did not condone the actions of these people, he would not allow their insecurities to diminish his confidence and his position of Christ.
No one could change the fact that Paul was saved.
Because he knew the truth, he spoke the truth, never resort to live a double life!
Because Paul was saved, he understood the source of the attacks.
Who was the source?
Satan!
Paul did not have to resort to tactics of fear or manipulation, because he knew the truth.
The veil was moved from his eyes on the Damascus road.
Now he wanted the Holy Spirit to use him as he helped pull the veil from other people’s eyes by preaching the truth.
The veil was moved from his eyes on the Damascus road.
Now he wanted the Holy Spirit to use him as he helped pull the veil from other people’s eyes by preaching the truth.
He wanted the light of God to shine through him as he depended on the Holy Spirit to confirm the word of God with signs following.
The false teachers promoted themselves, but Paul promoted Jesus!
He determined to preach Jesus and Him crucified.
Knowing the power of Jesus helped Paul stand in the face of false accusations and shameless rumors.
Did they lies and gossip hurt Paul.
Possibly.
But he could declare, I’m So Happy, because I am saved and the lies of Satan cannot change that.
2. I Am Sent
Paul compares himself and those who serve the Lord as earthen vessels or jars of clay.
In ancient days, people would store valuable treasures in plain, unadorned clay jars.
The jars were fragile, could chip, and even break in places, but it gave insight to what was in the vessel.
Paul compares the gospel as a treasure concealed in a vessel.
Within him is the power of the gospel.
Sure he might not be much to look at on the outside.
He may seem unimportant and insignificant, but God chose to use the ordinary person to spread and share the gospel!
From his conversion, he knew that he was sent by God to proclaim the truth.
But was that always easy?
I absolutely love verse eight.
Paul described how we will feel as earthen vessels, {afflicted}, {perplexed}, {persecuted}, and {struck down}.
Think about all Paul faced:
He had to leave Damascus after his conversion because the Jews wanted to kill him
He had been stoned and left for dead by another group of Jews
They hunted him everywhere he went wanting to silence him for preaching the gospel.
He was afflicted, which indicates intense pressure.
He was perplexed, having no logical explanation for the intense situations that followed him.
He faced intense persecution everywhere he went, being continuously struck down.
But notice, Paul did NOT stop.
For to stop was to fall into the trap of the enemy.
Instead, he knew he was sent.
Sure he was afflicted and hard pressed, but he was not crushed.
Sure he was perplexed, but he did not despair.
Sure he was persecuted, but God never forsook him.
Sure he was struck down, but nothing could destroy him.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9