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
0.14UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.09UNLIKELY
Fear
0.11UNLIKELY
Joy
0.56LIKELY
Sadness
0.56LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.64LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.11UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.78LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.84LIKELY
Extraversion
0.18UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.83LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.56LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
Good morning & Welcome to New Hope
We find ourselves this morning in week #2 of a series we’ve titled UPSIDE DOWN - A different way to live.
The truth is that we allow external forces to enter in to our lives and determine how we live and who we become.
The culture in which we live will tell you that you’ve earned it, that you deserve it, and that there’s nothing wrong with wanting things your way.
However, Jesus said the complete opposite!
He told the disciples in that in order to follow Him you must Give up your own way, Take up your cross, and follow him.
If you try and hang on to your life, you’ll lose it.
But if you give up your life for the sake of Jesus and the Gospel, you will save it.
It’s counter-cultural.
It’s upside down.
And it should be a different way of living that makes people take notice.
If you give it up you will save it; if you try to keep it you will lose it.
It’s counter-cultural.
It’s upside down.
And it should be a different way of living that makes people take notice.
So this morning our passage is found in , beginning in verse 7.
But as you get there, let me give you a little context.
Paul is writing this letter to the church in Corinth as a defense.
In one sense he is defending himself.
After planting the church, false teachers have made their way in and were challenging Pauls integrity & his authority as an apostle.
They were claiming that his word couldn’t be trusted and that he hadn’t handled funds appropriately.
But in the other sense, if we know much about Paul, he’s not concerned with himself, but with the integrity of the gospel.
He’s concerned that those new to the faith would be swayed and misled.
And so we pick up the letter in chapter 12 where we find Paul sharing an experience in his life where he got to take a trip to heaven - whether he was really there or it was a vision, regardless it was pretty amazing.
So much so, that he says it was impossible to express in human words.
And if there was ever anything worth bragging about, it could have been this.
But Paul says he’s not going to do it...
(NLT) So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.
Much debate has happened around this verse.
What was this thing Paul speaks of to keep him from becoming proud?
The first thing we learn this morning is God uses suffering to humble us
If there is a character trait that the church needs more of, it is humility.
For me, humility is the #1 Christian virtue.
It’s what I think of most when I think of Jesus.
If there was one person to ever have lived with reason to boast, or lack humility, it’s Jesus.
But yet that’s what exuded from him.
If there was ever someone else who lived that had reason to boast, it was Paul.
The opposite of humility is selfishness or pride.
So when we lack humility...
When we lack humility, we rob God of his glory
7even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God.
So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.
We think of ourselves too much
We rob God of the glory he’s due because we’re sucking it all up
We cannot become more like Jesus
So Paul says, to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan.
Vast debate evolves around what was meant by this.
The Greek word for thorn here is actually “stake”.
The word for messenger is the Greek word for “angel” - an angel of satan.
Some of you may have heard definitions of what this specifically meant.
What we can conclude is that whatever it was, was very painful, cause much suffering, and it seemed to be intermittent.
Some say a physical weakness in his body; some form of epilepsy; severe headaches; eye troubles; some form of recurrent malarial fever which haunted the coast of the eastern Mediterranean.
Whatever it was…Paul believed there was a purpose.
And this suffering was to keep Paul humble and Jesus exalted.
Even so, Paul was human like us.
(NLT) Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.
V.8 God is able to fix, but doesn’t always
Paul understood that God is able to fix, but doesn’t always - often times God has a diff plan
(NLT) Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.
God’s will is good, pleasing, & perfect
8Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.
God’s will is good, pleasing, & perfect
(NLT) Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
God’s will is always good, pleasing, & perfect
The prayer of the 3 boys in the fire furnace (even if you don’t!)
2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
The prayer of the 3 boys in the fire furnace (even if you don’t!)
we find the story of Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego in conflict with King Nebuchadnezzar.
They would not worship King Neb’s gold statue he had created.
Anyone who refuses will be thrown into the blazing furnace.
(NLT) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.
If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us.
He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.
But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.
17If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us.
He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.
They had come to terms with God’s plan being greater than theirs
18But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
(NLT) Each time he said, “My grace is all you need.
My power works best in weakness.”
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9