Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

I have good news… and I have bad news.

Anyone ever said that to you?

Few things inspire such a polarized or ambivalent reaction within me.

You think, “Oh great!

Something wonderful has happened, things are going to start looking up.”

Yet at the same time you worry if the bad news will totally counteract the good.

It’s a zero-sum game.

Though you win, the bad counterbalances it so it feels like you lose.

It’s a Pyrrhic victory if you will.

Here are some rather comical good news, bad news situations:

I have good news… and I have bad news.

Anyone ever said that to you?

Few things inspire such a polarized or ambivalent reaction within me.

You think, “Oh great!

Something wonderful has happened, things are going to start looking up.”

Yet at the same time you worry if the bad news will totally counteract the good.

It’s a zero-sum game.

Though you win, the bad counterbalances it so it feels like you lose.

It’s a Pyrrhic victory if you will.

Here are some rather comical good news, bad news situations:

I have good news… and I have bad news.

Anyone ever said that to you?

Few things inspire such a polarized or ambivalent reaction within me.

You think, “Oh great!

Something wonderful has happened, things are going to start looking up.”

Yet at the same time you worry if the bad news will totally counteract the good.

It’s a zero-sum game.

Though you win, the bad counterbalances it so it feels like you lose.

It’s a Pyrrhic victory if you will.

Here are some rather comical good news, bad news situations:

So, a platoon of soldiers had been hiking through dense jungle for over a week.

One day, the Lieutenant in charge orders everyone to stop.

He says “Alright men, I have good news and bad news.

Good news is today we are changing our underwear.”

The men cheer.

“Bad news is… Peterson, you change with Johnson, Parker, you change with Brown, Brown, you change with O’Neil...”

So, a platoon of soldiers had been hiking through dense jungle for over a week.

One day, the Lieutenant in charge orders everyone to stop.

He says “Alright men, I have good news and bad news.

Good news is today we are changing our underwear.”

The men cheer.

“Bad news is… Peterson, you change with Johnson, Parker, you change with Brown, Brown, you change with O’Neil...”

So, a platoon of soldiers had been hiking through dense jungle for over a week.

One day, the Lieutenant in charge orders everyone to stop.

He says “Alright men, I have good news and bad news.

Good news is today we are changing our underwear.”

The men cheer.

“Bad news is… Peterson, you change with Johnson, Parker, you change with Brown, Brown, you change with O’Neil...”

How about this one: So, one friend walks up to another trusted friend of many years.

This trusted friend is quite wealthy.

So, the first guy says, “Hey, can I borrow your Ferrari to show off in front of this girl I like?”

The wealthy friend says, “Sure man!

Go get her!

Just be careful with the car.”

And he hands off the keys.

A couple hours later the guy comes back to the wealthy friend and says, “I have good news and bad news.

Which do you want first?”

Wealthy friend replies, “Hit me with the good news…” Dude says, “Turns out, the airbags in your car work perfectly….”

How about this one: So, one friend walks up to another trusted friend of many years.

This trusted friend is quite wealthy.

So, the first guy says, “Hey, can I borrow your Ferrari to show off in front of this girl I like?”

The wealthy friend says, “Sure man!

Go get her!

Just be careful with the car.”

And he hands off the keys.

A couple hours later the guy comes back to the wealthy friend and says, “I have good news and bad news.

Which do you want first?”

Wealthy friend replies, “Hit me with the good news…” Dude says, “Turns out, the airbags in your car work perfectly….”

How about this one: So, one friend walks up to another trusted friend of many years.

This trusted friend is quite wealthy.

So, the first guy says, “Hey, can I borrow your Ferrari to show off in front of this girl I like?”

The wealthy friend says, “Sure man!

Go get her!

Just be careful with the car.”

And he hands off the keys.

A couple hours later the guy comes back to the wealthy friend and says, “I have good news and bad news.

Which do you want first?”

Wealthy friend replies, “Hit me with the good news…” Dude says, “Turns out, the airbags in your car work perfectly….”

Sometimes, it can be a bit more serious than these jokes though…

Sometimes, it can be a bit more serious than these jokes though…

Sometimes, it can be a bit more serious than these jokes though…

In our series through Acts, today we will cover the first 21 verses in .

The good news is… Gentiles can be a part of the family of God.

The bad new is… the church, made up mostly of Jews, doesn’t know how to accept them.

In our series through Acts, today we will cover the first 21 verses in .

The good news is… Gentiles can be a part of the family of God.

The bad new is… the church, made up mostly of Jews, doesn’t know how to accept them.

In our series through Acts, today we will cover the first 21 verses in .

The good news is… Gentiles can be a part of the family of God.

The bad new is… the church, made up mostly of Jews, doesn’t know how to accept them.

Recap and Reading

Recap and Reading

Recap and Reading

So, if you haven’t been with us or have forgotten what’s happened so far in Acts to get us to chapter 15, here’s briefly where we’ve been.

In Jesus ascends to heaven after telling the apostles that they will receive the Holy Spirit and need to go to the ends of the earth to be his witness.

In chapter 2 they receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit which becomes the mark of inclusion in the family of God along with baptism and faith in Jesus Christ.

Then lots more stuff happens in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria.

Christians are persecuted, but with the persecution comes new churches all over the world.

Saul meets Jesus on the road to Damascus and becomes a Christian, more stuff happens, the first apostle is martyred, and Paul and Barnabas are sent out from Jerusalem on their first missionary journey and they end up in Syrian Antioch where they stay a long time with the believers there.