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.
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Illustrative Warning
Several years ago, I was in Brooklyn, NY, completing a requirement of my master’s degree.
A friend and I had some rare free time on a Sunday morning.
The church we were partnering with was a church plant, and met in the evening.
I had wanted to visit the Brooklyn Tabernacle, and this was the time to go.
We took the subway, found the building and were welcomed in to the auditorium.
And the service began.
The choir and musicians were impressive.
It was a paired down version of their choir, maybe 150 people?
But they produced a wall of sound in worship!
People with such talent, from all walks of life, It was very moving!
At the pointed time, the Pastor, Jim Cymbala walked on the platform to speak and welcome the worshipers.
I was eager to hear him.
I had read his book, Fresh Wind Fresh Fire, how he and that congregation had experienced the power of God through prayer.
Jim Cymbala welcomed everyone to the service of worship.
He was very gracious in doing so.
He knew there were many guests every week.
I could tell what he was saying, he had said many times before.
He welcomed everyone and said something like this, as I remember it —
“Thank you for being with us today.
You are welcome, and we are glad you are here.
But if you will do this one thing for us in return.
If you are here today, to hear the choir and music - we are grateful to share those blessings with you.
We will even play one more song in a moment for you.
Please stay, and listen.
But then, after that song, we kindly ask that you would stand up and exit the auditorium.
Please don’t take offense to this request.
It’s just that, we need your seat.
There are people waiting outside that couldn’t get in, and they want to hear God’s Word.
So please stay and hear the choir one more time.
But after that, we will not judge you, but please stand and leave with our blessing, and thank you for coming and making room for someone to hear the Word.”
Church, there are two great invitations.
An invitation to “Come” and an invitation to “Leave.”
We place great emphasis on our invitation to come.
To the world — “Come.”
To the lost — “Come.”
“Come and Hear.” “Come to Jesus.”
Welcome, Come!
Perhaps we should not neglect the invitation to leave.
To say at this portion of our worship service:
“Dear friends, thank you for coming today.
It is our joy to minister to you.
We pray that you would see Jesus and know Him through every song and prayer and proclamation.
But dear friend, if you came to hear the music, or to fellowship with others — and that is all, now is your invitation to leave.
Don’t take offense at this.
We invite you to leave because we love you.
We will not judge you.
Please come again next week.
But you can stand and walk out now, there is the door.
You can turn this online stream off and watch something else on a different device.
Because if you stay, and hear God’s Word proclaimed today, if I rightly divide the word of truth in your hearing, and preach this word of God to you — you become responsible for what you hear!
And if you do not receive it and obey it, then you receive it to your own condemnation.
The Word will become a witness against you!
Because you heard, but you did not hear.
You saw, but you did not see.
You knew what to do, but did not do it.
You refused to obey.
If you hear with a hardened heart, your heart will only grow harder.
The word of God will do a work either way — to build you up to to harden you further.
Jesus said:
I am going to pray.
If, during this prayer, you need to leave, then leave now, and leave quickly.
And know that we love you, and have a deep concern for your soul.
But if you should stay, know that God will require of you whatever you hear.
Pray
I. Reading of Scripture
II.
Introduction
These are the last words of Jesus’ teaching in The Sermon on the Mount.
This is his closing statement.
This last teaching concludes a triad of themes that John summarizes for us in —
Jesus has spoken about the way that leads to life.
It corresponds to the narrow gate.
Few find it.
So the command is “Enter by the narrow gate” (Matt 7:13a).
For Jesus says, “I am the way.”
Jesus spoke about the truth.
The truth is difficult to discern, because the enemy is a masterful liar.
False prophets are ravenous wolves, come to destroy viscously, but they dress up in sheep’s clothing.
They blend in among the flock.
This is why the Apostle Paul would say at the end of his ministry to the Ephesians, to the elders gathered at Miletus —
So pay attention!
The command of Jesus is to “Beware of false prophets.”
You will recognize them by their fruits.
What is said is recognized by what is done.
Jesus “I am the truth.”
And Jesus did what He said.
Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets.
He is the true Prophet, by whom we measure all truth.
And now, Jesus speaks about one’s life.
And in speaking about life, Jesus speaks with a parable.
The first parable of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew (Brown).
A parable is a story that takes something from ordinary life, something we are familiar with, and compares it to an aspect or action of God and His Kingdom (Brown).
III.
Exposition
The first word of this parable is a connecting word.
“Everyone.”
Jesus is still speaking TO his disciples, but he is speaking ABOUT Everyone.
Everyone who meets a certain condition.
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them.”
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