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
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Fear
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Joy
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Sadness
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Analytical
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Social Tone
Openness
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Conscientiousness
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Extraversion
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Agreeableness
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Emotional Range
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Tone of specific sentences
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Anger
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INTRODUCTION
• BAZZELL STEALING COP CAR
"Sometimes we’ll hear a story about people we know and we think to ourselves, “That doesn’t sound like something they’d do.”
Other times we’ll hear a story about someone and we’re instantly like, “Yeah, that tracks.”
ELIJAH
In our story today, the main character Elijah does something that seems very out of character for him.
Elijah shows up in ch.
17 as a man on a mission from God.
God has gotten fed up with Israel's wicked ways and their worship of false idols.
So he sends Elijah to warn them that they better tighten up.
He’s fearless and determined…a mighty instrument of God.
So naturally, Elijah wasn’t very popular with some of those in power.
AHAB
Was a weak king who was used to getting his way.
Reluctantly, he formed a political alliance with another king in order to strengthen his military position.
BONUS: HE GOT TO MARRY THE KING’S LOVELY DAUGHTER JEZEBEL.
“SHE CAME BY IT HONESTLY…”
• Jezebel’s father, had first served as a pagan priest, but then murdered the king and stole the throne.
• He was very wicked and could’ve cared less about the people.
• “Well, the apple didn’t fall very far.”
Jezebel was the one who really ran the empire.
She was as ruthless as she was cunning.
[NABOTH]
"ELIJAH DON'T PLAY THAT.”
Jezebel was the one who brought the worship of the false god Baal into the mainstream.
She did so by punishing those who bowed down to any other deity.
However, Elijah wasn’t having that…he called out Jezebel’s prophets (all 450 of them) in order to remind the people that there is but only One True God.
“HELL HATH NO FURY”
“She vows to her ‘false god’ that within a day’s time, either Elijah would be dead, or she would.”
• “So, what…Who cares, right?”
• “It’s not like her ‘god’ is real.”
“It’s like getting whooped in a fight and then saying you’re gonna go get you’re imaginary friend and come back.”
“You wouldn’t really be too worried about it.”
“Unfortunately, Jezebel had already established a certain reputation for killing the Lord’s prophets.”
“She was fully capable of following through with her death threats.”
SPIRITUAL FATIGUE
• The combination of emotional burnout, weariness, hunger, and a deep sense of failure, plus lack of faith in the Lord, brought Elijah into deep depression.
• But an element of pride was also involved, and some self-pity, for Elijah was sure that his courageous ministry on Mount Carmel would bring the nation to its knees.
• His expectations weren’t fulfilled, so he considered himself a failure.
BETTER OFF ALONE
• Then Elijah left his winded servant behind.
• A mistake, but a tendency we all have, is that when we get a little depressed, we pull into a shell and isolate ourselves from people.
• Ironically, those are the times when we need the fellowship of friends more than ever.
THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK
• Once Elijah let fear get the best of him, he quickly drifted into self-pity, asking God for a quick way out.
• Have you ever noticed that when you are down in the dumps and have the blues, you say things you don’t really mean?
SOUL FOOD
• Just like exercise and eating the right foods are some of the best things you can do to fight physical depression…How do you think we fight spiritual depression?
• On the mountain of God,God was about to feed his spiritual nature.
• God revealed Himself to Elijah and addressed the spiritual causes of his depression.
Unfortunately, Elijah wasn’t catching on...
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?
GOD DOESN’T HAVE TO SHOUT TO GET HIS MESSAGE ACROSS.
• In a relationship, you shouldn’t ever have to shout.
The thing that is most important about Elijah is he had a close relationship with God.
In a relationship, you’ve got to be encouraging but also firm.
HARDHEADED
• One might expect this dramatic revelation of God to transform Elijah’s attitude.
• Yet when He asks Elijah the exact same question, Elijah gives the exact same response.
• Elijah’s response focused entirely on himself: what he couldn’t do because “they” were out to get him.
• He was too focused on “they” and “them” when the whole time he should’ve been focused on “HIM.”
“It’s time to get back to work.”
• He said, “It’s time to get back to work.”
• The Lord was calling Elijah to stop weeping over the past and running away from the present.
• The time had come for him to start preparing others for the future.
• Sometimes the best cure for the blues is God’s reminder of the work He has called us to do.
A NEW PROTEGE
• Elisha is fully committed to his new call: he sacrifices his oxen on a fire made from his plowing equipment.
• For him there can be no turning back once he has set his hand to the spiritual plow.
• Elisha’s response was a beautiful picture of Jesus’ point in Luke 9:62, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Elijah — “God is”
Elisha — “God saves”
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