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
0.16UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.08UNLIKELY
Fear
0.14UNLIKELY
Joy
0.52LIKELY
Sadness
0.54LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.34UNLIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.34UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.47UNLIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.91LIKELY
Extraversion
0.03UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.75LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.69LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
*Finishing Well*
*/July 3, 2005/*
Are you looking forward to the 4th, lighting off some fire works?
Any *grown* *men* planning on using *sparklers*?
*Ken*?
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, I’m not telling you.
· Celebrate our country’s *independence* by *blowing* part of it *up*.
*Tribute to Billy*
Q: Did you follow Billy Graham’s crusade in NY last weekend?
It is incredible what God has done through him.
He has preached to *210* *million* people in *185* *countries*, over *7 decades*.
He has known the last *eleven* *presidents*, back to Harry Truman.
He worked with *MLK* and embraced civil rights before it was popular.
Billy is now 86 years old.
He has *prostrate* cancer, *Parkinson’s*, and a broken *hip* and *pelvis*.
He may move slower than he has, but he is still *serving* God with *all* his *might*.
· Asked if this was his last crusade, he answered, “It probably is, in New York.
But I have also learned to never say never.”
He got *front* *page* billing in *Newsweek*.
The article concludes:
“As his own journey nears its end, he is *sure* and *certain* about the future.
‘Do I *fear* death?’ he asks.
‘No.
I look *forward* to death, with great *anticipation*.
I am looking forward to seeing *God* face to face.” (Newsweek July 4, 2005)
What an example to the world!
Not just of *peace* and *confidence* in the face of death, but of *faithfully* *serving* God.
He is *running* his race *well*, to the very *end*, not resting on his laurels.
*Paul prepares to cross the finish line*
Second Timothy also tells of *another* great *evangelist* who was very near the *end* of his *life*.
It was written by the Apostle *Paul* as he was in a *Roman* *prison*, awaiting *execution*.
· Paul had planted *countless* *churches*, brought *Christianity* to the *gentiles*, and *wrote* over half the *NT*.
For I am already being *poured* *out* like a drink offering, and the time has come for my *departure*.
I have fought the *good* *fight*, I have *finished* the *race*, I have *kept* the *faith*.
Now there is in store for me the *crown* of *righteousness*...* */2 Timothy 4:6-8 NIV/
Like Billy Graham, he had *no* *fear* as faced the end of this life, only hope.
Paul and Billy also have this in common: They have both *held* their *course*, *strong* to the end, and *finished* *well*.
· *That’s* what I want.
I want to reach the *end* of my life, having *glorified* God without *faltering*, and able to say, “I’ve fought the good fight, I’ve finished the race.”
· I want to *die* having stayed *strong* to the end, doing the *best* with what *God* *gave* me.
*envisioning my obituary *
*Q:* What’s with all this talk about my death?
A year ago, I turned 30.
I had to face two facts: 1) I am an *adult* now, and 2) I am *gonna* to *die*.
I don’t know when, but it will *sooner* than I can believe.
· Few things give clarity like *envisioning* your *obituary*.
· When God calls me home, I want to be in *full* *stride* as I cross the *finish* *line*.
Throughout history, countless men and women have *started* *strong*, but *fallen*, or just *puttered* *out* before reaching the finish line.
· That’s not what I want.
*Q:* Have you thought about how you want *your* *obituary* to read?
*Q:* Want to be remembered for doing your *best* with what *God* *gave*?
Granted, the finish line is *closer* for some than others.
But none us know how long we have.
I don’t know about you, but I want to be remembered for *serving* God until the *end*.
*Instructions for the race*
I don’t need to elaborate too much on what it means to run this race well.
It’s the obvious stuff: Growing in *relationship* with and *dependence* on God, *obeying* Him, *loving* and *serving* others.
Doing the best with what God gave us.
· The challenge is a *consistent*, *lifelong* commitment to these.
· Can I finish well, like Paul, like Billy?
In 1 Corinthians, Paul wrote to a church that had gotten *off* the *course*.
He shares his *three* *tips* to *successfully* running and *finishing* *well*.
From 2 Timothy, we know that this worked for him.
*Tip #1: Keep your eyes on the prize*
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but *only* *one* gets the prize?
Run in such a way as to get the *prize*.
Everyone who competes in the games goes into *strict* *training*.
They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will *last* *forever*.
/1 Corinthians 9:24-25 NIV/
*Q:* What is the prize?
*A:* Salvation, yes, but also to reach the *end* of our *race* and hear our *savior* say, “*Well* *done*, good and faithful servant!”
*Every* believer will be *welcomed* into *heaven*.
*Every* one of us will be *graciously* and *lovingly* welcomed home.
But *not* every one will be told “*Well* *done*.”
If any man builds on this foundation [of Christ] using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day [of judgment] will bring it to light.
It will be revealed with *fire*, and the *fire* will *test* the *quality* of each man's work.
If what he has built *survives*, he will *receive* his *reward*.
If it is *burned* up, he will *suffer* *loss*; he himself will be *saved*, but only as one *escaping* through the *flames*.
/1 Corinthians 3:12-15 NIV/
· In heaven, there will be many *singed* *believers*.
*Q:* Will *I* be one of them?
Will *you*?
Or will we finish well?
*Well loved*
Taken out of context, this can seem to say that we have to *work* to *earn* God’s *love* or *approval*.
But Paul is *very* *clear* that *salvation* is only by *grace* not wo*r*ks (Eph.
2:8-9).
· We *cannot* do *anything* to make God love us *more*.
Instead, living a life *pleasing* to Him is a *response* to His love.
The more I *understand* God’s love for me, the *closer* I get to God, and the *closer* I get to God, more I *want* to *please* Him.
· Because I am *well* *loved*, I want to *finish* *well*.
And as we *live* a life pleasing to God, we learn it’s to *our* *benefit*.
The Holy Spirit shows us that a *mediocre* Christian walk is so far *short* of the life God *wants* to give us.
· Christ calls us to *thrive*, not just *survive*.
The prize that *drives* us to finish this race well is *not* *accolades* on earth, not *bragging* *rights* in heaven, and it’s not *earning* God’s love.
· The *prize* is the *pleasure* of having *pleased* God.
*Tip #2: Keep Pushing yourself daily*
Therefore I do not run like a man running *aimlessly*; I do not fight like a man *beating* the air.
No, I *beat* my *body* and make it my *slave*... /1 Corinthians 9:26-27 NIV/
*Holy coaster*
You’ve heard of holy *rollers*?
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9