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
0.11UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.09UNLIKELY
Fear
0.08UNLIKELY
Joy
0.59LIKELY
Sadness
0.5UNLIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.75LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.05UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.95LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.81LIKELY
Extraversion
0.22UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.58LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.74LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
Opening:
Good-morning Connection Church.
I am so glad that you are here this morning.
It is so good to be able to come together to worship Christ, our King.
One thing that is obvious if you have ever spent any time in more than one church is that there are differences.
Sometimes these differences are really big ones.
Other times there are stylistic differences.
Any difference is worth noting and examining.
We must always be willing to ask the question of “why?”
Why do we do this or that?
Why don’t we do this or that?
One really good thing to ask when examining a difference is a question about emphasis.
What is being emphasized?
Clearly I am a rather different pastor.
I am not your average pastor.
And by now, you will have likely noticed that one difference is that I speak of the Kingship and Lordship of Christ quite often.
Part of this is my theological understanding of Eschatology.
Part of this is my obsession with applying the truth of Jesus’ identity in every aspect of reality.
However, a large part of this is that we are going through the gospel of Matthew.
Matthew’s gospel is different than Luke’s, Mark’s, or John’s.
When we examine the difference in style, phrasing, tone, we begin to see that Matthew is clearly emphasizing the Kingship of Christ.
Matthew talks a lot about how Jesus is the Son of David.
Matthew is clearly making a point.
What is this point?
It is a point that most first century Jews would have understood.
The Messiah is the Son of David.
But it more than this.
There is more depth to it than just this.
Introduction of the Text:
This morning, we are back in Matthew 22:34-46.
Last week we covered the question that the Pharisees asked of Christ.
Now we will cover the question Jesus asks of them.
Jesus has answered three entrapping questions, and now He is asking the question.
I think we would do well to pay heed to the question Christ asks these wicked men.
With this in mind, I would ask the congregation to stand with me for the reading of God’s Word.
Reading of the Text:
THE FOREMOST COMMANDMENT
34 But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together.35
And one of them, a scholar of the Law, asked Him a question, testing Him,36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”37
And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’38
This is the great and foremost commandment.39
And the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’40
On these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”41
Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question,42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?”
They said to Him, “The son of David.”43
He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying,
44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet”’?
45 Therefore, if David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?”46
And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.
Behold, the Word of God.
Let’s Pray.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day and for who you are.
We thank you especially for the gospel.
We thank you for the grace you have given us.
May we be humble, and not prideful.
May we be gracious to one another and not arrogant.
May we love one another as you have commanded.
But more than anything, Lord, may we submit to you as Lord.
You are King over the Earth.
You are God, we are not.
May we subject ourselves to you.
We know that things will only be rightly ordered when you are given the honor and glory you deserve.
So we bow our knee to you, oh Great King.
And it is in the name of the King, Jesus, we pray.
Amen.
Transition:
Jesus has been asked three questions.
The Pharisees and Herodians asked Jesus if it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar.
This was meant to be an entrapping question aimed to embroil Jesus in a raging political controversy.
Jesus answered it skillfully by showing that Caesar has real authority, but limited authority.
The Sadducees asked Jesus a riddle regarding marriage practices and the resurrection.
The Sadducees were aiming to disprove the resurrection of the dead with a riddle they thought could not be solved.
Jesus answered this in a way that proved the Biblical doctrine of the resurrection and sent the Sadducees away.
Last week, in our same passage, we saw the Pharisees send a legal expert to question Christ in regards to the greatest command.
This man wanted to know what the greatest command in the Law of God was.
Jesus answered that the greatest command was that we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Jesus also gave the second greatest command.
This is to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Now we see Jesus asks the Pharisees a Question.
Jesus Asks The Pharisees a Question.
V.41
Explanation:
This is significant because of what has happened leading up to this.
These three groups of people had come to try to entrap Jesus with challenging questions.
Their aim was to discredit Jesus.
They wanted Him to destroy His reputation or even get Him in legal trouble.
These were malicious questions.
We saw how Jesus responded in great wisdom.
This is not surprising.
It is not shocking for the God of the universe to respond with wisdom.
Illustration:
But one thing that is intriguing in conversation is the response.
This is especially true in confrontation.
Now, I hate confrontation.
I am not good at it.
In confrontation, I tend to get really quiet and introspective.
But I do love debate.
I know that seems like an oxymoron, but it’s not.
I love honest and real debate.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9