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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Disgust
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Fear
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Joy
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Sadness
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Language Tone
Analytical
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Confident
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Tentative
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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
Have you ever been to one of those family dinner parties which just seemed strange?
A distant cousin acting completely out of character.
People showing up that you just didn’t expect to be there.
An uncle suddenly dons a lamp shade on his head.
Maybe it’s simply a weird dream that you’ve awaken from.
Today’s gospel reading seems that way to me.
Jesus, Lazarus, Mary, Martha, and the others sit down to dinner.
Lazarus, (just a few short verses before today’s reading is raised from the dead) enjoying his new-found lease on life.
Judas was there, more worried about how things would impact him monetarily than enjoying the moment.
And then there is Mary, listening intently to each and every word uttered by Jesus, getting up from the table, , anointing Jesus feet, wiping them with her own hair.
Readings
Come to the table
For us 21st century folk, events of this dinner party may seem strange.
It is easy for us to question why.
Keep in mind a powerful theme here:
Judas, the holder of the purse strings, intently criticizes Mary for “wasting” such expensive ointment…the value of which was quite expensive.
Yet Jesus, as he often does, reminds them that the day was quickly approaching that He would no longer be with them…that His life would be poured out as a most wondrous sacrifice for us all.
The Gospel writer John reminds us that Jesus is the one through whom everything was made.
There is abundance wherever he is present.
As Mary generously anoints him, he tells her critics to “leave her alone.”
Generosity breeds generosity.
Judas can criticize Mary for what she has done, but the story shows us his true colours: either we love generously, or we do not.
Either we are already engaged in providing for the poor, or we are secretly hoarding what might otherwise be shared.
What did Paul Say
Conclusion
Jesus is the gift of God.
According to John’s Gospel, Jesus is sent into a world that did not request him, yet he acts entirely for its benefit.
He consistently acts on his own terms, always revealing the grace and truth of God.
Lazarus was raised from the dead on Jesus’ timetable, and not in response to his sisters’ wishes.
Similarly, Jesus will lay down his life for his people (John 10:17–18), not because he is asked to do so, but because he chooses to give himself.
WILLIAM G. CARTER
Prayer
Psalm 126 (NIV)
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, Lord,
like streams in the Negev.
Those who sow with tears
will reap with songs of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with them.
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