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
0.08UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.09UNLIKELY
Fear
0.16UNLIKELY
Joy
0.6LIKELY
Sadness
0.23UNLIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.53LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.02UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.63LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.94LIKELY
Extraversion
0.3UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.79LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.8LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
I have been a part of the church as far back as I can remember.
I grew up at a church in Russellville, AR called First Assembly of God.
That church is still there today.
A few weeks ago I was able to go back there on a Friday night and enjoy a service.
I have memories of that place, mostly good.
There was a rough time that our church went through in the late eighties and early nineties.
It was a dark time in that church’s history, but it made it through that time and it is a stronger church today than it ever has been.
Growing up I need that church.
It was at that church that I learned all the stories in the Bible.
It was at that church that I began to memorize scripture.
It was in that church that I started preaching.
It was in that church that I was called to preach.
I needed the church.
Last week I talked to you about the resurrection.
It is the resurrection that gives us hope.
It is the church that develops that hope in us.
Today, I want us to look at the church.
I want to show you that you need the church to be a part of your life.
People say you don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.
And I believe that is true.
However, I do believe that in order for you to grow in your faith, you need the church.
Let me explain.
If you have your Bibles, go with me to the book of Matthew.
I want to read several verses from chapter 16, beginning at verse 13.
Today, I want to give you 5 points about the church.
1.
What is the Church?
The Greek word for church here is ekklesia.
This word simply means a group that meets together for various reasons.
Notice that it doesn’t mention a building anywhere.
It is talking about the people.
When the word church is used in the bible, it is talking about the people.
Matthew is the only gospel where the word church is used.
This verse and in one other verse.
Luke used the word in Acts and Paul used the word all throughout his letters.
Verse 18 is the first time that hear Jesus use the word church.
Let’s read it again.
Jesus was using a play on words here.
Peter’s name in the Greek is Petros.
The Greek word for “rock” is petra.
So Jesus was using Peter’s name as a play on words.
It would be like if your name was Rocky and Jesus said to you, “You are Rocky and on this rock I will build my Church.”
Jesus is the foundation of everything the Church does.
The Church is built on the platform and foundation of Christ.
And Peter is the first stone used in the building.
Peter declared...
What a distinction!
Because, we have made that same declaration, we know that we are also part of Jesus’ Church.
2. Jesus Gave Us the Keys
All of us carry keys with us.
Unless you have combination locks like many doors have now days.
I have two sets of keys that I carry.
I have personal keys that fit my vehicles and house.
And I have church keys that fit the doors here at church.
I can take a key and get into any door here at the church and if I can’t get into it with one of the keys that I have on me, then I know where a key is located and I can go get that key and get in.
I have the keys to this church.
When I was first elected Pastor, they gave me the keys to the church.
I have access.
I can come and go as I please.
And if I need you to have a key, then I have been given the authority to give you a key so that you can come and go as you please.
To have a key for this building is a privilege.
You have been given a great responsibility to protect this building.
You have been given a responsibility to allow other people to come and go as they please.
You can also think of it this way.
I have a 2006 white chevy pickup in that parking lot.
If i give you the key to that truck, it has all the power it needs.
There is nothing that you have to do to make that truck go faster.
All you have to do is get in the truck and start it up, put it in drive and go.
Jesus has given us the keys to the kingdom the day we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
Just like we heard a message delivered and we submitted to the message.
You have been given the keys to deliver a message so that other people can hear the message and receive the same keys you have.
The keys to the kingdom of heaven is a privilege.
The kingdom of Heaven has all the power it needs.
There is nothing that you have to do to give it more power.
All you have to do is deliver the message and open a door for people to walk through.
You have the keys to the kingdom.
We are going to take it forward by His power, under the protection of His grace, and through the leading of His Spirit so that what is loosed here on earth by His power, may be loosed in heaven for all of eternity.
And the gates of hell will not stand against us!
3. The Church is Better Together.
Some of you have probably heard people say, “I hate organized religion.”
I can understand why.
Over the years we have probably let the things that we do blur our vision of what we are supposed to do.
We have let the church building become more important than the people that actually make up the church.
This building is not what it is all about.
I think you have heard me say this a few times.
People matter to God.
So, if they matter to God, then they better matter to us.
The church is not a building, but it is people.
Each and everyone of us has common goal.
God has called us to gather together to find ways to live, share, and spread the truth and power of the Gospel.
We can not complete our mission and calling without each other.
Have you ever tried to do something without a thumb?
A few years ago.
It was actually my first year as pastor here.
We were doing a skip for Easter and during a rehearsal before an evening service, I was trying to show the guy playing Jesus how I wanted him to fall.
When I did, I lost my balance and the heaven wooden cross we had at the time fell on my thumb and shattered the bone on the end of that thumb.
My thumb was in a splint for weeks.
I couldn’t do anything with that thumb without it hurting.
That thumb was miserable.
I couldn’t hold anything very well with that thumb.
I couldn’t pull anything or push anything.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9