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
0.14UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.1UNLIKELY
Fear
0.1UNLIKELY
Joy
0.58LIKELY
Sadness
0.52LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.75LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.05UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.93LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.54LIKELY
Extraversion
0.28UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.59LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.68LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
Our Scripture lessons this morning come from Ex 3:13-15 and Deut 5:11.
First...
Now,...
May God bless this the reading of His holy and infallible Word.
Of all the Commandments modern society deeds inconsequential, the Third Commandment is perhaps judged the most trivial.
Even the Fourth Commandment is still held in great esteem in Europe, because Europeans recognize the importance of having one day in seven for rest.
However, it is almost impossible to get through a day without hearing God’s Name profaned.
For example, the other evening Lorna and I were watching a documentary on the Discovery Channel.
In this show some amazing archaeological discoveries were being made.
At each discovery, the geologist on the team would say, “Oh my God!”
She was reducing God’s holy Name to a mere exclamation mark.
Perhaps you may be thinking at this point, “Come on Pastor, isn’t this being a little legalistic?”
Actually not.
There is more to God’s Name than most people realize.
The consequences of using God’s name in a profane, that is a common way, are more severe than you realize.
My goal this morning is to show you that misusing God’s Name is no mere peccadillo.
The first thing we need to understand is that a person’s name represents them.
God’s Name Represents Him
In America, many parents give little consideration as to the meaning of their child’s name.
When they picked that name, they placed other considerations first.
For example: is that name “popular”, do they like how that name sounds, or does it fit some naming convention.
For example, in the movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
The seven Pontippee brothers were giving Biblical names, in alphabetical order: Adam, Benjamin, Caleb, Daniel, Ephraim, Frank (for frankincense), and Gideon.
This is not at all how it is in other cultures, especially ancient biblical cultures.
In these cultures, the meaning of names was taken very seriously, even to the point that a person’s name would be changed in later life in order to correspond to who they were.
For example, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham because he would become the father of many nations.
Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter because his confession of Jesus as the Messiah was the rock upon which Jesus would build His church.
You are aware that God has revealed Himself to us in Scripture by the use of many Names.
This morning, I want to focus on the most import three:
First, is God’s covenantal name—Yahweh.
This name applies to all three members of the Trinity.
It is the Divine Name given to Moses in our first Scripture lesson.
In that passage, Moses wanted to know what he is to tell Israel when they ask him, “who sent you”.
God’s answer was, “tell them I AM sent you”.
Yahweh means “I AM”.
This name communicates to us that God is not like any other being.
All angelic and human beings are creatures.
This is even true of even the powerful fallen angels that are behind every false religion.
Even though they are called “gods” (with a small g), they are not self-existent.
There was once a time in which they were not.
They can experience change.
They are not necessary.
God however, is self-existent.
God does not change because He is perfect in every way.
He is necessary for everything else, but nothing is necessary for Him.
I now this all sound philosophical, but actually as we will see in the second point this is very practical.
In fact, it is the most practical theological truth there is!
The second name of God I want to focus on is the name “Father”.
This name is associated with the First Person of the Trinity.
When we read the word “God” in our Bibles this is who it is normally referring to.
For example:
Clearly there is a distinction between the Father and the Son, in this verse.
I chose this verse because it beautifully highlights for us why the First Person of the Trinity chose to reveal Himself to us as a Father.
He is “Father”, because He is full of love towards His children.
This name teaches us that when we think of God, we are to think of a person who loves us like a father.
The third name I want to highlight is the name “Jesus”.
The angel explains to Joseph why the child born to Mary should be called “Jesus”:
Jesus means “Savior”.
Of all thing things Jesus is, He is preeminently “Savior”!
As I was explaining the meaning of these three Names, I am sure you can see that I have already begun speaking on the second point, that is...
God’s Name Reveals God’s Attributes
An attribute is a quality that a person possess.
For example, we can say that Elon Musk is a savvy businessman.
The attributes of God are many, this is why He has revealed Himself to us in so many names, but for now, I want to focus of the three names I have already introduced.
The Name Yahweh speaks to God’s strength.
In the book of Proverbs, we read:
What a beautiful and powerful word picture is being drawn for us in this proverb.
In the ancient world, fortified towers were built as a place of refuge.
If an enemy was seen, the people would run and hide themselves in the tower for safety.
According to this Proverb, Yahweh is like a strong tower, when trouble comes, the righteous person runs and hides himself in God.
The Name Father speaks of God’s loving power.
In a loving, healthy home, every child’s first “super hero” is their father.
It is not just that our fathers love and care for us, but they protect us.
“Our Father, who art in Heaven”.
The opening words of the Lord’s Prayer are not a statement about location, but rather power!
The God, who is our Father, sits upon the Throne of Heaven!
The troubles that too big for us are not too big for our Heavenly Father.
When life feels totally out of control, God the Father is in total control!
The Name Jesus speaks of His salvation.
In Acts 3, Peter and John have just healed a man who had been lame for forty-years.
Afterwards a large crowed gathered to hear them preach in the Temple.
The Jewish authorities asked Peter and John, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”
In response, Peter said:
There is no other Name that can save us other than the Name of Jesus!
Taken together, these three Names, Yahweh, Father and Jesus give us hope in any situation.
There is nothing “common” with these Names at all.
To misuse them.
To reduce them to something that is “common” such as an exclamation mark or a curse make God small in our hearts and in the hearts of those who hear us.
This brings us to the third and final point:
God’s Name Exposes Your Heart
According to Jesus, our words expose what is really in our hearts:
We have all used God’s name as an expletive, and most of us have done so thoughtlessly.
I am sure all of you would not purposefully misuse God’s name.
However, I want you to consider this, is not the thoughtlessly of our action exposing the real problem?
Remember, when the Bible speaks of our “heart” is refer to the entire inner man—including our thoughts.
If God is God.
If He is what His Names represent; then to not have Him as the center of our thoughts and emotions reveals that we have made God small.
In other words, we have made an idol!
Yes, an idol!
You see, the Third Commandment is about verbal idolatry!
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9