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
0.03UNLIKELY
Fear
0.6LIKELY
Joy
0.61LIKELY
Sadness
0.18UNLIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.54LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.35UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.65LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.58LIKELY
Extraversion
0.08UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.72LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.36UNLIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
Intro
Last week we talked about the often spoken biblical command, “Do not be afraid”
Remember, peace is found between the pillars of God’s goodness and control
In our passage, Jesus teaches a version of this command: “Do not be anxious”
He says it 3 times!
That should be an attention grabber
Fear and anxiety (or worry) are related but not the exact same
Fear = Response to a perceived threatening situation happening in the moment
Sometimes fear is good!
It can help keep you alive
Anxiety = Response of worry and unease to situation that may (or may not) happen
As we will see in Jesus’ teaching, there is no positive benefit to worrying about what might occur
Jesus is a great preacher and teacher, as this passage shows
Part of the Sermon on the Mount
“Therefore” in v. 25 connects His teaching on wealth (laying up treasures in heaven) to not being anxious
Especially in Matthew’s account (also found in Luke 12), Jesus uses rhetorical questions to hammer home his point: Do not be anxious about your life or tomorrow
Together we will take a look at these questions and learn together
Pray
“Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”
(v.
25)
First off, Jesus is talking about the necessities for living
Eating, drinking, clothing are all tangible examples of what people needed to live (especially during that time)
Not necessarily specific examples, but broad ones to capture what people NEEDED in order to live
Many people would have been concerned about having these “bare neccesities”
*Show “The Bare Necessities” video clip*
NOT talking about desires
Yes, God is a giver of many good gifts that we don’t deserve; He desires to bless us
But that is not what Jesus is specifically talking about here; that would be a different sermon altogether
Jesus sees people so focused on making ends meet that they lose sight of the bigger picture of what life is all about
Life IS more than food and drink; the body IS more than clothing… we are meant to thrive, not just survive
*Talk about counselling soon-to-be-wed couples*
Just as a marriage relationship is designed to thrive, so is your relationship with God
The fulfillment Jesus alludes to isn’t mere enjoyment of life and the body (feeling good and feeling happy)
It is about entering into a personal, right relationship with the Creator God
THIS will sustain you through it all; available through faith in Christ
“Are you not of more value than [the birds]?” (v.
26)
With many people preoccupied with obtaining the necessities of life, Jesus uses some common examples of how God will care for them:
The birds of the air:
They aren’t farmers; don’t sow, reap or store
But your heavenly Father feeds them
The lillies/grass of the field:
They do not toil or spin (make clothing)
But the heavenly Father makes them more beautiful than Solomon in his glory
Jesus is NOT making a case for being lazy
True, neither the birds or the grass work for what God gives them
But the point is that they cannot; God reveals His care for them by providing for them
It shows the heart of God, above and beyond what we can acheive
So, we are still called to work and make wise decisions (trusting in God as we do so)
Jesus IS using the “how much more” teaching tool used by rabbis in His day
If a lesser thing is true, how much more is the greater thing true?
If God cares for and provides what the birds and the grass need, HOW MUCH MORE will He care for His children?
Read Matthew 6:30
Of course you are more valuable than the birds and the grass!
You are created in the image of God
You are called a child of God, adopted into God’s own family
You are worth dying for, as Jesus would lay down His own life
You are valuable!
And you are cared for… so do not be anxious
“And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (v.
27)
Anxiety and worry do NOTHING to help a situation
First off, what we are anxious about may not be something we ever face (future possibility)
*Talk about McMunn & Yates order; mortgage renewal in 1 year*
Secondly, even if it is a situation that will arise, anxiety does not help prepare
There are some things we can do to help; do those things and then let it go!
*Share about water in basement and worry*
Not only does worry not help, but it actively HURTS us
*Cite from “Physical Effects of Worrying” article*
Here Jesus is, thousands of years prior to this understanding, firmly pointing out the negative effects of worry
So… do not be anxious
Grace for Today (Mana Principle)
Jesus conclused this section with His third reminder, “Do not be anxious” (v.
34)
This time, he applies it broadly to the future
Read Matthew 6:34
We will shift away from rhetorical questions to unpack this summary statement
Tomorrow will have trouble of its own
Nothing Jesus promises in this teaching means we get to avoid trouble… storms will come!
If we feel the need to avoid problems in order to be less anxious, we will never overcome anxiety
God gives us the grace and strength we need to get through each day
Sure, tomorrow will have trouble; it will also come with the promised provision of God to make it through
This is the manna principle: God gives us grace for today, each and every day… but not for tomorrow (yet)
Cf.
Exodus 16:4-5
Why did God do this?
To TEST the faith of the people!
Which is why when we are anxious He can say to us, “O you of little faith” (v.
30)
God WANTS you to rely on Him.
Each day.
Every day.
Problems arise when we borrow trouble from the future:
When the children of Israel tried to take manna for more than one day, it would spoil immediately (except for Sabbath)
One of the greatest lies of anxiety is to borrow trouble from tomorrow armed only with grace for today
*Share about house/salary worries; multiple sicknesses at once*
*Read Welch, p. 140; 145*
Jesus gives us all a wonderful cliche: Take it one day at a time
Because every time you wake up, God provides what you need most: Grace for today
Pray
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9