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
0.15UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.1UNLIKELY
Fear
0.55LIKELY
Joy
0.48UNLIKELY
Sadness
0.51LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.71LIKELY
Confident
0.28UNLIKELY
Tentative
0UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.75LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.84LIKELY
Extraversion
0.15UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.67LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.47UNLIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
Christmas is over – we have almost survived another year.
All the stresses of the holiday season are behind us and now…all we have to worry about is what to expect in the new year.
Psychologists tell us that one of the greatest stresses a person endures is the unknown future.
Let me ask you a question – and I want an honest answer:
How many of us can say that we have no worries?
If we’re honest with ourselves, all of us worry too much – some more than others – but all of us worry too much.
Jesus tells a parable about 4 types of soils and the soil’s effect on seed that falls on it – it’s called the Parable of the Sower.
I want to look at the last two soil conditions he mentions in this parable:
Luke 8:14
14 “The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
If you’ve read this parable, you know that Jesus goes on to explain that the “soil” is a person’s life and the “seed” is the Word of God.
Look at what He is saying: worries about things, about the pleasures of this life, will choke off the effects of the Word of God in your life.
He literally says that worry “brings no fruit to maturity.”
The rich young ruler whom, Jesus loved, is a good example:
There must have been much that was really beautiful and true in that young man, or Jesus never had singled him out as one whom he especially loved.
In fact, in his own eyes, he was pretty much perfect.
And yet, in his case, the thorns of riches and luxury had so entwined themselves around his life that, as far as we know, it never brought fruit to perfection.
Ananias and Sapphire, are another example we can look at.
They had given up much for the Jesus’ sake,
- associated themselves with a hated and persecuted sect,
- sacrificed a large portion of their property to help the poor of the flock,
- and yet in the end, they decided they needed what they had dedicated to God more than He did.
In contrast to the person in verse 14:
Luke 8:15
“But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.
Notice the focus on fruit and the contrast in these two verses.
Worry destroys growth and stunts maturity.
So, if this is the case, we have to ask ourselves 2 questions:
• why do we worry
• what can I do to stop worrying
today I want to look at 7 reasons not to worry:
1.
The Same God Who Created Life in You Can Be Trusted With the Details of Your Life.
Matthew 6:25
25 “For this reason …
For what reason?
To find out the answer to that question let’s go back and read the preceding section to put this into context.
Matthew 6:19–24
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;
21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Did you see what He said?
“for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”
In the Scriptures, your “heart” is :
The seat and center of human life.
(I) The seat of the desires, feelings, affections, passions, and impulses,
So, whatever has the attention of your feelings, affections, passions, impulses, desires – Jesus says “this is your treasure.”
It doesn’t have to be money or wealth – just whatever is the object of your affections, etc.
In other words, what do you spend the majority of your time pursuing?
Now, in verse 24 Jesus summarizes what He has just been talking about:
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and wealth.
In fact, I think it safe to say, “” You cannot serve God and anything else”
So, let me back up to verse 24 and 24 and 25 together:
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and wealth.
25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on.
Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
WOW!! What a question to ask someone who has grown up in the United States – “Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”
The obvious answer to that questions is: Of course it is – life is more than food and the body more than clothing.
The God who created this body and gave it life is the same God who promises to take care of us:
We spend so much time worrying about these things – don’t we!
For peace of mind, resign as general manager of the universe…
2. Worrying About the Future, Hampers Your Efforts for Today.
26 “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not worth much more than they?
Again, the answer is: “of course we are”
Jesus repeats this truth 4 chapters later:
Matthew 10:29–31 (NAS)
29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent?
And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
30 “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 “So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
So, worrying about future events:
- What will I wear – eat
- Where will I live
- How much money in my 401K
- Etc…
Worrying about future events, in Jesus’ way of thinking, is fruitless.
And yet we spend an inordinate amount of time worrying about such things.
Every evening I turn my worries over to God.
He's going to be up all night anyway.
3. Worrying is More Harmful Than Helpful
27 “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?
Jesus always has a way of just hitting the nail right on the head doesn’t He?
In other words, worrying about things doesn’t add anything to our life
In fact, doctors tell us all the time about the damaging effects of worry on our bodies.
“The greater the stress, the more prolonged, the more severe, the more likely you are to become ill,”
Doctors tell us: “Chronic emotional stress can affect virtually every organ system in negative ways,”
So, Jesus tells us that worry won’t add a single hour to our lives.
And doctors tell us that worry will, in fact, take time off our lives.
Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.
A day of worry is more exhausting than a day of work
4. God Does Not Ignore Those Who Depend On Him.
28 “And why are you worried about clothing?
Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,
29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
30 “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you?
You of little faith!
First it was the birds of the air and now the lilies of the fields.
In fact, I think it would be safe to say that God cares equally for all of His creation.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9