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.
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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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Analytical
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Openness
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Conscientiousness
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Useless Love
Are you aware of how black and white our thinking is?
Door is open and it is also closed.
We tend to think in concrete terms of right and wrong.
If something is not right it has to be wrong.
There are times we must hold ideas in tension with the other alternate idea.
Use *and* instead if *but*
Light is in waves also particles
God made all of heaven and yet he becomes part of his creation even to become subject to us.
A very misunderstood passage of scripture.
Matt.
6:48
F.
F. Bruce “Mark Twain spoke for many when he said that the things in the Bible that bothered him were not those that he did not understand but those that he did.
“
This statement is both hard to explain and hard to do.
Nine words top the list of the hard saying of Jesus
Seems irrational and impossible
Must be kidding
Must mean something else
He can’t possibly think we could achieve this perfection
Does he want us to just try knowing we can’t?
Keep us humble somewhat moral in the process
This is absolutely foolish
No one is going to mindlessly try to do the impossible
No way to look at it metaphorically either.
That is why it’s so disturbing.
Does not stand alone.
Context – series of questions real estate - location
Matt.
5:46
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If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?
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Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
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And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others?
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Do not even pagans do that?
Love that is nothing more than what the tax collectors and pagans do is useless love.
Everyone expects at least that.
We expect that as a good parent you would give your life for your child.
What the world doesn’t expect is what God is known for doing.
Giving his life for the undeserving and rebellious
Those that are unworthy.
To better understand this passage
Take a closer look at the word perfect
In its context it is both reasonable and possible
*I.
**Perfect love is mature*
Barclay discusses the meaning of the word teleos or perfect
Noting that a man who reaches full-grown stature is teleos in comparison to a child – mature
A student who graduates with a mature knowledge is teleos in contrast to a student just starting in school
Essential to understand that perfect does not mean flawless but full-grown
After spending a weekend at a very moving religious rally
Young man came home with a renewed passion to be perfect in every aspect of his life
It seems the presenters had pounded this young man with enough fear and shame to bring him to a place of conviction
And they gave him very little insight as to how to actually work toward perfection
When asked what he was doing toward that endeavour
Quickly responded
-stopped watching TV
- torched my music – impure thoughts
Left the friends that bring me down.
Everything he mentioned seemed like a good idea
But his response totally misses the point of perfection
In the biblical sense
*Perfection isn’t what you abstain from or avoid as much as it is what you embrace*
Perfect love is not about something you don’t do
But is something you actively do.
His teacher was unsuccessful in getting through to him as clearly as the others had about perfection.
Handed him a bottle of water
Look at the ingredients and tell me what is *not* in that water.
Paused thoughtfully,
Smiled and sat back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling shaking his head said,
“I think I get it.
When something is considered pure, it actually means having only one ingredient.”
Jesus’ call to perfect love is a journey to something you do, not something you don’t do.
A believer who is mature is one
that acts graciously,
gives generously,
thinks compassionately,
and prays faithfully for the person who is hard to pray for.
NEB “There must be no limit to your goodness as your heavenly Fathers’ goodness knows no bounds.”
Vs.
45
*II.
**Perfect love is Effective (Mature)*
Something is teleos or perfect if it realises the purpose for which it is planned.
We are perfect when we realize the purpose for which we are created
Loose screw
Screw driver that fits – perfect
May not be your favourite color
Handle may not fit your hand well
Tip may be dull
Function and effective
At the end of life’s journey
People may regret the course of their life
Sense they had a greater purpose to live for than the one they chose
Others may have specific regrets about misdeeds or missed opportunities
But have peace about how their life- served a purpose that was noble
Consider Paul
Final moments – not flawless by any means
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Tim.
4:7
Eph.
1:12-14
God’s ultimate purpose vs. 12, 14.
*III.
**Perfect love is remarkable (Mature, Effective)*
According to Jesus ordinary human love is expected
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