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
0.48UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.12UNLIKELY
Fear
0.13UNLIKELY
Joy
0.17UNLIKELY
Sadness
0.57LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.56LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.23UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.88LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.77LIKELY
Extraversion
0.35UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.72LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.78LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
*Let’s Go to the **Temple** with Jesus*
Text: Matt.
21: 1 – 17
Here in front of us, a narrative of Jesus’ “*Triumphant* *Entry*” into Jerusalem.
We all have seen in the *movies* and videos how people welcomed Jesus.
There is an *excitement* in the air: people are *singing*, *waving* arms and palm branches.
So we call today a “*Palm* *Sunday*.”
We celebrate Jesus entering into Jerusalem as He was *ordained* to come.
Most of the *commentators* title this section as the “Triumphant Entry.”
Many times, we are *puzzled* with questions that are associated with this narrative; were there *two* donkeys, colt and mother, or just one?
Did Jesus *prearrange* to pay for the donkeys?
Was there a *one* cleansing of the temple or two?
Has this *taken* place on Sunday or Monday?
Questions like these *distract* us from main message of the narrative.
It was *Dec*.
*17*, *1903*, cold windy winter day, after many years of research and *bruises* and *broken* *ribs*, a history was made.
A man has flown with a primitive airplane, *36.5m* for *12* seconds at a speed of *10.9* km~/h by Orville Wright, one of the Wright brothers.
“After Wilbur and Orville made their history-making flight at Kitty Hawk, N[orth] C[arolina]. on Dec. 17, 1903, they wrote home about it and added they’d be home in a few days.
Their letter reached a Dayton newspaper which headlined the story, “Prominent Local Bicycle Merchants to be Home for Christmas.”[1]
Dayton Newspaper totally *missed* the history making incident.
So it is with this narrative, if we are not careful we *miss* very important message Matthew tries to convey.
Please open your Bible to *Matt.
21*.
There are *2 entries* in verses 1 to 17.
One is Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (*vss.
**1 – 11*) and one is to the temple (*vss.
12 – 17*).
So now, first, let’s look at the entry into Jerusalem.
The *Passover* is just around the corner and people are *busy* preparing for the sacrifices.
When Jesus came near to Jerusalem, He commanded two of disciples to go and get the donkeys.
*Vs.
4* - This is to fulfill the prophecy of *Zachariah 9: 9*.
Let’s look at how Matthew viewed this.
*I.
Humble King and people’s expectations vss.
**1 – 11*
Throughout the narrative there is a *conflict* between God’s plan and human plan.
Jesus knew all along what people’s expectations were.
Until this time He *concealed* His identity.
But this time He made His identity *public*: He is the King of the Jews.
Behind the scene, God carried His plan, *overriding* the people’s expectations to fulfill the great plan of salvation for the mankind.
Let’s look at how God planned Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem through Matthew’s eye.
Look at the *verse 5*. “Say to the daughter of Zion” is a quotation from *Isa.
62: 11* and the rest is a direct quotation from *Zachariah 9: 9*.
I would suggest that you get together with other person, the one keeps the Bible open to *Matt.
21* and other person opens to the *Zachariah 9:9*.
Can you do that?
Please compare what it says in Zachariah and in Matt.
You would notice that Matthew omits part of *Zachariah* *9: 9*.
What are they?
“Rejoice Greatly, O daughter of Zion!” and “He is just and endowed with salvation.”
Why does Matthew do that?
There are *two* *reasons*.
*One* is that Jesus’ heart was filled with sorrow.
He wept for Jerusalem for their hardness of their hearts not accepting God’s messengers in the past (*Luke **19:41*).
So how could He speak to the people of Jerusalem to “Rejoice greatly?” *Second*, Jesus came to receive the justice of the Father by hanging on the cross.
He will not come with *justice* and to *restore* Israel until His second coming (*Matt.
**23: 39*, *Rev.
19: 11 – 21*).
So His heart was filled with sadness, knowing Israel will reject God’s wonderful *provision* of grace.
See, Matthew tries to *convey* that Jesus came as a *representative* of the sinners, not to receive the *Crown* but the *Cross*.
Until He receives the judgment of God on the cross there is no rejoicing or salvation.
As a *humble* King who will hang on the cross for the mankind, that the “Triumphant Entry” is only in a *paradoxical* sense.
But, off course, people would not see that.
V*ss.
8, 9 - *They are in procession through the street of Jerusalem in *front* of Him and at *back* as if they are leading this Son of David to where they wanted Him to be.
When the children of Israel came out of *Egypt*, God lead them with a pillar of *cloud* at day and a pillar of *fire* at night.
When the Egyptians *pressed* them against the *Red* *Sea*, God looked down in the pillar of fire and of cloud and *confused* the Egyptian.
The pillar of fire and cloud are the *symbol* of God’s *presence* (*Exd.
**14: 24*).
Thus, God lead Israel with his own presence to the Promised Land.
But here, people, at front and back of Jesus, lead the Son of God to what they thought Jesus should be, their *earthly* *king* who can deliver them from the hand of *Romans*.
This is a vivid picture of people’s expectation *against* God’s plan.
But God had a different plan; a plan to *redeem* His people from the power of sin.
Jesus could ride on the *horse* and claim His Royal throne but He rode on the donkey so humble and meek, knowing people’s expectations were contrary to His Father’s.
*Vs.
10*- Those who were not familiar with Jesus in Jerusalem asked: Who is this?
“This is the Son of David, Promised Messiah who will save us from the power of sin.
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”
Is that how people *answered*?
Look at the *verse* *11*.
“This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
These verses *10* and *11* are not in the other Synoptic Gospels: Mark and Luke (*cf **John **6: 14*).
Why did Matthew *insert* these verses?
To the Jews, Nazareth is a town of *insignificance*, mixed with the Gentiles and was *despised* by the urban Jews.
Do you remember when Philip met Jesus in *John **1: 46**,* *Nathanael* said to *Philip*, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” and Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
In *Matt.
2: 23* - Jesus was called “*Nazarene*.”
So the prophet of God and *Nazareth* just don’t *mix*.
But there are so many who followed Jesus from Galilee for the occasion.
They heard what Jesus said and saw what he did.
They were saying to the effect, “You think Nazareth is insignificant and you people look down on us, but here is Jesus the mighty prophet of God who can *heal* the sick, *multiply* the bread and *cast* out the demons!
Yes, he is from Nazareth!”
People had their own ideas of Jesus.
*Who is Jesus to you?*
Is He the Lord and Savior of your life?
Or someone who can give you *jolts* to fulfill your own *plans* and *dreams* so that you can live a *happy* life.
*Illustration*: The other day I was watching CBC news (04 Mar.
’08) and it featured Evangelical movement in Thailand after the *Tsunami*: Predominantly a *Buddhism* country.
There are so many Christian organizations out there preaching the Gospel but what *saddened* my heart was that some of them are offering *money* and promise of prosperity to lure them into the church.
One person was interviewed and he said, “There is no more Tsunami.
It is *guaranteed*, no more Tsunami, because I believe in God.”
*Jer.
5: 12* says, “They *have* *lied* about the Lord and said, “Not He;
Misfortune will not come on us, And we will not see sword or famine.”
*Who is Jesus to you?* God is gracious to those who trust in Him and believe whatever God does is good and perfect and acceptable.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9