Sermon Tone Analysis

Overall tone of the sermon

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“Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.
For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”[1]
The writer identifies himself as “The Elder” [*verse one*].
This individual does not identify himself beyond this designation; however, from earliest days, church leaders have testified that John, the Beloved Disciple, was the writer of this letter.
Internal evidence in this letter, as well as in the other letters ascribed to John and the Gospel that bears his name, lead to a similar conclusion that he is the author.
It is evident that the writer is sufficiently well known so that he need not name himself, choosing instead to simply identify himself as “The Elder,” a term that was used of one appointed to provide guidance within a congregation.
Among the first churches, the term was used interchangeably with the terms “Bishop,” or “Overseer,” and “Pastor.”
Therefore, it is appropriate to conclude that the writer enjoyed recognition as a pastor, perhaps even as one to whom other pastors looked to for guidance.
The Elder wrote to an individual who afforded him great joy.
Perhaps you have such a friend that one brings you great joy whenever you think of him.
This would be an individual whom you trust implicitly, who walks consistently in the path of righteousness, who seeks God’s glory and the good of fellow worshippers.
Blessed is the individual who has such a friend.
As a pastor, I can attest to the veracity of John’s words.
There is another side to that statement, for just as there is no greater joy than to hear that one’s children are walking in the truth, there can be no greater sorrow than to hear that one’s children are pursuing their own desires.
*Joy in Christ* — “I have no greater joy,” enthuses the Elder.
The words are not meant to quantify the experience of joy, but to state that the joy spoken of suffuses the Elder’s life.
What is often neglected by many Christians is the fact that the Christian life is to be a joyful life.
Joy should mark the life of a believer—and it does identify the child of God.
Unfortunately, we tend to confuse “joy” with “happiness” in our modern experience.
Let’s think about this for a moment.
Happiness is ephemeral, evanescent, fleeting—just when you think you are happy, the feeling is gone.
Why is this?
The reason is found in the word itself.
Happy is derived from the old English word “hap.”
The word spoke of “luck” or “chance.”
“Hap” spoke of one’s circumstance; it described one’s situation.
In other words, “hap” spoke of conditions over which an individual had no control.
Thus it is that happiness speaks of one’s response to conditions over which he or she has no control.
Happiness always points to an outside agency and to one’s response to that agency.
In this day, happiness has come to identify our feelings in response to what gives us momentary pleasure.
Joy, on the other hand, describes a condition that is unrelated to our particular situation.
Joy speaks of settled contentment that is separate from what is occurring outside of one’s self.
Joy describes the condition that arises from confidence that God is in control of one’s life, guiding and directing the individual’s path, and guarding against assault by those intent on evil.
As a Christian, you may be happy, but happiness will never continue unabated in your life.
We live in a fallen world, and there is always something to steal our happiness.
However, as a Christian, you are assured of joy.
Joy is our heritage because the God who gives joy is our Father.
The presence of Christ the Lord ensures joy.
At the birth of God’s Anointed One, Jesus the Messiah, an angel announced to shepherds tending their flocks, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you */good news of great joy/* that will be for all the people” [*Luke 2:10*].
Whenever someone comes to faith, we are taught that there is joy in heaven.
Remember the parable the Master related of the lost sheep?
“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?
And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’
Just so, I tell you, */there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents/* than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” [*Luke 15:3-7*].
Scope in on the last statement: “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
All heaven rejoices when a sinner comes home.
Indeed, whenever an individual comes to faith, he or she cannot help but rejoice.
Jesus said, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up.
Then */in his joy/* he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” [*Matthew 13:44*].
Finding life in the Beloved Son brings joy—tangible, palpable joy!
Jesus spoke of the joy that is the heritage of all who believe as he prepared His disciples for His exodus.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.
Abide in me, and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
I am the vine; you are the branches.
Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.
Abide in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.
*/These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full/*” [*John 15:1-11*].
Shortly after this, we witness the following teaching provided by the Master, “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.”
These words caused consternation among the disciples; they did not understand what He was saying.
However, Jesus knew that they had questions, so He provided further instruction for them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice.
You will be sorrowful, but */your sorrow will turn into joy/*.
When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and */your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you/*.
In that day you will ask nothing of me.
Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.
Until now you have asked nothing in my name.
Ask, and you will receive, */that your joy may be full/*” [*John 16:16-24*].
The birth of Christ meant joy in the world.
Whenever one is born from above, there is joy in heaven.
For the disciples who gathered about Jesus, His death was a sorrowful affair, but He assured them that their sorrow would shortly turn to joy.
Thus it is that because He lives, those who are born from above and into the Family of God have abiding joy; and no one can take that joy from us.
Now, as we ask for that which honours the Living Saviour, we will discover joy that fills our lives.
In His High Priestly prayer, Jesus asked for all who would follow Him, “Now I am coming to You, [Father], and these things I speak in the world that [disciples] may have */My joy fulfilled/* in themselves” [*John 17:13*].
Joy is the heritage of the believing child of God.
If we are not joyful, either we have not seized our heritage, or we have not understood the intent of the Master, or we are mere pretenders to grace.
Happiness will ebb and flow, but joy will remain.
Moreover, the joy of the believers will be spread about, and as others witness the freedom that is given in Christ the Lord, the joy that fills our lives will touch the hearts of others, for the joy of Christ is infectious!
When the disciples were scattered by the persecutions unleashed by Saul of Tarsus, one of the servants of the Jerusalem congregation travelled to Samaria where He proclaimed Christ.
We read of the impact of Philip’s preaching in that city.
“The crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did.
For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralysed or lame were healed.”
Now focus on the summary of his ministry in the next verse: “So */there was much joy in that city/*” [*Acts 8:4-8*].
When Jewish worshippers in Pisidian Antioch rejected the preaching of Paul and Barnabas during their first missionary tour, the missionaries “Spoke out boldly, saying, ‘It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you.
Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.
For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,
“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’
“And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region.
But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.
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