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
0.12UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.16UNLIKELY
Fear
0.68LIKELY
Joy
0.21UNLIKELY
Sadness
0.55LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.56LIKELY
Confident
0.23UNLIKELY
Tentative
0UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.94LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.81LIKELY
Extraversion
0.13UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.77LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.77LIKELY

Tone of specific sentences

Tones
Emotion
Anger
Disgust
Fear
Joy
Sadness
Language
Analytical
Confident
Tentative
Social Tendencies
Openness
Conscientiousness
Extraversion
Agreeableness
Emotional Range
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
A voice cries:
―In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together,
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.‖1
Most Christians will recognise this passage as one applied to the Baptist when he came [MATTHEW 3:3; MARK 1:3; LUKE 3:4].
This is the second of four times in this Fortieth Chapter that we witness a voice crying out to speak to God‘s people.
The voice does not merely speak; rather, the voice cries.
This is not mere information transmitted in a casual manner; there is a sense of urgency in each of the statements that are recorded as the voice demands attention through volume and intensity.
A voice is commanded to comfort God‘s people [ISAIAH 40:1, 2].
Presumedly, it is the same voice that cries out, warning of the brevity of life and reminding all who hear that the Word of God stands forever [ISAIAH 40:6-8].
Again, a voice demands proclamation of good news that God is present bringing to mankind His salvation [ISAIAH 40:9-11].
In the text that is now before us, the voice cries out calling mankind to prepare for the coming of the LORD God.
Let‘s establish a truth that is perhaps obscured by our experiences.
God does not need us to prepare a highway for Him to appear.
It is a perception in some eschatologies that man must prepare the way in order to ensure that Messiah comes a second time.
Of course, such thinking is silly.
God did not need man‘s help to create the universe.
We read in the prologue of John‘s Gospel, ―In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men‖ [JOHN 1:1-4].
God did not require mortal assistance in preparing for the Advent of Christ the Lord.
We are specifically informed, ―When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons‖ [GALATIANS 4:4, 5].
Moreover, God will not require human assistance for His Anointed One to come a second time.
Jesus warned His disciples, ―You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect‖ [LUKE 12:40].
The highway that is to be made straight is not to ensure that Messiah is able to come; rather, it is to permit man to meet Him when He does come.
The emphasis is not on bringing Messiah, but preparing to meet Him when He does come.
The cry that is heard is a call to ready oneself for the coming of God‘s Anointed One.
THE MESSENGER — It is vital that for us to stay focused on the message rather than focusing on the messenger; the message, and not the messenger, is what is important.
You will recall that the prophecy before us was applied to John [see LUKE 3:2-6].
He was the forerunner for God‘s Messiah [see LUKE 1:16, 17 NASV].
His role was to fulfil Isaiah‘s prophecy, heralding the presentation of God‘s Anointed One.
This is witnessed through referral to another passage in John‘s Gospel.
―This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‗Who are you?‘
He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, ‗I am not the Christ.‘
And they asked him, ‗What then?
Are you Elijah?‘
He said, ‗I am not.‘
‗Are you the Prophet?
‗And he answered, ‗No.‘
So they said to him, ‗Who are you?
We need to give an answer to those who sent us.
What do you say about yourself?‘
He said, ‗I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ―Make straight the way of the Lord,‖ as the prophet Isaiah said.‘
―(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.)
They asked him, ‗Then why are you baptising, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?‘ John answered them, ‗I baptise with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.‘‖
[JOHN 1:19-27].
John understood that he was but a voice crying out in the wilderness.
He did not exalt himself; rather he exalted the Messiah.
When the Baptist denied that he was Elijah, he referred to yet another prophecy provided by a prophet under the Old Covenant.
Malachi, writing the words inspired by the Spirit of God, said, ―Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts‖ [MALACHI 3:1].
Though the Pharisees knew the testimony of Malachi, they ignored the remainder of that prophecy.
―‗Who can endure the day of his coming?
Who can keep standing when he appears?
For he will be like a refiner‘s fire, like a launderer‘s soap.
He will act like a refiner and purifier of silver and will cleanse the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.
Then they will offer the LORD a proper offering.
The offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in former times and years past.
―‗I will come to you in judgment.
I will be quick to testify against those who practice divination, those who commit adultery, those who break promises, and those who exploit workers, widows, and orphans, who refuse to help the immigrant and in this way show they do not fear me,‘ says the LORD who rules over all‖ [MALACHI 3:2-5].
This was not a messenger who would confirm them in their sin or permit them to evade responsibility for wickedness; he would confront them in their sin and call them to repentance.
It has been well said that the preacher whose little message is ―Repent,‖ had best pledge his head to heaven.
The Baptist understood that his role was not to draw attention to Himself.
He was appointed by God to point people to the Son of God who was to be revealed.
Shortly after this, we read of another instance in which John fulfilled his appointed role.
―The next day [John] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‗Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
This is he of whom I said, ―After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.‖
I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.‘
And John bore witness: ‗I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.
I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ―He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.‖
And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God‘‖ [JOHN 1:29-34].
You may recall that we are given an account of John‘s service in which it seemed as if those bringing a report about Jesus‘ ministry were attempting to induce John to jealousy.
However, the Baptist responded, ―A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.
You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‗I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.‘
The one who has the bride is the bridegroom.
The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom‘s voice.
Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.
He must increase, but I must decrease‖ [JOHN 3:27-30].
―He must increase, but I must decrease.‖
Establish in your mind that the Baptist understood his role, which was to announce the coming of God‘s Messiah.
Thus, it remains even in this day that every true messenger knows that his role is to point all who listen to the Master.
The messenger must not draw attention to Himself; rather he must point to the Master.
We live in a day when it seems that the professed people of God too often adulate the messenger; we exalt mere mortals, elevating them to positions of prominence among the churches of our Lord.
However, we seem incapable of accurately assessing the message that is delivered.
So long as the message we hear makes us feel good about ourselves, we convince ourselves that it is good and that it is of God.
We are reluctant, if not unwilling, to judge the message according to the perfect standard of the Word.
For too many of the professed saints of the Most High God, the message is assessed by the messenger and not by the message itself.
This does not mean that we are to be unaware of the messenger.
The fact that there is a messenger implies that there is a message, and we shall examine that message shortly.
Moreover, the messenger speaks to the character of the one who sends the message.
God has honoured John because he did fulfil the role to which he was appointed.
As John the Evangelist opens the Gospel that bears his name, he speaks of the messenger: ―There was a man sent from God, whose name was John‖ [JOHN 1:6].
John was appointed by God to a specific role.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9