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
0.11UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.08UNLIKELY
Fear
0.1UNLIKELY
Joy
0.59LIKELY
Sadness
0.6LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.36UNLIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.07UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.75LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.54LIKELY
Extraversion
0.05UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.49UNLIKELY
Emotional Range
0.61LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
*TWO KINDS OF PRODIGAL (1): REFUSING TO LET GOD BE GOD*
(Luke 15:11-24)
February 14, 2016
*Intro -- In his book, How to Use Humor for Business Success, Malcolm Kushner reports that there are *three ways to get things done: 1) Do it yourself.
2) Ask someone else to do it.
3) Ask your kids not to do it.
I’m thinking God must feel that way a lot.
It’s almost like we’re programmed to do whatever He says is wrong.
In fact, we are!
Jer 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick.”
That’s how we are born, and we prove it every single day of our lives thereafter.
If God hadn’t paid the penalty for our sin by Himself in the person of Christ, we would have no hope.
That’s what this parable is about.
But with a twist.
A major twist.
It is going to show us that we not only go astray by breaking the law; we sin by keeping the law.
You say, “Impossible!”
But hang with me, and I’ll show you that’s the main point of this parable.
There are two kinds of sinners here.
This wonderful parable lacks an ending; it stops right at the climax.
We are never told what happens to the elder brother.
Still, it is one of the most beloved parables in the Bible -- also one of the most misunderstood.
It is commonly called the parable of the prodigal son, but that is misleading.
There is not one prodigal son here; there are two.
Both are alienated from their father.
Both are lost.
One is in active rebellion, the other in passive rebellion.
One eventually responds to his father’s incredible love and accepts his forgiveness.
But the other – well, the other kills his father – and it’s not the one you would think – but I’m getting a little ahead of the story.
This is the 3rd and longest of 3 parables in Lu 15 – each showing us how God loves, seeks and forgives repentant sinners.
The first two emphasize God seeking sinners – this one emphasizes the human responsibility.
It is a spectacular story aimed at all of Jesus’ audience, but particularly at His enemies – the scribes and Pharisees.
They misunderstand so much and here Jesus provides revolutionary teaching to invite them in.
In the process, He redefines God, sin and salvation, attacking their deadly misconceptions.
To them GOD was a moral judge demanding that you keep the law.
Unable to keep the law as given, they redefined it so they could claim perfection.
Their self-righteousness knew no bounds.
But Jesus pictures God very differently -- as a loving Father who seeks sinners and forgives them not because they are good, but because they are repentant.
Jesus further redefines SIN not primarily as breaking rules but as breaking a relationship.
That is the heart of the matter and that is why even someone who is striving to keep the law can still be a sinner in need of forgiveness.
Then, Jesus redefines SALVATION.
It doesn’t result from keeping the law but from confessing we can’t keep the law.
It comes from repentance.
It is all by grace thru faith.
These are key messages to look for as we study this wonderful story.
Now, this story has 3 main characters.
Each plays a major role.
And each gives us a unique perspective on ultimate reality.
We’ll examine each in detail starting with the younger son.
From him we will see the repulsiveness of rebellion, the ravishment of regret, the reversal of repentance and the rapture of rejoicing.
Each of these has critical lessons for us.
*I.
The Repulsiveness of Rebellion *
V. 11, “And he [Jesus] said, “There was a man who had two sons.”
This story is about 2 sons from the very beginning.
The man represents God the Father.
The younger son an active rebel who is ultimately repentant.
The older brother a passive rebel -- the scribes and Pharisees, whose end is left open.
That’s the setup.
The obvious sinner in this parable is the younger brother, right?
His rebellion is open and overt.
And in a culture steeped in the ideas of shame and honor, he brought shame on himself and his father.
Now, three things characterize this young man’s outward, active rebellion.
And before you turn off and think this is not you – you’re not rebel – take a long, hard look at your heart.
You may find more of these characteristics there than you think.
*A.
Self-centeredness*
12 “And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’
And he divided his property between them.”
Seems like an easy request.
In reality it is anything but.
This man’s wealth is in his land.
He owed nothing to either son until his own death.
He could, of course, gift land to his children, but according to law, he remained the legal manager of that property until he died.
At that time, the property would be divided among the boys with the older receiving a double portion.
Thus, the younger could anticipate receiving 1/3 of his father’s estate upon his death.
But he’s demanding, “I want mine and I want it now” – and not just title to the land.
He wants the money from it.
That means it will have to be divided and sold at a discounted price to accommodate his wish.
It’s a dreadfully shameful request.
The father would have been perfectly within his rights to kick the boy out and disinherit him altogether.
Instead, he accedes to his sons request to the shame of his son, himself and his whole family.
The boy couldn’t care less.
Like thousands before and after he wanted to be his own man – his own boss.
He was tired of the constant harping, “Do this.
Do that.
Take out the trash.
Milk the cows.
Do the chores.”
He saw only the negatives of a wonderful life.
Like Kipling’s poem, “The Prodigal Son”.
“My father glooms and advises me, / My brother sulks and despises me, / My mother catechizes me, / Till I want to go out and swear!”
This boy wanted independence and he wanted his own way at any cost.
No more obeying parental orders.
He would be the captain of his own soul regardless the cost.
His actions were tantamount to saying to his father, “I wish you were dead!”
He’s like many today who can’t wait to leave home so they don’t have to go to church anymore or adhere to parental controls.
But it is also the adult who insists on their own way – opposing the Father.
It is the attitude that says, “I don’t care about God’s rules; I know best for my life.
So I will take the inheritance of my free will and dictate my own terms in my business, sexual and personal life.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9