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
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Openness
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Extraversion
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Tone of specific sentences
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1 Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
How about coming over to the house for some fellowship?”
“What a golf game!
Man, did we have great fellowship!”
“The fellowship at the retreat was just terrific!”
That word fellowship seems to mean many things to many different people.
Perhaps, like a worn coin, it may be losing its true impression.
If so, we had better take some steps to rescue it.
After all, a good Bible word like fellowship needs to stay in circulation as long as possible.
In spite of his difficult circumstances as a prisoner in Rome, Paul is rejoicing.
The secret of his joy is the single mind; he lives for Christ and the Gospel.
(Christ is named eighteen times in Philippians 1, and the Gospel is mentioned six times.)
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil.
1:21).
But what really is “the single mind”?
It is the attitude that says, “It makes no difference what happens to me, just as long as Christ is glorified and the Gospel shared with others.”
Paul rejoiced in spite of his circumstances, because his circumstances strengthened the fellowship of the Gospel (Phil.
1:1–11), promoted the furtherance of the Gospel (Phil.
1:12–26), and guarded the faith of the Gospel (Phil.
1:27–30).
The word fellowship simply means “to have in common.”
But true Christian fellowship is really much deeper than sharing coffee and pie, or even enjoying a golf game together.
Too often what we think is “fellowship” is really only acquaintanceship or friendship.
You cannot have fellowship with someone unless you have something in common; and for Christian fellowship, this means the possessing of eternal life within the heart.
Unless a person has trusted Christ as his Saviour, he knows nothing of “the fellowship of the Gospel.”
In Philippians 2:1, Paul writes about “the fellowship of the Spirit,” because when a person is born again he receives the gift of the Spirit (Rom.
8:9).
There is also “the fellowship of His sufferings” (Phil.
3:10).
When we share what we have with others, this is also fellowship (Phil.
4:15, translated “communicate” in KJV).
So, true Christian fellowship is much more than having a name on a church roll or being present at a meeting.
It is possible to be close to people physically and miles away from them spiritually.
One of the sources of Christian joy is this fellowship that believers have in Jesus Christ.
Paul was in Rome, his friends were miles away in Philippi, but their spiritual fellowship was real and satisfying.
When you have the single mind, you will not complain about circumstances because you know that difficult circumstances will result in the strengthening of the fellowship of the Gospel.
Paul uses three thoughts in Philippians 1:1–11 that describe true Christian fellowship: I have you in my mind (Phil.
1:3–6), I have you in my heart (Phil.
1:7–8), I have you in my prayers (Phil.
1:9–11).
I Have You in My Mind (Phil.
1:3–6)
Isn’t it remarkable that Paul is thinking of others and not of himself?
As he awaits his trial in Rome, Paul’s mind goes back to the believers in Philippi, and every recollection he has brings him joy.
Read Acts 16; you may discover that some things happened to Paul at Philippi, the memory of which could produce sorrow.
He was illegally arrested and beaten, was placed in the stocks, and was humiliated before the people.
But even those memories brought joy to Paul, because it was through this suffering that the jailer found Christ!
Paul recalled Lydia and her household, the poor slave girl who had been demon-possessed, and the other dear Christians at Philippi; and each recollection was a source of joy.
(It is worth asking, “Am I the kind of Christian who brings joy to my pastor’s mind when he thinks of me?”)
It is possible that Philippians 1:5 is talking about their financial fellowship with Paul, a topic he picks up again in Philippians 4:14–19.
The church at Philippi was the only church that entered into fellowship with Paul to help support his ministry.
The “good work” of Philippians 1:6 may refer to the sharing of their means; it was started by the Lord and Paul was sure the Lord would continue it and complete it.
But we will not go astray if we apply these verses to the work of salvation and Christian living.
We are not saved by our good works (Eph.
2:8–9).
Salvation is the good work God does in us when we trust His Son.
In Philippians 2:12–13 we are told that God continues to work in us through His Spirit.
In other words, salvation includes a threefold work:
• the work God does for us—salvation;
• the work God does in us—sanctification;
• the work God does through us—service.
This work will continue until we see Christ, and then the work will be fulfilled.
“We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).
It was a source of joy to Paul to know that God was still working in the lives of his fellow-believers at Philippi.
After all, this is the real basis for joyful Christian fellowship, to have God at work in our lives day by day.
“There seems to be friction in our home,” a concerned wife said to a marriage counselor.
“I really don’t know what the trouble is.”
“Friction is caused by one of two things,” said the counselor, and to illustrate he picked up two blocks of wood from his desk.
“If one block is moving and one is standing still, there’s friction.
Or, if both are moving but in opposite directions, there’s friction.
Now, which is it?”
“I’ll have to admit that I’ve been going backward in my Christian life, and Joe has really been growing,” the wife admitted.
“What I need is to get back to fellowship with the Lord.”
I Have You in My Heart (Phil.
1:7–8)
Now we move a bit deeper, for it is possible to have others in our minds without really having them in our hearts.
(Someone has observed that many people today would have to confess, “I have you on my nerves!”)
Paul’s sincere love for his friends was something that could not be disguised or hidden.
Christian love is “the tie that binds.”
Love is the evidence of salvation: “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren” (1 John 3:14).
It is the “spiritual lubrication” that keeps the machinery of life running smoothly.
Have you noticed how often Paul uses the phrase “you all” as he writes?
There are at least nine instances in this letter.
He does not want to leave anyone out! (Some translations read, “You have me in your heart” in Phil.
1:7, but the basic truth is the same.)
How did Paul evidence his love for them?
For one thing, he was suffering on their behalf.
His bonds were proof of his love.
He was “the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles” (Eph.
3:1).
Because of Paul’s trial, Christianity was going to get a fair hearing before the officials of Rome.
Since Philippi was a Roman colony, the decision would affect the believers there.
Paul’s love was not something he merely talked about; it was something he practiced.
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