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
0.54LIKELY
Disgust
0.17UNLIKELY
Fear
0.11UNLIKELY
Joy
0.15UNLIKELY
Sadness
0.6LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.73LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.23UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.96LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.67LIKELY
Extraversion
0.38UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.51LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.74LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
! Today’s Message
Date: February 12, 2006
Speaker: Pastor Steven Thomas
Title: */Of Opinions and Authority/*
Text: Mark 1:21-28
21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.
22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.
23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
25 “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly.
“Come out of him!” 26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this?
A new teaching—and with authority!
He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him.”
28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.
Introduction: Illustration: E F Hutton commercial: “When E F Hutton speaks everyone listens.”
If I may put it this way, the point that Mark is making in our text today is that Jesus has spoken and everyone should listen.
We have seen in our study of Mark that the author had a keen interest in making sure that we understand the unique identity of Jesus Christ.
He is none other than the very Son of God.
This fact has profound implications for our response to Jesus’ teaching.
Because of his identity, Jesus spoke with unique authority.
This main point—Jesus has authority—is hard to miss.
We have this statement in verse 22: The people were amazed at his teaching because he taught them as one who had authority.”
He then gives the account of a miracle, but works to make sure that we do not miss the point of the miracle: v.
27 “The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this?
A new teaching—and with authority!
He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him.”
So, the authority of Jesus is clearly the central issue in our text.
It really falls open into to parts:
*I.
Jesus’ authority was evident in his teaching.*
Capernaum was a fishing town on the NW shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Archaeologists have uncovered the ruins of a synagogue dating from the 2nd-4th centuries.
Under the floors of those ruins lie the remains of a black basalt stone floor of an earlier synagogue—undoubtedly the floor on which Jesus frequently stood to preach.
Our text records the occasion of his first sermon in that synagogue.
The preaching was so very different that the people crowded together in the synagogue on that day were dumbstruck, astounded.
What was the cause of their amazement?
The authority of his teaching.
A.
The opinions of men
Notice that they contrasted Jesus’ teaching with that of the usual, run of the mill teacher.
Actually, these teachers, commonly known as “scribes,” were highly respected.
The common man showed respect by:
-giving way on the street
-standing when they entered the room
But their preoccupation was with the written records of famous rabbis or teachers.
Their teaching amounted to lengthy discourses on the teaching of others.
“Rabbi Gamalial held this opinion but Rabbi Eleazor thought another way while Rabbi Hillel held yet a third view.
Let me explain why I think Hillel might have been right.”
And so it went.
In the end, the interpretive opinions of men might be interesting, even helpful, they have no /ultimate/ weight.
B.
We follow a better approach
What we do carries more weight.
We take the word of God and begin by asking what does it say?
Our goal is to understand what God has declared in his word.
We understand that the authority of our preaching does not lie in the opinion or reputation of the interpreter—although you couldn’t prove that by the way some church members act.
Through the years, I have known men have hero worshiped preachers.
If John MacArthur said it, it must be gospel.
No, the authority of a sermon does not lie in the reputation of the messenger.
What matters is not whether the position is held by Big Mac in the West or Charles Stanley in the South or little Steve Thomas up North.
The question is this: Is this what the Bible says—clearly and accurately.
Folks, that is our calling and should be our passion—are we making the message of the Bible known with clarity?
That is our only source of authority.
It is derivative—we borrow it from the word of God.
It is authoritative because it is from God.
Now, you need to understand that Jesus’ authority was different still.
C.
The authority of Jesus
We have derivative authority—he rightfully possessed authority.
He did not talk about God, still less about the opinions of men about God.
He spoke /from/ God.
His authority was direct.
And his hearers sensed it in the power of his preaching.
Mark does not record the content of Jesus’ teaching at this point.
His sole concern was with the authority of Jesus.
But we have examples of his teaching elsewhere and the authority oozes through even in the written text.
On one occasion, Jesus cited the sacred code of Law: the Ten Commandments.
He declared:
Matthew 5:21-22
/21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’
22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.
/
He placed his word on the same par as the Scriptures from God. How could he do this?
He could speak with words from God because of his unique identity.
This identity would be confirmed from a surprising source.
*II.
Jesus’ authority was proven by his miracles.*
Tell the story
A.
There is a widespread misconception: What Jesus did was normative for today.
In other words, what he did we should do.
Listen.
The miracles of Jesus played an important role in the ministry of Jesus, but they are not for us perform.
Jesus walked on water and you can try it, but you’re going to get wet.
One of the saddest accounts of foolishness that comes from the misunderstanding of the miracles of Jesus was recounted on a TV program that originated here in Detroit.
There used to be a charismatic ministry in downtown that advocated that these miracles are for today.
This so-called preacher told the story of some of his well-meaning, but misguided parishioners who went into a funeral home to try to resurrect the body of a 12 year old boy.
They went so far as to get the body out of the casket and commanded it to walk.
Now even this preacher was appalled.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9