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
0.53LIKELY
Disgust
0.06UNLIKELY
Fear
0.49UNLIKELY
Joy
0.58LIKELY
Sadness
0.57LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.63LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.31UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.88LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.91LIKELY
Extraversion
0.19UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.65LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.64LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
Introduction
I had originally planned to continue our study in the book of Acts today.
But that planned changed on Thursday afternoon.
Thursday morning we got a call that my Dad had a stroke and was on the way to the hospital.
Thursday afternoon we got the results of our ultrasound back showing that little Andrew still had swelling in his kidneys.
And suddenly the storm is raging.
The Dr. said my Dad’s stroke was the best kind to have.
He will be ok.
We will have to wait until Andrew is born for more direction with him.
I have sat down with many of you in my office and heard the pain in your voices as you described the events that led you here to Grace Church.
I have seen tears in your eyes as you have shared your stories with me.
For many of you, the storm is raging.
You have a child or grandchild walking away from Christ, and the storm rages.
You face mockery and belittling at work, and the storm rages.
Kids at school think you are weird because you are a Christian, and the storm rages.
A loved one has been called home to be with Christ, and the storm rages.
What I want us to know today is something simple, yet profound.
God has a purpose for the storm.
He sat by the fire of seven-fold heat, / As He watched by the precious ore.
/ And closer He bent with a searching gaze / As He heated it more and more.
/ He knew He had ore that could stand the test / And He wanted the finest gold, / To mold as a crown for the King to wear, / Set with gems of price untold.
/ So He laid our gold in the burning fire, / Though we fain would have said Him, "Nay."
/ And He watched the dross that we had not seen, / As it melted and passed away.
/ And the gold grew brighter, and yet more bright / And our eyes were so dim with tears, / As we saw the fire, not the Master's hand, / And questioned with anxious fear.
/ Yet our gold shone out with a richer glow, / As it mirrored a Form above / That bent o'er the fire, though unseen by us / With a look of infinite love.
/ Can we think that it pleases His loving heart / To cause a moment of pain?
/ Ah, no, but He saw through the present cross / The bliss of eternal gain.
/ So He waited there with a watchful eye, / With a love that is strong and sure, / And His gold did not suffer a bit more heat / Than was needed to make it pure![1]
The desire of our God is to purify, strengthen, and mature us.
We go through the fire; we endure the raging storm so that we might be vessels of use to our master.
He is not going to make us endure any more than is necessary!
In this passage Jesus puts the disciples through a raging storm.
They endure it that they might learn more of Jesus.
That they might trust Him, believe in Him, and find life in Him.
This is the 5th miracle that John records.
We don’t want to forget that this is a passage about the miracles of Jesus that John designed his gospel around.
John’s goal is for us, like the disciples, to believe in Jesus and have life in His name.
This morning we are going to learn about the miracle of Jesus walking on the water.
This miracle demonstrates Jesus’ power and control over nature, really over time, space, and matter which are the building blocks of universe.
From this account we are going to draw three actions that we need to take when the storm rages around us.
When we take these actions we will emerge from the other side of the storm with greater strength, more in love with our Savior, and better able to serve Him.
We find here our first action…
1.
When The Storm Rages, Keep On Rowing vv.
15-18
To fully grasp this passage, we need to get some information from the parallel accounts.
Matthew gives us three things of importance.
(S).
Jesus told the disciples to go in the boat.
(S).
4th watch = 3-6am.
They’ve been out there for 9-10hrs!
(S)
When Jesus got in the boat, the wind ceased.
Mark gives us two more important details.
(S).
1 - They are still rowing! 2 - Jesus would have kept walking had they not cried out to Him.
2 - Jesus would have kept walking had they not cried out to Him.
This passage takes place immediately after the feeding of the 5,000.
V. 15 explains how Jesus leaves when they are determined to make Him king.
The disciples begin journeying to Capernaum.
It is already dark and Jesus is not there.
A great wind starts blowing.
Great – Remarkable or out of the ordinary in degree, magnitude, or effect.
John says that the sea arose because of the wind.
Arose – stir up.
To become stormy.
To become affected or characterized by winds and precipitation and often thunder and lightning.
This is a sudden storm; as professional fishermen they wouldn’t have sailed if it was stormy.
Let me ask you two questions. 1 – Why are the disciples in the boat?
Jesus told them to!
Now, wouldn’t you think that if they are in the boat being obedient to the Lord, they would experience smooth sailing?
The disciples head out across the sea w/o Jesus out of obedience.
They are following Christ's command when the storm hits.
This is important.
Walking in obedience to Christ does not mean smooth sailing!
Question number 2 – Who is in charge of the storm?
Jesus!
When He gets in the boat the wind stops blowing!
So why does he allow them to endure the storm?
He allows storms because only through storms do we realize our weakness and are forced to rely on His strength!
Here is the lesson we learn from the disciples here.
Do not let go of obedience.
Even when the storm rages, keep on rowing.
(S).
Trust Him to get you through the storm.
“Sometimes we are caught in a storm because we have disobeyed the Lord.
Jonah is a good example.
But sometimes the storm comes because we have obeyed the Lord.
When that happens, we can be sure that our Saviour will pray for us, come to us, and deliver us.”[2]
When we are walking in obedience and a storm comes, know that it is a storm designed to bring strength and growth.
In that kind of storm, Jesus is right there with us.
“Those who decide to follow Christ and give him their allegiance will face contrary winds, no doubt about it.
Moses would never have felt rejected by a complaining people if at the burning bush he had decided not to obey Jehovah.
Daniel would never have had to face a lion’s den if he had not decided to be faithful to God.
Just think of how much persecution Paul would have avoided if he had just stayed in Tarsus.
But then these great men would have never known the refreshing winds of the Holy Spirit flowing through their lives.
Yes, following Christ will take us into some fierce storms, but the rewards are even greater.”[3]
Don’t focus on the storm, focus on the destination.
What is that?
Jesus.
Jesus is the destination!
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9