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
0.06UNLIKELY
Fear
0.12UNLIKELY
Joy
0.66LIKELY
Sadness
0.48UNLIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.48UNLIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.53LIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.85LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.88LIKELY
Extraversion
0.23UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.86LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.64LIKELY

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
*Fostering Hope*
 
In May of 2004, there was an outbreak of Ebola hemorrhagic fever in Sudan in north Africa.
By way of background, Ebola is a virus with four known strains, and except for perhaps the Reston strain, the virus is highly fatal.
Ebola often has a mortality rate of over 80 percent, with death usually occurring within 7 to 14 days of the onset of symptoms.
It is a highly contagious disease, with an incubation period of 2 to 21 days.
Ebola has been hyped considerably by Hollywood and writers of popular books, but it is nevertheless considered a Level 4 virus by the Centers for Disease Control.
According to the World Health Organization, 1,287 people have died from Ebola since it was first seen in 1976 in Zaire.
As you might expect, an Ebola outbreak is something to be feared, especially for those living in Africa where nearly all of the outbreaks have occurred.
In the 2004 outbreak in the Sudan, a total of 17 people were infected.
The knowledgeable local medical staff and rapid international response were cited as the reasons for the lower number of infections and the reduced mortality rate.
In fact, the mortality rate was only 41 percent – the lowest of any Ebola outbreak involving multiple victims of the disease.
Dr.
Chikwe Ihekweazu, a Nigerian epidemiologist, served with the international team that responded to the outbreak in an attempt to contain it, and shared an additional perspective with regards to the reduced mortality.
Two of the 17 people that were infected were a young boy, a senior in high school, and his mother.
The boy’s mother succumbed to the disease, and died.
However, the young man survived.
When the boy recovered, he was quickly integrated into the physician teams who provided social support and health education, and Dr. Ihekweazu was a member of one of these teams.
Since he had been infected, but was now recovered and well, he came with a powerful message, which he delivered through loudspeakers carried throughout villages, churches, schools and markets.
Dr.
Ihekweazu said that crowds came out to hear the young man who survived the deadly Ebola virus.
Dr.
Ihekweazu further stated that “His presence reinvigorated the team, strengthened our message, and contributed substantially to controlling the outbreak.”
What was that message?
Hope!
There are many definitions for hope that have been offered.
One of my favorites is from Dr. Jerome Groopman, a Harvard Medical School professor.
In his book, /The Anatomy of Hope/, Dr. Groopman defines hope as “an elevating, energizing feeling that comes from seeing, in the mind’s eye, a path to a better future.”
He goes on to state that “We are just beginning to appreciate hope’s reach, and have not defined its limits.
I see hope as the very heart of healing.”
Health care providers sometimes have to walk a fine line between fully disclosing the nature of a patient’s condition, and providing so much information that hope is destroyed.
There is a healing that can be found in hope.
Family, all of us have a deadly disease – all of us need healing.
Romans 3:23 tells us that 100 percent of mankind has been infected with the disease of sin – “all have sinned.”
Romans 6:23 and John 8:24 tell us that the mortality rate of this disease is 100 percent – we will die because of this disease.
However, John 8 also tells us that there is */hope/* for us through Jesus.  1 Peter 2:24 states that we are */healed/* of the disease of sin by the sufferings of our Lord Jesus.
The */hope/* that we enjoy as Christians is foundational to our */faith/*:  Hebrews 11:1 says that */faith/* is being sure of what we */hope/* for.
If we do not have a strong hope, that elevating, energizing */hope/*, how can we have a strong faith?
As Christians, we cannot lose sight of our */hope/* in Jesus, our */hope/* in the resurrection from the dead, our */hope/* of an eternal life in heaven.
Realizing the importance of */hope/* in our lives, we need to ask the question, “How can I foster hope in my life, and in the lives of those around me?”  Let’s briefly return to a more clinical view of hope.
A couple of studies, one conducted in 1990 by Buckley Herth, and one conducted in 1996 by Janice Post-White, showed that there are several factors that foster the development of hope.
This morning I would like for us to look at these factors from a Biblical perspective, so that we can each understand how to foster hope in our own lives, in the lives of our fellow Christians, and in the lives of our friends and workmates who are now outside of Christ.
*/Interpersonal Connectedness and Affirming Relationships/*
In order to foster hope, we must be connected to other people, people who are encouraging and affirming.
Paul told the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 12 that though we may be individuals, we are part of a larger body, the church.
We are connected to one another.
Every part contributes to the well-being of the whole.
We strengthen one another.
Ephesians 4:2 says that we are to bear with one another.
Verse 16 of that same chapter describes the church, the body of Christ, as being joined together by supporting ligaments and verse 32 says that we are to be kind and compassionate with one another.
If ever there was a group where we should feel connected, affirmed, and encouraged, it would surely be the Lord’s church.
I have often heard visitors state that they were impressed by the friendliness of this church family, and the obvious caring attitude that we share.
If you want to foster hope in yourself, be here with us every time we meet together, work with us, serve with us.
If you want to foster hope in your friends who are outside of Christ, bring them with you.
Give us an opportunity to care about them, to connect with them.
*/Spiritual Base and Using Inner Resources/*
For Christians, this has special meaning.
Having a “spiritual base and using our inner resources” means so much more than simply feeling good about God and having a positive attitude.  1 Corinthians 3:16 and 6:19 state that God’s Spirit lives in us.
Let’s turn to Ephesians 2:21-22 to look at another passage.
I like this passage because it ties in our previous point about being connected to one another:
21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
[1]
 
God’s Spirit lives in each of us individually, and collectively in His church.
The Bible tells us that God’s Spirit comforts us, leads us, intercedes with God on our behalf, and guarantees our heavenly inheritance.
Inner resources?
How can we have any more powerful inner resources than the Spirit of the living God of the universe!
How can our struggles, our hopes and dreams, be any more fully known than by Him whose lives within us!
*/Personal Attributes (fighter, keep going no matter what)/*
The apostle Paul must surely be an example for us with regards to this factor for fostering hope.
He suffered over and over for the kingdom of God.
Let’s turn to 2 Corinthians 11:23-27.
Here Paul writes:
I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.
24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move.
I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.
27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.[2]
In the last months of Paul’s life, he expressed to Timothy the hope that he had as a result of never giving up.
He wrote in 2 Timothy 4:7:
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.[3]
Paul clearly understood that the Christian life is not necessarily the most comfortable life.
There may be conflict and pain along the way.
But, in order for our hope to grow, we can never give up serving God.
We can never say, “I’ve done enough, I think I’ll just coast for a while.”,
or “All I want is a place where people don’t expect too much of me.”
Hope is built on effort, determination, commitment, and a never-say-die attitude.
*/Light Heartedness and Finding Meaning and Worth/*
I have grouped these together, because so much of what makes a Christian’s heart light, is also that which gives meaning and worth to our lives.
To start, David seems to have understood the key to have a light heart, a joyful heart.
He wrote in Psalm 4:6-8:
6 Many are asking, “Who can show us any good?”
Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.
7 You */have filled my heart with greater joy/*
than when their grain and new wine abound.
8 I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O Lord,
make me dwell in safety.[4]
He also wrote in Psalm 19:8:
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9