Sermon Tone Analysis

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Tones
Emotion
Anger
Disgust
Fear
Joy
Sadness
Language
Analytical
Confident
Tentative
Social Tendencies
Openness
Conscientiousness
Extraversion
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Anger
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*Like a Thief in the Night*
September 11, 2001 – the sudden surprise.
* *
*1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 \\ 1*Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, *2*for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
*3*While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
*4*But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
*5*You are all sons of the light and sons of the day.
We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
*6*So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
*7*For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.
*8*But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
*9*For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
*10*He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.
*11*Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.(NIV)
1.
The Day is Coming!
The day is coming.
The day is coming!
It will come like a thief and many are asleep.
Not an enjoyable topic.
For most, it will not be a day of celebration and glorification.
It will not be a day of deliverance and bliss.
For many it will come as labor pains.
Suddenly agony and terror will overwhelm them.
One moment they are going about their business and the next they are overwhelmed and crushed.
a.
It comes suddenly
You cannot forecast it.
It does not fit on a timeline where his arrival is expected.
The day comes like a thief, swiftly.
A good thief does not telegraph his robbery.
He does not give signs when he plans to strike.
You don’t see a thief coming.
You just wake up and see you have been victimized.
So it is with the coming of Christ.
It comes swiftly and suddenly.
So many are unprepared.
For so many it will be a tragic day.
Jonathan Edwards – Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
But the foolish children of men do miserably delude themselves in their own schemes, and in their confidence in their own strength and wisdom; they trust in nothing but a shadow.
The bigger part of those that heretofore have lived under the same means of grace, and are now dead, are undoubtedly gone to hell: and it was not because they were not as wise as those that are now alive: it was not because they did not lay out matters as well for themselves to secure their own escape.
If it were so, that we could come to speak with them, and could inquire of them, one by one, whether they expected when alive, and when they used to hear about hell, ever to be the subjects of that misery, we doubtless should hear one and another reply, “No, I never intended to come here; I had laid out matters otherwise in my mind; I thought I should contrive well for myself; I thought my scheme good; I intended to take effectual care; but it came upon me unexpected; I did not look for it at that time, and in that manner; it came as a thief; death outwitted me; God’s wrath was too quick for me.
O my cursed foolishness!
I was flattering myself, and pleasing myself with vain dreams of what I would do hereafter, and when I was saying peace and safety, then sudden destruction came upon me.”
The Day of the Lord will come.
There is no denying it.
It comes swiftly and so many live in darkness.
Those who pretend that the day is not coming are like the ostrich that sticks his head in the sand to hide.
When that day comes there will be no hiding, no and no escape.
So many will not be ready.
b.
There is no escape
Paul declares that destruction will come suddenly, and that there will be no escape.
The Lord is no crooked judge.
He will take no bribes.
He will show no favoritism.
It doesn’t matter if you are a rich or poor, famous or not…there is no escape.
*Revelation 6:12-17 \\ 12*I watched as he opened the sixth seal.
There was a great earthquake.
The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, *13*and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind.
*14*The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.
*15*Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.
*16*They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! *17*For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”(NIV)
The Day of the Lord will come, and it will come unexpectedly as a thief in the night.
What do we do?
How do we get ready for this awesome day?
Some suggest that getting ready means observing the signs of the times.
Paul’s point is quite the opposite.
He doesn’t even talk about times and signs.
Rather he says, we don’t even have to talk about that because you know that day will come as a thief.
Paul’s point is not to get them to build a timeline of end times events or get into theological discussions about the events leading up to the Lord’s return.
Rather his purpose is to get them ready.
How do you get ready?
How do you come to expect the unexpected.
2.
Wake up!  Paul’s use of metaphor night and day.
Do not let your faith slumber.
Do not allow your hope to fade.
Put on the breastplate of faith and love and the hope of salvation.
Make every effort to add to your faith and live it out.
a.
Be diligent
            “Remember Lot’s Wife”
*2 Peter 3:10-14 \\ 10*But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.
The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
*11*Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?
You ought to live holy and godly lives *12*as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.
That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.
*13*But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
*14*So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.(NIV)
On the first day teaching his class of 250 college freshmen, R. C. Sproul carefully explained the assignment of three term papers.
Each paper was due on the last day of September, October, and November.
Sproul clearly stated there would be no extensions (except for medical reasons).
At the end of September, some 225 students dutifully turned in their papers, while 25 remorseful students quaked in fear.
"We're so sorry," they said.
"We didn't make the proper adjustments from high school to college, but we promise to do better next time."
He bowed to their pleas for mercy, gave them an extension, but warned them not to be late next month.
The end of October rolled around, and about 200 students turned in their papers, while 50 students showed up empty-handed.
"Oh, please," they begged, "it was homecoming weekend, and we ran out of time."
Sproul relented once more but warned them, "This is it.
No excuses next time.
You will get an F."
The end of November came, and only 100 students turned in their papers.
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