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
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Disgust
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Fear
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Joy
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Sadness
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Language Tone
Analytical
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Confident
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Tentative
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Social Tone
Openness
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Conscientiousness
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Extraversion
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Agreeableness
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Emotional Range
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Tone of specific sentences
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Anger
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The magi walked in on Joseph, Mary, & baby Jesus.
Joseph was vexed.
"Why are you bothering us?
Mary's tired & needs rest."
Magi #1 answered, "I've brought gold for the child."
Joseph replied, "Thank you.
But leave.
Please."
Magi #2 then said, "I've brought frankincense for the child."
Joseph was annoyed.
"Thanks, but you're interrupting a special time between Mary & me."
Forcefully, he continued, "Will you just leave?"
Magi #3 interrupted, "But wait.
There's myrrh!"
Magi were scientists, magicians, & astrologers in the far east (Babylon?).
When they saw a new star, they searched ancient documents & in Jewish Scriptures found Nu 24:17b.
A star will come out of Jacob.
A scepter-a king-will rise out of Israel.
Birth of a divine king!
Where?
Most likely in Israel's capital, Jerusalem.
When the star starts moving, they follow.
They start the trek to Jerusalem.
They'll travel through desert some 900 miles.
A hard trek.
It'll take up to a year.
But to find this king, they're all in.
They don't even know Him.
As astrologers & magicians, (God says 'No!'), their theology is pretty bad.
But they go.
They're serious seekers!
And that's our 1st lesson.
How good or bad our theology is-it doesn't matter.
It won't save us.
Our only hope is the King we know.
Shouldn't we too be serious about seeking Him?
Nearly a year later, they arrive in Jerusalem.
'Where's the newborn king?'
All over the city, they keep asking.
People are terrified.
Herod already murdered everyone who even looked like a challenge to his throne.
He's not above killing messengers, too.
And anyone near them!
In Mt 2:3, 3When King Herod heard he was disturbed, & all Jerusalem with him.
A new king?
Herod's gonna' take care of him, too.
Where is He? Mt 2:4-5 tells us.
4aHerod called together all the chief priests & teachers of the law.
Surely, they'll know where he was supposed to be born.
4b"Where is the Christ to be born?"
Herod has to ask! He's from Edom/Esau's line.
Not David's.
He's a usurper to David's throne.
He doesn't know Scripture, but the priests & scribes do.
They know the answer.
5"In Bethlehem in Judea.
This is what the prophet wrote in Mic 5:2.
6'You, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, ... out of you will come... a ruler."
Less than 5 miles away.
Easy walking distance!
These religious leaders have the Scriptures.
Their theology is almost perfect.
But they won't even travel 6 miles to Bethlehem to see if the Messiah was borne!
That's another lesson to us.
Seek the King when He's close!
Seek Him now.
Seek Him while He can be found!
Don't wait.
Later, it's much harder-if it's even possible.
Even so, Herod & Jerusalem's leaders don't care if a new king has been born.
What do they care about?
What kind of threat is he?
So, in Mt 2:7-8 Herod hatches a scheme.
7Herod called the Magi secretly to find out exactly when the star appeared.
Then 8He sent them to Bethlehem.
"Make a careful search for the child.
As soon as you find him, report to me, so I too may go & worship him."
Right!
He doesn't care enough even to walk 5 miles & check it out himself!
Is Herod going to worship a new king?
No way!
He's gonna' murder Him.
All Herod wants to know?
Where & how old is He? Mt 2:9 leads us to our verses.
9After the magi heard the king, they went on their way.
The star (ἀστήρ) they'd seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
They had followed this star 900 miles S & E. But wait-stars, meteors, & asteroids move E to W as the Earth spins.
How can a star move S & E to one house & hover over it?
Stars hover over regions.
Not houses.
Only an angel or God could move S & E to lead them.
Only an angel or God could be visible night & day.
Only an angel or God could hover over one house.
Nothing else.
(Remind us of the Exodus cloud?)
When the star stops & hovers over the house, Mt 2:10-11 picks up the story.
10When they see the star [hovering], they (lit.)
rejoice.
They haven't even seen the king.
They rejoice just to get there.
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