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
0.12UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.14UNLIKELY
Fear
0.1UNLIKELY
Joy
0.55LIKELY
Sadness
0.58LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.45UNLIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.53LIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.88LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.72LIKELY
Extraversion
0.22UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.63LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.73LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
ME: Intro
This Gatorade slogan was everywhere in the 90s.
Suggesting that drinking Gatorade makes you like Michael Jordan.
As a kid growing up in the 90s,
I was like that one kid,
Trying to practice the behind the back layup.
Trying to dunk from the free throw line...
On a children’s basketball hoop.
I would stick the tongue out when I would be playing one on one in the driveway with my dad.
They actually remade this video in 2020 with current NBA superstars,
Being like Mike.
For many of us in the 90s,
We wanted to be like Mike.
Maybe for you it wasn’t Michael Jordan.
But we all had, or may even still have,
Someone we want to be like.
Maybe you wanted to be like your mom or dad or a teacher.
Maybe you wanted to be like a Disney princess,
Or your favorite superhero.
Regardless, most, if not all of us,
Wanted to be like someone.
This morning, Acts 6:8-7:60 focuses on man who wanted to Be Like Christ.
This Christlike Witness is an example for us,
Because all of us must pursue to grow in Christlikeness.
We all should want to be like Christ.
This Christlike witness was introduced in last week’s passage,
His name is Stephen and he was described as a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit.
Stephen takes center stage in our passage this morning,
And his example in this passage is one of the most Christlike examples in the Bible.
With the passage ending in his death.
Making him the first Christian martyr.
But my focus this morning is not on martyrdom,
Because although Stephen was martyred,
The focus of this passage is not so much on him being a martyr,
But his Christlike witness forces us to ask ourselves:
Do I really want to be like Christ?
Because being like Christ is not about gathering information about Jesus to copy,
It is not about being like Jesus in our own power,
It is not about being like Jesus to earn salvation.
No, being like Jesus happens through our union with Jesus.
Through Jesus we become like Jesus.
Stephen was not sinless,
Just like all of us,
He needed the Savior.
After trusting Jesus,
He was empowered by Jesus to be like Jesus.
So, Stephen is a Christlike witness we can imitate,
Because Stephen imitates Christ.
But this imitation comes after being united to Christ,
And being willing to suffer like Christ.
And Stephen’s witness teaches us,
That suffering like Christ is worth it!
So, as we look at Stephen’s Christlike witness,
Slide
We see three specific ways he was like Christ:
Seized Like Christ (Acts 6:8-15)
Spoke Like Christ (Acts 7:1-53)
Suffered Like Christ (Acts 7:54-60)
Be like Jesus by trusting in Jesus.
WE: Seized Like Christ (vs.
6:8-15)
Slide
Ch. 6 ends a historical narrative where Stephen is Seized Like Christ.
Vs. 8 begins by telling us the source of Stephen’s ministry.
It says, he was full of grace and power.
He was filled with gifts from God.
This is not Stephen’s inherent grace and power.
God poured out His grace on Stephen.
Therefore, Stephen was empowered to do ministry:
To care for widows, to speak wisdom, and as vs. 8 says,
To do great signs and wonders among the people.
1 Corinthians teaches that signs and wonders were required to be an apostle.
But it does not say only the apostles were able to do signs and wonders.
Stephen and Philip both are recorded doing signs or miracles in Acts.
They had been ordained by the apostles for ministry earlier this ch.
And like the apostles they are able to perform signs and miracles,
This indicates the presence and work of the Holy Spirit,
Authenticating Stephen’s ministry.
Jesus taught that whatever fills a person controls that person.
So, if you are filled with jealousy, the success of others will infuriate you.
If you are filled with lust, your sexual appetite will lead you into death.
If you are filled with anger, you will fight and argue with others.
But if you are filled with grace and power, you will be like Christ.
Slide
Remember, however, that being like Christ will be met with opposition.
Vs. 9 shows how opposition arose against Stephen’s signs and wonders.
And this is no longer opposition just from the Jews in the temple.
No, it says Jews from a variety of backgrounds begin to argue with Stephen.
Including ethnically Greek Jews, like Stephen.
The synagogue of the Freedmen were former slaves.
Cyrenians and Alexandrians were from Northern Africa.
But those from Cilicia and Asia are of special interest,
Because this group most likely includes a man named Saul,
Who was from Tarsus,
A chief city in Cilicia.
This man is referenced at the end of ch. 7,
Indicating some level of respect or authority from the others.
At this time, Saul would likely be among those disputing with Stephen,
Because he despised the gospel.
Regardless, this wide variety of Jews are zealously arguing with Stephen.
However, Stephen is like Christ here because they are no match for the Spirit working through Stephen.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9