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
0.08UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.09UNLIKELY
Fear
0.08UNLIKELY
Joy
0.61LIKELY
Sadness
0.52LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.63LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.62LIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.9LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.87LIKELY
Extraversion
0.29UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.88LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.67LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
Lou Gehrig’s Farewell
On July 4, 1939, Lou Gehrig gave a farewell address to his baseball fans:
(quoted from: https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/lougehrigfarewelltobaseball.htm)
Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break I got.
Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.
I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.
Look at these grand men.
Which of you wouldn’t consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day?
Sure I’m lucky.
Who wouldn’t consider it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert?
Also, the builder of baseball’s greatest empire, Ed Barrow?
To have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins?
Then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology, the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy?
Sure I’m lucky.
When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you a gift - that’s something.
When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies -- that’s something.
When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter -- that’s something.
When you have a father and a mother who work all their lives so you can have an education and build your body -- it’s a blessing.
When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed -- that’s the finest I know.
So, I close in saying that I might have been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for.
Two weeks earlier, news broke that Lou Gehrig retired from baseball because he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS - a debilitating disease that eventually became nick named “Lou Gehrig’s Disease.”
Just under two years later, Lou died at the age of 37.
There are various times and places when people get a sense that their end is near, that it’s time to sign off and say “farewell.”
Today, as we continue our look at the book of John we are crossing over into what some people refer to as the “Farewell Discourse.”
Some people see chapters 13-17 as one discourse, and others as two.
However we view it, it’s the beginning of the end.
Jesus is preparing his disciples for his departure and for their ongoing mission.
If you have your bibles, open them to John 13.
We’ll pick up where we left off last week in verse 18.
As Jesus transitions from washing his disciples feet into a more intimate time of instruction and encouragement, he makes 3 predictions, illustrates 2 outcomes, and issues 1 new command for his disciples.
Let’s begin with Jesus’...
3 Predictions
In these predictions, Jesus prepares his disciples for what is coming.
Jesus begins with...
Judas’ Betrayal (13:18-30)
After washing their feet and challenging his disciples to follow his example, Jesus makes a startling statement:
This element of God’s work in our lives can be challenging to consider - there are some who are chosen, and some who are not.
The is God’s sovereign will.
While Jesus did gather all twelve disciples, he acknowledges that not all of them are truly his - one is playing a game.
He tells them this in order to connect some biblical dots for them.
Jesus quotes from Psalm 41:9 “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.” and claims that this pending betrayal is a fulfillment of this prophecy.
Now, the entire Psalm is not a prophetic Psalm - but this verse seems to apply to Jesus’ life.
But there is another biblical dot that Jesus is connecting with this prediction - proves to followers that Jesus is “I Am” or that “I Am He.”
There is a great deal of significance with the use of the words “I am.”
In many ways, the Greek pair of words would be used just like our us of the words “I am.”
But the “I am he” at the end of verse 19 can also be taken another way.
God used very similar Hebrew words to refer to himself in Exodus 3:14.
The prophet Isaiah recorded similar words from God.
and
So Jesus, in giving this prediction of betrayal, is helping the disciples understand that scripture - which is inspired by God, is fulfilled in Him - the Emmanuel - God with us.
He, like God the Father, is “I AM.”
But notice, in order for his word to be confirmed, something else must happen - a betrayal.
So John continues the narration:
While Jesus is God, the I AM, the Messiah - he is not devoid of emotion.
His heart is troubled or heavy because of what is about to take place.
But Jesus seems to quietly and subtly reveal that Judas is the one who will betray him.
He is the one who has been with him for a couple of years - a friend.
He is among those who have eaten bread with Jesus on multiple occasions.
but he is also the one who would “lift up his heel” against Jesus.
John 18:1-14 reveals the manifestation of Judas’ betrayal as Jesus is arrested.
The other gospel writers tell us a bit more about Judas going to the religious leaders and being paid 30 pieces of silver in order to turn Jesus over to them (Mt.
26:15).
The disciples would only need to wait a couple of hours until Jesus words here would be fulfilled.
So Jesus predicted a betrayal.
The second prediction is...
Jesus’ Departure (13:33)
At this point, Judas has gone out and Jesus is just talking with his true followers - 11 of the 12.
He is essentially communicating that...
He is going, but will return - This may be a prediction of his death and resurrection, possibly the second coming - that is unclear.
Jesus clearly wants to prepare his disciples for his departure.
We saw a few weeks ago that some were expecting the Messiah to reign forever (John 12:34).
He didn’t come this time as a political leader - he came as a redeemer.
He is unclear about the nature of what he will be doing - or what will happen to him.
John has given us indications before that Jesus would be “lifted up” - a polite way of saying “crucified.”
(John 3:14; 12:32-33).
It seems Jesus is keeping this a bit vague so that the disciples will not try to thwart God’s plans.
The third prediction that Jesus makes revolves around...
Peter’s Denial (13:36-38)
Whereas Judas will betray Jesus - an act of treason that will send Jesus to the cross, Peter, who has a propensity of speaking before he thinks, ends up denying Jesus in an act of cowardess.
Again, Jesus gives some very specific markers and a clear timeline.
John 18:15-18 reveals the first time that Peter denies him.
John 18:25-27 reveal the second and third time that Peter denies Jesus:
Let’s draw a couple of points of application from these three predictions.
Read the whole counsel of God’s Word.
Jesus pulled a few threads together in order to help his disciples understand what was happening.
He brought in some OT references and verbal cues to tie in the present and the near future.
As we read the Word of God, it’s important that we read the Whole Word - not just the parts we like - not just the parts we easily understand.
In my own Bible reading, I just finished the book of Jeremiah.
There are some very difficult things for us to understand in there.
Jeremiah was speaking hard truths to a rebellious people - and yet those are truths that each of us need to hear.
I think in our reading too, if your bible has cross references - check those out from time to time.
Look at some of the OT and NT references that are drawing things together.
This helps us to see and understand the Word as a whole - a complete unit - and not just Jewish scriptures and Christian scriptures.
Ultimately, it all points to Jesus.
We should be careful in our boasting - Peter was bold and confident in the crowd of friends, but timid when conflict came.
When we tout our strengths, it’s likely better to be understated rather than overcommitting to something that we can’t follow through with.
We gracious in our restoration of others - Later on, Jesus restores Peter graciously and lovingly.
You can read about it in John 21:15-19.
It’s easy to right people off after one mistake or short coming.
Jesus shows us that even Peter’s denial wasn’t enough to keep him from being useful for the kingdom.
It’s easy for us to look at others with judgment and condemnation - and yet fail to realize that we could be in their very position - eating humble pie.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9