Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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This morning, we are going to look once again at a passage that we looked at last week.
This passage will reveal the topic we are going to cover in our message today… and I believe it is something this world is in desperate need of.
There they were… minding their own business… doing what they had always done… taking care of the sheep.
The shepherds were in the fields and it was a night like all other nights… until… it wasn’t.
Last week we talked about how incredible it would have been to see what the shepherds saw!
But as amazing as the sight must have been… I want us to look at the announcement they made to these guys one more time!
Before disclosing the news of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds, the angel sets it up by talking about the nature of the news to come.
Good news… that will bring great what for all the people?
GREAT JOY for all the people.
The news the shepherds would receive was joyous news!
This sermon series is designed to remind us of the great things that came with the arrival of our Savior.
We talked about the hope that is found in Jesus.
We talked about the peace that is found in Jesus.
Today, we will talk about the joy that is found in Jesus.
And on Christmas Eve, we will talk about God’s love found in Jesus.
We know today that Jesus IS the heart of Christmas… He IS the reason for this season.
His arrival changed everything!
In a world that was surrounded by darkness and chaos… God’s light shone through AND THE WORLD HAS NEVER BEEN THE SAME SINCE.
This morning, we are going to be talking about the joy that comes with knowing Jesus… and church… it is a joy like no other.
In the old hymn, this joy is described as “joy unspeakable and full of glory… the half has never yet been told!”
This kind of joy can only be found in Jesus.
1 Peter 1:8 speaks of this kind of joy… a joy that we can hardly understand… but we know and experience because we know Jesus as Lord!
And… have you ever stopped and thought about why “inexpressible and glorious joy” accompanies our relationship with Jesus Christ?
Well, 1 Peter 1:9 gives us the answer
Salvation.
Redemption.
Deliverance from sin.
We know all the words but most importantly… those who have called on the name of Jesus have experienced the transformation of their souls.
Where death once reigned - new life has come.
And with that new life comes a joy like no other.
Why is this joy like no other?
Because Jesus has done something for us that NO ONE else could have done.
We couldn’t do it, nothing else in this world could have done it, Jesus is the ONLY ONE who could have done what He did!
And He did it in love.
He gave His life that we might be set free from sin and all of its destructive consequences.
So first off… what is joy?
Joy is FAR more than a simple emotion.
Joy goes way beyond happiness or a sense of being glad.
Webster defines joy as the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires… but I do not believe this definition quite captures the kind of joy we are talking about.
Remember when we talked about hope… the world best knows hope as a wish, a dream or a desire… but in Christ, hope becomes a promise or guarantee.
In Christ… HOPE TAKES ON NEW MEANING.
Remember as we talked about peace.
The world knows peace as a time of no conflict or stress.
Yet in Christ, peace goes way beyond that.
In Christ, peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the presence of Jesus.
In Christ… PEACE TAKES ON NEW MEANING.
This morning, as we talk about joy, the world knows it to be a simple emotion that is conditional based on our current circumstance yet in Christ, joy becomes something completely different.
In Christ, our joy is not conditional.
Joy found in Christ rises above circumstances and focuses on the very character of God.
In Christ… JOY TAKES ON NEW MEANING.
For instance, in Psalms, we see joy expressed because of:
God’s righteousness - Psalm 71:14-16
Salvation - Psalm 21:1
Mercy - Psalm 31:7
God’s creation - Psalm 148:5
His Word - Psalm 119:14
His faithfulness - Psalm 33:1-6
In other words, our joy is not found in what the world has to offer… our joy is found in WHO GOD IS and what He has done for us.
This is hugely significant to consider today!
Why?
Because circumstances… change.
Situations… change.
Emotions are largely based off what a person is experiencing in any given moment.
HOWEVER… God… DOES NOT CHANGE.
His characteristics DO NOT CHANGE.
His attributes DO NOT CHANGE.
Consider this: we have the opportunity to experience the same joy the Psalmist wrote about because our God is the same yesterday, today and forever!
And the amazing things is… we can KNOW Him!
We can have fellowship with Him.
We can truly be filled with inexpressible joy because of who God is and what He has done for us!
What is it… that brings you joy?
What causes you to rejoice on a regular basis?
I want us to do a simple exercise today for fun as we talk about joy.
I want to share a few different scenarios, and tell me which ones would bring you the most joy.
Are you ready?
If this would make you joyful, stand up.
If not, stay seated.
For all you coffee drinkers out there… you go through the drive thru of your favorite coffee shop, order your favorite drink, and discover the car in front of you paid for it.
Joy? Stand up or stay seated.
Ok, next scenario.
You wake up Christmas morning and find that it snowed six inches overnight.
Joy?
Or maybe pain because you now have to shovel it.
Stand up or stay seated.
You sit down in your easy chair and your dog/cat jumps up in your lap to take a nap.
You know they are going to shed but… Joy or no joy?
Last one: You run some errands in town and and no one has what you are looking for or needing, but your son/daughter came along for the ride.
Joy or no joy?
Maybe some of you saw these situations as reasons for joy - and maybe you saw them as absent of joy.
This week’s sermon is so important because, for many of us, our joy is reflective of this illustration.
Our joy in life is largely connected to the circumstances in our lives.
When things are going well, we feel good.
When things are going poorly, we feel bad.
Our joy ebbs and flows.
But this Christmas season, I believe God is wanting to remind us of the joy that can be found in the arrival of His Son.
The news that the angel shared with the shepherds was truly GOOD NEWS… news that brought joy to all who would receive it!
Joy that was not conditional or linked to our circumstance… but joy that set us free from our circumstance because of Who God is and what He came to do!
God Came to the World.
The God whom the Psalmist wrote about had broke through the darkness of this world.
Jesus truly is Immanuel which means… God WITH us.
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