Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Welcome & Merry Christmas to you!

This week I want to take you to several events that happened around the birth of Jesus.

We know that the angel of the Lord visited Mary and Joseph to announce the impending birth.

Others received notice of this event as well.

A Temple Priest, named Zacharias received a visit from the angel as well and others in the Temple were aware of and waiting for the arrival of the Messiah, the long awaited redeemer and salvation of Israel.

There are three psalms (or songs) recorded in Luke 1 & 2. Each of these songs reveals to us that the Jewish people were waiting expectantly for the appearance of their Messiah, the Redeemer promised by God...

I. Mary’s Song

We’ll start with Mary’s song, recorded in Luke 1:46-55…

It is not surprising that Mary was the first to know about the impending birth of Jesus.

As she waited for his birth, she praised the lord and spoke out a hymn that we know as the Magnificat, or Mary’s Song...

Mary knew the Scripture—our Old Testament—and quoted from it in her song.

There are many references to the psalms and to Hannah’s song, from 1 Samuel 2:1-10.

Mary was clearly pensive and weighed all of these things happening to her in the light of scripture.

Even though this birth made Mary’s situation difficult, she turned to God and praised him for what he was doing for a cause greater than herself.

Mary knew—perhaps better than any of us—God’s great works and she knew that she was giving birth to salvation for herself, for all of Israel, and for all of us who believe in Christ as savior and Lord.

Mary was filled with the Spirit of the Lord and the Word of the Lord, which resulted in her bringing praise to the Lord.

II.

Zacharias’ Prophecy at the Birth of John

Additionally, there was a priest, name Zacharias, father to John the Baptist, husband to Mary’s sister Elizabeth, and uncle to Jesus, who learned of the coming Messiah.

Zacharias received a visit from the angel, Gabriel, while he was performing his duties in the temple.

The angel Gabriel told Zacharias of the birth of his son, John, and told him that John would become the prophet who prepares the way for the coming Messiah.

It is not mentioned that he was told about Jesus, but he knew what his son’s role would be in preparing the way for the coming Messiah.

As a proof to Zacharias of God’s word, the angel tied his tongue and would not allow him to speak at all until John was born.

At the birth, Zacharias spoke another prophecy about his son and about the Messiah.

Zacharias’ prophetic psalm spoke about the freedom and redemption of the people of Israel.

It speaks of the salvation that will come to Israel through the hand of the Messiah and it speaks of victorious battles.

These battles are yet to be won and will come at Christ’s return, when their error is revealed to them and they accept their true Messiah.

III.

The Baby Jesus in the Temple

This next song occurs after the birth of Christ, but really reveals the hearts and minds of the righteous and devout people of God during the time that Jesus was born.

Mary and Joseph followed the practice of their tradition and took baby Jesus to the Temple so that he could be circumcised according to the practice of the Mosaic Law.

As Christian disciples today we know that we have been set free from the heavy burden of the Mosaic Law, but it was Jesus that released us from that burden and it was important that he fulfill the purposes of the Law.

Messiah: Born Under the Law

As the Messiah, Jesus was born under the Law - Galatians 4:4-5 (Paul testifying to Jesus’ Sonship of God)

Paul made the point here that Jesus was born under the law and Jesus himself said that he would fulfill the Law...

Jesus made a point of promoting the authority of the Law of God, which was given to Moses—that’s why we call it the Mosaic Law.

While all the prophets of the Old Testament promoted the Law of God in their own way, they always stated that the Law would remain...

It wouldn’t make sense for Jesus to forsake something that had been established in the Jewish custom and tradition.

However he said that he came to fulfill this law.

The Apostle Paul speaks to this saying that this provides for us a path of righteousness...

While all the versions in English that I looked at say that “Christ is the end of the law” this word τέλος (telos) means that Jesus is the goal of the law.

One writer said that he is the “culmination of the law.”

All of the predictions of the prophets regarding the Messiah were pointing to Jesus Christ and these prophecies came to fruition in him.

The holy standard of the Law was upheld to perfection by Christ.

Jesus fulfilled the purpose of the ceremonial laws with his death on the cross and provided for a New Testament and a new law to be established.

There was no longer a need for temple priests because there was no need for a sacrifice.

In fact, there was no need for the Temple because free and unfettered access to God was granted to us through the gift of salvation.

There was no need for the priests, because each one of us who believe in Christ has become a holy priest. 1 Pet 2:9

There was no need for a sacrifice, because Christ was sacrificed on the cross for the salvation of our sins and each one who believes in him is joined together with him in his suffering and have become a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.

Rom 12:1

There was no need for a temple, because our bodies became a temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor 6:19

Messiah: Obedient to the Law

Furthermore, Jesus was obedient according to the law...

He obeyed God’s Law perfectly - John 8:45-46 (Jesus arguing with the Jews about his father.)

He bore the curse of the Law for us - Galatians 3:10-14

He set us free from the bondage of the Law - Galatians 5:1

Simeon - A Devout Jew Waiting for the Messiah

We only know of Simeon because of this passage.

But we can see a great description of him here in verse 25...

We see a LOT of examples of religious figures during the narrative about Jesus’ ministry and hardly any of them are flattering.

But here we find a man in the temple who is not described as religious, but righteous.

He is not described as devious, but devout.

The word here says that he was “looking forward to Israel’s consolation.”

I saw this and seeing the word consolation, make me ask the question, “What is Israel’s consolation?”

Of course, I immediately thought of the consolation prize that goes to one who does not win in a contest.

In other words, it goes to the loser.

I also note that the word is rooted in the verb “to console,” which happens “to alleviate grief or to take away a sense of loss or trouble.”

This is a reference to the Messiah, who brings consolation of Israel.

He was the long expected redeemer of Israel, who was to remove sorrow from and bring comfort to the nation.

Many generations of Jews had waited and watched expectantly for the Messiah’s arrival.

All of this waiting had endured through great suffering and slavery of the Jewish people.

Luke also revealed in his writing that Simeon was filled with the Holy Spirit.

We often see examples of the Spirit coming upon righteous people before he was sent to us by the Father.

Simeon was close to God and able to keep himself holy and righteous before the Lord.

He had apparently been promised by God that he would not die without seeing the Messiah.

And when the opportunity came, he recognized the Messiah in the baby boy, Jesus.

It may be that Simeon was the mohel, the rabbi or religious leader, who performed the ceremony for new babies.

This is not verified by scripture, but we know that Mary and Joseph brought their baby, Jesus, to the temple for his circumcision.

At the moment Simeon touched the Messiah, he recognized who he was.

He broke out into praises for God...

a worship hymn that “blessed God” (v 28) for keeping His promise and sending the Messiah

a salvation hymn (v 30)

missionary hymn for the Gentiles (v 32)

I find it most interesting that Simeon recognized the Messiah’s role before the Gentiles and how he would shine a light for the whole world to see the glory of God.

While Mary and Joseph were amazed, and perhaps a bit surprised, at Simeon’s words, he explained to them in prophetic words...

There are three illustrative images here in this prophecy:

Stone - the child is described as being the cause for many to fall and the cause for many to rise up in Israel, as a stone can cause one to stumble.

The entire nation of Israel “stumbled over the stumbling stone” (Rom 9:32) when they rejected the Messiah.

But it was also prophesied that the Messiah would be a “rejected cornerstone” and can also be used to build up and edify the nation.

But he would be a rejected cornerstone, as prophesied.

Sign - the word “sign” here indicates “a miracle” and Simeon said that he would be “a sign that will be opposed.”

While Jesus was opposed during his time of earthly ministry, he has also been rejected by millions more.

The most important question that determines the eternal fate of men and women is the question “What do you think of the Messiah?

The Christ?” (Matt 22:42).

Sword - finally Simeon described the Messiah as a sword.

This was a special word from the Lord for Mary regarding the sorrow that she would bear as the mother to the Messiah.

The imagery here is of a very large sword and the language indicates that the sword would cut, continuously piercing her soul.

But the promise here was that they thoughts and motives of people would be revealed by their encounter with the Messiah.

How has the Messiah impacted your life?