Sermon Tone Analysis

Open up your Bibles with me to Luke 2

Read Luke 2:7

Kids are you excited about anything that is happening this week?

How many of you love the Christmas Season?

Its the most wonderful time of the year! ( that’s a good line- I should write a song.)

Christmas is a joyous time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ - God Himself coming to earth in a fleshly body to dwell among men.

2. It is supposed to be a time of joy and a time to focus on the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ, but with the holiday hustle and bustle of today, Satan has cluttered it, and most people will miss the real Christmas celebration and what it is meant to be.

• Some People will get so caught up in making sure that they have the perfect family gathering that they will miss Christmas.

Some people will sleep right through it out of utter exhaustion from shopping and baking, etc.

• Some will get so caught up in the commercialism and what gifts they are going to get, that they will miss the greatest gift ever given.

in one week from today - Christmas is going to come and go and the reality is that many people are going to miss the whole point of the celebration.

3.

But guess what?

The same thing happened 2,000 years ago on the very first Christmas morning.

Most of the people missed Christmas when Christ was born.

In other words, they missed the point, they got caught up in the wrong story.

And many people today are going to miss the true meaning of Christmas this year, too.

4. But it doesn't have to happen.

Every person that is here this morning can avoid missing Christmas.

Let's look into God's Word together and see how we can make sure that we don’t miss Christmas this year.

First, you must keep Jesus the center of your Christmas.

1. Luke 2:1-7

Isn't this amazing?

Christ is born in a manger stall because "there was no room for them in the inn."

The inn-keeper had quite an opportunity - to have the Son of God born in his inn, but he missed Christmas.

Why?

Most likely because he was preoccupied with everything else going on around him.

Can't you just see him hustling about, serving his guests, fixing dinner, getting towels and sheets, trying to make sure all of his guest have everything they need so that that they would leave him a 5 star review after their stay

And Here comes Joseph and Mary, knocking on the door.

He looks out and he is so preoccupied he doesn't even notice she's pregnant.

He turns the sign around, "No Vacancy."

the Bible doesn’t say that he was nasty or hateful; he was simply preoccupied with his other guests that he missed one of the greatest days in history.

He could have been right in the middle of the story and played a significant role.

People are the same today.

We get so preoccupied with getting the best bargains, buying gifts, wrapping them, fixing food, baking cookies, playing games with family, traveling, that we miss the most important thing about Christmas, and that is Jesus Christ.

Let's not be like the innkeeper.

Let's not get so preoccupied with the insignificant things of the holiday that we miss the incredible and awesome reason for the season - and that is JesusJesus!

If we dont want to miss Christmas than then we must Keep Jesus the center of our Christmas.

Second, you must reject an attitude of self-centeredness.

1. Let's learn a lesson from King Herod.

• As we study Herod, we see that he was the King of Israel, not because he earned it, but because it was given to him from the Roman Empire.

He wasn't even a Jew.

But He was made their king to try and control them for the Romans.

In this text we see a man who panicked.

He was afraid of losing his position.

He was a political madman who sought his own glory.

and When the wise men didn't return, what did he do?

Herod was afraid that if Jesus was a true Jewish King that he would lose His own throne

Herod was a man who missed the glory of Christ's birth out of absolute, jealous fear.

He was totally self-centered.

It was all about him - period!

People haven't changed in 2,000 years.

It is so easy at Christmas time to become wrapped up in ourselves.

Many people will be so consumed with fleshly pleasures and earthly gifts that they will miss the wonder of Christ's birth.

Let me remind you this morning that Christmas is about Christ, it is not about you or me.

Its not about the gifts You give or the gifts you get- Its all about the gift of Jesus that God sent mankind on that first Christmas Morning.

Christmas is a time to celebrate Him and His accomplishments and give Him glory and praise for coming to this earth to rescue us.

Trans: 3rd if you are not going to miss Christmas than you must realize your own need for a Savior.

Third, you must realize your need of a Savior.

1. Let's learn a lesson from the priests and scribes in this story

2. two Years after Jesus is born In this passage Herod assembles ALL the Religious leaders of Israel and Asks them a question.

Were Christ would be born.

and they told in Bethlehem because that is what the Scriptures tell us will happen.

These men were the religious leaders of Israel at that time, the theological minds of their day.

3.

They knew the Scriptures and knew where Christ was to be born, but have you noticed who is not present in the Christmas story- Its these religious leaders.

it wasn’t because they were not welcome, its because they made absolutely no effort to go and worship Him.

The ones that should have been there first missed Christmas.

The ones who knew the story best missed the entire event.

4. Why did they miss it?

Well I would say it was because of their own Pride!

When you think you're perfect and righteous and a cut above everybody else, you don't need a Savior.

They thought, "We don't need to go running down to Bethlehem; we are pretty good people.”

In fact, If God was going to send the Messiah, He would do it through us and not common carpenter.

Theses men didn’t go looking for Jesus because they dint want a savior- they were very comfortable in their religion and didn’t want that to change.

People haven't changed in 2,000 years.

People still today think, "I'm not that bad.

Jesus is for people who need help.

I can make it by myself.

I have said it often, but Americans we have a big disadvantage when it comes to our need for a Savior- Why because I beleive that the American dream has kept many people from seeing their need for a Savior.

Africa- They want a savior- they want someone to step in and radically change their lives

America- We dont want radical change- We like our jobs we like our houses we like our cars our boats our hobbies and bank accounts- We are a very comfortable people.

and dont want anyone changing what We got.

Many People's attitude today is "I believe in God and the Bible So,.

I'll be alright.

My good works outweigh my bad so why wouldn’t I make it to heaven."

These are the words of someone who doesn’t see their need for a savior- These are the same words that the religious leaders used 2000 years ago.

But the reality is that we all need a Savior-and You cannot have Christmas without a Savior.

Just like the religious leaders who felt like they didnt need a SaviorPeople today seem to miss a few verses in the Bible

7. Knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus are two completely different things.

The scribes and pharisees missed Christmas.

They Knew about Jesus but they did not Know Jesus.

They thought they were too good for Him

Fourth, focus on Jesus, not religious ritual.

1.

The people of Jerusalem were steeped in religious rituals, but God chose to reveal the Savior's birth to a group of shepherds in a field.

Luke 2:8–14 (ESV)

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”