Sermon Tone Analysis

Luk e 2:1-20

What child is this

Who's laid to rest

On Mary's lap is Sleeping?

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet

While shepherd's watch are keeping

This this is Christ the King

Whom shepherds guard and angels sing

Haste! haste!

To bring him, Lord!

The babe, the son of Mary

Why lies He in such mean estate

Where ox and ass are feeding?

Good Christians, fear, for sinners here

The silent Word is pleading

Nails, spear shall pierce Him through

The cross be borne for me, for you

Hail, hail the Word made flesh

The Babe, the Son of Mary

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh

Come peasant, king to own Him

The King of kings salvation brings

Let loving heart enthrone Him

Raise, raise a song on high

The virgin sings her lullaby

Joy, joy for Christ is born

The Babe, the Son of Mary

Most of you know that song.

If not, it is titled “What Child is This?”

I thought, as we began this morning, we could start with these lyrics as a reminder of why we celebrate Advent.

Not that anyone needs one, but as a focal point to the message.

This, this is Christ the King – amen?

Based on the story that we just read of Jesus’ birth, there are some opportunities that we have this year as we remember His birth.

Christmas is an opportunity to:

1. Find Jesus

The shepherds had heard the news quite subtly, not, from the host of angels, that they savior has been born.

They didn’t wait, they went in a hurry to find Him.

It is possible that they knew the prophecies and the magnitude of this baby coming.

Our savior has been born.

The shepherds were in a hurry to find Him.

As we think about what Christmas is a time for, it is a time for us to seek and find Jesus.

He tells us to seek him…and in

We are told to seek Him but how? Sunday school answers:

Prayer

Fasting

Serving others

Being with believers – church

Wise counsel/mentors

Reading Scripture

Why seek Him?

This Christmas, what is your focus?

What are you seeking?

The second opportunity that we have this Christmas is to ponder or to think about what God has done.

1. Ponder

Mary had heard the prophecy, she experienced the visit from the angels, traveled the 90 mile journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, she gave birth, in a stable, to Jesus, the savior of the world, laid him in a manger, and then heard the words from the shepherds about what the angels had said to them.

And now, she treasured and pondered them in her heart.

What things do you ponder?

Think about what thoughts you have had in the last few minutes that I have been preaching

What thoughts have gone through your mind?

Good?

Bad? Distractions (Squirrel)?

What are you thinking about?

Now, think about this Christmas/advent season that started just a couple of weeks ago…What have been your thoughts?

What thoughts do you allow to control your thinking?

In 2005, the National Science Foundation published an article summarizing research on human thoughts per day.

It was found that women have an average 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day.

Men on the other hand, have about 3.

JK – both have between 12,000 and 60,000 thoughts per day

84,000-420K/week

4.3mill-21.8mill/year

It I had a dollar for every thought….

Let’s take a guess, what percentage do you think were positive?

20% positive

80% were negative

95% were exactly the same repetitive thoughts as the day before.

Mind is a fascinating thing.

What do we think about?

What are the things that we should think about?

What happens when we start to think negatively?

What should we do?

When we start having negative thoughts, take them captive and make them obedient to Christ.

Think about whatever is true….

I encourage you this season to think about Christ.

Think about that little baby lying in the manger.

Ponder the gift that HE is.

And that be brings.

Mary saw the baby and pondered the things that happened in her heart.

I encourage you to ponder these things in your heart.

The Third opportunity that we have this Christmas is to be amazed…

3. Amazed

Now is a time to take the time to think about all that God has done for you!

It’s a time to be amazed that God.

Chose.

us.

He didn’t have to, but he wanted to.

For us.

Because He.

Loves.

Us.

Not only did He give us the gift of His son, but everything good comes from Him.