Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction: Funny question, How does Jesus’ birth point us to Jesus?

27 - Where is the Peace on Earth?

The Unforgettable Story of “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - During the Civil War.

His wife had died when her dress caught on fire - he tried to save her but was too late.

He had just received news that his son was facing lifelong paralasis after being wounded in the Civil war.

Read the lyrics

"Peace is the Brief Glorious Moment in history when everybody stands around reloading.

- Lloyd Cory, Quote Unquote

You also may not find peace as we generally define it.

It feels like there are - conflict with a family member, friends, co-workers.

Culture wars in our country

Russian and Ukrainian war, rumors of war.

A longing for something - more money, more love, more friendships, alone time, etc...

Jesus’ is born when all kinds of conflicts are happening.

The Romans are beginning their occupation on the land.

Herod in a few years, will kill all the baby boys 5 yrs or younger - Jesus himself will lose his life over conflicts with the Religious leaders and the Romans, 40 years after that Jerusalem will be decimated by the Romans, and all of his followers will be killed.

If it is not this kind of peace, what kind of peace are we talking about?

Tell the Story of my Freshmen Bible Class in the Life of Jesus.

- Feeling Wholeness

That sense of wholeness is what Jesus Brings.

28 - Jesus’ Birth brings Peace.

29 - Bible Project Video on Peace.

30 - Quote Romans 5:1-11

His death and resurrection could not have happened if Jesus were not embodied as a human being.

- His birth story tells us that God took on flesh

As we have been looking at other birth stories pointing to Jesus and how they were real men who foreshadowed Jesus Christ, and now Jesus Christ is here being born, the fulfillment of all the Old Testament types and prophecies.

William Boekestein writes, “Until we grasp that Christ is God-in-flesh, the Old Testament will remain a collection of stories about how men and women struggled with the call to faith.

The incarnation helps us to see that the Old Testament sets the stage for God to once again live with man as He did in Eden.

On every Old Testament page, God promises a human deliverer who is also stronger than Satan (Gen.

3:15); both a suffering servant and an anointed king” (William Boekestein, “The Incarnation: Its Relevance,” Ligonier, December 18, 2020, https://www.ligonier.org/blog/incarnation-relevance/).

The Chosen

Chrisitians believe that the incarnation - Jesus being fully God and Fully man is essential for our salvation.

Had to be a man in order to pay for the sins of man “Through one man sin entered the world, and through one man the sins of many have been removed.”

He had to be fully God, because no many had the power to conquer sin and death on his own.

The incarnation is the point where God and humans unite making us whole

The Incarnation shows us that what God takes on God saves, and makes whole.

We all have a God-sized hole in our lives that can only be filled by Christ.

Saint Augustine writes in his Confessions, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”

But this peace is made to be shared

31 - Promote Peace.

The Angels share the message with the Shepherds There will be a sign -

32 - Picture of a Manger....

33 - Positive View: Daryl Bock: Noteworthy too is the choice of shepherds to be among the first to hear about the new child and see him.

Some commentators argue that the shepherds symbolize God’s meeting the despised, but this negative reputation for shepherds is later than the first-century Judaism.

The biblical shepherd imagery is mostly positive, and the association of shepherds with these events adds an image of everyday living to the scene.

God is involved not just with the special or the great, but with all people.

His announcement of the child’s arrival to everyday folk shows his commitment to the mass of humanity.

Those “on whom God’s favor rests” include those whose claim to fame may be nothing more than that they wake up each day and pursue a living in service to God.

• Place Called Migdal Eder - Tower of the Flock.

More on the Positive View: Geldenhuys, N. It is probable that their flock was intended for offerings in the temple, as flocks for this purpose were kept in the vicinity of Bethlehem (cf.

Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus, i, p. 189).

In this case they would ere long have gone to Jerusalem and would there also have told the whole story to the pious people who were awaiting the coming of the promised Messiah.

In this manner they would have prepared persons like Simeon and Anna (verses 25–40) for their welcoming of the Christ-child.

Geldenhuys, N. (1952).

The angels described the birth of Jesus as good news of great joy, and Luke’s Gospel in particular shows that from the very beginning, Christ came to redeem people from all levels of society.

This is the good news of Christmas: that no matter where you live or what your parents do for a living, you can know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you are loved by God and that he delights in you.

Whether you’re a shepherd or a janitor or a doctor or a teacher, God still can and will use you for eternal purposes.

Challenge everyone to send a card or visit someone who is sick - contribute to the peace on Earth.

Conclusion: How can you be a sign to others of God’s Peace?