Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
A score of 0.5 or higher indicates the tone is likely present.
Emotion Tone
Anger
0.07UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.07UNLIKELY
Fear
0.08UNLIKELY
Joy
0.68LIKELY
Sadness
0.51LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.4UNLIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.21UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.78LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.79LIKELY
Extraversion
0.24UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.91LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.66LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
The Gift that Keeps on Giving
Isaiah 9:6-7, 11:1-2
By now, many of us have boxed away or at least started packing up the Christmas season decorations.
Some start putting them away the day after Christmas!
Each year I find myself hesitating to do so.
I enjoy, as
I’m sure many do, the lights and décor; the sights and sounds of Christmas; and the aroma (those Christmas
cookies in the oven!).
I truly enjoy the warmth that Christmas lends to an otherwise cold, colorless and dreary
winter.
Don’t get me wrong.
I love waking to a winter wonderland, but the joy of Christmas just makes
everything sparkle.
Last weekend I started “de-decorating” our home.
Pretty paper and bows put into totes.
Garland and centerpieces packed away.
Cheery, brightly colored ornaments tucked into their boxes.
Cherished
homemade decorations my son made for me in grade school (yes, I still put out my favorites) carefully placed in
special boxes.
Circling around the tree, I made my way to take the tree lights off, promising myself THIS would
be the year I take my time putting them away so I wouldn’t have to untangle them next year.
I stepped back this
year and soaked up the beauty of the tree.
Even bare, it was beautiful.
Still fresh.
I breathed in for the last time
the evergreen scent I so love.
I admit, I was quite sad this year to see it go.
In an odd way I felt the tree beckon
me to stay right there in the living room for the remainder of winter.
I looked upward.
One more decoration to
remove — the star.
Standing on tippy toes I reached up to grasp it.
I stared at it in my hands for some time,
thinking of the Bethlehem star and the guiding light it provided for the Magi.
With a sigh, I carefully placed it
atop the other decorations and closed the box.
I looked around… ahhhh, yes, one last thing to pack away.
This
part I always do first when decorating and save as last when putting everything away.
This task each year leaves
a heaviness on my heart; packing it away for me is never as exciting as unpacking it.
The Nativity scene
captivates me every year with a new sense of childlike awe and wonder.
Each year I remove the Nativity from
the box in the same order — the stable first, then the figurines where I methodically try and recreate the story.
Always, I save the Baby for last.
All different pieces with one thing in common: all are looking at Jesus.
The
center of it all.
When the season is over and it’s time to put the Nativity set away, I just reverse the order.
Jesus
is carefully wrapped and placed in the box last.
The Nativity contains many stories.
Many participants.
Each
uniquely created and placed by God at the story at the right place and time.
For the same reason — to be present
2
at the birth of the newborn King.
The Savior of the world.
Angels we have heard on high!
Once the angel proclaimed the exciting news of Jesus’ birth to the
shepherds, the Bible tells us the angel was joined by an army of angels singing praises to God. Mary was visited
by an angel and told she was to conceive of the Holy Spirit.
An angel reassured Joseph it was acceptable for him
to take the pregnant, unmarried Mary as his wife.
As well, an angel instructed Joseph to flee with his family to
Egypt.
Shepherds — the first to receive the birth announcement.
In that day and age shepherds were considered
to be anti-social, lowly and disregarded by most.
Perhaps unworthy of anything other than tending to their
flocks.
On this special night though, God felt them worthy to be the first to hear the Good News proclaimed by the
angels.
God knows why He chose.
Livestock.
My Nativity set has cattle and sheep.
How do we really know they didn’t understand what
was going on?
God chose even the animals He wanted present.
I have to wonder if at some point Mary and
Joseph motioned for the animals to come closer.
Did the animals present peer curiously into the manger?
Maybe even nuzzle the newborn Jesus?
Did Jesus smile at them?
Did they smile back?
Did Mary and Joseph
nestle the newborn Jesus closer to sheep to keep Him warmer?
Did the chosen animals feel a warmth rush
through them as they watched the events unfold?
We don’t know.
What we do know is that nothing is
impossible for God.
Again, God knows why He chose.
The Magi.
Three wise men traveled from the Far East guided by a compass provided by God.
The three
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9