Sermon Tone Analysis

I was born on February 14, 1955.

In my almost 58 years of life there have been no less than 60 end-of-the-world predictions by various individuals or groups.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock or cloistered in a monastery somewhere, the doomsday predictions of the end of the world—or at least the beginning of the end of the world—was supposed to have taken place on Friday.

For those who were disappointed that it didn’t happen, don’t fret.

Depending on one's interpretation of when the Mayan cycle known as Bak'tun begins, the end of the world might actually be some time today.

You may not have missed the big show after all.

Millions of people all over the world took Friday’s doomsday prediction seriously.

Consider some of the events that have taken place in just the last two weeks:

* So many religious pilgrims were trekking to Uritorco, a sacred Indian mountain peak in Argentina, that authorities blocked access to it earlier this week for fear of a "massive spiritual suicide."

* The mayor of Bugarach, a tiny mountaintop village in the French Pyrenees believed to be a frequent rest stop for alien spacecraft, banned end-of-the-world UFO watchers who were streaming into town, but undaunted local farmers continue renting out their houses for $2,000 a night.

* Tikal, a large Mayan archaeological site in northern Guatemala, is awash in New Age spiritualists and Star Wars geeks who believe the ancient city is certain to play a key role in the Mayan spectacular.

Local police have been generally tolerant, but did eject 13 naked women dancing and chanting around a fire near temple ruins last week.

* If you were planning to wait out the apocalypse on Rtanj mountain in eastern Serbia, where space aliens supposedly concealed a protective pyramid during a secret visit more than a thousand years ago (oops, guess that cat's out of the bag now), better forget it.

All the mountain's hundreds of hotel rooms are booked.

* In China, the Christian group Almighty God told its followers that Friday was going to be the apocalypse.

* NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, has received so many phone calls from panicky citizens that it produces a video for its Website explaining why the world is not ending this weekend.

* Various cities throughout Russia and Lithuania have experienced survivalist runs on everything from salt to candles to vodka.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, in a televised plea for everybody to calm down, probably didn't help matters when he said he didn't believe the world was ending but then added gravely: "At least, not this year."

Then, under the misimpression that he was off-camera, joked to reporters that the first things presented to a new Russian president are a briefcase with nuclear launch codes and a folder identifying all the secret space aliens hiding out in the country.

Many Russians didn’t believe he was joking.

* A Bomb-shelter manufacturer in the United States has reported that while it normally sells one pre-fabricated bunker per month, that since December 1st it has been selling one a day—at $100,000 a bunker.

Obviously there has been great fascination—and anxiety—with the approach of the so-called “Mayan Apocalypse” as the 13,000-year cycle of the Maya Long Count Calendar drew to a close just twenty-four hours ago.

According to an international poll carried out by Ipsos Global Public Affairs on behalf of Reuters News, 22 percent of Americans believe they will experience some kind of Armageddon in their lifetime.

When asked specifically about the idea that an ancient Mesoamerican calendar can foretell doom, 12 percent of Americans agreed with the statement: "the Mayan calendar, which some say 'ends' in 2012, marks the end of the world."

That means thirty-six million Americans are either disappointed or relieved or perhaps a little of both.

Whether frightening or funny, the end of the world is a topic of considerable interest and much debate.

I know that some of you are thinking to yourselves, “Whoa ... what in the world does this have to do with Christmas???” I’m glad you’re thinking that question, because the end of the world has everything to do with Christmas.

The season of Advent has always been a time for the people of God to reflect not only on the first coming of Christ as a baby born to take away the sins of the world, but on his second coming as Lord of lords, and King of kings.

!

I. THE FIRST ADVENT IS A TIME TO REFLECT ON CHRIST’S GRACE

#. look again at our text for this morning ...

* /“so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”/

(Hebrews 9:28, NIV84)

#. the first half of verse 28 is all about the First Advent which is also all about sin

#. when Jesus came the first time He was offered up by God to bear the sins of many people

#. why did God have to do this?

...

!! A. MEN ARE SPIRITUALLY LOST AND WITHOUT HOPE

#. that Jesus was sacrificed to take away sin implies that men have a sin problem

#. our sin problem alienates us from God

#. the Apostle Paul speaks to the sinner’s spiritual condition in his Letter to the Ephesian Christians

* /“Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done n the body by the hands of men)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.”/

(Ephesians 2:11–12, NIV84)

#. in theses verses, that Apostle Paul reminds the Gentile converts of their former state of life without Christ

#. he uses language that his readers clearly understood

#. in verses 11-12 Paul lists five characteristics of their lost, unregenerate nature

#.

Separated from Christ

#. their spiritual life was like a large, empty expanse—a wasteland

#. if you are not united with Christ, then you are separated from Christ

#. there is no middle ground of almost being a Christian

#. men who are separated from Christ have nothing about their character or conduct that commends them to God

* /“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”/

(Isaiah 64:6, NIV84)

#.

Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel

#. the word commonwealth recalls the concept of ancient Greek city-states, whereby a city or country provided numerous valuable advantages, benefits, and privileges for its citizens, but withheld them from foreigners

#. in other words, the lost man has no rights to the spiritual blessings of God

#.

Foreigners to the Covenants of the Promise

#. out of His sovereign grace God elected Israel to be His chosen people

#. that choice began with the calling of Abram and was re-emphasized again and again through God's covenant promises to Israel

#. under the Old Testament covenant, the Gentile nations had been excluded from that covenant relationship

#. they were spiritual strangers and alienated from the love and grace of God

#. they were like aliens in a foreign land who have no legal or social standing

#.

Without Hope

* ILLUS.

Some of you remember Bill McGlohon.

He was an elderly man who moved to Linn many years ago to attend Linn Technical College and earn a degree in Avionics.

To this day I believe he still their oldest graduate earning his degree at the age of 77.

One night, about 2:00AM the phone range.

It was the Jefferson City Police telling me that they had a gentleman in their station who was needing help.

(Why were they calling me?)

They said I knew him.

Then, in the background I heard this voice say, “How you doing pastor?”

I recognized Bill’s voice.

He had driven to Jefferson City the following morning for a doctor’s appointment and to run some errands.

In trying to get home he had gotten hopelessly lost.

He drove around for sixteen hours trying to get on Hwy.

50 East heading to Linn, but kept making wrong turns.

The police finally stopped him because at 1:00 AM he was going about twenty-five miles-an-hour on Hwy.

63 headed toward Columbia—where he’d already been once.

I went and picked Bill up and drove him home.

After a few hours sleep, I picked him up and drove back to Jefferson City so he could get his truck and follow me back to Linn.

When I asked him if he’d stopped and asked for directions he said “Nope.”

When I asked him why, he said, “I just knew that I could find me own way home.

Beside, I didn’t want to admit that I was lost!”

#. there are hundreds of people in our own community who are like Bill McGlohon

#. they are driving around in spiritual circles, unwilling to stop and ask for directions

#. until they do, they will never have any confidence that heaven is their eternal home—they are without hope

#.

Without God in the World

#. the phrase without God is one word in the original language of the New Testament and is the word for which we get our word /atheist/

#. the Gentiles were not atheists in the modern sense, for the gentiles of that day believed in many gods

#. they were atheists in the sense that they did not believe in the One true and living God who has revealed himself in Christ Jesus our Lord

#. sin separates us from God and creates a wall of hostility between us and the Lord

#. this is why the First Advent had to take place

#. the First Advent had everything to do with bearing sin

!! B. THROUGH THE BLOOD OF CHRIST SINNERS CAN BE RECONCILED TO GOD

#. our Lord Jesus shuts the door in no one's face who comes to him in repentance and faith

#. the blood of Christ opens the way for sinners and Jesus invites both Jew and Gentile, male and female, bond or free, the mighty or the lowly to accept the peace that God offers

#. why did God come in the flesh?

#.

He came to redeem us—to cover our sins by paying the ultimate price

#.

He came to reveal God's character and nature to us

#. if you want to know all about God, then simply get to know all about Jesus

#.

He came to reconcile us to Himself