Sermon Tone Analysis

ANNOUNCEMENTS

We are so excited to build a team here at Lift

OPEN Young Adult Retreat

A team that is excited about seeing people begin, continue, and press on in this journey with Jesus

We want to give you all the opportunity to serve

All we are looking for is availability, humility, and vision to see God work.

If that is you, I would love to chat with you after service.

How pumped are you all for today?

Can we just give the Lord some praise for this Monday?

A day normally seen as a hassle, but to us, it is such a joy to be here with you.

LAST WEEK

We looked at the Messy Genealogy of Jesus Christ

We concluded that if God could use those people

There is nothing that should stop us from being available

If God could turn a liar into the Father of the Faith

If God could use a prostitute to protect His People

If God could change the mind of Jesus’ Step Dad

He could use anyone to further His Kingdom

He could use anyone to bring Hope to the Hopeless

THIS WEEK

We are going to pick it up in Chapter 2 of the Gospel of Matthew

What I would like for us to ask ourselves is this:

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST REACTION WHEN YOU HEARD THE NAME OF JESUS?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR US TO CALL HIM KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS?

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN JESUS IS CENTRALIZED?

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE ACCEPT THE INVITATION TO FOLLOW JESUS?

CAN WE LIVE ETERNALLY SECURE WITHOUT AN EARTHLY TRANSFORMATION?

AND INTERPRET IT VARIOUS DIFFERENT WAYS

WE CAN LISTEN TO THE SAME SERMON

AND RESPOND IN TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT WAYS

WE CAN BE PART OF THE SAME CHURCH

YET BE ON TWO SEPARATE JOURNEYS

ASK YOURSELF

HOW CAN WE LIVE A MORE CHRIST CENTERED LIFE?

TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND ASK THEM

HOW CAN WE DO THIS TOGETHER?

WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL THOUGHT WHEN YOU FIRST HEARD THE GOSPEL MESSAGE?

MAYBE TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY YOU’VE HEARD THE NAME OF JESUS CONSISTENTLY

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN GOSPEL BEGINS TO TRANSFORM US FROM THE INSIDE OUT?

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE MORE TENURED SAINTS

HOW DOES JESUS’ KINGSHIP EFFECT OUR EVERY DAY LIFE?

“JESUS IS LIFE CHANGING”

ASK YOUR NEIGHBOR

Announcements

Home Group this Thursday 6pm Mexico Missions Trip coming up in May Get your passports

Last Week

“DO YOU KNOW THAT JESUS LOVES YOU?”

We looked at the Scandalous Arrival of Jesus We looked at the history of a Jewish Marriage The Process The Details How it would have went down for Mary & Joseph How the Will of God put them in a tough position But Joseph realized that the Will of God was better than any advice or counsel that he could ever receive from those around him.

This Week

READ

TURN TO

PRAY THAT GOD WOULD REVEAL HIMSELF TO US.

THAT HIS PERFECT WILL WOULD CHALLENGE US TO EMBRACE THE PROCESS OF CHANGE.

MATTHEW 2:1

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?

For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

Let’s begin to set the scene For 400 years there hasn't been any spiritual action in Jerusalem or the world for that matter No Prophets No Voice Crying in the Wilderness No Call to repentance The only thing that had grown is the dominance of the Roman Government Because of the great opposition between the Romans and the Jews Augustus, the Roman Emperor at that time, knew he needed a strong leader over the region of Judea He needed someone Narcissistic He needed someone ruthless He needed Herod the Great A man who was insecure and thought everyone wanted to take his throne, including his kids Augustus admittedly said “It is safer to be Herod’s sow than his son” “It is safer to be one of Herod’s pigs, than it is to be his own flesh and blood” This dude was a genius, but he was gnarly He built a crazy kingdom for himself Filled with Fortresses in Masada, the Herodium Aqueducts throughout Jerusalem Constructed the Second Temple This dude was indeed great, but something happened when Jesus came into this world As we read, some wise men came from the East to Jerusalem Who where these guys?

These guys were Magoi, or Magos The name given by the Babylonians (Chaldeans), Medes, Persians, and others, to the wise men, teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, augers, soothsayers, sorcerers, and false prophets These men, may have been Jewish exiles living in the East due to the extradition that had happened in centuries past.

Like any psychic, they may have a hunch of whats happening, but they are looking for some evidence So after seeing His Star The Star of Jesus The star that was mentioned in I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, They booked it to Jerusalem to go Worship Him.

Think about it for a second These dudes were known as outcasts, secular in every way Yet, in contrast to the religious leaders They were the ones actively looking for the Messiah While the others made sure they polished their white washed tombs.

These dudes were actively seeking out the Messiah My question is: Why would God reveal himself to men who would be known as false prophets?

Why would He chose women to be the first to tell of His resurrection?

Why would His angel appear to Shepherds, who had no voice in Society?

Why would wise men, astronomers, be looking for Jesus?

God was definitely doing something different Something new Something out of this world While some where excited about what Jesus was doing Others reacted in a troublesome way

LETS SET THE SCENE

For 400 years there hasn't been any spiritual movement in Jerusalem or the world for that matter

No Prophets

No Voice Crying in the Wilderness

No Call to repentance

The only thing that had grown is the dominance of the Roman Government

Because of the great opposition between the Romans and the Jews

Augustus, the Roman Emperor at that time,

Knew he needed a strong leader over the region of Judea

He needed someone Narcissistic

He needed someone ruthless

He needed Herod the Great

A man who was power hungry and insecure and thought everyone wanted to take his throne, including his kids

Augustus admittedly said “It is safer to be Herod’s sow than his son”

“It is safer to be one of Herod’s pigs, than it is to be his own flesh and blood”

This dude was gnarly, but a gnarly genius

He built a crazy kingdom for himself

Filled with Fortresses in Masada, the Herodium

Aqueducts throughout Jerusalem

This dude was indeed great, but something happened when Jesus came into this world

As we read, some wise men came from the East to Jerusalem

Who where these guys?

These guys were Magoi, or Magos

The name given by the Babylonians (Chaldeans), Medes, Persians, and others, to the wise men, teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, augers, soothsayers, sorcerers, and false prophets

These men, may have been Jewish exiles living in the East due to the extradition that had happened in centuries past.

Like any psychic, they may have a hunch of what was happening

So after seeing His Star

The Star of Jesus

The star that was mentioned in

A start shall come out of Jacob

Representing the Scepter that would rise out of Israel

They booked it to Jerusalem to go Worship Him.

Think about it for a second

These dudes were known as outcasts, secular in every way