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
0.09UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.07UNLIKELY
Fear
0.08UNLIKELY
Joy
0.67LIKELY
Sadness
0.56LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.12UNLIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.39UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.88LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.84LIKELY
Extraversion
0.26UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.9LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.74LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
Introduction
I’m sure as you drive around town you see posters of some kind that say, “Jesus is the Reason for the season.”
I’m assuming people feel the need to place these signs up because we as a society are quickly forgetting the meaning of Christmas.
I was watching 911 last week and one of the characters said, “Christmas is about being with family and friends during the holidays.”
I would say that is a good summarization of what most people believe about the holidays.
You will have some religious that will put up nativity scenes in the yard to remember little baby Jesus.
Some are like Ricky Bobby and prefer little baby Jesus in a manger.
He did grow up y'all, and do stuff.
He showed us the character of God, died for our sin, resurrected from the dead, and ascended into heaven.
Jesus is alive today.
Christmas is not just a celebration of the birth of Jesus but the coming of the Savior of the world.
The time of Jesus birth was just the beginning of the Christmas story.
We are still living in the Christmas story today.
For the next two weeks I want to spend some time looking at the Christmas story in the book of Luke.
Luke gives us the most detail in chapters one and two about the coming of Christ the first time.
Do you realize the birth of Jesus wasn’t the only significant birth to happen at that time.
It was not the only miraculous birth.
The book begins with the birth of John.
John’s birth was also a miraculous birth.
This was not like any other birth that we read about in history.
John would be born to a priest named Zechariah and his barren wife Elizabeth.
Zechariah, while performing his priestly duties, is visited by Gabriel in the temple even before he visited Mary.
John was going to be a big deal.
John would be filled with the Spirit of God before he was born.
Luke 1:
The birth of John would serve as both a conformation and a witness that the Lord has come to his people.
John is the fulfilment of the last prophecy given to Israel prior to the 400 years of silence between the testaments.
Mal
Mal 4:
An angel appearing to Zechariah in the temple wasn’t enough.
Zechariah wants another sign as if Gabriel is not enough and is punished by make him unable to speak.
Elizabeth conceives and is pregnant for 5 months when Gabriel comes to Mary.
After Mary receives the news that she will bear the Savior.
Gabriel tells her about Elizabeth.
Luke 1:36
So, this miraculous birth of John was a sign to Mary that what was told to her is true.
Many times God proves a miraculous birth with a miraculous birth.
Mary runs to Elizabeth’s house to share what happened.
Let’s pick up the story in
Mary runs to Elizabeth’s house to share what happened.
Let’s pick up the story in
Luke 1:41-
John was testifying and confirming Christ before he was even born.
Finally John is born.
Everyone wants to call him Zechariah after his father but God had already given him his name.
Elizabeth said, His name is John.
They argued with her.
Zechariah wrote down on a tablet, His name is John.
And immediately he could talk again.
Luke 1:67
Now we get to the meat of the message this morning.
Let’s look at what the Spirit says about John through the prophecy of his dad.
Luke 1:76
Luke 1:7
The Holy Spirit’s Witness of John’s Ministry
To prepare the way of the Lord.
To give the knowledge of salvation to his people.
To realize their forgiveness of sins through Christ.
To show the tender mercies of our God.
To give light to those who sit in darkness.
To guide our feet into the way of peace.
As I read through this list I had to stop because I realized this is the exact same thing that the Holy Spirit does through us today.
Then I began to see it.
John is filled with the Holy Spirit.
Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit.
Zechariah is filled with the Holy Spirit.
This is what the Holy Spirit does.
When the Holy Spirit comes upon you there is a very specific work he does through you.
He prepares the way of the Lord.
He gives the knowledge of salvation to his people.
He reveals their forgiveness of sins through Christ.
He shows the tender mercies of our God.
He gives light to those who sit in darkness.
He guides our feet into the way of peace.
The same Holy Spirit that was in John, Elizabeth, and Zechariah dwells in us.
So what do you think the Holy Spirit would be doing through us?
We prepare people for the coming of the Lord.
through our witness and God’s Word we set a clear path to Christ living in expectation of his coming.
We are the heralds of the age to come.
If we don’t tell people about his coming they will be unprepared.
We share the knowledge of salvation.
Our lives are holy, set apart, unto the Lord.
We give an answer for the hope we have in Christ.
We declare God’s forgiveness and mercy.
Learning to live in God’s forgiveness and mercy for ourselves.
Displaying the forgiveness and mercy of God on others.
We shine light to the darkness.
The light that God has shined in our hearts we are to share with the world.
We are the Christmas lights that light up the night with hope and beauty.
We guide people into the way of peace.
Walk through the slide
We prepare people for the coming of the Lord.
Through our witness and God’s Word we set a clear path to Christ living in expectation of his coming.
We are the heralds of the age to come.
If we don’t tell people about his coming they will be unprepared.
We prepare the way of the Lord.
We share the knowledge of salvation.
We are living examples of a miraculous birth.
Our lives are holy, set apart, unto the Lord.
Our miraculous brith is proof that others can have a miraculous birth.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9