Sermon Tone Analysis

Preparing the World

Time is on God’s side

He invented it

Abraham and time

gen 15:

The nativity was on schedule

All this was by God’s design

Do NOT buy into the lie that the Old and New Testaments can be disconnected from one another or that all we need are the gospels

There is an over-arching meta-narrative to human history.

What is taking place now is about fulfilling what came before.

1689 3.1 Of God’s Decree

God hath decreed in himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably, all things, whatsoever comes to pass; yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin nor hath fellowship with any therein; nor is violence offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established; in which appears his wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing his decree.

Men are not puppets; our choices are real and meaningful, but yet God has been Sovereignly working, weaving the affairs of men according to His plan since creation

So it should be no surprise that the nativity happened on God’s predetermined schedule

Preparing the Way

John as Herald

Kingdom Presence

That long fore-told Kingdom had finally come

Repentance and forgiveness were indicators of this

Kingdom Inclusion

all flesh = Jew and Gentile

Simeon

The purpose:

John as Baptizer

Washing was nothing new to the Jews

luke 3:7-

Elisha and Namaan

2 kings 5:14

Yet there was something new and different about this washing; this baptism - it was required/prerequisite for membership in a local church

Temple - Synagogue - Local Church

So then, not only was John preparing for Jesus’ ministry in a general sense, acting as a herald, he was literally by means of baptism preparing the people to be formed together into a local church by Christ

So then, God left nothing to chance in preparing the world for Jesus’s coming.

He further left nothing to chance in preparing the people to be the first church.

The pattern being set, now ask yourself, “How has God prepared and/or how IS He preparing me?”

Preparing You

For Salvation:

It is by hearing the law of God and of His judgment that God awakens us to our own fallen state and need of Christ

It is by the proclaiming of the gospel of Jesus that sinners see the answer, see their savior: Jesus!

It is only by the moving and working of God’s Free and Holy Spirit that we are awakened and drawn to Christ, and there enabled to trust Him to the saving of our souls!

For Glory:

rom

We cannot understand how, yet scripture plainly states that the entirety of our lives is about bringing us to resemble Christ!

What have you given up? lost?

Even to the losing of our loved ones, yet God in His Sovereignty has purposed to redeem our suffering in this to His glory and our good!

All flesh will see the salvation of God.

Our continued presence and gospel ministry are for the purpose of preparing our lost loved ones to be saved.

Those who are in Christ are presently being prepared to be with God forever.

Let us commit ourselves to His preparation!