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
0.08UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.09UNLIKELY
Fear
0.61LIKELY
Joy
0.63LIKELY
Sadness
0.51LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.59LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.62LIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.83LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.54LIKELY
Extraversion
0.1UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.81LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.51LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
Intro
We love to talk about Christmas, but we move past the incredible beauty and purpose of Christmas.
This morning, I’d like take you to a small piece of farmland outside of town, away from the brick and stone.
Young immigrant woman.
If God cared about her, it was in the past.
But Christmas was coming…Boaz…lineage
God had a plan, its greater than she thought, and she was included.
Great-grandson
The young son, out in the cold
If God cared about him, maybe his circumstance would be different.
But God…Protection…
God had a plan, it is greater than David thought, and he’s included.
Simple shepherds
Simple guys.
Rascals?
Probably represent humble?
Unable to go to the Temple
If God cared about them...
Text
God had a plan, it’s greater than they thought, and they were included.
Text
Shepherds
Angel - suddenly appears.
The Greek indicates the angel moves toward them.
The glory of the Lord glowed around them.
What in the world?
Cloud and light.
The OT word is Shekinah.
Contrasts against the night sky.
This is the palpable presence of God himself.
Fear - the inevitable effect of being somewhere you don’t belong or deserve to be.
“They feared with mega fear.”
It’s easy to understand.
We realize we don’t belong there...
Don’t miss the incredible fact that Christmas is not about man’s achievement.
This isn’t about us trying harder, or doing better, or creating world peace.
Here is the great difference between Christianity and religion.
Religion is about man’s attempt to please a god.
Christmas is about God becoming a man so He can do what we cannot.
Religion builds fear, shame, and guilt.
Christianity, Christmas, is about the incredible love of God that drives him to come to us to take away the fear, shame, and guilt we have created.
Inclusive?????
The angel says, “Don’t be afraid.”
God is doing this.
He wishes to interact with the creation he loves.
Good news that will result in mega joy.
How?
Luke 2.11
Today, in the Town of David.
This has been God’s plan all along.
The angel gives three particular titles that let us in on what God is doing?
This is the only place in the NT where this combination appears.
Savior - a deliverer.
Think in military terms.
The shepherds would have been accustomed to hearing about Caesar as savior but now the true Savior has arrived.
Think of the struggles and messes of our lives.
Messiah - Christ.
The anointed one.
This is the one through whom God will act.
He is the one through whom all of God’s redemptive work will occur.
All of the work of heaven will occur through the person and work of Jesus.
How does God intend to work in your life?
Through Jesus.
Lord - as Luke progresses, the term will clearly come to refer to the absolute sovereignty and divine relationship that Jesus possesses as the one who brings salvation.
Think about it, if you’re one of these poor shepherds.
Heaven has just announced that THE deliverer from heaven, the one through whom all God’s redemptive action will happen.
The sovereign Lord himself is here.
as Luke progresses, the term will clearly come to refer to the absolute sovereignty and divine relationship that Jesus possesses as the one who brings salvation.
God has a plan, it’s greater than they think, and their part of it.
But the angel says the oddest thing.
They’ll find him wrapped in strips of cloth laying in a manger?
3x the manger is mentioned.
While there may be other babies wrapped in strips of cloth, only one would be laying in a manger!
Pic of Manger - explain
Pic of home - explain
We tend to think of there not being room.
That’s not the case.
Americans think of personal space.
This child is outside in a manger because this child is rejected.
This is not the only time Mary will see her son wrapped in strips of cloth and lying on a stone slab.
He was rejected so we could be accepted.
He was humbled so we could be lifted up.
He was shamed to remove ours.
He was exposed to the cold so we could feel the warmth of God’s presence.
He felt the conflict, so we could experience the peace of God himself.
The angels said,
God had a plan, Christmas, it’s greater than you think, and you get to be part of it.
Suddenly, the angel isn’t alone.
The heavenly version of the Navy Seals’ show choir erupts in praise!
Suddenly, the angel isn’t alone.
The heavenly version of the Navy Seals’ show choir erupts in praise!
.
Duh
Can you imagine the oddity of the scene?
Mary and Joseph are dealing with the harsh reality that their child is scandalous.
Joseph a fool?
Mary not welcome inside.
Tense moments!
Shepherds?
A Manger?
This is the worst possible scenario.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9