Sermon Tone Analysis

Relationships Renewed

The story of Christmas is this: Relationships Renewed

For God so loved the World that he gave His one and only Son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

Jesus came so that our relationship with the Lord could be renewed.

This relationship was broken when we sinned and Jesus came born of a virgin and was the penalty for our sin.

Whosoever believes in him experiences relationships renewed.

I will never forget making a joke that almost cost me my life.

Amy and I went to see the doctor because Amy was pregnant.

On this particular day we were in the waiting room and it happened that many other ladies who were about to go in to labor were waiting on the doctor.

The ladies were in pain and ready to meet their new child.

They were hurting and you could tell.

I sometimes think the Lord gets mommas ready to meet their little one and makes them miserable enough that they can endure the pains of labor because they are so miserable.

So you can imagine a small waiting room and many mothers around in pain moaning and hurting.

Amy and I finished the visit with the doctor and were were leaving the office.

I got to the car where we were safe and I told Amy, “Man those ladies were in so much pain before we went in” Amy responded with “I know” then I said to her, “I almost looked at them all and said ladies surely it is not that bad please quiet down”.

You can see that this would have cost me my life.

Being pregnant is a tuff job.

I have never been pregnant but I have survived 4 of my wife’s pregnancy and it was not easy for her.

The people in Judah did not respect the Jews in Galilee and claimed they were not “kosher” because of the their contacts with the Gentiles there.

These Jews especially did not respect the people that are from Nazareth.

Grace of God

This is another beautiful picture of God’s grace.

God in his grace chooses a poor teenage girl from Nazareth in Galilee to be the mother of the promised Messiah.

This is the story of relationships renewed!

You see God in the middle of our messes he reaches down and chooses the unlikely girl from Nazareth in Galilee and calls her to be the mother of the Messiah.

This Christmas season God in the middle of your mess is desiring to reach down and restore His relationship with you through His son Jesus.

(Story)

Luke 1:27-

Luke 1:

As if being pregnant is not hard in itself, Mary is engaged to Joseph and she is a virgin.

Imagine the ridicule she faced when others found out that she was pregnant and she was engaged to Joseph.

I am sure the rumors were circulating about her.

I am sure many people did not believe what she told about the angel coming to her.

As if being pregnant is not hard in itself, Mary is engaged to Joseph and she is a virgin.

Imagine the ridicule she faced when others found out that she was pregnant and she was engaged to Joseph.

I am sure the rumors were circulating about her.

I am sure many people did not believe what she told about the angel coming to her.

The angel comes to Mary and says rejoice, favored woman.

The words favored woman mean “greatly graced”

Mary is poor, she is engaged, she is from Nazareth in Galilee.

She is unlikely in the eyes of others.

God reaches down to Mary and says you who are greatly graced.

I love this greatly graced!

I identify with Mary here because this morning the fact that I get to hear this story and worship God freely I like Mary am greatly graced.

As we talk about Relationships renewed it would be my prayer that your attitude would be this that you recognized that God in His goodness has greatly graced you as well.

Relationship with our creator is renewed because of His great grace on us.

Mary’s response is that she was deeply troubled by this statement and wondered what kind of greeting this could be.

Notice the humility of Mary.

Mary’s response to this greeting is a great example for us all.

Everyone wants to be somebody and wants to get noticed.

The angel says to Mary that you are highly favored and her response is deeply troubled and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

The response is one of humility.

As we seek relationships renewed may our spirit and attitude be the same of Mary.

May our spirit be one of humility.

Greatness of the Son

Luke 1:31

You will give birth to a son and you will call His name Jesus.

The name Jesus literally means Savior.

His name will be Jesus because he will save people from their sins.

Jesus was fully man as he was born by the virgin mother.

The virgin birth and the incarnation of Jesus Christ meaning that he became fully man is essential to the Christian faith.

Verse 32 says he will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.

If Jesus was not born of a virgin, then he would have been created.

We believe in the Virgin birth because the word of God says this but also we believe in the virgin birth because we believe Jesus being fully God has always existed and was not something that was created to save us from our sin.

He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.

The focus in the verses is not on the greatness of the Mother but the focus here is on the greatness of the son that the mother will have.

The focus here is Jesus.

Mary Believed the Word of God

Luke 1:

Mary asked the question of How.

This is different then Zachariah’s question last week.

Zachariah’s question was one of unbelief.

Mary’s question is one of I believe but tell me how this can be since I have not been intimate with a man.

Mary’s response is the right response

She ask the question of how will this happen.

Relationships renewed between Our God and us may we learn the skill of asking how things happen verses asking if they will happen.

God how do you plan to accomplish your plan rather than asking God will you accomplish your plan.

God I believe you that it will happen but what is your plan to make it come about?

Contrast would be: God I don’t think you have heard me.

God why did you do this to me.

Mary did not question that God could do this but she asked how he would do this.

Mary is a beautiful example for us because she does not question she simply ask how it will take place.

Luke 1:35-

The angel answers her and says The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will over shadow you.

The holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

That’s the answer that Mary gets.

When you think about this that is some pretty little details.

Not a whole lot is there.

The angel then tells about Elizabeth and the power of God through both Mary and Elizabeth.

Nothing is impossible with God.

Mary responds to this simple explanation with I am the Lord’s slave.

May it be done to me according to your word.

A “bondwoman” was the lowest kind of female servant, which shows how much Mary trusted God.

Mary believed the word of God and her response is one of humility.

This heart is key in Relationships Renewed.

It is key to be humble in your relationship with Jesus.

If you think this relationship with Jesus is all about you, then it is time to renew this and take the posture of Mary.

I am the Lord’s slave.

Humility is key in our relationship with others.

If you think relationships with others is all about you, then it is time to renew those relationships and take the posture of humility in all relationships.