Sermon Tone Analysis

Welcome

Good Morning!

I’m Pastor Wayne and I’d like to welcome you all to the gathering of Ephesus Baptist Church.

It’s nice to see so your smiling faces.

But, I’d especially like to welcome those of you who are here for the first or second time.

Know that you are surrounded by some pretty amazing people.

This is an active community on a mission with Jesus.

We don’t all share the same story; in fact, we come from many different paths.

But here, we are one people giving our all to love god, love others, proclaim Jesus, and make disciples in our generation.

I invite you to sign in and let us know you were here.

We have a connect card in the pew in front of you.

Please be sure to include your name, email, and address.

You can place those cards in the offering plate when it comes around.

We have a great prayer team who stand ready to lift you up in prayer.

If you have prayer request, you can leave those on the connect card as well.

We simply want to provide you with the information you need.

We want to help you decide if this is a place you’d like to become a part of.

So, for those of you new to Ephesus Baptist Church… welcome!

I hope you will find the people sitting next to you are real, and really great.

Thank you for visiting with us today!

Scripture Memory

Opening Scripture

Lighting of the Advent Candle

Oxendine’s

On the fourth week of Advent, we light the final purple candle to mark the final week of prayer and repentance as we wait for the birth of our Savior.

This final candle, the “Angel’s Candle,” symbolizes peace.

It reminds us of the message of the angels: “Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men.”

Pastor’s Family

The wreath and candles are full of symbolism tied to the Christmas season.

The wreath itself, which is made of various evergreens, signifies continuous life.

The circle of the wreath, which has no beginning or end, symbolizes the eternity of God, the immortality of the soul, and the everlasting life we find in Christ.

The white candle placed in the middle of the wreath is called the “Christ Candle” and represents the life of Christ.

The color white is for purity—because Christ is our sinless, pure Savior.

Introduction

Two more nights and we will awaken to Christmas morning!

Two more nights and we will celebrate the most joyous occasion the world seems to know: Christmas!

No song captures the Joy the world should recognize better than the song Joy to the World!

The words were written by the famous English hymn writer Issac Watts (1674-1748) and first published in 1719.

(Issac Watts is credited with some 750 hymns)

It was based on the second half of Psalm 98 and though it is one of the most popular and beloved Christmas hymns of all time, it was written to celebrate not the first coming of Christ, but his second coming at the end of history.

Listen to the lyrics once more!

Joy to the World, the Lord has come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room, And Heav’n and nature sing,

And Heav’n and nature sing, And Heav’n, and Heav’n, and nature sing,

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!

Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, Repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessings flow, Far as the curse is found,

Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love,

And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Jesus does rule the world with truth and grace.

The question for all of us to ask and answer this day: “Does he rule my heart, my life, my church with His truth and grace?”

Today we are going to ponder the Christmas story and allow it to inspect our hearts this day!

What we are studying in these verses is not just a story, a fable, or a myth.

These things really happened.

This should be a celebration, a fun and happy occasion.

I pray it will give us joy and lead us to worship as we wonder anew at the message of Christmas!

1. O Little Town of Bethlehem.

2:1-5

Bethlehem was the right town at the right time!

Luke connects his narrative to events in world history.

He connects Christmas with Caesar Augustus: The first Roman emperor (31 B.C. – A.D. 14).

who expanded the Roman empire to include the entire Mediterranean world.

In doing so, he established the popular expression Pax Romana (“The Peace of Rome”).

God used the decree of pagan emperor to fulfill the prophecy of Micah 5:2 that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

The Right Town

Joseph and Mary, both descendants of King David, hailed from Bethlehem, the birthplace of King David.

Bethlehem, the city of David, is generally thought to mean “House of Bread.”

How fitting is it that the “Bread of Life” should be born in the city known as the “House of Bread.”

Bethlehem is one of the oldest cities still in existence and is located six miles south of Jerusalem.

The Right Time

The Peace of Rome didn’t come free, it had a cost.

Every citizen under Roman authority had to pay taxes.

That is what the census is all about.

Some things never change do they?

Whether Uncle Caesar, or Uncle Sam, we all have to pay taxes to someone.

Bethlehem was at least a three day journey from Nazareth.

That would have been about 80-90 miles through the wilderness.

This was the journey of Joseph and Mary.

It was to the right town, and it was at the right time.

God was about to redeem humanity, and with the Pax Romana in place, there was never a better time.

O Little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie!

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep The silent stars go by.

Yet in thy dark streets shineth The Everlasting Light;

The hopes and fears of all the years, are met in thee tonight.

2. Hail, Thou Long Expected Jesus.

Luke 2:8-12

Jesus came to the right town and to the right time for the right reason: Our Salvation!

We are truly the reason for the season!

Jesus is the architect of the season.

The “Ancient of Days” planned it from ancient days.

I have always found it interesting the good news was first announced to lowly shepherds!

Shepherds often have a bad reputation, as people describe them as despised, unclean, and untrustworthy.

But the Bible has a different view, as shepherds are often seen in a positive light.

They are the lowly and humble, those unimportant to and forgotten by the world, but not by God.

They are common, everyday people like you and me.