Sermon Tone Analysis

The Majestic Gift

Luke 2:8-21

Introduction: Why do we call it Majestic?

Definition- “Dignity of person or appearance, splendid, grand, elevated, lofty.”

Majestic comes from the word “majesty”

MAJ´ESTY, n. [L.

majestas, from the root of magis, major, more, greater.]

1. Greatness of appearance; dignity; grandeur; dignity of aspect or manner; the quality or state of a person or thing which inspires awe or reverence in the beholder; applied with peculiar propriety to God and his works.

Jehovah reigneth; he is clothed with majesty.

Ps. 93.

The voice of Jehovah is full of majesty.

Ps. 29.

GIFT, n. [from give.]

A present; any thing given or bestowed; any thing, the property of which is voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation; a donation.

It is applicable to any thing movable or immovable.

The Christmas story never grows old.

It is fresh every year.

It is not a holiday—it’s a holy day.

Without Christ, there would be no Christmas.

Christmas is the birthday of Jesus.

It’s easy to be so busy we crowd Christ out of our Christmas.

The Majestic Gift of Jesus Christ to the world....

I.

The Announcement of the Angel-vs.

9-12

95 Large Audience Of Angels

An old minister worked into the night on a sermon for his small congregation.

His unsympathetic wife chided him for spending so much time on a message that so few will appreciate.

To this the minister replied: “You forget, my dear, how large my audience will be!”

If angels are looking, nothing on earth done for Christ is trivial.

A. Compelling—vs.

8–9

1. Made to common men

Note: We see God moving and working in hearts throughout world history….

Illustration: In a survey, nearly a third of those questioned stated that, of all the persons mentioned in the Christmas story, they identified the most with the shepherds.

They were your average, ordinary, everyday working people and were invited to see the birth of the King of kings!

2. Made in a startling way

“they were sore afraid.”

B. Comforting—v.

10

Psalms 23:4

4- Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Psalms 119:50

50- This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

Matthew 9:22

22- But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.

And the woman was made whole from that hour.

1 Thessalonians 4:18

18- Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

C. Comprehensive—vs.

11–12

Note: Christ is identified

Note: In verse 11 the angel revealed the provision, a 3-fold sign of Messiah’s coming

· The location fulfilled—“City of David”—Bethlehem

Micah 5:2

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

· The purpose fulfilled—“A Saviour”–– The promise of a Saviour to Israel as well as the world.

Luke 19:10

10- For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Matthew 1:21

21- And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

· The Person fulfilled—“Christ the Lord”—It is the Messiah that is coming who is the Lord.

Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Note: The angel told the shepherds they would find the babe “wrapped in swaddling clothes,…”—vs.

12.

The swaddling clothes comes from a word which means strips of cloth.

Very similar to the type of cloth used in the burial process.

Hebrews 2:14–16

14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Colossians 2:9

For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

II.

The Adoration of the Heavenly Host—vs.

13–14

A. The description of the host

B. The declaration of the host

Note: Luke’s Gospel is filled with glory and praise to God!

Note: An army of angels sings God’s praise.

Heb 1:6–8

6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

III.

The Action of the Shepherds—vs.

15–17

A. Their pursuit for Christ—vs.

15–16

Note: In verse 10 the angel told the shepherds that he was bringing “good tiding of great joy, which shall be to all people.”

This announcement was good news to all people because Jesus came for all people.

(He is a light to all people.)

Illustration: One Santa Clause said, “While working as a mall Santa, I had many children ask for electric trains.

‘If you get a train,’ I would tell each one, ‘you know your dad is going to want to play with it too.

Is that okay?’

The usual answer was a quick yes, but after I asked one boy this question, he became very quiet.

Trying to move the conversation along, I asked what else he would like Santa to bring him.

He promptly replied, “Another train.”’

Isaiah 49:6–7

6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

7 Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.

Note: That is what John the Baptist was sent to proclaim—the message of light coming into this darkened world

John 1:7–9

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

The Gospel of John declares He came into the world and to Israel but not everyone received Him