Sermon Tone Analysis

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Introduction:
Was Jesus a Refugee?
Some of you have heard of the church that placed a display of Joseph, Mary and Jesus within chainlink fences to co-opt the nativity as a political statement.
After leaving my phone on the nightstand on Christmas, when I glanced at Twitter on Thursday, I saw dozens of tweets about if Jesus was/was not a refugee.
Basically, the argument came down to Luke vs. Matthew—Bethlehem was not a refuge situation, it was just another city within the same country.
Egypt was a refugee circumstance because, although Egypt and Israel were both under Roman rule, Egypt was a distant land in order to take refuge from a political dictator.
I’m not going to answer that debate for you this morning.
Because in my opinion, both sides were ignoring the abundance of Old Testament passages (e.g.
Ruth) that command compassion and care for the sojourner among the people of God.
And neither side convinced me that any 1 Scripture provides an open and shut case for open or secure borders in 2020.
One must ask “What else has God said about this subject?”
(What Bible teachers call correlation) before forming an opinion.
Transition: Now that I’ve just interrupted your peaceful Sunday dinner with a debate subject regarding Egypt, I would like to focus our thoughts today around the baby Jesus in Jerusalem.
The main thrust of today’s message is not the question, “to what Kingdom does Christ belong?” but the declaration that “Jesus is the Anointed one for all peoples!”
Two Events separated by 5 weeks (Lk 1:21-24)
Circumcision & Naming (v.21)
1.
This was a local family event that did not require a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
2. Circumcision identified the boy’s identity within the covenant community.
3. Naming revealed the boy’s identity from the perspective of the parents as to their dreams for the child.
Purification & Community (v.22-24)
1.
This was a Temple event that required a sacrifice and a priest.
2. Today’s text concludes where this series began 5-weeks ago, in the Temple.
While the series began in the Holy place as Zechariah was offering incense and prayers, it concludes in the outer court where women were permitted to gather.
3. Their - the 1st ceremony in today’s text relates to Jesus and the 2nd ceremony regards Mary.
Exodus 13 starts the practice following the “Death angel” passing through Egypt and only speaks of the first-born male.
Numbers 18 would further specify that if parents wished to keep a child that belonged to the Lord, they could redeem the child with 5 shekels of silver.
Since there is no mention of the redemption price in Luke’s account, it is reasonable to conclude that Jesus was dedicated to the Lord’s service, similar to Samuel in 1 Samuel 1-2.
4. Leviticus 12 gives more specifics about timing and offerings and relates to all pregnancies.
After birthing a male child a mother would wait 7 days then circumcise the son, then wait 5 more weeks before being deemed ceremonially able to participate in the temple activities.
For a daughter, the waiting period was a little over 9 weeks.
5. Normal offering was a lamb for the burnt offering and a bird for the sin offering.
Those who could not afford a lamb could offer 2 birds.
Even in the most sacred sacrificial system of the Lord, concession was made for those who are poor so that they can participate in the faith community.
Apparently, Joseph and Mary fell into this lower economic group.
What about Magi & Egypt?
(v.39-40)
I have become convinced that the visit of the Magi and the flight to Egypt (Mt 2) happen between vv.39 and 40 of Luke’s account.
a.
Time it would take to travel from “the East”
b.
Herod consulted with his advisors who indicate the baby was to be born in Bethlehem and that is where he sent the Magi.
(MT 2:4-8)
c.
Instead of following Herod’s order, they continued to follow the star (Mt 2:9-10)
d.
Magi arrive at “the house” (Mt 2:11)
e. Herod’s edict for all boys under 2 years old.
Transition: Now that we’ve compared and correlated the infant accounts, let’s rejoin Simeon in the Temple.
Simeon and His Song (Luke 2:25-35)
Righteous, Devout, Student of Scripture & Spirit-filled (v.25)
1. Simeon was socially upstanding.
2. “consolation of Israel” draws upon Isaiah’s prophecies that the Messiah would bring comfort.
Last Sunday we spoke about the darkness and people longing for a change.
When we are in darkness we also long for a sense of comfort.
Holding to a spiritual promise (v.26-28)
1.
No detail is given as to how the Holy Spirit gave this particular promise to Simeon.
2. Luke uses the Greek Christ to describe the anointed (Hebrews Messiah) role of Jesus.
Christ is not Jesus’s middle name.
It is an adjective that describes Him as the anticipated and anointed one from God.
3.
This promise prompted a strange interaction with Mary & Joseph.
We don’t know if Simeon asked permission to hold the baby, or if he got grabby and Joseph is about to lay him out (in Jewish love).
There was something about Jesus that caused Simeon to know the promise was fulfilled.
Just as Mary’s voice caused something to happen in John while still in Elizabeth’s womb that she new was the Lord’s work.
A Song with 3 verses (vv.29-32)
1. V.1 – a promise fulfilled & a peaceful death (v.29)
· Jesus will cry out “It is finished”
· Paul will state “I’ve finished my course”
I’ve heard that some people fight death.
But the experience where I have been present when a final breath was taken, have been marked by peaceful, resignation to God’s plan when one knows his or her task is complete.
2. V.2 – Salvation for all peoples (vv.30-31)
· Simeon so connects the person of Jesus with the work of God that he has absolute confidence and speaks as if God’s plan was already complete.
3. V.3 – Revelation for Gentiles, Glory for Jews (v.32)
· I see the light in v.32 a reference back to Zechariah’s song in 1:79
· As a general rule, Gentiles are unaware of God’s laws and promises so this light becomes new information.
· On the other hand, the prophets had been given to the Israelites so that Jesus becomes the glory for which they had waited.
Mary & Joseph Marvel (vv.33-35)
1. V.33 – Jesus is for “them” too.
· Who is your “them”?
For Mary & Joseph, them was non-Jews.
Is it those voters from the other party?
Is it those people who are a generation before or after you?
Is it people of “that” race or “that” religion?
Is it the wealthy, or the poor?
2. Vv.34-35 – Even though Jesus is salvation for all peoples, He will be controversial.
· Some will align with Jesus and be lifted.
Others will reject Him, and He will become a stumbling block to their way of life.
· Mary’s heart will break over the responses to Jesus.
If you ever doubt “mama-bear syndrome” just look at a mother whose child is ridiculed or bullied.
A protective instinct kicks in whenever a mother sees her child endure injustice.
On one hand she wants to make everything good, but on the other hand she knows she has to let her child work through this in a way that may cause great turmoil.
Transition: After Simeon’s words to Mary, he disappears, never to be heard from again.
But a 2nd character appears in the Temple court.
Anna, An example of Anticipation (Luke 2:36-38)
A devout Female Prophet (vv.36-37)
1.
Just as Jesus was Christ for Gentile and Jew alike, God also used opposites to proclaim.
Just as shepherds and Dignitaries worshipped alike, God uses men and women to serve as His ambassadors.
2. In Jewish tradition, seven women were mentioned as prophetesses: Sarah, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah, and Esther.[i]
–Darrell Bock
3. Luke will later write of females who prophecy in Acts 2:18 and describe 4 of Philip’s daughters as prophetesses (Acts 21:9)
4. In an era where few women were afforded an education and no women were permitted to learn from the rabbis, Luke highlights this woman’s example of godliness after being widowed and her testimony in the Temple.
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