Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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This text is about Jesus the Word of Life.
Therefore, this sermon is going to be about life.
People have a variety of reactions when they hear that.
Those who are passionately pro-life are happy.
“This is great!
I have been looking forward to this.”
Those who think that the life issues like abortion and euthanasia are just politically charged social issues may not be so happy.
“I’m not looking forward to this.
These are not things to discuss in church.”
Those who haven’t given these issues much thought are indifferent.
“Another one of those special Sundays.
Let’s get on with it.”
Then there are those whose lives have been touched by abortion or difficult end-of-life decisions.
“My heart aches because of my decision.
This is going to be painful.”
I am aware that all of these thoughts may very well be present here this morning.
That is what is so wonderful about dealing with the Word of Life.
He speaks to each one of us regardless of our perspective, and He does so with understanding and compassion.
So, whether we are happy, disgruntled, indifferent, or fearful about the subject of life today, let’s all listen and learn about, and from, the Word of Life.
The first thing we learn is that the Word of Life was there in the beginning of time.
“In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1).
All life came through Him. “Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made . . .
In Him was life” (3-4a).
All of creation is about life.
Every word God spoke in the beginning calling things into existence was for the purpose of sustaining and perpetuating life.
Light, the atmosphere, land, water, plants, the heavenly bodies, fish, birds, animals—these were setting the stage for the grand finale, “Let us make man in Our image . .
.” (Genesis 1:26).
The Word of Life in the beginning was spoken for the sake of human life.
All of creation was called into being to sustain, provide for, and enhance human life; and human life was given all of creation to care for.
The Word of Life had a special “hands on” involvement in these first human lives.
He formed the man from the dust of the
ground and breathed into him the breath of life (2:7).
He made the woman from a rib taken from the man (22).
This hands-on creative work of the Word of Life continues through the biological process God set into place.
“For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Psalm 139:13-14).
Just as He was involved in the beginning of the first human lives, so He is involved in the beginning of every human life.
Regardless of your perspective on this Life Sunday, you cannot listen to the Word of Life in the beginning of time without standing in awe of the value and dignity God’s creation brings to human life.
The second thing we learn as we listen to the Word of Life is that He was not only there in the beginning /of/ time; He came here to bring a new beginning /in/ time.
“In Him was life, and that life was the light of men” (John 1:4).
There is a need for new life and light.
We live in the world that God created.
But it is not /like/ the world God created.
He who was perfect and lived in a perfect place was deceived into thinking things could be better!
“Did God really say?” Satan hissed, and the foundation to deception was laid (Genesis 3:1).
“You will be like God . .
.”
He lied.
Adam and Eve already were the image and likeness of God.
But Satan cleverly added, “. . .
knowing good and evil” (5).
“Why should God have a monopoly on what is good and what is not?
Why can’t you get in on that?”
The deception was complete.
The crown of creation was corrupted and all of creation with him.
A vacationing pastor and his family gathered in a mountain meadow for Sunday morning worship.
The view was breathtaking—a cascading stream, wild flowers, the green of pine and aspen all framed in snow-capped mountains.
However, the place along the trail where he had stopped to give a brief devotion on God’s Word was a bit muddy.
Some overeager beavers had
caused some flooding.
He began his message, “Take a good look at where you are standing.”
Where do you think everyone looked—at the beauty all around them? No, they looked down at their feet in the mud! Sin brings the muck and mire into our lives.
Sin narrows our focus and diverts us from the things of God.
Sin can actually make us think the mud is a beautiful thing.
Or sin can make us feel we are mired down with no way out and there is nothing beautiful anywhere.
Either way, Satan wins.
But Satan doesn’t win! Jesus has the final word, and that word is life!
Jesus, who was in the beginning with God, came into our muck-and-mire life to bring us a new beginning.
Everything He did was for this new beginning, to bring us new life.
The Word of Life was “conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.”
Why?
To bring us new life!
Scripture says about our conception and birth, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5).
Jesus not only had to take our place on a cross and in a tomb but in a fallopian tube and in a womb!
We rightly look at Jesus’ conception by the Holy Spirit as testimony of the divinity of Jesus from that very moment.
But it is also testimony to our humanity from the moment of conception and to our need of redemption from that very moment.
The Word of Life “suffered under Pontius Pilate” and “was crucified” to bring us new life.
The hands that created the universe bled to redeem it.
The Word of Life “died and was buried.”
Jesus paid the wages of sin and destroyed Satan who had the power over death.
The Word of Life “descended into Hell” to bring us new life, to say on our behalf, “Too bad, Satan, I win! My people win!” On the third day Jesus “rose again from the dead” to bring us new life.
His victory over death is our victory.
The resurrection is our assurance of Christ’s presence with us in this life and our presence with Him in eternal life.
Jesus “ascended into Heaven” and He will “come again” to bring us new life!
He ascended into Heaven to rule over all of His creation.
Things may seem out of control, but be assured Jesus is in control.
He uses all events working
them together for the good of His people and getting things ready for His glorious return when He will make all things new!
Regardless of your perspective on this Life Sunday, you cannot listen to the Word of Life about this new beginning /in/ time without standing in awe of the value and dignity God gives to human life.
You were “bought at a price” Paul says (1 Corinthians 6:20a).
Jesus “purchased and won” you, Luther writes in the Catechism.
That gives immeasurable value to all human life.
The Word of Life was there in the beginning /of/ time giving special value to human life through His creative hands.
The Word of Life was there in the new beginning /in/ time giving special value to human life through hands stretched out on a cross.
Now this Word of Life, John says, “shines in the darkness” (5a).
Sin brought darkness into God’s bright and beautiful world.
The darkness of sin affects everything around us.
It affects us.
It complicates the powerful and simple truth that every human life is someone created and redeemed by the Word of Life.
The darkness of circumstances can do that.
An unplanned pregnancy or a frightening diagnosis can plunge us into darkness very quickly.
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