Sermon Tone Analysis

Title

Hope is Founded in God

Outline

I knew a pastor named Rolland Brown who motto was, “God is good; Jesus is wonderful.”

This was not an airy fairy sort of motto

Brown had gone through WW II and seen the devastation in Germany after WW II.

He had experienced the Cold War and the Civil Rights movement and the conflict of the 60’s and more

And he was a pastor, so he knew the pain of people

But he had spent years in learning how to pray and the result was that he knew God and that made the difference in his outlook

Baruch comes from a time of Jewish oppression

The book itself refers to the Babylonian Exile, although scholars tend to date it in the period of Antiochus Epiphanes - both were unhappy, oppressive times

Yet Baruch calls for joy, not because of the outward situation, but because of God: “God will show your splendor to all under the heavens” and “God is leading Israel in joy” - eyes focused on God means joy

Paul knows that the Philippian church is suffering,

as he is also suffering, but Philippians is a book of joy because, “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus” - because of God

And so he prays, “that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, 10 to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.”

Why does he pray this way?

because he has confidence in “the day of Christ” and that Jesus will make them stand.

We turn to John the Baptist

At a time when gentile powers were firmly in control of the whole region and the remnants of Jewish rule, the high priesthood, was under their thumb, John starts to preach

He is in the wilderness of the Jordan, not because he was a hermit, but because he needed lots of water to baptize in.

While he is seen as negative, he is really saying, “get ready” or “hurry up, clean up and get your good clothes on.”

His call to repentance was a call to preparation, it was for the forgiveness of sins.

His reason is that “all flesh shall see the salvation of God” and therefore “Prepare the way of the Lord”

Therefore, look around and then look up

Look around at the collapsing Western culture, the gridlock of government, and the rising tidal wave of climate change, among other things.

We are not talking about hope taken from the world - there is little to take

Then look up at God. God fulfill John the Baptist’s hopes in sending Jesus - in fact, he was nearing the beginning of his ministry - even if God did not act in the way John the Baptist might have thought he should

God will bring Jesus’ followers to perfection “in the day of Jesus Christ” even though there may be some painful buffing and polishing to go through to be ready

And God will make sure that “all flesh shall see the salvation of God,” the ultimate salvation

As long as we keep our eyes on that we can live in hope and even with joy

God is good; Jesus is wonderful

Readings

FIRST READING

Baruch 5:1–9

1 Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery;

put on forever the splendor of glory from God:

2 Wrapped in the mantle of justice from God,

place on your head the diadem

of the glory of the Eternal One.

3 For God will show your splendor to all under the heavens;

4 you will be named by God forever:

the peace of justice, the glory of God’s worship.

5 Rise up, Jerusalem!

stand upon the heights;

look to the east and see your children

Gathered from east to west

at the word of the Holy One,

rejoicing that they are remembered by God.

6 Led away on foot by their enemies they left you:

but God will bring them back to you

carried high in glory as on royal thrones.

7 For God has commanded

that every lofty mountain

and the age-old hills be made low,

That the valleys be filled to make level ground,

that Israel may advance securely in the glory of God.

8 The forests and every kind of fragrant tree

have overshadowed Israel at God’s command;

9 For God is leading Israel in joy

by the light of his glory,

with the mercy and justice that are his.

RESPONSE

Psalm 126:3

3 The LORD has done great things for us;

Oh, how happy we were!

PSALM

Psalm 126:1–6

1 A song of ascents.

When the LORD restored the captives of Zion,

we thought we were dreaming.

2 Then our mouths were filled with laughter;

our tongues sang for joy.

Then it was said among the nations,

“The LORD had done great things for them.”

3 The LORD has done great things for us;

Oh, how happy we were!

4 Restore our captives, LORD,

like the dry stream beds of the Negeb.

5 Those who sow in tears

will reap with cries of joy.

6 Those who go forth weeping,

carrying sacks of seed,

Will return with cries of joy,

carrying their bundled sheaves.

SECOND READING

Philippians 1:4–6, 8–11

4 praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you, 5 because of your partnership for the gospel from the first day until now.

6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.

8 For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, 10 to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Luke 3:4, 6

4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one crying out in the desert:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

make straight his paths.

6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”

GOSPEL

Luke 3:1–6

CHAPTER 3