Sermon Tone Analysis

Philippians 4:4-7 (Evangelical Heritage Version)

4Rejoice in the Lord always!

I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be known to everyone.

The Lord is near.

6Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Rejoice!

I.

There has been a change.

Maybe you have noticed it.

There was the old.

I always used to prefer the old.

Some would say that’s because I myself am getting to be a bit older.

Perhaps one could say that the old reflected some of the words of today’s Gospel, when John the Baptist said: “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

8Therefore produce fruits in keeping with repentance!” (Luke 3:7-8, EHV).

In this case, the old is the old Advent color of purple.

Last year Holy Trinity had purple paraments.

The word “paraments,” by the way, is just a fancy name for the cloths hanging from the altar and the pulpit and the lectern.

John the Baptist, in the portion of the gospel that is on the screen, talked about repentance.

Purple was used in the Advent season to remind us that it is a penitential season.

We are, as John invited us, to look inside ourselves and see a deep need for repentance.

There is a reason that God needed to send a Savior into the world—our sins have separated us from God.

There is a reason to focus on repentance in Advent.

Paul says in the Second Reading that is our sermon text for today: “Do not worry about anything” (Philippians 4:6, EHV).

We spoke about the Philippian congregation last week.

It certainly would be understandable if they would be worried.

Paul had been thrown in jail when he was in Philippi because he had driven a demon out of a slave girl so that she was no longer able to benefit her employers by telling people about their futures.

People remembered what Paul had done, which adversely affected the little group of Christians.

That meant that, in addition to all the regular worries of life, the Philippian Christians also faced some very real physical threats.

At this moment in history, American Christians don’t face many physical threats because of our faith.

Still, just like everyone else, we find much to worry about.

Are you one of those who lives paycheck to paycheck?

If so, you find it difficult to follow Paul’s instructions.

You worry about the pile of unpaid bills.

It just seems to grow higher and higher.

As soon as you come up with a workable plan to deal with one problem, another crops up to increase the worry.

Christmas is coming.

Christmas is supposed to be a joyous time.

Is it for you, or do you find things to worry about?

There are ongoing health concerns that cause stress, but Christmas always comes with stress for many people.

Perhaps it is self-inflicted, but it is there, none-the-less.

Parties and family gatherings are planed.

There simply must be a special meal.

Gifts must be selected with care for each individual.

Perhaps you are going to see family out of town; maybe they are coming here to see you.

There always seems to be at least one family member who insists on being the nattering nabob of negativity.

You just know it’s coming.

What will be the issue that causes this year’s big blowup?

So you worry.

Perhaps your Christmas will be tinged with sadness.

Those who have experienced the loss of a loved one find many holidays to be stressful.

All your worries shine the Christmas light on the need for repentance.

Doesn’t all of this reflect the reason for having purple as the color for Advent Paraments?

Purple signifies the need for repentance.

Repent of your worries.

“Do not worry about anything,” Paul said.

Did you notice that I put on the old purple stole of the past today?

II.

The change has been a change to blue.

Why blue?

Does blue mean that the old attitude of repentance is outmoded for Advent?

What does blue signify?

Blue is said to be the color of the pre-dawn sky.

At this time of the year we experience the fewest number of daylight hours.

Maybe the first cup of coffee hasn’t had its effect yet, so you may not take the opportunity to notice.

Unlike summertime, you probably back out of the garage to begin your day just as the darkness is starting to fade.

If it isn’t cloudy—West Michigan seems to give us a lot of cloudy days, so watch for the clear ones—if it isn’t cloudy, even before the sun peaks over the horizon, the skies begin to brighten.

They take on a beautiful blue hue.

Even as the days grow shorter, you know that by Christmas the times will already start to lengthen.

Blue inspires expectation.

As the skies turn blue, you know what is soon to come—you know the yellow ball of the sun is about to arrive and make your day cheerier.

John said in today’s Gospel: “Someone mightier than I is coming” (Luke 3:16, EHV).

Paul said in our sermon text: “Rejoice in the Lord always!

I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 ... The Lord is near” (Philippians 4:4-5, EHV).

It isn’t just dawn that’s over the horizon, it’s the dawn of Christ.

We are waiting in expectation of something fabulous.

Blue skies and blue paraments signal a coming change.

Your day is cheerier when you look forward in expectation to the coming of Jesus at Christmas.

Blue is quickly growing on me.

It’s time for a change (change into blue parament).

The new paraments, by the way, were a gift from a congregation that has moved into a new building with a new altar and found that these weren’t suitable for their new altar furniture.

They work beautifully with ours.

We are thankful to have them.

The promised light of Christ is about to break over the horizon.

Isn’t it beautiful?

We watch and wait in hope.

Unlike Old Testament believers, we already know that God kept his promise to mankind.

He sent Jesus.

Our hope isn’t just anticipatory, it is a sure hope.

We are certain.

Christ changes our darkness into light; he changes day into night.

Our lives are filled with joy.

Blue reminds us to celebrate the upcoming birthday of Jesus with excitement.

III.

No matter what the color of the paraments, we have always used a pink candle in our Advent wreath for this Third Sunday in Advent.

Pink expresses that joy.

Paul’s joy echoes the joy our First Reading expressed.

Zephaniah wrote: “Be glad and rejoice with all your heart... 15 Israel’s king, the Lord, is in your midst!... 17The Lord your God is with you as a hero who will save you” (Zephaniah 3:14-15, 17, EHV).

The Lord means the Savior-God.

We will soon be singing hymns about Emmanuel.

Emmanuel means “God with us.”