Sermon Tone Analysis

Joy

What is Joy? (allow for answers)

— We tend to define Joy through rose-colored glasses.

— We see Joy as happiness.

— As shining with Glitter and Light… where everything is at peace!

There is no struggle and strife… no heartache!

— As an ending to a Hallmark movie… where everything is just… perfect!

But… Can I tell you — Joy is something much deeper than that.

— Joy is something that goes beyond a momentary feeling - an emotion - of happiness, to a deeply rooted sense of identity.

Emotion never lasts… its temporary… But Joy is eternal!

— The Challenge is that we have to CHOOSE it!

Look at Luke 3… We looked at this chapter last week, and talked about how it connects the Peace of God to our lives and to the world… This is again the perfect text to begin our study of Joy because… just like Hope, Peace, and Joy are linked together in the Advent wreath and the advent season… They are also inter-linked in our lives and in the inbreaking of the Kingdom of God!

Again… I have to say: “John the Baptist is pretty harsh here!”

He calls the people “a brood of vipers,” and… tells them to “quit hiding behind their ancestry”!

— How would you like it if I said those things to you?! Would you keep coming to church?

Would you consider me to be speaking from the Spirit?! NO!

The truth is, most of us would leave the church in offense if the pastor talked to us like that…

But… It wasn’t that way for John… People still followed him…

So… I gotta ask… Why John the Baptist?

Why are we looking at this passage today — on the third week of Advent?

On a day when we talk about the Joy he brings to our lives?

— What does John’s message have to do with Christmas and being prepared for Christ?

What does it have to do with Joy?

I. Joy begins with Repentance.

A. What is John’s message?

Repent!

— John’s harsh words are a call to repentance, because that is where life in the Kingdom begins.

We often think of repentance as - “I’m sorry.”

as apologizing,… But… the Greek word metanoia means something completely different.

metanoia — “a change of mind, which results in a change of lifestyle.”

It is a complete reorientation and transformation of one’s life!

John’s call is to Repentance… to completely changing not only their minds, but their entire lifestyles…

John insults them…he gets their attention… and then he calls them to repentance…Look what he says after that: “ quit relying on your heritage....” Why?

Our heritage will not make us right with God!

Our heritage will not save us from our Sin!

But that is exactly what the Jews believed....

They believed that “because they were children of Abraham”… their ancestry would save them… after all, they were “God’s Chosen People”!

Look at verse 8:

John is telling them — “God has called HIS Children… His people… to something more.”

The fruit they are producing is NOT that of the Children of God…

Luke 3:11-14:

Children of God are to produce the fruit of LOVE and COMPASSION… But…

Trees that are not producing good fruit will be cut down… Luke 3:9:

There is to be transformation in the lives of the Children of God!

If your life has not changed — in the way in which you live it — then you are not a Child of God....

Now… is the time to change that… its not to late…

Acts 2:38 — 38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

B. John’s message points to the NEW FAMILY Jesus is creating — one that is not based in heritage, gender, race, or background — but rather on a life lived CHASING after Him!

i.

This Family BEGINS with REPENTANCE!

ii.

This Family is created through the waters of baptism… not through the Old Covenant ways of circumcision and bloodline…

— Look at Jesus’s words to Nichodemus:

— Jesus makes it clear… life as a Child of God is a NEW BEGINNING… not a life filled with the OLD WAYS!

C.

Last week we saw the contrast between the kingdoms of the world and the Kingdom of God breaking into the world… Today, we see the worldly family versus the NEW FAMILY being formed by God!

D. John’s call to “REPENT” is a call to enter into that Family… A family filled with Joy!

II.

“What Should We Do?”

— Luke 3:10

— How do we enter into this family?

How should we act?

What does being a part of this family look like?

A. Luke 3:11 — ““Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.”

i. Generosity is a key component…

— Mt. 25:31-46

ii.

This new life is a life of generosity.

(God blesses us so that we can bless others)

iii.