Sermon Tone Analysis

How many of you remember New Years Eve, 2019?

Did you have a lot of plans and hopes and dreams for the 2020 year?

How many of us experienced some disruption and disappointment in that year?

Yes— all of us.

I want to talk to you today about the dynamic we see in the Christmas story where two very different scenes are playing out simultaneously.

One, we’ve talked about the last couple weeks— the effect this move of God has had on Mary and Joseph—It was definitely not what they planned.

They are having a baby, conceived by the Holy Spirit— in a borrowed stable far from their home.

No help, no support system.

At the same time, remember, 400 years had past since anyone had heard anything from God.

It was perhaps one of the darkest times in history— it was probably a dark night— and we now turn our attention to shepherds out in fields near Bethlehem keeping watch over flocks of sheep.

An angel of the Lord appears to them:

Contrast these two scenes--- Mary, Joseph and Jesus in a stable—

And at the same time, we read in Luke 2:9-10

Luke 2:9–10 (NIV)

9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.

I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

In one scene there is perhaps some fear, anxiety, disappointment even.

In the other a joyous and spectacular display of joy and celebration.

I want to ask you a simple question today to begin—

Which scene are you a part of this advent season?

Which part of the blessed Christmas event can you relate with best today?

For some- you are overjoyed— elated and amazed by what you see God doing in the world.

You can join the heavenly host and sing alleluia

The anxious new parents or the joyous angels and shepherds?

For others, you are somewhat confused, disappointed.

We will talk about both, but my heart goes out to these folks today.

What should we do when we feel disappointed in God?

Some of us feel like God has let us down in some area.

It could be just like what we experienced in 2020.

Graduations, weddings, gatherings of all sorts, work, school, all disrupted.

Some of us lost loved ones.

Many experienced great loss, and even a couple years later— it’s still lingering for some.

Maybe you feel like you tried to do everything you could to raise your kids right— and they still walk away from God.

Maybe you feel like you worked as hard as you could, and you still got let go.

Maybe you feel like you really are trying to live a life faithful to God, but everything just keeps breaking down.

Maybe you didn’t plan on battling addiction, or depression, or anxiety.

You, like all of us, didn’t plan on a lot of what you’ve been facing.

What do we do when we feel like God let us down?

Here’s something I love about this Christmas story—it is that if:

We would have needed advice, God would have sent a counselor

We needed more education, he would have sent a teacher

We needed different laws, he would have sent a lawyer or politician

But what did we need?

What do we need?

We need hope, forgiveness, healing, purpose—We need a savior---

God sends his own son as the savior of the world, because that is what we need!

The two stories— these two scenes are going to intersect— and I would want you to see that in both situations— the characters in this story are proclaiming peace.

They are choosing Joy and Trust.

You’ll recognize him by the sign.

What is a sign, really?

It’s a way to point us to meaning— in a direction— it is a proclamation— a pronouncement.

A baby wrapped and lying in a manger is a proclamation we would not expect.

God didn’t send a great and mighty king, with a massive palace and fancy robes and a crown or halo on his head.

No- God sends a baby.

Wrapped up in strips of cloth.

Born to his earthly parents in basically a hollowed out cave for animals.

Wrapped in strips of cloth like you might wrap a dead person in.

A sign— that heavenly royalty, a prince--- was born to die.

The scripture goes on:

Luke 2:13–14 (NIV)

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

What a contrast.

Can you imagine?

Think about that with me for just a couple seconds again.

Mary, Joseph, the infant Jesus---

A heavenly host of angels, which this actually has a military connotation here in it’s description— singing and praising God- the angel armies of God---proclaiming Peace on Earth, and Goodwill to men.

The angel armies of God proclaim the arrival of Jesus through their worship.

In my studies, I have appreciated the earliest church fathers and mothers— as they are called.

These men and women were the early followers of Jesus and beyond who helped establish the church— our doctrines and our understanding of this faith we call Christianity.

They have written commentaries and devotionals— even so long ago— that can be very helpful and encouraging today— I found this interesting this week:

Gregory the Great: in a reflection on Luke 2:10-14, wrote: (He lived from 540-604 AD, and was Pope Gregory the first to our catholic friends.

“Before the Redeemer was born in the flesh, there was discord between us and the angels, from whose brightness and holy perfection we were separated… Now they honor us as friends, whom before they considered weak and despised.”-

Saint Gregory Nazianzen, 540-604 AD

It’s like this reunion of worship happening in front of the shepherds.

Like the angels saying— WOW— if God values these beings that much— we do too.

Peace on Earth, goodwill to all men— it’s a proclamation.

But what are we experiencing on the other side of the scene?

What might you be experiencing right now in life?

You think Mary and Joseph have experienced anything like Peace on earth, and goodwill to men?

How about you?

I read this story, and I read, the more I learn— I see everything except Peace on earth.

Take a look with me to review this heart-wrenching story.

A young couple is engaged, they are good people.

They are given a pretty impossible situation.

She is going to have a baby— the promised Messiah who is conceived by the Holy Spirit inside her— and he will be FULLY GOD, and FULLY MAN.

Joseph is handed a nearly impossible role as well— to be her protector, to stand by her side, and to be faithful to God, Mary and to Jesus himself.

Lets be real here for a couple minutes— can we?

I believe these are real people— just like you and me.

They are very human— obviously.

This could very easily feel like disappointment for them.

This could very easily get REALLY HARD, REALLY FAST.

Think about it.

They had plans.

They were going to get married, settle down in a little house that Joe was going to build.

Work together to save up some money— then maybe then--- they would begin to have some kids… These two have plans— just like you and I have plans.

But God interrupted those plans.

He presents them with one of the most complicated, untimely, inconvenient, dangerous, and unfair assignment.

And they both - as scripture records— say “ok”.

Let it be to me as you have said.