Sermon Tone Analysis

— Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;

We often think of the gospel as the message of God legally forgiving our sins (“justifying” us) because of Jesus’ work on the cross.

While this is true, Zechariah’s song (along with many other Bible passages) shows us that the gospel is even more comprehensive.

The gospel is explained here as God

visiting and staying with his people (v.

68),

visiting and staying with his people (v.

68),

saving us from our enemies (v.

71),

saving us from our enemies (v.

71),

fulfilling his ancient promises for us (vv.

72–73),

fulfilling his ancient promises for us (vv.

72–73),

delivering us so that we might serve him without fear (v.

75),

delivering us so that we might serve him without fear (v.

75),

forgiving our sins (v.

77),

forgiving our sins (v.

77),

shining light on our darkness (v.

79), and

shining light on our darkness (v.

79), and

guiding us into a life of peace (v.

79).

guiding us into a life of peace (v.

79).

The gospel is full of mercy (God not giving us what our sin deserves), but even more,

it is full of grace,

with God giving us countless gifts and his own presence!

And we spoke at our Wednesday night study of some of the fullness of gifts given freely to the variety of particular needs of sinners.

Old sinners, young sinners, dying sinners, moral sinners and immoral sinners.

So there is great provisions for a variety of needs.

Tonight look at

some methods by which He brings sinners to Himself.

See how it is that God brings the gospel to you: He could’ve sent a blazing angel to tell you in flaming sentences of the mercy of God.

But you and me would have fled from his presence if the message came like that...

— 15 and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things?

We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them,

But it’s someone who can affectionately try to deliver the message to you in such a form as will best meet your weaknesses.

Some first remember hearing the gospel drop from their mother’s lips, telling it as sweet as she could.

Others remember a friend telling them with tears in their eyes...

But either way, the blessed message comes to you from a fellow creature’s mouth!

In melting tones that plead for us to receive it!

1. It’s the tender mercy of God that the gospel has come to us in English!

What if we had to learn Greek before we could know the message of salvation???

We seek to be as plain spoken as possible ( “boldness” means confidence, plain, bold speech).

So that no one can say that they didn’t understand the message.

Oh the mercy of God that we do not need a dictionary to explain the message!!

2.

Not just in our language but God’s tender mercy comes to men just as they are!

Whatever condition you may be, the gospel is suitable for you!

Those who’ve lived a life of slavery and bondage to sin, the gospel comes to you and says,

— Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

Some people are self-righteous.

The gospel bids them to lay down those worthless filthy rags of our own righteousness and put on Christ’ spotless robe of righteousness.

If a man be at the very gates of hell, the gospel is adapted to meet even his desperate condition and can lift him up and out (; Jude 23)!

3. Praise God, for His tender mercy in that the gospel comes to you now!

If you are able to meet the real needs of a person in need and yet you keep them waiting, you are just cruel!

But the gospel says, — 2 For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

— 7 For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand.

Today, if you will hear His voice: 8 “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, As in the day of trial in the wilderness,

If a sinner stands outside mercy’s gate for even a 1/2 an hour, he must put the blame for him being excluded on himself alone.

Because if we obey the gospel message and trust in the finished work of Christ, the door would be opened at once.

These delays are not God’s delays but ours!

If we delay in receiving His mercy, we are to be blamed!

So in God’s tender mercy, He brings the message of salvation

plainly, so that we can understand it,

He brings right to where we are as a sinner, and

He brings it to us right now!

These are His methods...

Then, God’s tenderness in mercy is shown to us by

what is required of us in the gospel.

1.

Does the gospel require money?

— 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

The poorest are as heartily welcomed by Christ as the richest are.

The beggar who can count all his money on two hands as well as the millionaire with his stocks and bonds.

—“Ho!

Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat.

Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price.

2. He doesn’t require of us to torture and punish ourselves before we are to be saved.

You can trust in Christ sitting right in that chair!

And if you do, you will at once be accepted and forgiven!

You do not need to be a learned person, to be saved!

Just learned enough to know that you are lost, guilty, and condemned, and Christ is the Savior!

3. Nor is a great about of faith needed.

To be saved you do not need the amount of the faith of Abraham, Paul, or Peter.

—Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

The faith of every believer is as much a treasure as the faith of the apostles because it joins us to Christ and His precious blood (, ).

It’s faith that is similar in substance and in essence but not in degree (Rom.

12:3).

Let’s not be deluded into thinking that we have to get our affairs in order before coming to Christ, our only orderliness is our un-orderliness!

God drops all the requirements so tenderly and so mercifully with these words:

— This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

So God tender mercies come to us in their great provision, by the many methods used to bring us in, and showing us what is required of us (which is knowing our un-worthiness!)

Then there is the tender mercy of God in all

the arguments of the gospel.

How does the gospel (the good news) speak to men?

1. Think of the Father’s love.

Once you’ve read it, you can never forget it, the account of the prodigal son.

He wasted his life with foolish living ().

Even feeding the pigs (v15) and it was when he was doing that, he said:

— I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,

Then you get this affectionate picture in your mind when you read:

— “And he arose and came to his father.

But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

Oh to the sinner, this is God’s way of coming and meeting you!

If it’s your desire to meet with Him, He sees and knows it and He will come to meet you!