Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro:

last week, we talked about hope.

Christmas, is an incredible message of Hope.

The prophecies of the Messiah’s advent, gave hope to many… looking forward..

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And the fulfilment of that prophecy, gives us all hope, looking back..

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But with the miracle of His birth… His incredible, sinless life, and His resurrection..

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We still have a hope that looks forward.

Jesus declared, that there were great things yet to come…

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BEFORE JESUS BEGAN HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY… there was a predecessor.

A man named “John The Baptist” - Who fulfilled the prophecy from - BY BEING: - ‘the voice of one crying in the wilderness.

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Matt 3.

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John the Baptist began to preach the very message, that would become the number one topic for Jesus:

Jesus spoke frequently about the Kingdom of Heaven.

- It was His number one sermon topic.

-IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE OT LOOKED FORWARD TO.

This coming King:

Would rescue them, and be their shepherd (Ez.

34)

He will put His law in their hearts (Jer 31)

There will be no need to teach each other about God… everyone will just know.

(Jer 31)

They will be forgiven completely and eternally.

(Jer 31)

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When the NT speaks of the Kingdom, it doesn’t refer to land, territory, or those being ruled.

- The word that we interpret as being ‘Kingdom’… emphasizes and defines the power of the one who rules.

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So, when we think about the Kingdom of God… the citizens of that kingdom are secondary -

The primary focus of this kingdom… IS THE KING.

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The church is not the kingdom… it is a product of the Kingdom.

The Kingdom of God is not something that we build…

It is rather.. something that God is building.

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To sum it up, from a NT perspective, the KOG is a matter of what God is doing, and where God is reigning.

-jesus brought this to light in the lord’s prayer- when He said:

“may Your Kingdom Come, Your will be done.”

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Jesus knew, that God’s Kingdom has always been established… and that God has always reigned… - But this prayer, regarded the advancement of His Kingdom..

THAT IS…May our King, reign in the lives of people.. On earth, as it does in heaven.

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God’s Kingdom advances here on earth… in those places where His will is being done

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God’s Kingdom is evident, active and in motion… in those places where His will is being done.

+ In the Lord’s Prayer… Jesus is expressing His desire, for the will of God to be done amongst the people of earth…

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So, in a nutshell… it could be said… that...

Jesus came to be our King, so that His will would be done in our lives.

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It’s strange that we don’t think about the Kingdom of Heaven around Christmas time…

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SURELY, WE THINK OF JESUS AS BEING A KING… but we don’t always follow through with that term, and consider the KINGDOM… where He reigns… as king.

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WE SING ABOUT IT.

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain

gold I bring to crown Him again.

King forever, ceasing never,

over us all to reign.

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Come to Bethlehem and see

Him whose birth the angels sing

Come adore on bended knee

Christ the Lord the newborn King

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Hark the herald angels sing

Glory to the newborn King

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Silent night, holy night

Wondrous star, lend thy light

With the angels let us sing

Alleluia to our King

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CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT THE ADVENT OF THE MESSIANIC KING.

THEREFORE, CHRISTMAS IS ALSO ABOUT THE REIGN OF THIS KING, IN THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO FOLLOW HIM.

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We cannot truly sing these songs, and declare Him as King… if we are not willing to consider the implications of His rule and His reign in our lives.

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I recently heard a church leader who was promoting His church growth program… use the Kingdom of God as a motivation for numbers… -WE SHOULD BRING MORE PEOPLE INTO OUR CHURCHES.. because this is what it means to advance the Kingdom of God.

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In a small way, some truth can be found in that statement.

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More people coming into contact with the Gospel will lead to more salvations which will lead to more opportunities for people to surrender their lives to the rule and reign of Christ.

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but… the reign of our King… isn’t a matter of numbers.

The reign of our king, is about the surrender of our hearts to His will.

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-This is where His Kingdom is evident… this is where His Kingdom advances…

-Yes, the angels rejoice when a new believer comes into the fold..

-But when an old believer finally gives up their complacency… their apathy… their stubbornness… their selfishness… AND THEY ALLOW CHRIST TO FULLY REIGN IN THEIR LIFE… AND THEY SET ASIDE THEIR PERSONAL AGENDA TO DO THE WILL OF GOD…

THEN… We will see the advancement of God’s Kingdom.

God’s Kingdom is more evident, in the midst of ten Christians who are living for His glory… than in the midst of ten thousand Christians, who are living for themselves.

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So with this in mind… the revelation of CHRIST, THE NEW BORN KING…

-the recognition of the KING FOREVER, CEASING NEVER...

-the very declaration of - ALLELUIA TO OUR KING…

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-stands as a challenge to our very hearts.

WHEN WE SING:

Come desire of nations come, Fix in us Thy humble home

We are singing words of invitation… for our King, to come and set up His throne in our very lives..

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Far too often… Christmas is an external observance to us… IT’S A TRADITION WE PLUG OUR WAY THROUGH… -We acknowledge certain aspects about it… -BUT WE DON’T REALLY STOP AND CONSIDER THE REALITY BEHIND THE VERY WORDS WE ARE SAYING.

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But this is a reality… we must consider.

For it’s far bigger than the season we find ourselves in at the moment.

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If Jesus is our King… then we are citizens of His Kingdom.. which means.. our citizenship has changed… from worldly … to heavenly.

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Jesus… our King… went to war against death and the grave..

And He won.

And He won.

Jesus, our King….

Returned victorious to His Father’s side..

And sat down on His heavenly throne..

(1) And sat down on His heavenly throne..

-And millions have been granted the privilege of being His subjects…

-Subjects… who are free from the eternal tyranny of death and sin.

-Subjects… who benefit fully from the victory of Jesus.

The Kingdom that Jesus is over… is a spiritual kingdom… that we embrace by faith…

2. It’s a spiritual kingdom… embraced by faith…

-The reality of it is eternal..

- And the promise of it… is transformational.

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This Kingdom… is in fact… the future reality of the world we live in.

In / Jesus said… ‘behold, I am making all things new…

He didn’t say… ‘I am going to make’

-He didn’t say, “I already made..”

No… it’s an ongoing promise…

- I am making all things new..