Sermon Tone Analysis

Let’s turn to .

— 1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.

2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.

7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.

10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.

18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

These verses are some of the best known in the Bible.

They have been the basis of Christmas hymns for hundreds of years, and cards for well over a century.

They even formed the capstone of A Charlie Brown Christmas, where Linus read them to remind Charlie Brown of the true meaning of Christmas.

These verses are some of the best known in the Bible.

They have been the basis of Christmas hymns for hundreds of years, and cards for well over a century.

They even formed the capstone of A Charlie Brown Christmas, where Linus read them to remind Charlie Brown of the true meaning of Christmas.

What an irony it is that these well known words are so scarcely believed, even among many who claim to be Christians.

There is much here that could occupy our attention, but this morning I want to look at a single verse in the middle of the passage, :

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

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If you truly believe all that these words mean, then I want to encourage you in your faith in Jesus Christ.

If you don’t believe these words, then I hope that you will see your need for the Savior and trust Him today.

The Son of God took on human flesh at a specific moment in history and was from that moment the Savior, the One Anointed by God, the Lord Himself in human flesh, and is able to save sinners to the uttermost.

This is good news, the angel says in ; this is the Gospel.

Let’s talk about what that means.

Unto YOU Is Born

The first words of are For unto you is born.

Every Christian knows that Jesus Christ came to save sinners, and knows that HE or SHE is the worst of all sinners.

Human religion encourages us to compare ourselves to others, others who are worse than we are, and to see that at least we aren’t as bad as THEY are.

The first words of are For unto you is born.

Every Christian knows that Jesus Christ came to save sinners, and knows that HE or SHE is the worst of all sinners.

Human religion encourages us to compare ourselves to others, others who are worse than we are, and to see that at least we aren’t as bad as THEY are.

But Jesus says that it is not the healthy, but the sick, who need a doctor; that’s why He came to call sinners to repentance, not those who think they need no repentance.

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The Lord Jesus says that unless sinners repent, they will perish ().

But when sinners do repent and believe in the Lord Jesus, heaven explodes in celebration ().

Jesus came to call YOU to repentance and faith.

This Day

The angel emphasized that Jesus was Savior, Christ, and Lord from the day of His birth.

The language is very specific.

Jesus would not one day become Savior, Christ, and Lord; He already was all that He would be that very day.

The angel emphasized that Jesus was Savior, Christ, and Lord from the day of His birth.

The language is very specific.

Jesus would not one day become Savior, Christ, and Lord; He already was all that He would be that very day.

The Father sent His only begotten Son at the perfect time to be the Savior of the world.

For you and I, that day was more than 2,000 years ago; it’s history.

But for the shepherds that day was that day, that very day.

You see, the faith that reconciles sinners to God has never, every changed.

Today has always been the day of salvation for sinners.

Not tomorrow.

Not next month.

Not five years from now.

Today.

It was Today for Abraham, and Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

It was Today for Moses, for Joshua, for Deborah, for David, for Bathsheba, for Ezekiel.

Today has always been the day of salvation.

A Savior

The angel told the shepherds the good news – the Gospel – that they had a Savior that day.

Their Savior was Christ that day; He was Lord that day.

If they believed, they would be saved.

The shepherds knew that they needed a Savior; we know because Luke writes that they returned from seeing Jesus glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

They went to see a newborn; they returned with the joyful confidence that they had a Savior.

But not everyone wants to be saved from sin.

Mankind has a real Stockholm Syndrome relationship with sin; it destroys and devastates us, and yet we will defend it to our dying breath.

We don’t mind being delivered from the eternal judgment of sin, or the immediate unpleasantness of a guilty conscience, but many would rather that Jesus leave their actual sin as it is.

But Jesus came to save us from our sin and to deliver us from its power.

That's what the angel told Joseph in , "She will give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."

The Bible says that Jesus appeared in order to take away sins.

No one who is truly in Christ keeps on sinning; in fact, no one who keeps on sinning like nothing has changed in their life knows Jesus.

Since eternal life means knowing God the Father and God the Son, not knowing Jesus means eternal judgment.

But when we believe in Him, and He enters into our life, He sanctifies us, and takes away sin’s power over us.

He grants us His own righteousness, because He is truly a wonderful, merciful Savior.

Christ

There were many during Jesus’ lifetime who wanted to be delivered.

Most Jews wanted to be delivered from Roman occupation.

Others wanted deliverance from poverty and sickness.

Others wanted social justice, fair treatment by the courts, safety, prosperity.

They wanted to feel like they were important.

They wanted someone who would fulfill their dreams.

They didn’t want Jesus.

They didn’t want someone who would remind them of their sin and rebellion, even if He was willing to take their wickedness away.

So they rejected Him.

The Gospel of John says that Jesus was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and yet the world did not recognize Him.

He came to His own people, and they rejected Him.

But the Father didn’t reject Him.

Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, words that mean Anointed One, Chosen One.

He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and anointed by the Holy Spirit at His baptism.

Jesus was not only not rejected by the Father, He revealed the glory of the Father perfectly.

And because Jesus was anointed by the Father, He was able to perfectly achieve the Father’s will.

He did only what He saw the Father do.

He said only what He heard the Father say.

He lived in perfect obedience and righteousness.

He was the perfect sacrifice for sin.

Since Jesus is the Anointed One of God, the Christ, then I urge you to take Him very, very seriously.

He is God’s only Anointed Savior for sinners.

He may not be the Savior you want, but He is the Savior you need.