Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
A score of 0.5 or higher indicates the tone is likely present.
Emotion Tone
Anger
0.15UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.11UNLIKELY
Fear
0.11UNLIKELY
Joy
0.55LIKELY
Sadness
0.5UNLIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.47UNLIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.5UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.74LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.67LIKELY
Extraversion
0.25UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.96LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.67LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
* *
*A Christmas Worth Celebrating*
Experiencing the Miracles of Christmas
Matthew 1:18-25
*1.
You can experience the miracle of God’s Plan *
* for your life*
* *
“This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’”
Matt 1:18-21 (NIV)
“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”
Jer 33:3 (NKJV)
*2.
You can experience the miracle of God’s Pardon *
* in your life*
* *
“But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’”
Matt 1:20-21 (NIV)
“…There is joy in the presence of the angels of God when one sinner repents."
Luke 15:10 (TLB)
*3.
You can experience the miracle of God’s Presence *
* in your life*
“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’-which means, ‘God with us.’”
Matt 1:22-23 (NIV)
"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
Heb 13:5 (NIV)
*Dealing with your doubt:*
· Which miracle is missing from your life?
· Will you trust God for this miracle?
\\ It is hard to believe Christmas Day is almost here!
It is less than 3 weeks away!
How would you describe your observance of Christmas?
I read about two ladies who were shopping at the mall when they happened upon a large nativity scene in one of the department store windows.
In disgust, one turned to the other and said, /"Just look at that.
Now the church is trying to horn in on Christmas!"/
It is hard to believe how some people respond to Christmas.
The pastor of a church in California put a sign in front of his church during the Christmas season that said, /"Jesus is the reason for the season.
Merry Christmas."
/
He received a complaint from a woman in the community who took exception with the message.
She closed the conversation by saying/, "I don't think the church should try to drag religion into every holiday."/
Christmas ought to be characterized by celebration!
Christmas is worth celebrating!
This morning I’m going to begin a series of messages entitled:
*A Christmas Worth Celebrating.*
This morning’s message is:
Experiencing the miracles of Christmas.
Christmas is a reminder of God’s miracles.
We see that over and over again in Christmas movies.
In the movie /The Preacher’s Wife/ we find the Reverend Henry Biggs is in need of a miracle.
He doubts his ability to make a difference in a declining community.
And as Christmas approaches he sees little hope as things go from bad to worse.
Watch what happens as Rev. Henry begins to pray…
[Video~//The Preacher’s Wife/ ch.
2]
It is amazing that people sometimes miss God’s intervention in life.
We sometimes fail to realize God’s provision when it comes our way.
God still does miracles…God wants to intervene in your life today.
You see, He wants to use this Christmas to remind us of God’s miracles.
The first Christmas reminds us of some of God’s miracles…miracles that God wants us to experience.
And I believe that most of us need to be reminded of that today.
You see, you can celebrate this Christmas because God wants to do a miracle in your life.
Christmas reminds us of the miracles of God.
Let me share several of them with you.
I believe God is going to speak to each person today about a specific miracle He wants you to experience.
In Matt 1:18-25 we find some miracles of Christmas…that God wants you to experience and celebrate.
What are they?
*1.
You can experience the miracle of God’s plan for your life*
That is the first miracle I want you to see…the miracle of God’s plan.
That is what we see when we turn to the familiar story in Matt.
1:18-25.
Notice Matt 1:18-21,
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
Matt 1:18-21 (NIV)
No doubt you’ve heard the story many times.
When Joseph learned that Mary was pregnant…the news floored him.
Why?
Because he was engaged to her…and he knew that he had not been with her…that he couldn’t possibly be the father.
There was only one logical conclusion…Mary had been unfaithful to him.
Though they were not married yet, so sacred was the period of engagement that they were by custom considered as if married.
According to the law Joseph had two options:
1.
He could divorce her publicly and shame her in a court of justice, or
2.
He could put her away secretly by means of a private divorce.
What would he do?
Verse19 says because he “/did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.”/
/ /
Do you see Joseph’s dilemma?
His world has just been rocked…the woman he loves and is engaged to, is pregnant and he is not the father.
/ /
That my friend qualifies as a dilemma.
We all have experienced dilemmas in our lives when we just don’t know what to do…it may be family problems, financial problems, faith problems.
And like Joseph, we are left scratching our head wondering, what am I going to do?
I like the way the Message paraphrase v.20,
*While he was trying to figure a way out*, he had a dream.
God's angel spoke in the dream: "Joseph, son of David, don't hesitate to get married.
Mary's pregnancy is Spirit-conceived.
God's Holy Spirit has made her pregnant.
Matthew 1:20 (Msg)
Have you ever been there…*trying to figure a way out* of your dilemma?
Here is something we can learn from this passage…God replaces our dilemmas with His dreams.
Some of you came this morning trying to figure a way out…you’ve got a dilemma.
Good news…God wants to intervene...but you need to listen for His message.
God used an angel to speak to Joseph in a dream about His miraculous plan.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9