Sermon Tone Analysis

*Do You Wonder?*

Isaiah 9:6; Luke 1:21, 63; 2:18; Matthew 1:18-25

 

*Intro:*

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Do you hear, do you see, do you know?

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A few weeks ago we were talking with Zeke, our grandchild, about their trip to Chicago this Christmas.

We told him our Christmas tree was set up.

He asked, “Will you have the blue train?”

He meant the Lionel train that we set up under the tree last Christmas.

The wonder of it was still with him.

Do you wonder?

I am so excited about having our two grandchildren here for Christmas!

Wonder is something so special that you remember it.

*What I want to say:* The story of the first Christmas is filled with one dominant emotion:  wonder.

If you have lost the sense of wonder, God can restore it by a holy use of imagination.

This Christmas let the wonder of God in flesh renew your soul.

Rd.

Luke 1:21; 63; 2:18-20

 

! I.      Wonder is not just for children

!! A.    When do you experience wonder?

!!! 1.    Wonder is defined by Webster’s dictionary as

-          * *a cause of astonishment or admiration *: *marvel 〈it’s a /wonder/ you weren’t killed)〈the pyramid is a /wonder/ to behold〉

-          miracle

-          rapt attention or astonishment at something awesomely mysterious or new to one’s experience

 

!!! 2.    Wonder is always felt when something is a new or heightened experience.

!!! 3.    Wonder is the crowd watching fireworks crying “Ooo” and “Ahhh”.

Wonder is bigger than normal life.

!!! 4.    What would it be like to experience wonder repeatedly?

What would it take?

!!!! a)    Children experience wonder every day as they explore the wonder-filled world God designed

!!! 5.    I think wonder is felt most at both ends of life.

In between, it seems to get dulled by over-exposure or when the routines of life blind us to what is still around us but grandchildren (great-grandchildren) rekindle it because we then delight to experience wonder through them.

!!!! a)    Some believe that the only way to feel wonder is to “push the envelope” – add some new twist to something known

!!! 6.

I believe that Christians are most in touch with the wonders of this life because we are most in touch with the Creator of all wonders.

!! B.    Christmas the celebration of wonders

!!! 1.

Where in your day-to-day world do you find these kinds of things happening:

!!! 2.    An angel appears to an aged priest; An old woman has a child

And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.”

And they all wondered.

Luke 1:63 ESV

!!! 3.    A virgin conceives a child; An angel speaks to an engaged man whose fiancé is pregnant

!!! 4.    A census is declared; Angels speak to shepherds

 

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

Luke 2:18 ESV

* *

!!! 5.    A moving star followed by Magi

!!! 6.    God is born in flesh

!!! 7.

There are hundreds of wonders recorded in the Bible and the Christmas story contains a focused cluster of wonders.

!! C.   Wonder involves mystery

*ILLUS> *An illusionist creates wonder by appearing to do what cannot be done because it defies natural laws: people floating in air; women sawed in two bur not harmed and so on.

But God is no illusionist – He overrules all the rules because He is God Almighty!

!!! 1.    How is it done?

(e.g.

book “How did they do that?”)

!!! 2.    The mystery of godliness

 

Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

He was manifested in the flesh,

vindicated by the Spirit,

seen by angels,

proclaimed among the nations,

believed on in the world,

taken up in glory.  1 Timothy 3:16 ESV

 

!!! 3.    The great mystery of Christmas is not only “How” but “Why”?

Why did God send His Son?

!!! 4.    Of course God told us the reason for the coming of Jesus: He loves you.

(John 3:16)

 

! II.

Wonder is God’s business (Luke 1:37; Isaiah 9:6)

!! A.    Wonders are normal for God! (Luke 1:37)

/Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”

Exodus 11:9 ESV/

/ /

/I will remember the deeds of the Lord; /

/yes, I will remember your wonders of old.

Psalm 77:11 ESV/

/ /

/You are the God who works wonders; /

/you have made known your might among the peoples.

/

/Psalm 77:14 ESV/

/ /

!!! 1.    /The angel said to Mary: With God nothing is impossible/

!!!! a)    /Mary asked “How?” and the angel said in essence: it is the very nature of God to do what is impossible for man”/

 

!! B.    His name is Wonderful!

(Isaiah 9:6)

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 ESV

 

!!! 1.

He is wonderful because He is the answer to all the needs of mankind:

!!!! a)    Wonderful counselor

!!!! b)    Mighty God

!!!! c)    Everlasting Father

!!!! d)    Prince of peace

!!! 2.    He is wonderful because He embodies all this.

!! C.   Immanuel is a wonder!

(Matthew 1:23)

!!! 1.    God with us

!!! 2.    All human desire is to be with God

!!! 3.    How do we know this?

!!! 4.    Because there are certain universal traits of human beings that reveal the longing to be with God:

!!!! a)    The desire for a home

!!!! b)    The longing for a father’s strength and a mother’s love