Sermon Tone Analysis

Christmas- The Greatest Gift

I can remember most all of the best Christmas’ from most of my life.

I remember the traditions we had as a family of being able to open one gift on Christmas Eve and it was always pajamas.

Tonight I want to share with all of you a tradition that I have continued with my family that I actually first learned from my wife’s family.

i remember a time when I drove down to Johnstown PA back when I was dating my now beautiful wife Bethany.

I drove down excited because I was going to ask her to marrying me.

This was happening around Thanksgiving.

I ended up staying much longer then expected because my Bethany blew up my car, but that isn’t the story I want to share with you.

The story I want to share takes place on Christmas Eve/ Christmas day.

On Christmas eve everyone gets in their pajamas and then Grandpa reads, Twas the night before Christmas, messing up words in order to get a reaction from the kids and grandkids.

They we all go to bed

On Christmas Day I get woken up at the crack of dawn, Like I went to bed at 2 am and they woke by bells at 3am, just to open up a stocking and then sit their and wait for Bethany’s parents to come staggering out and make coffee.

You think that now is the time for presents yet we must wait longer, and this is where the tradition that has stuck with me takes place.

We sit their and listen to Luke 2- the Story of the birth of Christ.

It reads

One time after reading this very story I was once recently asked what does this story say about God’s loves.

The story of Christ is the ultimate story of love.

It is the reason/motivation that God sent Christ into the world.

Christ came to save the world from condemnation- Which means to stand judged.

Christ came into a world that stood judged.

The world was fallen, corrupt, full of hurt and pain.

And it is into this world Christ came with the angelic announcement of “I bring you good news of great joy.

unto you is born this day a saviour.”

What was the Good News?

Not that God had sent a soldier or a judge or a reformer, but that He had sent a Saviour to meet man’s greatest need.

It was a message of peace to a world that had known much war.

The Jewish word shalom (peace) means much more than a truce in the battles of life.

It means well-being, health, prosperity, security, soundness, and completeness.

It has to do more with character than circumstances.

Life was difficult at that time just as it is today.

Taxes were high, unemployment was high, morals were slipping lower, and the military state was in control.

Roman law, Greek philosophy, and even Jewish religion could not meet the needs of men’s hearts.

Then, God sent His Son!

The angels praised God at Creation (Job 38:7), and now here they praised God at the beginning of the New Creation.

Christ has saved us from our condemnation because we have sinned.

Did we deserve this love?

No? The Bible is clear that sin is against God, yet God set a savior to free those who would put their faith in Christ from their sins.

To whom was it that the angels gave the message too?

In wasn’t Kings, nor was it Priest, but rather lowly shepherds.

The first announcement of the Messiah’s birth was given by an angel to some anonymous shepherds.

Why shepherds?

Why not to priests or scribes?

By visiting the shepherds, the angel revealed the grace of God toward mankind.

Shepherds were really outcasts in Israel.

Their work not only made them ceremonially unclean, but it kept them away from the temple for weeks at a time so that they could not be made clean.

God does not call the rich and mighty; He calls the poor and the lowly (Luke 1:51–53; 1 Cor.

1:26–29).

Today if you are here this is the story of the Gospel- God so loved the world that He gave the ultimate gift- the Greatest news- A Savior has come to free you from your sins.

The Bible says that because of Jesus coming, dying on the cross, and rising again we now adopted in.

What an amazing display of God’s Love for us!

How great is God’s love for us!

I love my children more than anything because they are my kids.

I made them.

They carry part of me.

God came for a world that was far from Him.

A world that was lost in sin.

A world that didn’t want anything to do with Him.

A world that all His live tried to kill Him.

A world that to this day mocks Him.

Yet to those who confess their sins, and but their faith in Jesus Christ, He gives the right to be part of His family.

Today I give you good news of Great Joy- Christ has come and you can find healing, wholeness, and forgiveness in Him.

A new mother stayed with her parents for several days after the birth of her first child.

One afternoon she remarked to her mother that it was surprising the baby had dark hair, since both her husband and she were fair.

The grandmother said, “Well, your daddy has black hair.”

To which the daughter replied, “But, Mama, that doesn’t matter, because I’m adopted.”

With an embarrassed smile, that mother said the most wonderful words her daughter had ever heard: “I always forget.”

All Christians are adopted children of God who are accepted by God with the same unconditional love that this mother had for her daughter.

This is the greatest gift that God could give- we were lost but now we are know as His!