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
0.08UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.08UNLIKELY
Fear
0.6LIKELY
Joy
0.65LIKELY
Sadness
0.55LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.44UNLIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.53LIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.92LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.59LIKELY
Extraversion
0.29UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.89LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.52LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
This sermon is about two words.
Two simple words.
Two words that we frequently use.
Both words are small.
Each word has just one syllable.
These two words are found in the word of the angel recorded in Luke 2:10, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
You are probably guessing that these two words are “good news”.
Those would be two great words to preach about, for “good news” means Gospel!
However, I want to talk about the two words that make the Gospel, such “good news”— Joy and All.
These two words come to us in the context of Fear.
Luke 2:9 calls it “great fear.”
Why is that?
Imagine just doing your job one evening and then suddenly—from out of nowhere—an angel of the Lord appears.
Then the glory of the Lord shines bright, all around you.
Little wonder that the angel said to these startled shepherds, “Fear not.”
We can relate with the shepherds “keeping watch over their flock by night” (Luke 2:8).
Often, though, it is not an abrupt angel that shakes us up—it is the future.
What will the New Year be like?
Will this be a winter of “sickness and death” as some are say?
Will we suffer hyperinflation or a stock market crash as others predict?
Will World War III, start because Russian, China or North Korea feel embolden?
Then there are all the common, everyday fears we all face.
It seems our nation and world are gripped in fear.
The technical name for this chronophobia.
Chronophobia is the fear of the future.
It causes us to make bad decisions, form bad habits, and get into bad relationships.
What are our options?
Shall we can refuse to get up in the morning, but that would not be a good use of the gift of the day that God has in store for us.
Shall we can cover our windows and lock our doors, but that would intensify our fear of anything the outside might hold.
Experts tell us that fear of the future leads to risk-lock.
Risk-lock?
Risk-lock is a condition, which—like gridlock—leaves us unable to do anything or go anywhere.
But our Lord has a better option for us.
Fear is overcome by joy.
There’s our first word.
Joy! “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy” (Luke 2:10).
The angel doesn’t just announce joy.
He announces great joy.
Why? “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).
The infant child is the Savior of sinners.
He is the long-awaited Christ, or Messiah, from the house and lineage of David.
The angel adds a third title to Jesus.
Jesus is Lord.
“Lord.”
Let that sink in.
Jesus, the long-awaited Savior and Messiah, is one with the Eternal God.
The Nicene Creed puts it this way.
Christ is “God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God.
Begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father.”
Jesus is Lord.
But when he arrived, Jesus looked nothing like the Lord.
There was a manger, some straw, a few shepherds, Mary, and Joseph.
Jesus cries, naps, sleeps, burps, and needs his mother.
Jesus came down to a manger.
True.
But it was so he could go further down—to a cross.
There, on a God-forsaken cross, the Lord was abandoned by his countrymen.
He was abandoned by his followers.
Jesus was abandoned, finally, by his Father.
The Savior, Christ, the Lord, did it all to conquer death and replace our fear with joy—great joy!
Please hear what I’m about to say.
It’s very important.
There is a huge difference between happiness and joy.
They are not synonymous terms.
Health and wealth and family and friends are blessings from God.
They make us happy.
But—and this is a big but—they are not essential for joy.
Why is that?
Happiness is determined by what’s going on around me.
I can’t control that.
Joy is determined by what’s going on inside of me.
And God has taken control of that.
He sent Jesus—the Lord.
Jesus didn’t have a lot of reasons for earthly happiness.
He didn’t arrive as an emperor, a statesman, a general, or an investment banker.
Jesus was born in an animal feeding trough to a blue-collar father and a teenage mother.
As an adult, Jesus had no home and served as an itinerant preacher who washed feet.
A background like this has never been the key to making it big.
And then this: “Being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:9).
Death on the cross was reserved for slaves, thieves, and murders—the lowest of the low.
Roman soldiers ripped his skin, burst his arteries, and severed his nerves.
The pain was unimaginable.
In spite of it all, though, Jesus had joy.
Poverty couldn’t take his joy away.
Disappointment and rejection couldn’t take it away.
Even death on a cross couldn’t take away Christ’s joy.
Hebrews 12:2 says as much: “… who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame.”
Jesus once said, “No one will take your joy from you” (John 16:22).
Why is that?
Remember?
Happiness is determined by what’s going on around me.
I can’t control that.
Joy is determined by what’s going on inside of me.
And God has taken control of that by sending Jesus, the Savior, Messiah, and Lord.
Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.
Jesus, the Word made Flesh and Immanuel.
Jesus, the Root and Offspring of David, the Bright Morning Star, the Alpha and the Omega, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords!
The joy of Jesus stems the tide of our fear and foreboding.
The joy of Jesus brings confidence in the midst of confusion.
Hope in the midst of uncertainty.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9