Sermon Tone Analysis

Luke 2:8-20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 2003

Change On Pitcairn Island

 

The true story of the /Mutiny on the Bounty/ has often been retold.

One part that deserves retelling was the transformation wrought by one book.

Nine mutineers with six native men and twelve native women put ashore on Pitcairn Island in 1790.

One sailor soon began distilling alcohol, and the little colony was plunged into debauchery and vice.

Ten years later, only one white man survived, surrounded by native women and half-breed children.

In an old chest from the /Bounty,/ this sailor one day found a Bible.

He began to read it and then to teach it to the others.

The result was that his own life and ultimately the lives of all those in the colony were changed.

Discovered in 1808 by the /USS Topas,/ Pitcairn had become a prosperous community with no jail, no whisky, no crime, and no laziness.

*Because* t*he Gospel changes lives.

It’s Good News for sinners!*

Most people like to receive good news.

The announcement of a new baby brings great joy to families.

A number of families at Tent Hill experienced this recently.

The angels brought Good News of great joy for all people.

A very special baby, Jesus Christ, had been born at Bethlehem.

Today, I would like to look at the response of the shepherds to the Good News.*/

They Heard The Good News, They Searched For The Savior, They Shared The Good News.

/*

 

/Firstly,/ They Heard The Good News

 

*Luke 2:8-10: */Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

Then the angel said to them, *Do not be afraid*, for *behold*, *I bring you good tidings* of great joy which will be to all people./

The shepherds were terrified at the sight of the angel.

The original literally says that they were */afraid with a great fear/*.

Because God’s glory shone around them they feared for their lives.

But the angel meant them no harm.

He said to them */behold/*, I bring you good tidings of great joy to all people.

The angel says */behold,/* because he wants them to listen; to pay close attention.

Today, God says to us pay close attention.

Listen to the Gospel.

*Luke 2:10-12: */Then the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

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

And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger./

/ /

/What were the Good Tidings the angel shared?

/A very special person had been born.

The words, */I bring you good tidings/* *ε**ὐ**αγγελίζω** *is usually translated */I preach the Gospel./*

The angel was proclaiming the Gospel to the shepherds on that special night.

The Gospel has, and always will be centred in Jesus Christ.

The Gospel is for */all people/.

*God sent the */good news/* firstly to poor folk like shepherds and later to wise men and the rich.

/ /

*/The City of David/*/.

What is significant about being born in the city of David?/

This states that He is born to be King.

He came from David’s line and was the rightful King of Israel.

*Luke 1:31-32: */And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God *will give Him the throne of His father David.*/

The wise men said, /where is who has been born King of the Jews./

They came to worship Him.

*The gift of gold was right for a king.*

Later on when Christ was crucified the sign on the cross said */Jesus Of Nazareth, King Of The Jews./*

When Christ comes back he has written on His robe and thigh */King of Kings/* and */Lord of Lords/*.

*/Since Jesus Christ is the King of Kings we should submit to His rule/.*

One day all men will.

*/He is worthy of our obedience../*

/ /

*/A Savior.

/*/What does a Savior do?* */He saves others who can’t save themselves.

The name Jesus *Ἰ**ησο**ῦ**ς** *means */Jehovah saves/*.

/Joshua/ is the Hebrew equivalent of the Greek word /Jesus/.

*/Joshua /**יְהֹושֻׁעַ* means */Jehovah is salvation/*.

*Matthew 1:21: */And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.

/Jesus was born to save us from our sins.

This He would accomplish by dying on the cross in our place.

*The* *gift of myrrh speaks of suffering and sacrifice.*

It was used to embalm the dead.

The */Babe of Bethlehem/* would become the */Christ of Calvary/*.

*Luke 2:13-14: */And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: glory to God in the highest, and on earth *peace*, goodwill toward men! /Christ’s ministry on earth restored peace between man and God.

Jesus paid our debt to God.

He died on the cross for our sins.

*Romans 5:1: */Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

/Yes, Jesus Christ was born to die for your sins, and my sins.

*Acts 4:12/: S/*/alvation is in no other, for there* is no other name *under heaven given among men by which* we must be saved.*

*Since Jesus is the Savior of the world we must believe in Him.

Only He can save us! */

 

*/Christ/.

*/What does the word Christ mean?/

The word */Christ/* *Χριστός* means */Anointed One/*, */God’s Messiah/*, the */Son of God./ *God promised to send the Messiah to Israel.

The prophets foretold that the Christ would come and save Israel.

*Matthew 16:15-16: */He said to them, But who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.

/God sent Jesus into the world to be the Christ or Messiah.

*The gift of frankincense speaks of a perfect, sinless life.*

Jesus Christ is God’s way of salvation.

Don’t look anywhere else.

He is the only way.

*John 14:6: */Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through Me./

 

*/Lord.

/*The word*/ Lord/** **κύριος* means */Master, Sovereign/*.

This title is normally given to God.

It refers to His sovereign power over all creation.

This title refers to Christ’s deity.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God, But He is also God the Son.

Because Jesus Christ is God we must worship Him.

*Philippians 2:9-11: */Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that *Jesus Christ is Lord,* to the glory of God the Father./

*/Jesus Christ is the sovereign God.

Therefore we must worship Him!/*

 

 /Secondly,/ They Searched For The Saviour

 

*Luke 2:15-16: */So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.