Sermon Tone Analysis

Turn to

we have been in a series for the last month; the month of advent, called Glorious Songs of Olde.

We have been looking at different songs traditionally sung during the month of Advent that reflect the truths of scripture and the tension and anticipation that we live in not just at Christmas but as a part of our existance.

As Christians we believe that 2000 years ago, a child was born in a small town in modern day Israel Bethlehem.

And that this child was unlike any other child ever born in the historu of humanity.

As the angel mentioned to Mary in

the implication is that all other kingdoms do end.

So whether he is refered to or not, we cannot say this means nothing to us.

If the kingdom reigns forever it means tht it has significance for everybody and every other nation.

IF TRUE!!!

It has implications for all of us!

PAUSE

Now probably many of you do noty know this logo.

Which hurts a little.

EVERTON If they won the Premiere League or to dream big, the Champions League which the the ultimate competition betwen every club in Europe,

my son and I would be loud about it.

There would be posts about it on social media, some catchy memes.

If you were at our house or saw us in the lobby, or passed us on the stret, we would be ointerersted and excited to explain to you this momentous thing that had happened!!

And most in this room if not all of you would ask yourself two things....

Who cares?

And why should this matter to me?

For some of you you might approach Christmas the same way!!

does this change anything about the way I live my life.

how does this event that happened along time ago have anything to do with me

For many the announcement of God becoming man, the good news or gospel of Jesus who was born, lived, died and rose again has the same kind of effect.

Why should I care?

How does this effect me!

See when I was growing up, the main issue was dealing with athiests.

Having strong arguments to prove that God exists, that Jesus truly did live and die and he was resurrected.

(and there are a ot of good reasons to believe that)

For many today those arguments don’t matter, becasue modernity has called us to self-sufficiency and therefore no need for God.

Rather than athiesm we are faced with ..

apathiesm- who cares if God exists

What does that have to do with me?

So songs like Joy to the World may have some nostalgia, some thoughts of an old time Christmas, but obviously we are not actually called on to rejoice in this event that took place in some small ancient foreign town,sourounded by foreign kings of small kingdoms, and lowly inginificant shepherds.

Well, some of you may know that Joy to the World is not a Christmas song, at least not in the truest sense.

When Isaac Watts wrote Joy to the World in 1719 his goal was not reflection on how we ought to approach the arrival of Jesus as a baby in a manger.

(although all the thoughts would apply)

What Watts was nviting us was to look foreward, (in light of the first coming of Christ to look forward to his second coming.

Isaac whats loved to take OT imagery and moix it with new in order t have a robust fuller expression of what it meant to worship God.

And in Joy to the World we have a mix of imagery from Revelation, and the ultimate return of Jesus to rule and reign and .

Which I’d like to look at this morning.

So let us stand ...

PRAYER

In the Ancient near east and during the time of the Roman Empire.

When a king would arrive to a city it was the practice to welcome him in with singins and worship.

There was usually a spectacle.

Music, tumpets, hrps, dancer....and it wasn’t alsways becsue tyou were glad they were there.

If they a powerful forign conquering king you wanted to appease them.

If they were your king who had returned from battle you wanted to celebrate them.

Practice of something called ADVENTUS- arrival specifically of a King

When a king shows up to the gates of your want to know a few things:

When the watchmen callers out and word is getting around he city, there will need to be clarification.

Is it “a” king is coming, or “the king”

Meaning is it our king, the one we are familiar with, returning from battle or is it the king who may have conquered our king coming to declare he defeat of our king and that we are under his authority now.

Then we want to know is this king coming as a benevolent king or a king bring in judgement.

And here is the thing: the answer is “yes” to all of the above.

The psalmist in 98, and the the collection of Scriputre is talking about this happening in a on a cosmic scale!

When we declare the coming of God in the person of Christ we see that yes he is a our God, but he is also a God who has come to conquer sin and death and it consequences in our lives.

He has come as an approachable God who is near Emmanuel God with us, as we sing....”behold you king” (O Holy Night)

Yes he comes as a benevolent king with power and judgement but also with love and grace and forgiveness!!

This approachable king, will take all the judgement on his own shoulders.

What we have here is the image of a entering, conquering king.

We have the invitation to worship and rejoice and welcome in:

like an ancient king who has returned from battle or who has come to save you from forieng oppression.

I. SURPRIZING REASON TO WORSHIP (v.

4-8)

shout

-10

praise

sing for joy

What, Who, Why?

II.

Everyone, at least everyone who wants to be on the right side of history.

III.

rock out with the harp

trumpets

ram’s horn

joyful symphony

and let’s open this up let;’s get all of creation in on it

creatures of the sea shout praises

rivers clap

hills sing

Everyone should be getting in on this beautiful cosmis ceremony.

Why?

v 9…JUDGEMENT!!!!

What is strange is the reason we are welcomed to welcome and praise him.

It isnt the Grinch sliding into Who-ville with presents to retung all the gifts ans the roast-beast.

It isnt Santa Clause coming to town!

The words were written by Isaac Watts, who is widely regarded as one of the finest hymn writers in history.

Isaac Watts also wrote such well-known hymns as: “Alas and Did My Savior Bleed,” “Jesus Shall Reign Wherever the Sun,” “O God our Help in Ages Past,” and “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.”

Not good King Wencheslaus coming to the feast of Stephen to bring.....

In Verse 9-10

What???

How can we look forward to judgement??

“Joy to the World” is a favorite carol of many and one of the best known of all the Christmas songs.

The words were written by Isaac Watts, who is widely regarded as one of the finest hymn writers in history.

Isaac Watts also wrote such well-known hymns as: “Alas and Did My Savior Bleed,” “Jesus Shall Reign Wherever the Sun,” “O God our Help in Ages Past,” and “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.”

II.

WHY IS THIS GOOD NEWS? (v.9)

because he is unlike any judge you have ever seen.

Wipe you minds of corruption and deciete.