The Song of the Angels

What is the difference between being startled and being frightened? Have you ever been startled by someone you love?

There is a social media post circulating that asks if you would be willing to spend 24 hours in a funeral home without electricity for a million dollars?

My brother-in-law worked for a season while a KSU student for a funeral home in Manhattan. His job was to be on hand in the evenings in case anybody called or dropped by for a visitation. I’m thinking that while he worked that job he had to come to terms with fear, but was never startled by one of the clientele.

On the other hand, my job here does not include environmental fear, but I have been startled by Becky at least once, and I announce myself before coming into her office to prevent her from being startled.

Today’s Text starts with a declaration of “Fear Not” although you may be startled.

The Surprising Salutation (v.10)

Unexpected

When I have been startled, the experience usually ends as quick as it happened. My shock is resolved when I reacclimate to my surroundings.

The experience by the Shepherds didn’t reacclimate instantly, because someone remained in their sight who had never been there before!

If I see something I’ve never seen before, I’m probably going to fear, even if is says “fear not!”

Ann can attest that I am notoriously difficult to surprise, but my parents once pulled off a totally unexpected birthday surprise party. In that moment the shock/surprise quickly turned to laughter and joy.

3. Quite similarly the surprise of the Shepherds is quickly turned to great joy.

“Mega” Joy

There is some mail that I am not real pleased to receive. One of those unexpected senders who usually causes angst is anything with a return address of the “United States Department of the Treasury”. However, the last few things I have received from them were announcements of potential benefits I could apply for. In those situations I quickly “feared not” but I honestly can’t say their news inspired “great joy” for any of the people in my house.

By contrast, the news delivered by the angel DID make possible great joy: unto us was born a Savior, who is Messiah God.

for “Entirety” of the People

Some may point to the phrase “for all people” as an argument against sovereign election. (stay tuned, the sermon isn’t over yet!)

Romans 5:12 makes it clear the consequences of Adam’s sin fell on all men, so any hope for life for any of humanity is a reversal of fortune and cause for joy.

Romans 5:12 ESV:2016

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

3. Even if a particular person chooses to remain in his/her sinful condition, The switch from hopeless to hopeful has been flipped and that is mega joy for any person or all persons.

Transition: The good news that brings MEGA joy to ALL people is not a situation, it is a person!

The Surprising Savior/Son (v.11)

The Deceiver’s Offspring/Eve’s Offspring (Gen 3:15)

A human deliverer had been prophesied 4,000 years earlier.

Since the time of the Judges God had been raising up human deliverers.

Since David rulers have come “in the name of the Lord” to bring about God’s righteousness and justice.

Mary and Zechariah’s songs that we looked at the last 2 weeks spoke of God sending a Messiah, a Christ.

But Gabriel’s message to Mary and the Angel’s message to the Shepherds is not just that God would send a Messiah, He would bethe Messiah.

To unlearned and common shepherds came the direct message in language they could understand: unto to you is born today a Deliver who is Messiah Adonai.

They were expecting a deliverer, they got Deity!

Transition: if I were to tell you that royalty is coming to Chase County, Someone would expect Cottonwood Falls International airport to extend its runway or prepare for Secret Service and Limousines, but the angel give the common shepherds...

The Surprising Sign (v.12)

Notice that the angel give a sign, not signs. The sign was when you see all of these together, you’ll know you’ve got it.

Bethlehem at this time was a small hamlet estimated to be about 2,000 people. Speculation was that about 40 male children were executed due to Herod’s order of all boys under 2. Based on this loose speculation, that means that a baby boy would have only been born approximately every 2 weeks. Born THIS day was a 1/15 likelihood. Wrapped in strips, rather than whole blanket cuts it to 1/30 (at best). Lying in a manger makes this likelihood beyond reasonable probability.

Strips of Cloth (cf.John 11:44)

1. Why cloth strips? Poor travelers would use what they could find or make do.

2. Strips were used for burial (think of a wrapped mummy). Travel with me to the side of the grave where Jesus’ friend Lazarus has been laid.

John 11:44 ESV:2016

44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

3. From the earliest moments of His life, we picture Him prepared for death.

4. He came to die!

Lying in a Manger

The rancher of Crawford Cattle Company may not recall, but the very first day Ann and I were in Cottonwood Falls, we were introduced to the destructive ability of feeding livestock. Next door to the place where we returned our moving truck in Council Grove, Ray was picking up some landscape cloth from the Ag Agent to lay down and cover with stone to create a feeding area that would not be knee deep in mud. I’ve since noticed that most feed bunkers are made out of steel or (to eliminate rust) concrete. Or the rancher just drops cubes on the ground. For just as a mouse can chew through wood, any animal could quickly destroy a manger made of wood.

1. Either the manger we use in nativity sets was used, which foreshadows the wooden cross upon which Jesus would die. OR

2. The feeding trough was hewn out of stone which forecast the burial plot that would be borrowed from Joseph of Arimathea.

3. From the earliest moments of His life, we picture Him prepared for death.

4. He came to die!

Transition: The good news of Mega Joy for All Man about an impending Death could not be contained. As soon as the angel puts a period at the end of his sentence, He is surrounded by...

The Sudden Symphony/Choir/Army (v.13)

I provided “symphony” so that you can remember today’s points by alliteration, but if you want to be more accurate, you can write in “choir” and if you really want to be biblical about it, you can write in “Armies”

What Were They?

I asked on social media on Monday if my friends think v.13 speaks of angels or some other heavenly body (like starts, moons, etc.)

1. With the angel appeared a multitude of the heavenly host.

2. Some believe host is defined by the singular “angel” at the beginning of the phrase. To those I ask, “Why did Luke change words to describe the multitude? Why didn’t he say angels?

3. Because of the word change and the statement of Ps 19:1,

Psalm 19:1 ESV:2016

1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Which clearly hints at the stars and planets, rather than angels. This prompts some to believe it was something other than angels that makes up the host.

4. To this group I say, keep reading! The original bible did not have punctuation or verse numbers.

5. The 3rd word of v.15 mentions plural angels.

6. What were they? The word change is enough for me to conclude there was at least 1 angel and there were many voices.

Some of you will take comfort in the fact that the multitude says, rather than sings, so if you can’t sing you could still be included.

How Many were there?

1. While the NIV uses great company where the ESV, NASB & KJV all use multitude, the fact that different English words are used hints at the idea the translators are trying to communicate: there were bunches of them!

2. The word Luke uses transliterates into our word plethora. Look at the variety of translations come from this word: number, people, assembly, congregation, crowd, great company, quantity, many, multitudes.

3. The one announcement immediately turning into a HUGE number of voices praising God!

Transition: The movement of 1 announcement to many voices begins to give us practical application of this text.

The Significance of the Song (v.14-15)

Praise toward Heaven is Multiplied & Magnified (14a)

When a decision comes to us, do we praise or question the decision or the process?

In our divisive political system, many people have begun to count votes. If the Supreme Court hands down a decision we want to know who voted for, who voted against, and even read the response of the minority in the decision. If Congress passes a law, some can quickly cite who voted for and who voted against a bill. Often this curiosity of who voted how is an attempt to reverse the decision.

2. But the decision handed down by the Angel that The One who came to Us in order to Save His People is God our Deliver Is not up for review, recall, or impeachment; so the plethora speak with one voice to the glory of God himself.

Peace on earth is made possible (14b)

In most English Bibles v. 14 is divided into 2 ideas: heaven and earth. But some (KJV) divide into 3 ideas: Glory, Peace, Man Pleasure.

We can conclude that Peace with God is made possible in Christ.

Romans 5:1 ESV:2016

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

3. It is the end of v.14 that scholars disagree:

a. Is this speaking of God’s pleasure with man (with whom)?

b. Is this speaking of man’s pleasure with each other (goodwill)?

4. Most agree (and I concur) that the end of v.14 speaks of God’s pleasure in humanity.

a. It is a return to Eden where the relationship between God and His creation is good (not because of man, but because of God).

b. In this good news the heavenly host extol that God’s wrath can be turned away so that man can be reconciled to God and God can once again take pleasure in His creation.

Transition: The significance of the good news is that God’s praise increases, humanity’s peace becomes possible, and recipients of the promise can move forward in faith.

The Shepherds Proceed in Faith and Confidence (15)

This thing that has happened.

The witness of their eyes and ears prompted them to proceed with their feet and proclaim with their mouths (vv.17 & 20)

They did not go to see IF it had happened, but to celebrate THAT it has happened.

Conclusion:

Our response in the days ahead is simply to respond as teh shepherds did to the Song of the Multitude: Overflow in Magnified Praise, live in Peace and Confidently Proclaim to others the Good News.

When God acts, praise is multiplied and response is expected.

Our response song is not a song about Christmas per se, it is a song of Christmas. It is exactly the type of song the plethora of heavenly armies may have repeated throughout the universe.

It is a song we sang in our little church of less than a hundred Baptists and it is a song I have sung with thousands in huge auditoriums with pipe organ and mixed denominations.

I invite you to join me with a full orchestra and choir in London’s Royal Albert Hall as we sing...

Song of Response ........ “To God Be the Glory”

Benediction: