Code Word: GOSPEL

Main 1: What is the Gospel?

G - God created us to be with Him.

Genesis 1:1 starts the story. The Gospel begins with God. In the Hebrew Bible, the word for God in Genesis 1:1 is Elohim. Elohim is an incredible term. It is plural, but not as multiple gods, but, rather one being existing in community with Himself. So, later in Genesis 1:27-28, we see that beings created in His image reflect His character and likeness.

GO - Our sins separate us from a relationship with God.

In Genesis 3, we read of the fall. In the garden there was perfection, and sin enters through Adam and Eve. Their disobedience leads humanmind down a path, separated from God. This is bad news.

GOS - Sins cannot be removed by good deeds.

Many people do many good things! We see this cycle of trying to do good to get into God’s favor throughout the whole of the Old Testament as well! And it is a lie from the devil, that you just need to be better so that God will love you more. It is true that there is nothing you can do to save yourself or earn the love of Jesus Christ. So many of us, and friends that we know, spin our wheels over and over again trying to make up for what we've done wrong. But you can’t. The good news of the Gospel is that there is someone who can – Jesus!

GOSP - Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again.

Christmas is supposed to be happy, and I know we’d like a cheery Christmas Sunday morning, but the reality of Christmas should not be lost upon us in the fact that that baby—in just a few short years—would become the Savior of the world, paying the price for sin that you and I have committed and still do! Paying the price for sin, Jesus died, and Hallelujah rose again! What is the point of Christmas without Resurrection Sunday of the Easter celebration? This is the wonderful message of forgiveness and hope in the books of the New Testament where we see Jesus coming, paying the price for our sins, dying, and rising again.

GOSPE - Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life.

Romans 6:5 “For if we have been joined with Him in the likeness of His death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of His resurrection.”

Romans 6:8 “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him,”

No one like a bragger, so if we have any reason to brag this Christmas season, let it be in the Gospel, the power of God unto salvation.

GOSPEL - Life now and life that lasts forever.

This is the joy and excitement of the gospel. New life in Christ starts now and it lasts into eternity. Now, we are called to a life of faithful obedience in following Jesus and proclaiming this Good News. It seems appropriate to think of the GOSPEL as the ultimate Christmas Gift.

Main 2: Be Prepared for God’s Movement at All Times!

Nothing about the GOSPEL and nothing about Jesus’ birth story seem to make any sense.

Which is why we need to be prepared for God’s movement in our lives at all times.

Shepherds doing their thing

Shepherding was a despised profession. The men were often poor peasants who hired themselves out to support their families by earning supplemental income.

But, they were faithfully doing their job, and I might add that they worked in teams to cover their sheep around the clock, including at night.

Poor marketing management skills if you’re God.

What made sense would have been professionals - the religious leaders who could have easily communicated the Good News to their people. Israel’s kings and religious leaders had been tasked to shepherd God’s flock, but they had failed miserably in the past.

Jeremiah 23:2 ““Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who shepherd My people: You have scattered My flock, banished them, and have not attended to them. I will attend to you because of your evil acts”—this is the Lord’s declaration.” In Ezekiel 34:23, we read - “I will appoint over them a single shepherd, My servant David, and he will shepherd them. He will tend them himself and will be their shepherd.” So there, would be a better shepherd, the Messiah, to rule over Israel and the world.

Or to political leaders who would have disseminated the Good News to their kingdom. Even to community leaders in Jerusalem would have made more sense.

A lowly group of forgotten hired hands received the Good News.

Jesus - the word, the logos, infinitely perfect, born, speechless as a babe.

Jesus - the light of the world, born in utter darkness, in a stable, lying in a feeding trough.

In great contrast to the darkness of the night time and the lowliness of the shepherds, comes the angel of the Lord in verse 9.

Luke 2:9 - “Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.”

In this verse, we see a picture of the contrast of the first two elements of GOSPEL:

God created us to be in relationship with Him and

Our sins separate us from a relationship with God.

In this story, and many others, especially in the Old Testament, the glory of the Lord shown around the angels, and their natural response was fear.

When light pierces through darkness, it is sudden, illuminating, and terrifying.

The truth of the Gospel should illuminate our lives.

It is bad news that sin separates us from God. It is the worst news. But that is not where the Gospel story ends.

Main 3: The Good News is meant for everyone.

Luke 2:10-11 “But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David.”

The angels quiet the fears of the shepherds with the simple phrase, “don’t be afraid.” But if you’re like me, and the other person says “don’t be afraid,” I’m almost always afraid.

But lot, we proceed. For many years, decades, listeners tuned in to Paul Harvey morning and midday show to listen to his News and Comment. But, of course he is best known for his “The Rest of the Story” segments.

Famous for sharing a powerful, uplifting story, this segment stood in contrast to the opening, which often sounded rather unfortunate or discouraging.

But here, the angels are doing to pre-date Paul Harvey’s segment with their own rest of the story.

The angels share the rest of the story:

Good news of great joy that will be for all people.

The phrase “for all people” foreshadows the expansion of God’s Kingdom from Israel to the Gentiles.

The good news is verse 11:

Luke 2:11 “Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David.”

And, it comes with a sign:

Luke 2:12 “This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”

We see a trinity of names to describe Jesus -

Savior, Messiah, and Lord - all of which fully encapsulate the function and status of Jesus.

As Savior, He is going to save people from their sins.

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds.

The main purpose of Jesus’ appearance on the earth was the salvation of mankind.

As Messiah, He is the fulfillment of Jewish prophecy who will bring victory.

As Lord, He is fully equal with God, fully divine.

And because of these things, He is the only one capable of

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again.

The birth of Jesus is the most important date in human history, and the way that the angels describe his appearance is a complete paradox.

Luke 2:12 “This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.””

The Wesleyan Bible Commentary, Volume 4: Matthew–Acts (2. The Visit of the Shepherds (2:8–20))

The Eternal One caught in a moment of time. Omnipresence coralled in a cave manger. Omnipotence cradled in a helpless infant who could not even raise His head from the straw. Omniscience confined in a baby who could not say a word.

In Romans 6:8 “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him,”

If we believe this, that Christ’s death and resurrection pave the way for our new lives, then we should have no problem sharing that

Everyone who trusts in Him alone has eternal life.

This is the joy and excitement of the gospel. Life starts now and lasts forever—that is the gospel in a nutshell. That is what the shepherds were sharing. They had encountered this baby and this baby had changed their lives.

For those of you who have kids or have been around kids, you know that a baby changes your life. You don't sleep anymore, and everything begins to revolve around this little one. And Jesus is the baby that changed the world His arrival is the Good News that paved the way for all people to experience

Life now and life that lasts forever. And just like the angels told the shepherds, this good news will bring all the people GREAT joy!

Friends, people today need great joy! People today STILL need good news! So, what are you going to do about it? Unfortunately, for some in this room, your lives are not full of great joy! And for some, your lives are full of joy despite your circumstances.

Joy comes from the Lord and is found when we accept, live out and share the gospel and all that it means. Let’s stop focusing on what we do not have and start sharing what we do – the Gospel! A God who created us and loves us, sent His Son for us. A Son that was born for us, died for us and rose to give us life. And the Holy Spirit walks alongside us and with us as we share this gospel with others. So, our challenge today is twofold:

1. Do you know the GOSPEL? God, Our, Sins, Paying, Everyone, Life!

2. Which people in your life are you praying for, that their hearts will be receptive to your sharing of this gospel when the Lord gives you opportunity?

Do you have an urgency to share the good news about Jesus, just as the Shepherds did?

If so, then ask God for opportunities to share it. If not, then ask God to give you that urgency and courage to share when He gives you that opportunity. You have heard the Gospel, now go learn it, love it, live it, and share it with Joy!

NOW GO!