Responding to the News

When the News you get are NOT the News you Want

Three Annunciations

Luke 1:11

Luke 1:11 NASB95

11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.

Luke 1:28

Luke 1:28 NASB95

28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”

Luke 2:9

Luke 2:9 NASB95

9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.

Three Reactions

Zechariah

Questioned God’s power by highlighting his human weakness

Mary

Wonder how God would do the impossible

Shepherds

Trusted the Lord’s word and acted on it

How do we React to God’s Word?

What do we do when the news are contrary to our expectations?

Fear and Unbelief

Wonder and Obedience

Trust and Joy

Luke 2:8–20 (NASB95)

8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;

11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

12 “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”

16 So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.

17 When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.

18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.

20 The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

Why the Shepherds?

EGW Desire of Ages LJ 32.3

Auf den Feldern, auf denen einst der junge David seine Schafe geweidet hatte, hüteten auch jetzt Hirten des Nachts ihre Herden. In den stillen Nachtstunden sprachen sie miteinander von dem verheißenen Heiland und beteten um das Kommen des Königs auf Davids Thron.

In the fields where the boy David had led his flock, shepherds were still keeping watch by night. Through the silent hours they talked together of the promised Saviour, and prayed for the coming of the King to David's throne.

Praying for the wrong Messiah

EGW Desire of Ages LJ 32.4

At these words, visions of glory fill the minds of the listening shepherds. The Deliverer has come to Israel! Power, exaltation, triumph, are associated with His coming. But the angel must prepare them to recognize their Saviour in poverty and humiliation. “This shall be a sign unto you,” he says; “Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

”Bei diesen Worten zogen Bilder von großer Herrlichkeit an dem inneren Auge der lauschenden Hirten vorüber. Der Erlöser Israels war gekommen! Macht, Erhöhung und Sieg würden die Folge seines Eintritts in die Welt sein. Aber der Engel mußte sie darauf vorbereiten, ihren Heiland auch in Armut und Niedrigkeit zu erkennen. “Das habt zum Zeichen: ihr werdet finden das Kind in Windeln gewickelt und in einer Krippe liegen.”

Where did they get these ideas from?

Extra biblical outside of the Talmud, God’s word

After the Babylonian captivity the Jews decided that they would never be enslaved again and created a huge system of laws to ensure no one was breaking the Law and the prophets. They officially began the philosophy of salvation by works!

Sample Pharisaic Prayer for King Messiah

Behold, O Lord, and raise up unto them their king, the son of David, in the time which thou, O God, knowest, that he may reign over God and Israel thy servant; And gird him with strength that he may break in pieces them that rule unjustly. Purge Jerusalem from the heathen that trample her down to destroy her, with wisdom and with righteousness. He shall thrust out the sinners from the inheritance, utterly destroy the proud spirit of the sinners, and as potter’s vessels with a rod of iron shall he break in pieces all their substance.

May God hasten his mercy toward Israel! may he deliver us from the abomination of unhallowed adversaries! The Lord he is our king from henceforth and even for evermore. -Psalms of the Pharisees, 17:23-51.

Siehe, o Herr, und erwecke ihnen ihren König, den Sohn Davids, zu der Zeit, die du, o Gott, kennst, damit er über Gott und Israel, deinen Knecht, regiere; Und gürte ihn mit Kraft, damit er die Ungerechten zerschmettere. Säubere Jerusalem von den Heiden, die es zertrampeln, um es zu zerstören, mit Weisheit und Gerechtigkeit. Er wird die Sünder aus dem Erbe vertreiben, den stolzen Geist der Sünder völlig zerstören, und wie Töpfergefäße mit eisernem Stab wird er all ihre Substanz in Stücke brechen.

‌Möge Gott seine Barmherzigkeit gegenüber Israel beschleunigen! möge er uns von dem Greuel unheiliger Widersacher befreien! Der Herr, er ist unser König von nun an und sogar für immer. -Psalmen der Pharisäer, 17:23-51.

God’s Mercy is greater than our Ignorance

They were expecting a different kind o Messiah

One that would deliver them from their earthly oppressors

As usual we humans are concerned with the less important things in life!

Many today advocate that the Gospel be reduced to social empathy for others

While helping others is important, the best help we can provide is that of the good news of the Gospel

A Sign Unto You!

Gabriel did not tell them you are wrong about your theology

We could call this the cuttest theological correction

The sign that things were not as expected

You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

Ihr werdet finden das Kind in Windeln gewickelt und in einer Krippe liegen.

Joy to the World!

The heavenly messenger had quieted their fears. He had told them how to find Jesus. With tender regard for their human weakness, he had given them time to become accustomed to the divine radiance. Then the joy and glory could no longer be hidden. The whole plain was lighted up with the bright shining of the hosts of God. Earth was hushed, and heaven stooped to listen to the song,—“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, good will toward men.” DA 47-48

Der Bote des Himmels besänftigte die Furcht der Hirten. Er sagte ihnen, wie sie Jesus fänden. Mit zarter Rücksicht auf ihre menschliche Schwäche gab er ihnen Zeit, sich an die göttliche Herrlichkeit zu gewöhnen. Dann aber ließen sich Freude und Lobpreis nicht länger halten. Die himmlischen Heerscharen erhellten die ganze Ebene mit ihrem Glanz. In das tiefe nächtliche Schweigen der Erde tönte der Jubelgesang: “Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe und Friede auf Erden und den Menschen ein Wohlgefallen.” Lukas 2,14. LJ 32.5

Glory to God!

1 Peter 1:20–21 (NASB95)

20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you

21 who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Er war zuvor ersehen vor Grundlegung der Welt, aber wurde offenbar gemacht in den letzten Zeiten um euretwillen,

21 die ihr durch ihn an Gott glaubt, der ihn aus den Toten auferweckt und ihm Herrlichkeit gegeben hat, damit euer Glaube und eure Hoffnung auf Gott gerichtet seien.

John 3:16 NASB95

16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Shepherd’s Response

They ran to go see the baby

They worshipped Him

They shared the news