The Good News Message (Luke 2:1-20)

Pastor Jason Soto
The Characters of Christmas  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Introduction

Merry Christmas! You may have a lot of things planned tomorrow, or maybe not. You might have some presents left to wrap. But in all of the hustle and bustle of this Christmas season, let’s not forget one thing: Christmas is about God’s good news. Christmas is about the message of God’s good news in Jesus Christ.
I heard this story of a mother who was celebrating the birth of her newborn son.

A MOTHER was having a gathering to celebrate the birth of her newborn son. She invited a bunch of friends over to celebrate his arrival. She welcomed her guests, and they all had a great time celebrating, eating, and drinking.

After a while, one of the ladies said, “Well, bring the baby out. Let us see it.”

The mother went to get the baby from his crib—he was nowhere to be found. She started to panic and feel fearful. Suddenly, she remembered that the baby was still at her parents’ house, where she had left him that morning. She and the guests had been having so much fun they had forgotten what the party was about in the first place. During the Christmas season, many people get busy with celebration and forget that the birth of Jesus Christ is the reason for the season.

What is the reason for the season? How can we understand and reflect on God’s good news message this Christmas? We will be in Luke 2:1-20.
Scripture Reading
Luke 2:1–20 CSB
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. 2 This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, 5 to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 Then she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. 8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 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: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: 14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors! 15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger. 17 After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told.
Pray
Description of interaction of the angels and the shepherds with the good news message
At the time of Jesus’ birth, Luke records that there was a census throughout the Roman empire. This caused people to go to their hometowns for the census, including Joseph and Mary. While they were in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus. The birth of Jesus at Bethlehem fulfilled a prophecy in the OT from the prophet Micah in Micah 5:2, which says, “Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; one will come from you to be ruler over Israel for me. His origin is from antiquity, from ancient times.” Mary wraps up her baby tightly in cloth and lays him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them in Bethlehem.
We are introduced to a group of shepherds watching over a flock. They are described as being in the same region, which is the region where Bethlehem is in, Judea. This picture is the hill country east of modern-day Bethlehem. It’s likely that the shepherds could have had their flock in an area like this one.
While they are in this area, an angel appears to them and brings a message. What’s interesting about this text is the focus on the message and the result that happens from the good news message. This gives us some good lessons about God’s good news message to the world.
First,

God's good news message comes according to his perfect timing.

The shepherds were regular people doing regular things.
The story shows how God uses regular people doing regular things. It says in Luke 2:8:
Luke 2:8 CSB
8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock.
These shepherds were normal people involved in the normal task of shepherding. This is a modern day shepherd in an area like Bethlehem involved in the task of shepherding. You can imagine that they were prepared for a night like any other night.
Shepherding was a common occupation in Israel. A big part of their job was leading their flock, protecting their flock, feeding them, and finding places of rest for them. God often uses the picture of shepherding in Scripture to describe God and his people.
Yet these shepherds weren’t aware of God’s plan for their lives. They may have considered themselves of little importance in the bigger picture of things. We tend to put people up on pedestals, but God is not a respecter of persons. God will use whom he will use.
God interrupted their ordinary life with his great glory.
God interrupts their lives in an extraordinary way. It says this in Luke 2:9:
Luke 2:9 CSB
9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
You can picture the scene. They are in the middle of an ordinary night, and we don’t know them individually or what was going on in their lives. All that we know is that God interrupts their night in an extraordinary way.
What’s interesting is that when God interrupts, its unmistakable. Sometimes, people will look for little signs or little inferences to try and insert God into something. Maybe this was God telling me such and such? But when God interrupts, you will know.
God's message arrives at the right time.
God has a way of sending his message just at the right time. The shepherds got this message at a time when they would be receptive to it, and at a time when they would respond to it. God delivered the message to them in a way that they would respond. God knows when to get our attention and how to get our attention.
What’s interesting about Jesus is how aware he is of God’s timing. He would constantly say things like “my time has not yet come.” For instance, Jesus says in John 7:6:
John 7:6 CSB
6 Jesus told them, “My time has not yet arrived, but your time is always at hand.
We always want things according to our timing. We want things now. But God knows what is best for us, and he knows when and how to get our attention.
God's message is a powerful interrupter.
The message of God is a powerful interrupter. It says in Luke 2:9 that “the glory of the Lord shone around them.” When you are confronted with the glory of God, its a time when you realize who you are before him. It can be frightening! Here you and I are, with all of our mistakes and hangups and issues, with all of our doubts and our sins before God, and we are confronted with a holy, righteous, glorious God.
God reveals himself in ways we can understand: I love how God knows how to get our attention. He knows each of us individually and is able to communicate to us in a way we will understand. A man said this about how God reached individual people in a way they would understand to tell them about Jesus at his birth.
300 Quotations and Prayers for Christmas God Reveals Himself in Ways We Can Understand

Christ was revealed to the wise men that were Gentiles by a star, because they were given to stargazing. He was discovered to the shepherds by the apparition of angels. The scribes that were conversant in Scripture, they found it out by searching the Scriptures. God applies Himself to every man’s condition.

God knows your condition, and he knows how to communicate his good news message to you at a time when you will hear, and in a way that you will understand. God’s message, his communication, and timing is perfect.
God's good news message comes according to his timing.
Second,

God's good news message comes with clarity and spreads to others.

There is a personal nature to God's message.
What’s interesting about God’s message to the shepherds is how personal it is. Look at Luke 2:10-12:
Luke 2:10–12 CSB
10 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: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”
Now, we read this and think of the universal application of this message. A Savior is born for you, meaning all of us. In fact, that is what the message indicates, because it is saying that this message is for all the people.
But, as the shepherds are hearing this message, what are they thinking? Look at all of the personal pronouns.
I proclaim to YOU good news
A Savior is born for YOU
This will be a sign for YOU
YOU will find a baby
The shepherds hearing this, are they priests? Are they kings or rulers or some important individuals on the upper crust of society who can disseminate a message to the peasants? No, they are the peasants. They are the regular people. And God is speaking directly to them.
It is a message that speaks personally to them. God doesn’t miss the shepherd in the countryside, or wherever you are. God brings a good news message that is for YOU.
There is a specificity to God’s message.
Not only is it personal, it is also specific. It is not an ambiguous message that can have multiple meanings. There is a specific place, a specific person, given in a specific way.
In the city of David (Bethlehem)
A baby born there who is the Messiah
He is wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger
There was no mistaking where to go, who to find, or how to find the baby. When God speaks, he speaks with specific clarity.
Sometimes we can get tempted with God’s message to soften it, to make it more palatable for people of all kinds. But God never is shy about being specific to who he is, and how to be in right standing with him. The specificity of God’s message is a good thing, because we need clarity.
There is a confirmation of God's message.
God’s message is personal and specific. It also comes with confirmation. The angel goes through great lengths to point the shepherds to God’s confirming action. What does he say in verse 12?
Luke 2:12 CSB
12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”
God’s confirmation is within a person, a baby lying in a manger. What does he say? You will know what I am saying is true because you will find the Son of God lying in a manger. He is my confirmation to you, and to the world.
God's good news results in action.
I love the shepherds response to God’s message. When you hear God’s good news, there is action involved. God’s good news results in action. Look at how the shepherds respond in Luke 2:15-16:
Luke 2:15–16 CSB
15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger.
The shepherds say, “Lets go see this great thing that God has told us. Lets go see the reality of what God has promised.” There is an action of obedience on their part, and its an action that doesn’t hesitate.
What I love about this is that God loves when you take that step of faith to see if what God says is true. He doesn’t shy away from you exploring God’s Word. He encourages it. He says, “Go, see if what I said is true.”
God's good news overflows to others.
A beautiful thing is that when you see the reality of what God has promised in your life, you can’t help but share it with others. This is the nature of God’s message. Take a look at how the shepherds responded to seeing the Christ in Luke 2:17-18:
Luke 2:17–18 CSB
17 After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
There is a sense of excitement inside a person when he or she responds to the good news message of Christ. When you not only hear the good news message but you also experience it, you can’t help but respond in excitement. It’s something that overflows from the inside and comes out to others.
You see that in the ministry of Jesus. People who experienced the good news of what God did for them couldn’t help but tell others. In Luke 8:39, a man is healed who suffered from demons. He wanted to go with Jesus, but Jesus told him this:
Luke 8:39 CSB
39 “Go back to your home, and tell all that God has done for you.” And off he went, proclaiming throughout the town how much Jesus had done for him.
There is also the story of the Samaritan woman. She was so excited about the message of God in Jesus, look at how she reacted in John 4:28-29:
John 4:28–29 CSB
28 Then the woman left her water jar, went into town, and told the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?”
The beauty of the Gospel message is that it spreads because it has an impact. It’s not a fanciful philosophy that someone says and thinks is interesting. Rather, God’s message spreads because it changes lives. He uses his message to change a life, and then that person gets excited, and tells others about Jesus.
The matchbox story: I heard a story of a man who purchased his wife some souvenirs. In particular, he purchased this matchbox that would glow in the dark. After giving it to her, he turned out the light, but the object was not visible. “This must be a joke!” she said. Disappointed, the husband commented, “I’ve been cheated!”
Then his wife noticed some French words on the box. Taking it to a friend who knew the language, she was told that the directions read: “If you want me to shine at night, keep me in the sunlight all day.” So she put her gift in a south window. That evening when she turned out the light, the matchbox had a brilliant glow. The surprised husband asked, “What did you do?” “Oh, I found the secret,” she said. “Before it can shine in the dark, it must be exposed to the light.”
Before you can shine in the dark, you need to exposed to the light. This is the beauty of God’s good news message. You hear God’s good news message, you trust it, you put your faith in it, maybe you put your faith in it to see what will happen. As you are exposed to the light, its exciting. You need time exposed to the Son, and as you grow in him, it overflows out of you. When you hear God’s good news, you can’t help but be excited. You can’t help but tell others.
God's good news message comes according to his timing.
God's good news message comes with clarity and spreads to others.
Third,

God's good news message results in joy and praise.

There is joy in the message of Jesus.
Take a closer look at what happens around the proclamation and confirmation of God’s good news message. First, look at what the angel says about this message in Luke 2:10-11:
Luke 2:10–11 CSB
10 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: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
Here is God’s good news message. And what is a result of this message? This is good news of great joy that will be for all the people. When a person comes to know God’s good news message, there is a great amount of joy in their life. Why is that? Because God has rescued them. Because God has delivered them. Because God has given a new life to them. There is joy in knowing Jesus.
I want you to see the result of God’s good news message.
The result of the confirmation of God's message is praise to God.
The result of God’s good news message is to praise God. When you know God’s good news, you can’t help but praise him. That’s what we see in both the angels and the shepherds. They both respond to the good news message with praise to God.
Look first at the angels. The angel of the Lord has proclaimed the good news of great joy for all people. Then there is something incredible. Look at Luke 2:13:
Luke 2:13 CSB
13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:
That term for “host” literally means “armies,” so this could read, “a multitude of the heavenly armies.” Its interesting that God’s battle against the darkness that we find in this world is the light of the good news message of Jesus. The armies of heaven praise God because of the good news message of Jesus.
The shepherds respond the same way! Look at Luke 2:20:
Luke 2:20 CSB
20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told.
The shepherds have heard God’s good news message, they’ve gone to Bethlehem to see for themselves, and they burst out in praise to God. When you hear God’s good news, you can’t help but praise him.
The good news message of Jesus brings peace to God’s people.
Why is there such praise to God? It is because people who were once far from God can now have peace with him. Look at the words of praise from the angels in Luke 2:14:
Luke 2:14 CSB
14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!
There is peace on earth to people God favors in Christ. The word there at the end of their praise to God is an interesting word, “favors.” The word “favor” can also translate to “good pleasure.” Do you mean that there are people whom God does not favor? I think there are two things to me that stand out here about the Christmas message.
God’s good news message is for all people: The angel clearly says that this is good news of great joy that is for all people. God’s good news message isn’t only for certain people in a corner of the world to hear. God’s good news message is for everyone. This is a good news message of great joy for everyone to hear.
The peace of God is for those who are willing to trust him. The message is good news for everyone, but the peace of God is for those who are willing to receive God’s good news message of Jesus by faith. Those who are born again through faith in Jesus are the ones who experience peace on earth to people he favors. God favors his Son and all who are connected with him by faith.
There is a story in the Bible of disciples coming to Jesus who have just had a bunch of spiritual victories by casting out demons. Jesus responds by encouraging them not to have joy in the temporary victories, but in the eternal victory you have in Christ. Look at Luke 10:20-21:
Luke 10:20–21 CSB
20 However, don’t rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” 21 At that time he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, because this was your good pleasure.
What is Jesus saying? The good news message is going out to the world. But the good news message needs to be internalized by faith. What happens when you put your faith in Christ? You are born again by the power of God’s Spirit. You are like a spiritual infant, and your name is written in the Lamb’s book of life.
That is the real reason for joy, and the reason for peace, that because of Jesus, my eternity is written in him.
The good news message of Jesus is glorious light in a dark world.
There is a darkness in this world. We experience it every day. We seek to blame other people. Yet the darkness in this world begins with a darkness in our own souls. The Bible says in Romans 3:23For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Our rebellion against God has caused us nothing but trouble, heartache, corruption, and every other dark thing that divides us.
The contamination of sin: Sin is a terrible disease on the human soul.

IF YOU go to the hospital for an operation, you want your doctor to use sterilized equipment and to be in a sterilized environment because you do not want viruses and bacteria getting in the way of your health. Sin is a spiritual virus that has no place in the sterile environment of God’s holiness.

You need someone powerful enough to cleanse the spiritual corruption from your soul and make you righteous before God. That is the good news message of Christmas. On our own, we couldn’t heal this disease. God, the great physician, came down to us, to heal people and give us life in Christ.
God’s glorious light shines in a dark world. When you internalize God’s good news message through faith in Christ, there is joy and peace for your soul. And you will live your life praising God, because when you know God’s good news, you can’t help but praise him.
Conclusion
God's good news message comes according to his perfect timing.
God's good news message comes with clarity and spreads to others.
God's good news message results in joy and praise.

Conclude

Prayer
Last Song
Doxology
Numbers 6:24–26 CSB
24 “May the Lord bless you and protect you; 25 may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.” ’
Jude 24–25 CSB
24 Now to him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish and with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.
You are dismissed. Have a great week in the Lord!
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