The Greatest Message: Joy to the World!

Welcome/Intro/Prayer

Greeting:

Merry Christmas Church! How is everyone doing this morning?

Series: Unexpected Messages

In this Advent Series We are going to be looking at the unexpected Messages that come in the Birth and Life of Jesus Christ! Each of the messages we will encounter in this series changed the world forever! My hope for this series is that as we encounter these ancient messages that God would have a message for each of us that would change our world today.

The first week we talked about the Unexpected Messages to Zechariah and Mary.

The second week talked about the Birth Announcement of King Jesus.

Last week we talked about the Unexpected Message of the Cross!\

This Christmas morning I would like to pause and reflect on the greatest message!

Would you pray with me?

Read Luke 2:8-20 from Bible and On Screen

The Sheperds Devotional

On this Christmas morning, I would like to take some time to reflect on this passage. There are four points I would like to pause on and let them speak to us this morning. “Who was this message to, Where was the message given, The Message, and What the Shepherd's did with the message!”

The Where:

The message was given out in the middle of the field. It was in a common place not where such a profound religous or political announcement was expected to be made.

Today when political announcements are made they are made through the news or global notification systems.

Even religious institutions have their own pathways of communication.

This part of the passage speaks to us today as well! its a clear reminder that God can speak to us in any place or environment. For the Shepherds God spoke to them in the pasture, for us it might be in the fields as we farm, or in the grocery store, or at our jobs or when we do the dishes. The point is God can speak His message to the world at any time.

The Who- Shepherd's, We must admit that the shepherds were probably not the ones that the world expected to hear that the messiah has been born.

We would expect it to be the religous authorities or the governing rulers at the time to recieve this news, but its shepherds, the common folk. Shepherds at this timey were part of the lowest tier of society. They slept out in the fields because the did not have a home.

What can we learn from this, God speaks to the common folk. Those in the fields and those without homes. That means God can speak to you and me, but also God can speak to and through the people we least expect him too.

The Message or the What?

The Messiah is born and the Savior of the World is born. That is the message. Often we get caught up on the fact that Jesus was born in a manger or feeding trough, thats not the important point, but the sign that what the angels are saying is true. In fact, Jesus wasnt born in some outside barn, but more than likely the first floor of the house where they kept the animals.

I think this message speaks to us today in that it communicates that Jesus is here. We dont have to wait to have a relationship with the messiah! Salvation has come, New life has come, Jesus is here and now. I think that is the most important part of the message today! In the past, I believe the church has presented the good news about something that happens in the future, but that is only a small part of the good news, the goodnews is Jesus is here.

That means hope now for those in despair

That means peace now for those in turnmoil

That means freedom now for those who feel lost and chained

That means justice now for the oppressed.

That means Joy now for those filled with Sorrow.

What the Shepherds did with the message.

Once they found Jesus they did two things:

They spread the word to everyone, and all were amazed. The sheperds not only heard the greatest message that brought Joy to the the world but they shared the message with everyone.

Church that is our tasks this Christmas to share the word that Jesus has come and a relationship with him changes everything!

That is the greatest gift we could give anyone this Christmas season!

Then they returned glorifying and praising God! Let us do the same as we return to our homes! One pastor wrote this!

The reason for our rejoicing starts with Jesus in the story of his birth, but it does not stop there. He is involved in our lives even now. By the Spirit his presence continues to express itself in us. In his care we see his hand working for us. Sometimes he works to reshape us, and the reworking means pain. But it is always done with an eye to our care. Now instead of our looking on his meekness as he is laid as a babe in a manger, he looks on our weakness as he cares for us as the Great Shepherd. The story of Jesus’ birth does not end with him wrapped in swaddling clothes. Often the beauty of the Christmas story gets treated as if it were the whole story about Jesus—God showing himself in the birth of a special child. But this story is only the beginning of God’s new work. That labor has continued century after century in fresh generations of believers who have shared in the blessing of relationship he provides. As believers we belong to a great train of witnesses spanning the ages, who have lifted their voices and offered their souls in gratitude for what this birth meant

Application/Wrap UP and Christmas Benediction

Church Your Christmas Challenge is Simple! Be like the Sheperds!

Spread the news that Jesus is here and now and life with him is Joy to the World!

Glorify and Praise God all the way into the new year!

Would you join me in singing, go tell it on the mountain!