I Bring You Good News
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Merry Christmas
Some prefer Happy Holidays
Either greeting is meant to express a joy or happiness that comes with this season
Some people love Christmas: love the lights & decorations & the food, love family gatherings
‘Merry Christmas’ indicates there is a joy that is innate to this season/celebration
For the most part we’ve lost the meaning of it
‘Happy Holidays’ I think reveals that – it is a pretty empty expression
Understanding what this season is about is the key to the joy of the season
Joy of this season is a joy that goes beyond Christmas day
It is a soul satisfying joy
Today is a reminder that you don’t have to have perfect circumstances to know the joy of Christmas
You can be sad and still experience joy of Christmas
Joy of Christmas is available to all people, in every place & every circumstance
This passage takes us to centre of Christianity
2 thoughts we examine today:
Announcement of the Good News
Response to the Good News
Announcing the Good News (Lk. 2:8-14)
Announcing the Good News (Lk. 2:8-14)
Message to the Lowly (Lk. 2:8-10)
Message to the Lowly (Lk. 2:8-10)
Good news to the lowly (Lk. 2:8-9)
Good news to the lowly (Lk. 2:8-9)
Pattern we’ve noticed continues here
This glorious event happens in middle of nowhere to a gathering of nobodies
Mary acknowledges her lowliness in song
Lk. 1:48 “For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant...”
It didn’t get much lower than shepherds
They were considered untrustworthy, unclean
They were outcasts, lowly, rejected of society
Look at picture that is being painted for us
Begins with elderly, childless couple looked down on as if God was judging
Continues with 2 young people from a town held in derision
To a birth amongst the animals
Then announced to lowly shepherds
He didn’t come to the influencers of the world so He could change the world through policies, popularity or laws
He came to change hearts of people
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
If you’re needy, sorrowful, in pain, bound or afflicted Christmas is for you!
That means, in some way, Christmas is for all of us
Those who recognise their fallenness & God’s grace know they are in need
Christmas is about how God deals with what afflicts us – it’s about rescue/salvation
Good news for you (Lk. 2:10-11a)
Good news for you (Lk. 2:10-11a)
Shepherds are in for a night like no other
Angel comes to them in the night
That’s scary enough but further ‘glory of the Lord’ surrounds them
This all puts them in great fear
As previous, Angel comforts them
He has an amazing message to give them
What is happening here extends beyond village of Bethlehem
It is a message to all people
Begins with Israel but intended to reach the world
Reach hearts of every type of people in every part of the globe
Don’t miss the beauty of Lk. 2:11a
To reach the world is to reach individuals
This message is for you!
No matter who you are Christmas can be good news for you
Message that Brings Joy (Lk. 2:10-12)
Message that Brings Joy (Lk. 2:10-12)
Good news of salvation
Good news of salvation
Good tidings/news (evangelizo) – 1 of Luke’s favourite words
Gospel is good news
What is this good news for you?
Saviour is born
What does that mean?
Brought to my attention (outside of money) we don’t used ‘save’ very often any more
Saving is a foreign concept at Christmas
Idea of saviour implies we are helpless & our survival depends on another
Concept we don’t like to admit is true of us
So much of our society (sadly even much of Christianity) is geared to telling us we are strong & can do anything
Christmas is meaningless to self-reliant
Reason Jesus came to weak, poor in spirit
Heart of this good news is that you are not as strong as you think, you’re not invincible
God knows that you are weak, lost, bound
He understands why & came to remedy it
In fact, we are all fundamentally flawed
Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
We are helplessly lost in sin – rejection of God & worship of self
Sin is what robs us of every joy in this life
Sin is what takes our loved ones in death, sin is what makes us discontent & greedy, sin is why we have depression & anxiety
Sin is what brings division between people
Sin is going to kill us – it is killing us
Weakness, sadness, neediness you feel is result of sin that has ruined us all
Angels announcement of a Saviour is the rescue we desperately need
Who is this Saviour? Christ the Lord!
God Himself
Today, I’m asking you to believe/consider what Bible says about us all – including you
When you see that truth it makes this Christmas not just a nice story
Jesus is the one who can rescue you
Recognise your sin & that sin is at the heart of your misery
Believe Jesus died for that sin, confess to Jesus that you believe and need rescue & He will deliver you
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Good news of great joy
Good news of great joy
Luke 2:10 “Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.”
This good news will bring you great joy
Message of freedom, rescue, forgiveness
Beyond that it’s a message of hope, peace & joy
Romans 5:11“And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”
Romans 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”
Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
Free from sin, no condemnation, judgment
Promise of eternal life with God
Certainty that God is for you & no longer against you
Message with a Great Purpose (Lk. 2:13-14)
Message with a Great Purpose (Lk. 2:13-14)
Good news that glorifies God
Good news that glorifies God
As if the angel & glory of Lord wasn’t enough suddenly multitudes turn up to sing
What does the Bible mean by a multitude of angels?
Daniel 7:10 “...A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened.”
This was no barbershop quartet
This was a choir that expressed glory of God
That’s what this is all about
Every single part of this from beginning to end is to display the glory to God
Good news of God’s glory is the pinnacle of life
Good news of God’s glory is the pinnacle of life
This is the pinnacle of passage
It is pinnacle of all life
He came to display His glory, that He is worthy of all praise & honour
That out of His goodness, love & mercy He would rescue those who rejected Him not because they deserve it but because He is gracious
Responding to the Good News (Lk. 2:15-20)
Responding to the Good News (Lk. 2:15-20)
A Message to be Proclaimed (Lk. 2:15-18, 20)
A Message to be Proclaimed (Lk. 2:15-18, 20)
Good news can be known (Lk. 2:15-16)
Good news can be known (Lk. 2:15-16)
Note urgency: “Let’s go now”; “with haste”
Here this news you don’t drag your feet
Do something about it
This isn’t just myth or legend
Reason Christ came is to show God can be known
Jn. 1:14 – And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
1 Jn 1:1-4
You can know salvation today
Good news should be made known (Lk. 2:17-18)
Good news should be made known (Lk. 2:17-18)
They made it widely known
Wasn’t whispered to people they thought wouldn’t mock them
They’re shepherds everyone mocks them
Gospels weren’t written so you could know more stories about Jesus
Gospels written so you could make Jesus known widely
Wrote it so truth would inspire you with awe for God & zeal for His glory
Good news leads to worship (Lk. 2:20)
Good news leads to worship (Lk. 2:20)
It’s not just about outward duty of witnessing
Moved them to worship
This has to move you to worship God
Remember how this started? Fear
It’s ended in singing & praise
That’s Gospel – we start in fear of God, under His judgment but we are comforted by the Good News which turns our fear to praise
Message to Ponder (Lk. 2:19)
Message to Ponder (Lk. 2:19)
Good news to be treasured
Good news to be treasured
Mary kept, treasured all this in her heart
She took it in deeply
You know the story well but have you hidden the glorious truths in your heart
Have you grabbed on in delight to the praise of the angels or sung in worship with shepherds?
What do your kids see you excited about at Christmas? Gifts, holiday, food?
Maybe not excited at all
Good news to think deeply on
Good news to think deeply on
Mary ponders, meditates on all of this
She’s taking all of this in & considering what it all means
She didn’t just lock it away in her heart
Has story of Christ’s birth become so familiar you barely think about it?
Meditate on these glories
This was no one off for Mary – she was a thinker
Some think personal nature of these words suggests she wrote them down & later showed them to Luke or Paul
Seems she may have kept a journal
Lk. 2:49-51
How will this good news change you today?
Good news of Christmas is meant to be carried with us through life
Why? Good news of Christmas is what life is all about
Good news of Christmas is what strengthens us & fills us with hope in those dark nights of the soul
Conclusion
Last point is my invitation
What will you do with this? How will you respond?
Have you received this good news?
Christian, treasure this, ponder it & make it known!
How will you treasure Christ in your family this Christmas?