Good News of Great Joy

Intro

This is the Linus passage. If you’ve seen A Charlie Brown Christmas then you likely can picture the scene in your head. But if you haven’t seen it - which I would incredibly surprised by - since it has been on television nearly every year since 1965. However, if you for someone reason have not seen the Christmas Special, or if it’s been a while, the main plot is that it’s Christmastime, yet Charlie Brown is depressed, he’s jaded about the commercialism, he is directing a Christmas play, and his friends attitudes are making it worse and spending his Christmas season wondering what what the point of it is. Near the end he blurts out “Can anyone tell me what Christmas is all about?”

What you may not know about this special is that it almost didn’t happen. Even though the Peanuts comic strip was extremely popular at the time - networks weren’t interested in picking it up, and then when Coca Cola finally pick up the project they had a barebones script. But there was one thing that Schulz was adamant about - that was this reading of Scripture by Linus. Though others involved discouraged him from this as they felt mentions to religion would dissuade viewership, Schulz insisted. Even back in the 60’s mentions of religion on television were scarce. Schulz response to them was:

“If we don’t do it who will?”

What a remarkable statement from Schulz - if we don’t point to the real meaning for Christmas, if we don’t preach the gospel who will?

And thus because of this Christmas Special we have yet another extremely familiar text. However, the attitude of Schulz here - is not all that different than the attitude of the shepherds.

Before we get there you might ask why shepherds? And that’s a good question.

I’ve read a lot of different takes on the state of shepherds in this area. Some report that they were hated, others said they were. But shepherds are mentioned 200 times in the Bible.

Shepherds weren’t hated - but they were necessary but not held in high esteem. They were insignificant.

Though it is interesting that shepherds were the ones who would care for the animals that would be sacrificed. And thus the Lamb of God was first announced to those who would care for the animals who would one day be sacrificed.

However, the way this text falls it naturally divides it follows the shepherds different responses. The first thing that happens is that they hear…

They Hear

These shepherds are in the countryside outside

What do they hear?

They hear two messages from the angels.

First Message

The first is from the Angel in verse 10:

Luke 2:10–12 ESV

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

Good news of great joy…

This is the second (of many) time(s) good news is used in the Gospel of Luke. The first from the angel Gabriel to Zechariah…

And much like last few texts there is a whole lot going on in this declaration. First thing that becomes clear is that this is not some normal baby. For one, angels don’t often come announcing the birth of a child.

Good news of great joy for all people… this isn’t just a message for nobles or kings. If it were it wouldn’t be announced to shepherds, but it is a message of good news for the jew and the gentile. A savior is born.

Born this day…

As an aside - this day may or may not have been December 25th. A lot of people in recent years have taken to say that Christians stole December 25th from the birth of Horus, or Mythrus, or that it was stolen from Saturnalia. Well first none of those things are true. There is no recorded date for Horus or Mythrus’ birth. Also Saturnalia is 12/17 and ends on the 23rd. However, the precedent for Jesus’ birth on the 25th is likely dates back to Hippolytus of Rome, who lived in the late 2nd and early 3rd century. At the time, there was a tradition that a prophet was conceived on the day that he would die… Jesus died on Passover - advance 9 months from March 25 and you get December 25th. I only mention that because the number of people that I, and likely you, encounter who claim silly things like Christianity borrowing from paganism when it isn’t true and it’s bad history… a little more on that later…

So there’s nothing saying that Jesus wasn’t born on December 25th. But ultimately, the Scriptures do not say. But the tradition is strong. However, the date is the least important

In the City of David… that’s Bethlehem. So the angels already here makes a clear statement. As we remember from Micah 5:2 a ruler would come from the city of David. But just in case they missed that connection - the angel spells it out even clearer for them - a Savior is born who is Christ the Lord.

What the angel tells the shepherds here is a somewhat familiar concept to us, as we sing it in “Silent Night”

Jesus Lord at Thy Birth… in the angel’s proclamation he communicates to the shepherds that Jesus is Christ and Lord. Jesus doesn’t become Lord at his baptism, or his resurrection or ascension. Even as he is laying in a manger as a seemingly helpless baby, he is Lord and Christ.

And yet the sign of confirmation to them is that they will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger. Finding a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths wouldn’t be all that unusual. Even still today, babies are swaddled. But swaddled babies are seldom found in mangers. Mangers are feeding troths for animals. Not only are babies not generally found in mangers, neither are kings. Thus the shepherds hearing this peculiar announcement would be wondering what sort of savior, what sort of king, is placed in a manger? The King is born in humility. in humble circumstances. And appearing to shepherds. This is a remarkable event, but Jesus’ advent bears the signs of an unlikely announcement.

But then following this message before they even get to the manger to see this sign an army of other angels appear. And the shepherds hear the second of the angelic messages:

The Second Message:

The Second is from a multitude of angels.

Luke 2:13–14 ESV

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

In the second message the tone is set for the Christmas season. When we find ourselves like Charlie Brown wondering what the point of all of this is - and not even just limited to Christmas, but life in general. Christmas shouldn’t be focused on commercialism, or what presents we are going to get or give, or the “Christmas Spirit” whatever that means - or togetherness - but rather about praising God for his stepping into his creation as savior.

And referring to another Christmas hymn - that we began our service with “Gloria in Excelsis Deo” this is the message that the Angels proclaim to the shepherds “Glory to God in the Highest.” Upon the declaration to the shepherds that the Christ is born in Bethlehem a host of angels appears and begins praising God. And this army or angels comes declaring peace on earth Glory to God in heaven and

What does peace mean?

This isn’t hippie peace. This isn’t tranquility, or even world peace.

Not Pax Romana - or a 200 year of Roman Peace from war. Our modern definitions of peace have far too small of a scope. Part of that is because we don’t realize how sinful we are, and how damaging our sin is.

This is peace between God and man. This baby in the manger has come to bear our sins in his body and bring us peace with God.

Romans 5:1 ESV

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

However, this peace has a limitation upon it. As I already said this isn’t world peace or pax romana this is “peace among those with whom he is pleased.” And what are those with whom he has pleased? The elect of God. Those whom God has chosen to find Salvation in his son.

They Investigate

Naturally following this they go to Bethlehem to investigate what the angels claim. But notice what they say - they understand that the angels have come as messengers of God. “the Lord has made known to us.” They understand that it is God who has revealed this message of God news to them.

Yet they make with haste - they are not wasting any time because they realize the importance of the message. The gospel message is the most important message in history. Which requires obedience and expediency.

The good news requires expediency. They heard this news and then immediately went to investigate it because they realized how important this news is.

Facebook interaction with woman this week who claimed that Christianity was stolen form the pagans. Which is demonstrably false. The claim roots back to a kook Egyptologist named Gerald Massey who provided no evidence for his claims. However, in my few interactions with this woman - she had 0 interest in investigating if what I said was accurate. Her issue was first that she hates God, but also that she did not see how important the message was. I didn’t even get to the point of evangelism or sharing the gospel - because she wasn’t having it - I simply told her that she was wrong about her assertion, provided sources, of Christianity being borrowed from pagans.

The opposite responses would be either disobedience or apathy.

Disobedience is hearing the message and having 0 regard.

Apathy is the person who hears the gospel and puts off obedience is one who thinks they have more time. God doesn’t promise us tomorrow - and thus operating on borrowed time is foolish. But also the person who hears the gospel message and isn’t drawn to obedience

These are people who do not have this peace.

They arrive in Bethlehem and find things exactly as the angel reported.

They respond with a similar disposition as the angels.

They Report

The next action that the shepherds make upon seeing these things is that they share it with others. Place yourself in the First Century for a second - you are a jewish shepherd awaiting the promised Messiah, the of David, and angels come to you declaring that this is going to happen. You investigate and find everything exactly as the angels tell you. What are you going to do? You are going to tell everyone. And that’s what they do.

Luke 2:17–18 ESV

And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

Certainly this “all who heard” was more than just Mary, Joseph and the cattle. We do not get the scope of their report and there is still some mystery in what “wondered” means.

What they have seen and experienced leads them to tell others, and to praise God.

This baby in the manger was not merely a newborn child. Everything about this text shows us that.

A few years back a pastor friend of mine was asked by one of his congregants “why do you focus on the death of Jesus so much at Christmas time? We should be celebrating his birth not his death.” My friend nearly lost it. But he maintained his composure.

The birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus cannot be separated. Without the birth there is no death or resurrection. And if we don’t look to the death and resurrection of Jesus then how is Christmas different than any other birthday?

The baby that they found wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger will one day be taken off a cross wrapped in burial cloths and laid in a tomb… but that tomb doesn’t have the final say.

He traded his throne to a manger, a manger to a cross, cross to a tomb. from the tomb back to life - and then back to his throne - where he must reign until he has put all enemies under his feet. (1 Cor. 15:25).

Conclusion

The Shepherds hear the good news, and it drives them to obedience. The gospel message requires a response. The news that God came in the flesh and dwelt among us, in the person of Jesus Christ, lived a life of perfect obedience to God’s

The Scriptures tell us that

Call for repentance… call for some sort of response to the gospel… NOT AN ALTAR CALL.

And the shepherds upon hearing the good news, go, and upon seeing that it was all as the angels said they proclaim the good news to others. And those who have heard, and believed have been given the task to share this news. Much like the shepherds who see the baby in the manger, find themselves overjoyed by the sight of the Christ child and they immediately tell others.

We may not find that everyone is amazed by our good news - unless the Lord opens their eyes to this good news - they will reject it as well.

But the question that Schulz asked is the same question that I would pose to you today: If we don’t do it then who will?

If we don’t tell others why we celebrate Christmas, why that baby in the manger is not just a normal child, but a King who brings peace through his death and resurrection then who will?

And that’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown…