Luke 2:14 - Glory to God

Last week we focused on Isaiah’s word for glory which was connected to weight, abundance, adequacy, or ability to deliver. We saw that the glory that belongs to God was promised as exchange for the weight of sin or oppression.

‌ One secondary element of that glory was its effect upon those who were in its presence. Ex 34:30 tells us that the time Moses spent face to face with God caused Moses’ face to shine. I see this as an appearance similar to a sunburn that would fade over time. Moses hid his face because he didn’t want the people to realize that his appearance no longer looked like someone who was recently in the presence of God’s brilliance.

‌ This shining or brilliance aspect of God’s glory is emphasized in the New Testament word that Luke uses to describe the interaction with the angel and the shepherds. It is in this description that I think some of the Christmas cards don’t quite get it right.

How many of us have seen the picture of a winged creature dressed in white with a surrounding glow that shown on the shepherds like a spotlight? Then we imagine a plurality of these creatures all with their own brilliance that multiplies the beam shining on the shepherds.

‌ But just as we assume that 3 gifts meant 3 magi, what if the text doesn’t say what we assume it to describe. What IF the shining of the Lord was not from the messenger to the shepherds, but rather, God’s light was shining out from the lowly shepherds? What if the glow of God was placed within the despised and marginalized sheep herders?

‌TRANSITION: With that possibility in mind let’s listen to Luke’s description then the setting where Handel put it to music.

‌In the next 20 minutes I want us to consider the source and the direction of the beams that we know asthe glory of the Lord.

God Himself is the source of all light

Creation (Genesis 1:2-4)

The oldest account of our world (as revealed to Moses by One who was actually there) clearly tells us that God was the source that interrupted the darkness. Physicists admit there was some (as they assert) spontaneous release of energy referred to as a big Bang. The Jewish and Christian Scriptures give this energy release a source and a purpose.

Genesis 1:2–4 ESV:2016

2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.

This energy came from the mouth of God and was not random, but motivated by His goodness text.

Clay Pots (2 Corinthians 4:5-7)

If you are still following the Bible Recap reading plan, you read in 2nd Corinthians this week

2 Corinthians 4:5–7 ESV:2016

5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

Apart from God, we and our neighbors would be surrounded by darkness, the absence of light. When molecules theoretically stop moving it is described by scientists as absolute zero. It is zero on the Kelvin scale or -459.67 Fahrenheit.

2. I call it theoretical because as long as God exists, we only experience shaded light or slowING heat. The first verses of this chapter admit that the gospel may appear as veiled because the god of this world blinds those who do not believe. As long as God exists there can be no absence of light or absence of heat.

Christmas Event (Isaiah 9:2)

Whether we are thinking about the appearance of the angel(s), the shining of the star that the Magi noticed, or the reflection of God’s image in despised, dirty shepherds, All glory originates in the person of God Himself, all other brilliance is but a reflection of His true emitting glory.

Isaiah 9:2 ESV:2016

2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

One of the major corrections of Christian History is when the Reformers reminded us that all other radiance is borrowed, reflected, or derivative. They used a Latin phrase soli Deo gloria - all glory is God’s.

God’s light in you can be reflected or shaded

Moses(Ex 34:30)

as a Follower of God before the Day of Pentecost did not contain the indwelling Holy Spirit, He simply emitted the fallen image he bore and reflected the Glory he observed.

Exodus 34:30 ESV:2016

30 Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.

Angel(s) (Luke 2:9)

Luke 2:9 ESV:2016

9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.

The Heavenly Host can praise and say, they can reflect, but they do not emit God’s glory.

Shepherds (2 Cor 4:5-7)

Even the most depraved human being bears God’s image. But every human also bears a marred version of that image.

At new birth that shaded image gets magnified as the Holy Spirit takes up residence in the believer. If the glory of the Lord could shine around human, yet fallen, shepherds, His glory can shine even brighter in the post Pentecost (or New Covenant) reality described in whether we are thinking about the appearance of the angel(s), the shining of the star that the Magi noticed, or the reflection of God’s image in despised, dirty shepherds, All glory originates in the person of God Himself, all other brilliance is but a reflection of His true emitting glory.

A lamp under a Basket or shade (Matthew 5:15)

1. To all who repent of sin and receive salvation by faith God brightens or magnifies His image by indwelling the Christian in the person of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 5:15 (ESV) — Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

I have 3 LED lights in the pulpit with me this morning. 1 has no reflector, 1 has a small reflector, and 1 has a large reflector. If I could use an analogy, the first one represents human beings who are unbelievers. The second represents a believer who has the presence of the Holy Spirit. and the Third represents the believer surrendered to or Full of the Spirit.

2. The impact of your shine is directly correlated to the extent that you permit the Spirit to influence your life.

TRANSITION: But as humans who not only bear God’s image, God has given each human a will by which he or she can choose to shine in a particular direction.

The light in You can be Directed

I’m not sure exactly how the events of Matthew 2:9 took place, but the Scripture says that the beam from that star directed the Magi to one particular house then it stopped moving.

Even though I can’t explain how this light was isolated to one specific house, I don’t doubt for a moment that it happened in just this way.

How many times have you watched a storm flood the neighbors and skip right over your property? How many times have you seen the path of a tornado skip across the terrain with one house completely destroyed and the one next to it untouched?

2. I believe the Bible when it says that Gideon’s fleece was dry even when dew saturated the area around it, then it was soaked when the ground was parched. I believe the Bible when it says the death angel proceeded through Egypt and only entered the homes that were missing the blood applied.

I believe the light of God’s glory needs to shine in at least 4 directions. in Acts 2 it is described as devotion, instruction, fellowship and outreach.

Worship: Let the light shine up!

Let there be praise in this place,

we can never add to the brilliance of God because he is altogether lovely, but we can direct praise so that people take notice of the glory that is there! Stadiums call fans to “get loud” so that all will take notice of what is happening on the mat, the court or the field.

Psalm 66:8 ESV:2016

8 Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard,

2. and let it begin with me.

Psalm 34:3 ESV:2016

3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!

3. in Mary’s response to the Angel’s news, she responded by “shining up”‌

Luke 1:46 ESV:2016

46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,

Instruction: Let the light shine in!

Psalm 139:23 ESV:2016

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!

The process of spiritual formation only happens when we abide within God’s presence and permit His truth to soak deep within.

Fellowship: Let the light shine

Hebrews 10:24 ESV:2016

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,

Outreach: Put the light on a hill. (Mt 5:14)

Matthew 5:14 ESV:2016

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Earlier this week I drove to the southern part of our County and I noticed that the cellular and internet towers are no placed in the draws or valleys. They are placed at high elevations for the broadest distribution.

‌Our proclamation of the Gospel requires Spirit multiplication and Public access.

This little light of mine/Go tell it on the Mountain! (Luke 2:17)

The Shepherds could not contain the event!

Conclusion:

a common celebration at this time of year is the passing of light. What starts with one dim flicker get multiplied and magnified as a crowd intentionally shares and prominently displays each flame.

That single candle becomes an environment of warmth.

That combined light becomes a spectacle that is hard to dismiss.

In similar manner,

In 1989 an Inaugural address called for a “thousand points of light”, the next year a foundation was established to celebrate these lights and the year after that the State of the Union address includes these words:

We have within our reach the promise of a renewed America. We can find meaning and reward by serving some higher purpose than ourselves, a shining purpose, the illumination of a Thousand Points of Light. And it is expressed by all who know the irresistible force of a child's hand, of a friend who stands by you and stays there, a volunteer's generous gesture, an idea that is simply right.

I am not calling us to a renewed America this morning, I am calling us to a redeemed world, it is simply right.

It is right that the 100 points of God’s presence in each of us be pointed to the Highest in worship [as commanded by the angels], that it reflect into our deepest parts to purge the sin of darkness, that it be shared to those around us needing warmth, and that it be magnified throughout a world in need of true hope and love [as done by the Shepherds].

Response Song #135................................ “While Shepherds Watched”