Come let us adore him - Shepherds

Celebrate 4 new members in 2nd

God is worthy to be adored!

story of Jesus’ birth and

how at the great announcement the Shepherds

worshiped the new king.

The Story of the Birth of the NEW King.

Read Luke 2:1-20

Luke 2:1–20 NLT

1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. 8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” 15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

Merry Christmas!

season of celebration, freedom, joy, family and hope.

Bible = story about Jesus

Family of God

Jesus’ birth is the new way

the true reality

Christmas = God’s kingdom is different

I Love Christmas,

especially with kids,

wonder and discovery

new traditions, decorate, plan meals and parties.

Christmas = same old story…

Texts familiar...

Loose Wonder.

It helps me to meditate on the text…imagine what It would be like to be in their shoes.

Vs. 1- 7. Imagining if I was Mary.

Uncertainty of Mary - Birth

New place

Not knowing anything about it, without any mothers or sisters there...

Giving birth around animals.

Reading Mary’s story after having the privilege of giving birth...

Two birth stories - both uncertain.

Travis with people, didn’t know what I was doing, but I had an army of second moms who helped.

Renee during COVID

isolated and no one could come. But it was new.

Kids = celebrate life naturally.

In fact, in a lot of ways, God’s gift to us in children is seeing the beauty of life through someone we love.

For me, celebration doesn’t come naturally.

Grandmother - Yorkies - Fun

Didn’t know how to work

Family overemphasized work.

Scripture equally emphasized celebration and work

God Show me

The story of Christmas = Key Points

— You celebrate life-changing news with adoration, dancing, praise, telling others

— You ponder and think through the great things God has done.

— And keep on and carry on

God showed me....approach with wonder....learn....

Luke - Historian - paid to tell the story of the Christians.

Book one - Luke and Book two is Acts.

Luke New the Culture

Romans - oppressive.

Verses 1 -2 = year and the time… Remember the days when...

Modern Equivalent…? People have tried, but turned to stories

Any Star Wars Fans?

Star Wars…Empire…First Order…

The leaders all conquered, controlled, and lied.

What was the lie?

“Join me, and together, we will bring peace and prosperity to the galaxy....”

All great villains want to bring peace by conquering, violence, and instituting out of the their strength total and complete order.

You don’t choose the enter their kingdom and rule, you are forced to under war.

Why is this important?

Luke uses the same language as the Roman empire used

royal birth - pomp and circumstance.

“savior of all” is born this day.

Army - royal posts - throughout the entire kingdom...

Imagine the people - wondering - taxes, a new war....no say.

Rome called it Good news...

The kingdom of God’s good news is never forced and always surprises us.

Luke - Proclaiming the new kingdom of God…

angels to a small group of people…

Shepherds---good hardworking guys, faithfully guarding their sheep…

sheep used for the passover…

faithful people…of little significance to the big Jewish culture…

God shows up to the common people and only a few of them…

telling them that the Messiah…the Lord…has been born.

God cares about the common person…

the person who others overlook.

He glorifies service, kindness, faithfulness over dominance and oppression.

TO be Great in God’s kingdom you need to be the least.

God to Bethlehem…

smallest clan of 12 tribes… a forgotten city

Shepherds see a miraculous host, Not an army forcing

An army praising and declaring peace! A parade of victory without a war.

God is going to bring peace to all..

everyone who believes in God , which pleases him, are given a true peace.

When we sing going to Bethlehem

God who sees me

No one is too common or insignificant

Then as quickly as it started, the angels left again.

Angels don’t actually tell them to go...

Shepherds…they decide to go. They have to see the baby

They will abandon everything to see the Messiah.

Maybe someone stayed.

Rock paper scissors?

We don’t know, but we know that whatever they saw and heard IMMEDIATELY decided to go.

The shepherds did not go “in order to believe, but because they believe.” When they see, they glorify God and become interpreters who proclaim to others what has happened.

They rejoiced along the way…searching every stable until they found a child.

You celebrate life-changing news will adoration, dancing, seeking to experience more of God, and through telling others.

Vs. 19 - Mary pondered the things in her heart.

Confirmation

Great news is easily shared and proclaimed…it is effortless.

Learn from Mary to a key to celebration…she kept them in her heart and pondered them often.

our own stories

stories of others… pondered them in her heart… and thought about them often.

Shepherds returned to their flocks…praising along the way.

God’s Kingdom - Common

Forgotten places

Oppression

Set free those who want it

God’s kingdom is opposite from ours

The shepherds have a life changing experience....and

they go back to work, different praising.

Telling everyone - for years

Enough that historian Luke knew

Shepherd’s whole status changed. view of themselves and experience of community changed them forever. Good news will change not only your life, but help everyone around you.

When you experience God’s miraculous, you carry Praise in your heart.

Learned about Celebration

1. When God moves…celebrate it…keep celebrating it.

2. Just like Mary…ponder it and keep it in your heart. Tell others. Say it out loud!

3. Carry praise with you and keep working -

The Stories we tell ourselves shape who we become!

So what are the life-changing, good news miracles that God has done for you?

Maybe it’s been a while for you…

remember that celebration doesn’t happen alone…

Alone - Church is here.

Beth’s story....I pondered that so much…

I loved how God healed her…she witnessed to 8 people that God supernaturally healed her…

Then celebration changes your perspective…when you praise God for the goodness.

Gratitude movement.......amazing tool…but psychologists didn’t invent it…

the Bible did..

Sabbath....feasts and festivals of the old testament…Jesus…Peter…Paul…all telll us to be grateful to offer up our adoration and praise…to do it morning, noon, and night.

Celebration = simplest things....

thanking God for the food…

for the extra time with a loved one…

for the miracle…

for the opportunity to witness…

for the love you experience from a friend.

Those moments of praising God for his goodness for adoring him, solidify us.

Celebrating the good brings hope even in the worst of times.

People who celebrate the way the Bible talks about are steady....faithful....thankful people…they work faithfully out of a place of thankfulness.

Let’s adore Jesus…lets thank God for being a part of the joyous, welcoming kingdom inviting everyone.