Advent: The Announcement

Introduction:

In this time of Advent we get the opportunity to honor our saviour and look at the stories around his birth, this year we are also looking at the Roman’s Road and how Christ’s birth and his death are ever linked together. Through the tales told during the Christmas Season we learn about Christ coming and through Romans we see how we can believe through faith because of the gift given to us through Christ’s death! Today we are talking about the announcements surrounding Christ’s birth. There were many announcements leading up to Christ’s birth because it was meant to be a large occasion.

I remember riding the metro in Istanbul Turkey. During the rides a man’s voice would come over the intercom and in English and in Turkish they would announce the locations coming up. Unfortunately, even the English was incomprehensible when we first got there. It was impossible to listen because we didn't know what to listen for. After a month of being there, not only could we understand the English, but even the Turkish announcements! To many in Jesus’ day, they didn't see or hear the announcements. However, it was so important that it had been written in the stars, it was proclaimed by angels, and it was so incredibly important that the Shepherds were compelled to tell others!

Let’s pray!

Luke 2:8-20

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

The shepherds at Jesus’ birth were those who were living with their flocks in the fields outside Bethlehem. They were local Jewish men, doing a hard but mundane job that no one else wanted to to do! These shepherds would have been a familiar sight in the countryside, travelling to find fresh pastures and water for their sheep during the day. And at night, often the shepherds would group together for added protection from the danger of attack by wild animals. These men were often unbathed, uncouth, unwanted people. However, they would have been well known to the town of Bethlehem.

9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Then, we see the angels appear. From what we know of the descriptions of angels it would have been terrifying to witness.

Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their workings was like the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. The appearance of their workings was, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel. When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went. (Ezekiel 1:15-17), "Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew." (Isaiah 6:2), I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude (Daniel 10:5-6)., Their entire bodies, including their backs, hands, and wings, were full of eyes all around, as were their four wheels (Ezekiel 10:12).

The Angels just being in the presence of God each day would mean they would be terrifying to us. Moses being in the presence of God had to hide his face from the Israelites because they were terrified of the holiness radiating off of him. Exodus 34:29-35 tells us this. So, angels would also be terrifying just because they would be filled with the presence of Holiness. But the angels told them not to be afraid because their announcement was more important than the Shepherd's fear!

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

The Shepherds heard this incredible message and hurried off to see Christ right away. It was so important enough that they left their jobs behind and ran to see the newborn. Now shepherds had to sleep around their sheep as added protection from predators. Shepherding was a 24 hour job and the shepherds leaving to go and see the baby Jesus shows us just how important Christ’s birth was. It reminds me of the story of Jesus leaving the 99 to find the one who was off on his own. Finding that one was more important than the ones who were already relatively safe.

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

When the Shepherds arrived they realized that the first thing that needed to happen was for them to tell everyone about the child! Those who heard it had to have been amazed because many of these people would have known the prophecies of old. Those that said that Jesus would be coming one day and would be born in Bethlehem. These men just witnessed the fulfillment of a miracle, and then they were able to tell others all about it. When they returned, they praised God, which should be our attitude during the Christmas season!

Matthew 2:2-11

tells us another story of those who came to witness Jesus’ birth. Those who came through a different announcement.

2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, [a]wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

The Magi were unnumbered observers of the stars who would use what they saw to inform their lives. They witnessed the star in the sky and travelled through the desert to see if they could find the promised child. These men, unlike the shepherds, would have been well respected “wise men” They were studied men who understood the stars better than most others. When they saw the star rise in the sky they understood that a King had been born. Which worried Herod.

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the [b]wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

These wise men knew that Bethlehem was going to have a child because of the prophecies. Specifically, Micah 5:2 and 2 Samuel 5:2 So Herod, worried about a new king asked for them to find Jesus.

9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

The wise men brought gifts that pointed towards Christ’s eventual death. These were not normal gifts, but rather they were all gifts that would be used after Christ died to prepare his body. So the wise men understood how important Christ’s coming was which brings us to why these announcements were so important

The Announcement: To the Shepherds, Good news has come! To the WIse Men, the Shepherd, The king has come!

Romans Road:

Romans 10:9-10; 13

9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If it was not for Christ coming, we would not have Jesus’ death. Christ was risen again, defeating death and setting us free from sin. Whether it was the shepherds or the wise men, the announcements told us the good news to come. That we could be saved through our Faith in Jesus!