Love (2)

Intro.

Advent is.....

Chosen series is ending.

Theme is love… light candle.

The love we talk about today is horizontal love.... love for other people. The greatest vertical act of love was God, Jesus- coming to earth and dying in our place. What would be the greatest horizontal act of love we could do? Well, the shepherds show us.

Let’s watch the first of 2 clips we will watch this morning.

Video

Let’s read this text together

Luke 2:8–18 ESV

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 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. 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.” 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!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 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.

Look at Luke 2.10

Luke 2:10 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 ALL THE PEOPLE

He Came- They Went

In many ways the shepherds are the first evangelists of the Bible.

The angels prepared the shepherds for this message with the message- it was for ALL people.

shepherds were made for this role. they provide care. they protect. they direct. theypull sheep from thickets.

They rushed to Bethlehem. Then they rushed away from Bethlehem

We see that he came and they went here and throughout the gospels.

John the Baptist.

Magi in Matthew.

the 12 are sent.

all the disciples are sent post resurrection.

the book of Acts.

All show that He came- they went.

He sends us.

Is the church still going?

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Witnesses.

He came- we go to the ones nearest us.

He came. We go to the ones at the ends of the earth.

He Came: We Go To the Ones Nearest Us

He Came We Go To The Ones AT The Ends Of The Earth.