Luke 2:8-20 - God gave the news

I accidentally ended up at Walmart yesterday for some last minute Christmas shopping.

While I was at jiu jitsu, Hilary texted me that she was having a crisis over Christmas presents.

She felt as though she hadn’t gotten enough for the kids, and she wanted to make sure all the gifts would be here before Christmas, and she was genuinely concerned.

We all want Christmas to be perfect.

We go through the stress of organizing schedules

We sneak around asking about the gifts we need to get

You move money around to have other people buy it so that she doesn’t get the Amazon notifications.

We decorate our houses

You clean in a way that does not represent the normal rhythms of your house

You put that scent on that does not exist in your house the rest of the year.

All because we want Christmas to be perfect.

Then the time comes, everyone eats and shares gifts.

Clothes were too big, someone got them the same toy, one kid is unnapped and throwing a fit.

And then there’s the breath out and it wasn’t quite as perfect as you dreamed it to be in your head.

You already begin thinking “How can we make next Christmas better than this one?”

If you feel this type of angst, you’re on par with the first Christmas.

Mary and Joseph were on their way to Bethlehem

A new Roman emperor called for a census that drove them from Nazareth to Bethlehem, which was about an 80 mile journey.

If she was fortunate, she could’ve borrowed an animal to carry her, but she’s going through the cold of winter.

Mary was travelling full-term pregnant. She’s carrying this little one far from home, from people she loved and cared about her.

To say the least, this was not their vision of the perfect situation.

Stand to read

Luke 2:6–7 ESV

6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Leader: This is God’s Word.

Everyone: Thanks be to God.

Context

This was not a part of their Christmas plans.

Joseph didn’t make reservations for a room.

They were staying in an outdoor barn.

They didn’t bring the pack ‘n play

They laid him in a feeding trough where there was leftover animal food.

This was the King of glory in flesh, and there’s no room for Him here.

He’s laid in the humble manger.

They wrapped Him in swaddling cloths.

Think about if you were tasked to plan God’s coming into the world.

This is not how you’d do it.

Transition

This wasn’t the only thing that didn’t go as planned.

Luke 2:8–10 ESV

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 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. 10 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.

Of all the groups of people that the angelic beings could tell of God coming to earth, they chose shepherds.

Shepherds are an over glamorized character in today’s society.

Culturally, shepherds were social outcasts who lived on the outer fringes of society.

If a shepherd came in here, they’d have everyone’s attention.

Shepherds spent the majority of their time in the hill country with the sheep.

They were nomads, they didn’t own lands.

They were shady to the point their testimony wasn’t admissible in court.

They were also social outcast and were not allowed to participate in temple worship because they were Levitically unclean because of their involvement with the sheep.

They were exposed to the sheep’s illnesses, cuts, poop, slobber.

They were not welcome in the temple or much of society.

This shows us,

God’s news comes to unlikely people.

While they were pulling the night shift, an angel appears.

Angels don’t look like Hallmark tells you they do.

They’re not babies in diapers and wings.

These are angelic warriors that fight demons

Naturally, these guys who were pulling the night shift are terrified.

“Fear not. We have good news of great joy.”

Luke 2:11–12 ESV

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

To unknown, sheep-smelling, gross shepherds. The least likely people, the angels appeared to tell them of the coming of the Savior of the world.

The angel told them where to and what they’d see.

You’re going to find the Savior of the world.

Perhaps you feel like you don’t deserve God’s attention and affection.

That when you pray, no ones listening to you.

What seemed to be an imperfect situation involving imperfect people, was how God was going to bring the perfect Savior into the world.

This was no ordinary baby.

This is the Savior of the world. Christ the Lord.

This “good news of great joy” that was born “for you.”

33 years after this moment, this baby lying in a manger would be suspended above the earth on a cross.

He was held there by nails, and He pushed Himself up on the cross and cried out “It. Is. Finished.”

What they angels prophesied was accomplished.

The Savior has accomplished our salvation.

That’s good news of great joy.

God’s news has come to you.

“For unto you is born a Savior.”

Anyone who believes in this Jesus, is given the right become sons of God.

The angel said that for imperfect, unworthy sinners in need of a Savior, there’s good news.

If you acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of a Savior, and you believe that when Jesus said “It is finished,” that He paid for your sins and you call on His name, you will be saved.

The Son of God came into the world to save you from your sins.

This Christmas may not be the perfect Christmas for you.

But what greater gift could you receive this Christmas than the gift of God’s grace.