The Angels' Song: Gloria in Excelsis Deo

Introduction

If you have your Bibles, you can open them to Luke chapter 2. This morning, we will be look at the third “song” in the series given to us in Luke 2:8-20. To gives us some context, Caesar Augustus has given a decree that a census is to be taken, so everyone was to return to their hometown. For Joseph, this was in Bethlehem. So, Joseph and Mary pack their things, and make their way to the small city. If you can, picture a small town of a population most likely between 500-1000, gathering many together to register for a census. Clearly, Mary was in the condition to travel when they left, so chances are, Mary and Joseph had been staying there for a while, but while they were there, the time came for Mary to “give birth to her firstborn son”. What is interesting, is where she has this child. There was no place for them in the inn, so she had to have her child where animals were kept. There are a few theories on whether this was a barn, cave, or basement, but regardless, we know that following the birth, Mary proceeded to wrap the Messiah in swaddling clothes and lay him in a manger (feeding trough).

The passage switches scenes, and now we are out in the field looking onto some shepherds, who were are keeping watch over the sheep at night. Let’s stand and read Luke 2:8-20 together, to see how the events surrounding the arrival of the King unfold.

Body

(1) A Redemptive Message

a. The Shepherd’s

i. Their Task

ii. Their Status

b. The Angel

i. The Glory of God

- Fear as an appropriate response to God’s glory

ii. The Message

- Good News

- The City of David

- The Savior

- Christ the Lord

(2) A Glorious Song

a. The God who is worthy of all praises

i. Gloria in Excelsis Deo- Glory to God in the highest

b. The God who provides peace

(3) A Faithful Witness

a. The Shepherd’s Faith

- Not “let us go see if this is true”, but “let us go see what has been told to us”.

b. The Shepherd’s Haste

c. The Shepherd’s Testimony

(4) A Joyful Response

a. Mary’s Inward Response

b. The Shepherd’s Outward Response

Conclusion

The Lord’s Supper:

We take the Lord’s Supper…

(1) As a commitment to Christ: 1 Cor. 11:23-26

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 LEB

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and after he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” Likewise also the cup, after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

a. in obedience to Christ.

 “what I received from the Lord”

 “Do this”

b. in remembrance of Christ’s death.

 “Do this in remembrance of me”

c. as a testimony of Christ’s death.

 “proclaiming the Lord’s death”

d. in expectation of Christ’s return.

 “until He comes”

e. with reverence to Christ.

 “Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup in an unworthy manner…”

(2) As a commitment to one another: 1 Cor. 10:16-17

1 Corinthians 10:16–17 LEB

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all share from the one bread.

a. We participate together

b. We share accountability

c. We covenant together as a church under the gospel.

LEADING THE LORD’S SUPPER

Call Chris forward Remind the congregation of the sobriety of the setting

Uncover and fold cloth with Chris.

—“Jesus instituted this supper on the night before His death to foretell the institution of the New Covenant and to give His followers a memorial and ordinance of that covenant. This sacred ordinance reminds us of the price our Lord paid so that we could be forgiven, restored to a right relationship with God, and begin to fulfill our kingdom purpose.”

“As we celebrate this ordinance, we remember first the broken body of our Lord. Jesus called Himself the ‘bread of life’, so it is no surprise that He compares His body to bread broken for us. His metaphor illustrates that He, like the broken bread of the Passover, was broken and bruised so that we could be made whole.” CALL ON A DEACON (Chris) TO PRAY OVER THE BREAD AND THE CUP.

After the prayer, without speaking give the trays to the deacons one by one. Call the church to form a line down the middle isle to come and receive the elements and return to their seat on the outside isles. Wait at the front either praying or singing softly with the music.

When the congregation returns (assuming we’re using the cup with both bread and juice), serve Chris and let Chris serve you. (Nod for Chris to return to go be with Deborah.

Return the final tray and take your place. Ask everyone to open only the side with the bread and take the wafer. Say, “Jesus said, ‘This is My body, broken for you. Not as your fathers ate manna in the wilderness and died, but he who eats of this bread shall live forever’.” Then take and eat your bread. Pause a few seconds.

Take the cup, peel it, and say, “Jesus said, ‘This cup is the New Covenant in My blood’. As the Scripture says, ‘Apart from the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness’.” Drink the cup.

Say, “Jesus led His disciples to sing a hymn after they finished the first Lord’s Supper, so stand and we will continue this morning’s service with a song.” Lead in a prepared song, and after one verse, begin to walk out.