Christmas Message

INTRO: How many of you ever feel like life just settles into a rhythm? One day looks like the next… this week looks like last week… nothing unusual, nothing out of place. Most of our days feel pretty ordinary.

And there’s nothing wrong with that—until God decides to interrupt the ordinary.

Christmas is God’s reminder that what feels routine to us is never routine to Him. We’re shaking things up a bit this morning because the Christmas message itself is anything but ordinary. For some of us, we’ve heard the story so many times that maybe it’s lost a bit of its wonder. Maybe that’s why we get pulled into those Hallmark movies—because we long for a moment that breaks through the predictable.

But imagine hearing a message—not sentimental, not scripted—but a message so staggering that it changes your life… a message so important that all of history bends around it. Imagine receiving that message on a night that started out just like every other night of your life.

That’s exactly what happened to a handful of shepherds in Luke 2.

They weren’t religious elites. They weren’t scholars. They were ordinary, rough-around-the-edges men doing an ordinary job on an ordinary night—until heaven broke in. God delivered news that demanded a response.

And in just a few moments, our choir will help us feel the weight and beauty of that message through their cantata. But before the message is sung over us, I want us to hear it first the way the shepherds heard it—unexpected, unmistakable, and overflowing with grace.

So let’s step into their story for a moment. Let’s listen to the message that shattered the silence of an ordinary night.

Turn with me to Luke 2:8–20. READ/ PRAY

Luke 2:8–20 NASB95

8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” 15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17 When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

Now there are all sorts of questions and speculations we might make regarding this event, but what I want us to focus on this morning is the message that was delivered and the response that followed. No doubt the angels had the attention of this group of shepherds- there would be no excuse that they were not listening nor a possibility that they might miss the message. It was loud and clear:

The Savior, Christ the Lord has come! (11)

This message is not just a birth announcement, it’s the heavenly hosts declaring that the time of the promise of God to come to men had come. Proof of the angels declaration is that they could find this baby in a feeding trough over in Bethlehem. Having received this message, the angels went back into heaven and the shepherds are left to respond.

No specific commands were given- they were not told exactly what they should do; just information and an implied invitation. But they did respond. And it’s their response that I want to examine together today. I believe that there is a lot to learn from these lowly shepherds.

So, take your bulletin and open to the enclosed sermon guide and follow along with me. The first response of the shepherds is:

They Came to See the Savior (15-16)

(READ)

Luke 2:15–16 NASB95

15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.

For these shepherds who had just heard that the Messiah was born, they knew that they must go and see. Were they just curious? I think it was more than that.

ILL: Guys, help me out here. If you are working, and someone tells you something- even if that something piques your interest, you don’t automatically drop everything and check it out, do you? No, you probably calculate a bit- “How important is this?” The shepherds could have said- “we need to wait til daybreak when there are fewer predators that might threaten our sheep.” They could have simply taken the angels word for it and left it at that. But faith is more than believing- it’s responding to the belief.

Here, we see that the shepherds agreed that they must go straight to Bethlehem- in a hurry - to see the thing which the angels spoke about. They were willing to risk their flocks, risk their livelihood to go and see this child. Why?

Because when God opens the door of grace, the most natural thing in the world is to run toward Him. And He chose to give this message to shepherds- not because they had some sort of special gift or usefulness, but because of God’s grace.

Listen, God allowed these men to receive this unique message - perhaps in part to demonstrate that Jesus really is good news for all people. And if God would allow shepherds to witness such an extraordinary event, then the Savior born in Bethlehem really is intended for people like you and me too.

The shepherds came to see the Savior because when God invites you near, the only reasonable response is to come close… what do you think you can learn from that response? We see their next response was:

They Couldn’t Keep Quiet! (17-19)

(READ) Luke 2:17-19

Luke 2:17–19 NASB95

17 When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.

I want you to notice that these shepherds, having now seen exactly what the angels had proclaimed, told everything to seemingly everyone they saw! Now this might seem like no big deal, but you need to understand that this would’ve been a pretty awkward scene.

Picture Joseph & Mary with their newly born son, hanging our where the animals feed. Their angelic interactions happened months or so beforehand. They knew and understood what God had told them, but you got to believe they felt the weight and mystery of what God had called them to as they officially began their roles as parents to the very Son of God.

Furthermore, there were no balloons or banners saying “congrats on the baby” hanging around. They didn’t blow a horn and ring bells to let everyone know they just had a baby… no FB posts or Instagram pics. Just a couple and their baby in the middle of the night hanging out by the feed trough.

And here come these out-of-breath shepherds. No introductions are recorded- and when they see the baby just like the angels said, they shared their unique experience… “A Savior is born!”

They could’ve just peeked, nodded among themselves and left. But this news was too big to just hang onto. They were likely overwhelmed with joy and amazement and at the same time recognized that this message was meant to be shared. Good news naturally becomes shared news.

Folks, the message of the Savior is one everyone NEEDS to hear. Even Mary and Joseph needed this affirmation that God’s plan was still working. (19) Can you imagine the assurance and peace they must have felt, even among such a strange and less than ideal situation for giving birth? Because the shepherds were given the Christmas message, the only appropriate response was to proclaim it.

Finally, the last response we see is:

They Returned with Joy (20)

(READ) Luke 2:20

Luke 2:20 NASB95

20 The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

Now what? Well, the shepherds went back to work. We never learn their names. They didn’t publish a book. They did not bug Mary and Joseph for pictures.

They returned to their anonymous lives, only giving glory to God for allowing them to hear and see such a thing. You see, ultimately, the Christmas message is not about the shepherds who encountered angels and witnessed the baby in the manger.

The Christmas message is about the Good Shepherd who left his throne among the angels and came to lay in that manger. Born in Bethlehem, which literally means ‘house of bread’, Jesus came to be the bread of life.

The Christmas message is that God so loved the world that he gave His only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life! The Christmas message is Jesus- and the shepherds who returned to their flocks did so to the praise and honor of God for extending grace- they were able to receive the message, experience the message, share the message, and live in light of the message.

Friends, the shepherds remind us that Christmas does not begin with our search for God, but with God’s gracious decision to come to us. He is a missionary God! He broke into an ordinary night with extraordinary news: A Savior has been born for you.

And their responses—coming to Him, sharing the news, returning with joy—are the same responses open to us today.

This morning, as we prepare our hearts for the cantata, we want to respond just as the shepherds did—with worship.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:21 “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Therefore, we want to direct our worship through our generosity. You see, our giving is one way we glorify and worship our King. It’s one simple way we say, ‘Lord, we receive Your gift with gratitude.’

So as the ushers come, let this offering be our way of echoing the shepherds: Glory to God in the highest. And then, through the music you’re about to hear, allow your heart to rejoice again in the good news that still makes heaven sing

[PRAY]

Discuss: Read Luke 2:8–14. What do the angel’s words reveal about who the Christmas message is for?What surprises you about the audience God chose?

Discuss: What is the difference between hearing the Christmas story and responding to it?

Discuss: The sermon pointed out that Christmas is not just a message to us but a message through us. How can you carry the message of Christ to someone who needs it this week?