Luke 2:1-20: Good News of Great Joy! (Christmas 2025)

Scripture Reading

A prophecy of John the Baptist who would prepare the way for the Jesus the Messiah

Luke 1:76–79 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Galatians 4:4–5 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Intro

On the first Christmas night… all was quiet out in the fields…

The shepherds were tending their flocks.

The lambs had bedded down and the sheep were resting for the night…

Everything was calm with absolutely nothing out of the ordinary.

Another night after another day’s hard work.

And then all of a sudden… a glorious burst of light…

A shining brilliance and an angel in the sky proclaiming, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy!”

The Greatest News of all… the Birth of Christ and the salvation of man.

Christmas has always been a time of joy and celebration.

Of God’s greatest gift!…

His own Son come into the world to save us from our sins.

So as we come upon Christmas this week… in the midst of the hustle and bustle and all the parties and all the gifts…

I want to take a step back and ask, “What makes Christmas such good news of great joy?”

We all know the story of Christmas but what good news in the Christmas story did the angel proclaim?

We are going to have two points today one focusing on who Christ is and one focusing on what Christ came to do each celebrating the Good News of Great Joy that we have at Christmas.

Number 1… Christmas is the Good News of Christ our Savior

And Number 2… Christmas is the Good News of Peace with God.

Lets go to Luke 2:1-5 and point number 1…

I. Christmas is the Good News of Christ our Savior

Luke 2:1–5 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

Tying Jesus’ birth to a census in the days of Augustus under the Governor Quirinius is Luke’s way of telling us that the Gospel is historically true (cf. Luke 1:1-3).

We don’t have a faith of myth or make believe, but one that’s rooted in History.

Jesus really did live, die, and rise again…

The Gospel that we have is one that is absolutely true.

And it all started in the little town of Bethlehem.

Bethlehem

Bethlehem is where God prophesied that the Messiah would be born.

Micah 5:2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

Christ at His birth fulfilled prophesy by the Sovereign, Almighty working of God.

It wasn’t just Caesar that got Joseph to go to Bethlehem… it was God Himself to fulfill all of God’s promises.

The promise made to David was that he would have a Son to sit on the throne and that Son would reign forever and ever.

That He would conquer all enemies… build God’s Temple… and give His people Life, Blessing, and Rest (2 Samuel 7:8-17).

And one of the things that Luke wants you to see is that Jesus is that Son.

When the Angel came to Mary in Luke 1 he said And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His Father David (Luke 1:32).

And two times in our passage Luke highlights that Jesus was born in the line of David and born in the city of David to really drive point home: Jesus is the long-promised Messiah and long-hoped for Davidic King.

The One who has come to save His people and give them rest.

To Bring to them all the promises of God made in the New Covenant.

And Micah says just as David came from the town of Bethlehem… so would the Messiah.

Luke 2:6–7 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 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.

With so many people traveling in for the census there was no room at the inn and so Mary and Joseph had to stay out in the stable where the animals were usually stowed.

Now I don’t know who’s not giving up their spot to a pregnant woman about to give birth… maybe because Mary and Joseph weren’t married that made people see the child as illegitimate…

But what it does show us is that even at His birth Jesus was rejected by the world.

John 1:10–11 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

God’s grace reached out and we had no interest reaching back.

The whole Birth of Christ shows the Humility and Love and Grace of God.

Humility/Love

The Son of God did not come into the courts of kings and queens.

He wasn’t born with silver spoon in the lap of luxury.

He was born to a poor carpenter family and at His birth was not laid in a crib but a feeding trough for animals clothed in the common swaddling cloths of humble poverty (cf. Leviticus 12:8, Luke 2:24).

You would never expect to see a baby laying in a manger much less the Eternal Son of God and King of Glory!

Yet there He lay.

He left the glories of heaven to take on human flesh (cf. John 1:1, 14).

He emptied Himself… made Himself nothing and of no account (Philippians 2:6-8).

He took the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

He left the glory of the Father and the worship of the Angels all to suffer and die as a man because greater love has no one than this… that a man lay down His life for His friends (John 15:3).

The manger shows us the great love of Christ because it shows us the great depths that Christ went to save us.

The Eternal Son of God sunk to a poor, humble, manger outside in the stable all to save you from your sins.

Good news of Great Joy.

Good news that God sent angles to proclaim to lowly shepherds out in the field because Jesus Christ was sent to save sinners.

Luke 2:8–9 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.

Night/Glory of the Lord

Before the Angels ever announce the good news of Christ the glory of the Lord gives us a picture of it.

Luke makes it a point to say that the shepherds are out in the field at night.

Its all dark…

And then all of a sudden this glorious burst of light!

Luke says And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them.

God’s glory is His goodness and magnificence of all that He is (Exodus 33:18-19).

And God’s glory is brilliant light.

1 John 1:5 says God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

When it says the glory of the Lord shone around them… that word shone is used in Acts 26 when Paul talks about the glory of Christ blinding Him on the way to Damascus and he says At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun (Acts 26:13).

This radiant brilliance that outshines the midday sun.

That’s the light absolutely engulfed the Shepherds that night.

It was night… and then all of a sudden it was brighter than the midday sun.

Connection to Christ

This glory…is a picture of the glory of Christ.

The glory of who Christ is and what Christ came to do.

The Bible talks about our salvation as going from darkness to light.

From the darkness of sin to the light of life (Isaiah 49:6 John 8:12, Colossians 1:13).

And in Jesus… in the midst of that dark night of sin and death… the light of life has shone.

God said I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth (Isaiah 49:6).

And in the birth of Christ the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned (Matthew 4:16).

The light of Christ saves us from all our sin and death.

And God sent His Son… the Light of the world… Luke 1:79: to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, [and] to guide our feet into the way of peace (John 8:12).

The glory of God that shone with the angels to announce the birth of Christ itself proclaimed that Jesus saves.

That In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:4-5).

This was the Good News the Angels came to proclaim.

As the glory of the Lord shone around them the Angel said…

Luke 2:10-12 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.”

You’ll notice three titles the Angel uses to announce the Birth of Christ to proclaim the Good news of Christ our Savior.

He says for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior… that’s the first… who is Christ the Lord… that’s two and three.

Who is Jesus?

Who is Jesus?

Who is this Babe that was born?

Who is this One they would find wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger?

Savior

First He’s the Savior.

A Savior is someone who rescues or delivers someone else.

Someone who saves another from certain death and destruction and sets their feed on solid ground.

That’s who Jesus is.

You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

Jesus took on Human flesh and died in our place for our sins and He rose again three days later to save us from eternal death and condemnation.

He literally reached down and plucked us out of Hell by His love… grace… and mercy.

Lord

The Angel says He is Christ the Lord.

Lord is the title used for God Himself.

Last week we saw the Angel say to Mary… He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. [And] will be called holy—the Son of God (Luke 1:32, 35).

Jesus is the Eternal Son of God incarnate in Human flesh.

He was no ordinary man… He is the GodMan… Truly and Fully God and Truly and Fully Man.

He bore our flesh to bear our sins…

He is the Lord God incarnate who has come to save.

Christ

And He is the Christ.

Christ means the Anointed One or Messiah.

Its not Jesus’ last name… its His title or office.

It says that He was Anointed… Chosen by God… Set apart and sent to carry out God’s Work and Purposes.

In the Old Testament Prophets, Priests, and Kings were all anointed by God… and this speaks to Christ’s work as our Mediator.

The one who stands between us and God the Father.

Prophet

As Prophet Jesus reveals God and His will for our salvation.

Priest

As Priest Jesus offered His life as a sacrifice for our sins and now intercedes at the right hand of the Father on our behalf.

King

And as King Christ conquered our enemies of Sin, Satan, and Death and rules over all for His glory and our good bestowing on us all the blessings of His Kingdom.

As Prophet, Priest, and King, He is the Way and the Truth and the Life (John 14:6).

He is the Way we draw near to God and have all of our sins forgiven.

He is the Truth for who God is and how we might be saved.

And He is the Life and all the blessings and promises of God.

The Light of the World who shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it (John 8:12, John 1:5).

Summary

That’s the Good News the Angels came to Proclaim.

I bring you Good News of Great Joy! For unto you is born this day… in the city of David… in fulfillment of all of God’s promises…

A Savior… one who can a rescue you from your sins.

Who is Christ the Lord… the Prophet ,Priest, and King who is the Way and the Truth and the Life…

And the Eternal Son of God incarnate in Human flesh… God Himself come to save us from all our sins.

The Good News of Great Joy is Christ Himself and all He is as our Lord God and Savior.

Number 2… Christmas is not only the Good News of Christ our Savior but the Good News of our salvation because…

II. Christmas is the Good News of Peace with God

Luke 2:13–14 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!”

The Good News of Christmas is Praise ever flowing up to God and peace ever flowing down from God to Man.

A multitude of the Heavenly host is literally a heavenly army.

God sent a whole army of angels to announce the birth of Christ.

But instead of making war… this army proclaimed peace… the salvation of God and peace towards man.

Glory to God in the highest…

Like we saw earlier… God’s glory is His goodness…

When Moses prayed God Show me your glory!, God said I will make my goodness pass before you and proclaim to you my Name the Lord (Exodus 33:18-19).

The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty (Exodus 34:5–7).

So God’s glory is His goodness in salvation and we praise God… Glory to God in the Highest!… for His salvation in Jesus Christ.

A salvation of peace and reconciliation with God.

That’s where the Angels say and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased.

You might read that and think its peace given to those who have done something to deserve… something good to please God.

But literally what it says is peace among the people of His good pleasure.

Its the same word from Ephesians 1 that says God chose us… and elected us… according to the good pleasure of His will (Ephesians 1:3-5).

The peace God gives is to those He has chosen before the foundation of the world and is pleased to call to Himself in Jesus Christ.

Its all of grace!

This speaks to the Doctrine of Election and emphasizes the Sovereignty of God’s grace toward us in Christ.

Its free and unmerited grace.

The greatest gift of all!… God’s grace and peace with God in Jesus Christ.

That’s what this peace is.

Its forgiveness and reconciliation with God.

In our sin we were all enemies of God (Romans 5:10).

The Bible says we were sons of disobedience… and children of wrath like the rest of mankind (Ephesians 2:1-3).

We were under God’s just judgment and condemnation… but in Christ… we have peace.

Isaiah said that He is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

And He made peace by the blood of His cross.

Colossians 1:19–22 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, [that’s the incarnation] and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.

Elsewhere Paul says Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).

The Good News of Christmas is the peace with God we have in Him.

The full forgiveness of sins.

No condemnation in Jesus Christ.

And not just forgiven… but adopted and beloved.

Ephesians 1:3-8… that passage we referenced earlier…

Ephesians 1:3–8 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose [that’s the good pleasure] of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us.

Look what all Paul says!

Blessed us in Christ with every! spiritual blessing.

In love! He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons. according to the good pleasure of His will.. among those with whom He is pleased!

In Christ! we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight.

Peace with God!

Everything the Angels are here proclaiming in the Birth of Christ!

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!

Christmas is the Good News of Peace… Forgiveness… and Reconciliation with God.

Its the Good News of Christ our Savior and His Grace!

A grace revealed to us in the Shepherds themselves.

Shepherds

Luke 2:15–20 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. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Why Shepherds?

God could have sent these Angels to anyone… the whole town of Bethlehem or even Caesar himself to say, “Hey… there’s a new King of the World!”

But He sent them to Shepherds out in the fields.

Good Shepherd

For one… the Shepherds keeping watch over their flocks obviously reminds us of Jesus as the Good Shepherd who cares for and watches over us (John 10:11).

Sacrifice

They are also there to remind us that Jesus is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

He is the true, once for all, perfect sacrifice.

Grace

But ultimately the Shepherds are there because they are a picture to us of God’s amazing grace.

We like shepherds.

We worship of Jesus as the Good Shepherd.

We pray The Lord is my Shepherd.

But in Jesus’ day, Shepherds were typically poor and looked down on as outcasts among men.

They were some of the lowest people in society.

They were even generally thought of as untrustworthy liars.

Now that’s not to say anything about these men but shepherds had such a reputation of “confusing” their sheep with someone else’s that they couldn’t even give their testimony in a court of law.

Which… it is ironic that God would choose these men to testify to then go and testify to the birth of Jesus Christ.

And then, the nature of their work usually left them ceremonially unclean meaning they couldn’t draw near to God or worship Him in the Temple without going through ceremonial washings.

So they would raise the sacrifices but then need washing to even offer them.

But when you put it all together… the first people to hear about the birth of Christ…

The first people God sent Angels to announce the Birth of His Son…

Were poor, outcast, ceremonially unclean liars and thieves.

All of us in our sin and the very ones Jesus was born into the world to save.

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10).

And what was the Shepherd’s response?

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.”

They immediately left to go find this baby.

This one the Lord had promised.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

The Savior… Messiah… The Eternal Son of God Himself incarnate in Human flesh.

Isaiah 9

Along the way… I can only imagine that Shepherds kept going over the words of the Angel ringing in their ears bringing up all the memories of a prophecy of the Messiah from Isaiah 9, with every step wondering… “Could this be it?

Could this really be the child?”

Could this really be the One we’ve all been waiting for?

Isaiah 9:6–7 For to us a child is born,

The words of the Angel.

to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor,

The One who holds all wisdom and utters the very words of God to reveal God and lead us in the path of Eternal Life.

Mighty God,

The Warrior Lord would would deliver us from all our enemies of sin, Satan, and death by His strong arm and mighty power.

Everlasting Father,

Meaning the Father or Head of the New Covenant where God promises to forgive our iniquity and remember our sin no more.

And… the…

Prince of Peace.

The One who would reconcile us to God and bring us into His Kingdom of Eternal Life, Blessing, and Rest with and peace on every side (1 Kings 4:20-25).

Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

The promised Son of David who would come and make all things right and all things new.

And when the shepherds came they found everything just as the angels had told them.

Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

All of God’s goodness and grace wrapped in swaddling bands

The Greatest gift of all given to save low and despised, unclean sinners… just like them.

Glory to God in the Highest!

And so the shepherds went away glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen (Luke 2:20).

Glorifying God for what?

Good News of Great Joy.

Conclusion

The whole birth of Christ proclaims the good news of God’s grace.

That’s what Christmas is all about!

Christmas is the Good News of Christ our Savior and the Peace with God we have in Him through His blood on the cross.

Because that first Christmas, He took on our flesh.

He humbled Himself and made Himself the lowest of the low to save the lowest sinner all out of His great love for us.

As we celebrate Christmas… eat good food… open up presents…

Let us not forget the greatest gift of all, God’s grace in Jesus Christ.

Fear not! For Behold I bring you good news of great joy:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Let’s Pray