Christmas Worship - Part 2

Introduction

It’s Christmas time! There are a wide set of emotions that run through the minds of people during this time of year.

What kind of Christmas season are you having so far? Is it a Clark Griswold or a Ralphie or Buddy the Elf kind of Christmas?

It seems like everyone is looking for something at this time of year. What are you looking for?

It amazes me that the Christmas story came on a night when no one was really looking for it.

There wasn’t a welcome greeting surrounding Mary and Joseph as they came into Bethlehem for the birth of the King of Kings. People were busy worrying about where they were going to stay and making sure that their own families were receiving what they needed.

We live in a current reality that is no different. People are often so busy trying to find what they are looking for, they miss the most important opportunities for life change.

We have to train ourselves to become people of worship.

"All of life is worship. Whether you worship God or something else, your life advertises what you value most.”

"All of life is worship. Whether you worship God or something else, your life advertises what you value most. - Desiring God

The foundational element of the Christmas story is the way God was worshipped on that night.

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 bChrist 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 bwith whom He is pleased.”

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 bChrist 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 bwith whom He is pleased.” New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Lk 2:8–14). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

Shepherd - Task was to care for the flock, to find grass and water, to protect from wild animals, to look for and restore those that strayed, to lead the flock out each day going before it and to return to the flock at the close of the day to the fold.

Task was to care for the flock, to find grass and water, to protect from wild animals, to look for and restore those that strayed, to lead the flock out each day going before it and to return to the flock at the close of the day to the fold.

The shepherd was responsible to the owner of the sheep for every sheep, and was required to make restitution for losses. Shepherds and their flock enjoyed a closer relationship. Shepherding is an important concept of the NT.

In all likelihood, these people were special shepherds. In the temple, morning and evening, an unblemished lamb was offered as a sacrifice to God. The temple authorities had their own private sheep flocks; and we know that those flocks were pastured near Bethlehem. It's likely that these shepherds were in charge of the flocks from which the Temple offerings were chosen. It’s an amazing concept that the shepherds who looked after the temple lambs were the first to see the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Angels, Angel of the Lord - Supernatural beings. Word is properly translated as the "messenger" of the Lord. Performed special functions at particular times in the history of Israel.

Angels, Angel of the Lord - Supernatural beings. Word is properly translated as the "messenger" of the Lord. Performed special functions at particular times in the history of Israel.

Provided a variety of services in the OT. The ONLY valid source about angels is the Bible.

"Hosts" - an army One of the few times we hear of a visible "multitude" of angels in reality and not in a dream or vision.

How the Bible speaks of angels -

Powerful ().

Morally perfect (.

Appearance is unusual. "Lightning...whiter than snow." ()

Peaceful ( Stephen) Angels appeared to bring good news, warn of danger, guard from evil, guide and protect, nourish, and instruct.

The angels taught the disciples about worship on that Christmas night.

What lessons can we learn about worship from the angels?

1. Worship is required in view of God’s glory. (v. 8-9)

Luke 2

The shepherds were pasturing flocks destined for temple sacrifice. Flocks of animals were supposed to be kept only in the wilderness.

As a class, shepherds had a bad reputation. They were unable to observe the law due to the nature of their occupation. Observing the law meant so much to the religious people of the day. They were considered unreliable and were not allowed to give testimony in the law courts.

They were used to be alone and isolated. The only companionship they usually enjoyed were animals.

Shepherds were watchers, not talkers.

We don’t know the name of the angel, but we know that the angel came to the shepherds in a very sudden way!

Appearance struck terror into the shepherds as the “splendour of the Lord blazed around them.”

“Came upon” meaning comes in a hostile way. The angel “assaulted” the shepherds with heavenly presence.

I love to talk. Quiet people notice this about me. What happens when you get a bunch of quiet people together with one big talker? Silence. What happens on a quiet night when an angel walks up to a bunch of shepherds and screams “Hey!!!”

The fear expressed by the shepherds that night to angel was the normal response when the glory of heaven meets the sinfulness of earth.

The angels were not afraid to make themselves known on this Christmas night. Are you willing to allow God to reach your heart and prompt you to worship Him?

2. Worship is encouraged in response to good news. (v. 10-12)

An angel is called to serve as a messenger. Don’t think of this angel simply as a heavenly being. Think of this angel as a dynamic heavenly preacher who has came to share the good news of Jesus to the world.

The angel first reassured his hearers. He has come with the “good news”. What good news?

The good news of the gospel. The news of the Savior would mean so much to people in every land.

The declaration of Jesus being “Christ the Lord” is the only time this expression is used in the bible.

This “Christ” is the anointed one. The Jews expected that one day, God would send a very special deliver. He would not simply be “an” anointed but “the anointed” Messiah.

The angel told the people that he had good news of “great tidings”.

Good tidings lit. means “I evangelized you with great joy”. He came to tell the people of “Christ the Lord”. He described this child in the highest possible terms.

The angel completed his message by giving the shepherds a “sign”. This would help them recognize the baby and it would attest to the truth of the angels words.

In Bethlehem that night there might be one or two babies wrapped in swaddling clothes, but surely only one lying in a manger.

Do you love a good sermon? Why?

Good sermons are centered on good news accompanied with truth.

The angel came to deliver the sermon that all people were waiting for. The messiah had come. What phenomenal news!

3. Worship is enjoyed in the Heavenly places. (v. 13-14)

The sermon had been preached. The news had been shared. This night was hundreds of years in the making. Every prophecy through scripture pointed to this moment.

Isaiah 9:6

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 9

6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;

And the government will rest on His shoulders;

And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

It was time to celebrate. The Angels would set the tone for the rest of us to follow.

Host - an army.

An army capable of spiritual warfare came to announce peace on the earth.

Glory to God in the highest - The response to real peace.

Peace for “whom He is pleased”. There is emphasis on God, not man. This is the type of peace between God and people. The healing of estrangement caused by human evil.

The angels heralded the birth of Jesus. When a boy was born, the local musicians congregated at the house to greet him with simple music. Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem and therefore that ceremony could not be carried out. It is lovely to think that the singing of Heaven took place in the earth, and angels sang the songs for Jesus that the earthly singers could not sing. (Mary was from Nazareth.)

* They heralded the birth of Jesus. When a boy was born, the local muscians congregated at the house to greet him with simple music. Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem and therefore that ceremony could not be carried out. It is lovely to think that the minstrelsy of Heaven took place in the minstrelsy of earth, and angels sang the songs for Jesus that the earthly singers could not sing. (Mary was from Nazareth.)

Even the angels, who have seen Heaven are mesmerized by the glory and the grace of our God.

Christmas is an amazing way to remind yourself why you worship God. You can see Him as the deliverer of good news to a sinful world. What a great joy!!

How can this Christmas season be all that you dreamed it to be? Allow the story of Christmas to penetrate and give you cause to worship the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.