The First Christmas Carol. 2018-12-24

 The First Christmas Carol Luke 2:8-20 Summer Hill Church 24 December 2018 1. A word for the world a. A wonderful time of the year i. Christmas can be a wonderful time of the year (1) there is food and feasting, goodwill and cheer ii. in my other workplace in the hospitals people have been even nicer to each other as we wish each other the best (1) and share little gifts at times (a) it’s a wonderful time to enjoy yourself, and think of good things, and spend time with family (2) Christmas is a time for good things b. but… i. it’s not always like that is it. (1) we woke this morning to the news of the tsunami in Indonesia, and we remember the boxing day tsunami in Sri Lanka 2004, (yes, 2004!) (a) and Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Eve 1974 (2) and on a more individual level, we all know that Christmas can be a time of real pain as well as real joy (a) we have seen the TV ads asking for help for those doing it hard this Christmas, and we know that Christmas is really only for those who are reasonably well to do (3) because it’s about feasting and gifts and celebration (a) about being together with people you love. And that is not always simple or straightforward (4) Christmas is not always a good time for people, but as we have heard today, it is news, for everyone c. news for everyone i. it’s news that came from a little country town near Jerusalem in about 5 BC, (1) news about the birth of a baby to a poor couple from the far north queensland of Israel. ii. but that news is not just to that couple, though it changed their life undoubtedly (1) and not just to the people of Israel, but to all the world (a) it is great news, a grand announcement, that affects everyone. iii. and the angels announce it in the first Christmas carol. (1) and it’s made up of something old, something new, and something for you. 2. Something Old i. Glory to God in the highest heaven, Luke 2:14 b. the creation declares God’s glory (1) reading someone talking about this passage, and he said this: ii. God is glorified in every dewdrop that twinkles in the morning sun. He is magnified in every wood-flower that blossoms in the copse, although it lives to blush unseen, and waste its sweetness in the desert air. He is glorified in every bird that warbles on the spray; in every lamb that skips the mead. All created things extol Him (1) and this is what we heard from the Psalm (a) The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. Psalm 19:1–2 (2) Every time the sun rises and sets, every time we see a flower bloom, or a child’s smile, every time we revel in the marvel and majesty of the natural world, we hear the glory of God (a) they speak of a creator, but the speech is only half way there, we are: iii. left with questions about purpose (1) yes to glorify God, but there is suffering and there is death (a) what is the answer to that, and creation points to God’s power and his majesty, but there is so much more to God than this c. but salvation declares it even more i. Glory to God, not just in earth but in highest heaven! (1) because of salvation! (a) that’s what the angel has just said to the shepherds (i) “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:10–11 (2) a saviour! A world that is facing suffering and death needs a saviour! (a) you and I, need a saviour ii. Salvation gives us the melody that the instrument was always meant to play (a) occasionally you hear something done, that explains why something was made a) violin 2) looking at it you may be unaware of how best to use it a) trumpet 3) but then you hear it played properly a) death of a violin 4) wow - then you see why it was made. (2) it makes sense of the way creation was made and what has happened to it since then (a) if it was all heading to this point, then it all makes sense and the glory of God becomes so much clearer (3) Paul says this in Eph 3 (a) His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 3:10–11 (4) Salvation in Christ, shows just how wonderfully wise God is. iii. and the great news is that this day, 2025 years ago in the town of David, Bethlehem, that saviour was born, and tonight we begin the celebration of that great moment. (1) that all of creation had been waiting for (a) and this saviour was bringing something new 3. Something New a. peace on earth i. and on earth peace Luke 2:14 (1) Since the first days of humanity, peace has been elusive (a) one of the first moments of evil recorded in the Bible was a murder, of one brother of another, Cain and Abel (i) and most people long for peace 1) and somewhat counterintuitively will fight for peace (ii) they will put themselves at great risk, for peace (b) and we feel the need for peace with our neighbours, peace with our workmates, peace with our families, and peace amongst nations (i) we are horrified by the effects of war, and all that it entails 1) and quite rightly want that wars should cease (c) but what we don’t see, and what we often don’t want, is our deepest need. (i) to address our most fundamental alienation, our hostility with God (2) We are at war with God. (3) even those of us that don’t think about God, or think we are OK with God are at war with God (a) because no matter how we view it, we try and place ourselves in the place of God (4) we want to run our own lives by the rules we choose, usually the rules we make up ii. and because we ignore God’s ways of doing things, that makes us out of relationship with him (1) going a different direction to him, being in opposition to him, even when we don’t think we are. iii. and yet this is the most important sort of peace (a) and so what we need above all else is b. peace with God i. because this is a conflict that we are in, that we cannot win (1) I remember in the mid-70’s when some Japanese soldiers were discovered in the Philippines and in Indonesia, still fighting a war that had been long over, but a war that they could never win. (i) Private Nakamura was taken into custody on December 18, 1974, becoming the last Japanese solider to surrender — 10,700 days after the surrender of his (ii) government. (b) one person against the nations - against the rest of the world at the time. (2) noble perhaps in a way, but pitiful, and hopeless. ii. that is the sort of war we are in because we are pitted against the God of the whole universe (1) knowingly or unknowingly, we cannot win, and we are definitely on the wrong side of the fence iii. but the amazing news is that God is offering peace. (1) he is holding out his hands, and giving us the opportunity to lay down our arms (a) it’s what the Bible calls grace. (2) God doesn’t need to do this, he doesn’t have to do this, there is no external power making this happen, the united nations aren’t threatening retaliation if it doesn’t happen (a) God in his mercy is offering us peace with God (3) and it starts here, in this Christmas carol (a) peace on earth (4) Peace that hadn’t been since the garden of Eden, but that now God offers even though we are still his enemies! c. peace is not a universal absence of fighting i. there is a truism that Christmas is the time of year when families get together in a spirit of goodwill to nurse old grudges again into open warfare (1) I do hope that is not what your Christmas is like, but the comedians seem to get enough laughs about this that there is probably a lot of truth about it ii. but real peace is not when the grudges are just ignored, but when they are dealt with, when there is true reconciliation. (1) warfare can only be over, not when a truce is brokered but when victory is won! d. what great news. (1) and that is what the Angel said he was bringing, wasn’t it. (a) Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Luke 2:10 (2) good news! The other word for that is gospel. So often we think and use the word gospel to mean truth. the OED even records one of the meanings to be that (a) a thing that is absolutely true (3) but it actually means a big announcement. A huge story. (a) and this is news that will bring great joy, because it is about peace on earth (i) peace with God, our greatest need, yet an often unfelt one (ii) not the primarily the peace about not fighting with each other, though that is an outcome of peace with God (b) and just because we don’t feel it doesn’t mean it’s not critical to us. (i) When was the last time you felt in need of Zinc 1) it’s a silvery white metal, quite common, but if you don’t have zinc in your diet (it’s pretty easy to get) a number of critical things in your body start to fail. most importantly your healing will not work properly, you can get into real big health trouble. (ii) you don’t need a felt need of something to actually need it. (c) and we really need peace with God, and God is offering it to us - to all of us. (i) peace on earth - Jesus is bringing peace, between God and humanity. (d) but it’s more than just this general offer. 4. Something for You! a. to those on whom his favour rests i. the offer is more specific than that (1) it is on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests ii. peace is not for those who will not come to peace with God (1) it is for those who will turn to God and accept his offer of peace (a) who will acknowledge the fact that they have been hostile to God, they have ignored God, they have made up their own rules about God (2) this peace is not just this general offer, it is an offer directed towards you (a) God knows and loves you (3) he is offering you peace with him, That peace that deep down we all need, but so few of us ever feel (a) and the only criteria for receiving that peace is that God favours you. Is kind to you, is merciful to you (4) and that is what is happening, right now! Through this announcement b. God shows his kindness i. this is all through God’s kindness (1) he doesn’t have to be kind to us (a) it is just because he has chosen to. (i) But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4–5 (2) God loves us, God wants peace with us, God is offering his peace to you/ (a) will you accept it? 5. The Saviour of the World i. the Christmas story is about the birth of a child (1) a very special child, a child who brought heaven to it’s feet in praise and wonder (a) “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.” Luke 2:14 (2) but it’s not only about the birth of a child (a) even a wonderful child (3) it’s about peace on earth (a) it’s not just about the path to Bethlehem, and humble beginnings in an animal trough, nor about the gifts of the magi to the baby (b) but it’s also about the road to Golgotha, to a humiliating death upon a cross and the gift he is giving to the world, of peace with God, through this death, to whomever would believe ii. today, God is announcing yet again his peace, peace for those on whom his favour rests (1) peace between God and humanity (a) peace that brings you a new life, and second start, and relationship with the God who made you and loves you (2) peace is for those who say, yes I want peace, I accept the peace you are offering on your terms God, because I have no claims upon you, I have no bargaining chips, I can’t bring my own terms to the table (a) peace with God will always be on his terms (3) but peace with God is what we all need, peace with God is what the angel announced, peace with God is here for you today (a) the shepherds went to find out and worship the child (i) the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, w hich the Lord has told us about. Luke 2:15 (b) what are you going to do about it?