Christmas 2018: Joy Has Come!

Introduction

Good morning and Merry Christmas!

If you will start turning in your Bibles to .

This morning we are going to be covering , looking at the events surrounding the birth of Jesus.

An account that we have covered before and one that we will likely cover again.

An account that right now in churches all over the world is being covered.

Because, it is Christmas.

And Christmas is what we want to talk about this morning anyway.

No, not the concept that the world has of Christmas, but what Christmas really is.

When we first started I told you “Merry Christmas!”

Merry Christmas . . . a phrase that has led to lots and lots of controversy in the last several years.

So much so that the Politically Correct will not even say it anymore.

They defer to “Happy Holidays,” which is fine I guess because it really doesn’t matter what you say, the truth is still the truth.

And the truth is Christmas or the “Winter Holiday” that I’ve heard some say is about one thing.

Actually it is about one person.

And that person is Jesus Christ.

And the reason that people don’t like saying Merry Christmas is because of the word “Christ” in the phrase.

Heavens forbid we acknowledge the person the Holiday is actually about.

When I was at the doctor the other day they even asked me if I celebrated Christmas before they would even say Merry Christmas to me.

I personally think it’s ridiculous, but the reality is people want to avoid the real meaning of Christmas because they get uncomfortable.

The convicting power of the Holy Spirit will penetrate even through something as simple as a phrase, like Merry Christmas.

Because by saying it they are acknowledging some things.

They are acknowledging that Jesus was born in a manger just like the Bible says.

They are acknowledging that Jesus lived a perfect life, just like the Bible says.

They are acknowledging that Jesus died on the Cross, just like the Bible says.

They are acknowledging that Jesus rose from the grave just like the Bible says.

And, they are ultimately acknowledging that Jesus is the Christ—the Messiah—The Savior—The Only Hope, just like the Bible says.

And ultimately, they are missing out on the one aspect and concept that they definitely need—Hope.

We live in a world today that is filled with evil and violence.

Fear and hopelessness.

Which is the exact opposite of what Jesus is all about.

It is the opposite of what the Christmas story is all about.

And this morning I want to look at the “Christmas Story” but I want to really focus in on the shepherds and the significant part they played in not only the story of Jesus’ birth but also the message of hope that was contained in their role.

So, if you have found in your Bibles, I’d invite you to stand with me if you are able.

I am going to be reading verses 8-12 this morning.

Luke writes . . .

Scripture Focus

Luke 2:8–12 NIV - Anglicised

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Luke 2:

Jesus is Born (vs 1-7)

I love that portion of Scripture for many reasons.

But I guess mostly because it stimulates my imagination about what was going on around that time and how things must have looked.

And how excited and afraid they would have been at that moment.

When an Angel of the Lord shows up with all the glory of God surrounding them.

Something you don’t see every day!

But before we actually get to them we have to back up a bit.

We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves here.

We have to get Jesus born, before we can put the shepherds to work.

So go back in your Bibles to the beginning of the chapter.

Luke begins this way . . .

Luke 1:1–7 NIV - Anglicised

1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eye-witnesses and servants of the word. 3 Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. 5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. 7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well on in years.

Luke 2:1–7 NIV - Anglicised

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (2 This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Very familiar and nothing out of the ordinary for those times.

It was very common for the Romans to take a census.

They did it all the time because that was how they kept up with the number of people for taxation purposes.

You’ve got to know where everybody is at so you can tax them.

Which is what prompts Joseph and Mary to take this trip back to Bethlehem.

And the NIV doesn’t do justice to how imminent the birth of Jesus was.

The KJV puts it this way . . .

Luke 2:5–7 KJV 1900

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2:

She was great with child, or “really, really pregnant.”

And some had questioned why Mary would have even made this journey with Joseph if she was that pregnant.

It was because she was that pregnant.

Now, both of them already knew she was going to give birth to the Messiah, the Son of God and #1 Joseph didn’t want to miss it.

But more importantly it was really about protecting Mary.

Face it, people still didn’t believe that she was a pregnant virgin and if she had been home alone and given birth, the support she would have needed would not have been there.

And also, since she was a virgin Jesus was her firstborn child, so neither one of them had ever done this before.

So, we can pretty well assume that they were both pretty much winging it at that point.

But they go to Bethlehem and just like the prophecies foretold, she gives birth to Jesus, but not in a hospital (which didn’t exist) or even a home, because the town was full and all of the houses were full.

There was no place for them to go except a stable or more than likely a cave used for a stable for the animals.

And there were no beds, no cribs, only a feeding trough, a manger full of hay for the animals to eat.

All she could do was swaddle him up and lay him there.

And think how scared she and Joseph must have been.

Here it is, they are out in the elements, out in a dirty old cave turned into a barn.

She has this baby and puts him in a feeding trough.

And at that moment it didn’t really matter to them that this was the Son of God.

This was a baby they had to care for and protect from the world.

So, they were scared.

Just like it is scary for new parents of all children.

But you know it’s also scary some days when we get up and face to face the world.

Joy Overcomes Fear (vs 8-15)

Not knowing which way to turn or what is going to happen next.

That is some scary stuff.

And we often forget that the Son of God came to remove all of our fears.

He can to take all of that away.

He came to offer us peace, joy, and most importantly hope.

Hope that in Him we can face every trial and every tribulation.

Hope that in Him nothing can stand against us and nothing can defeat us.

Joy Overcomes Fear (vs 8-18)

But it is that hope that we oftentimes forget about.

We get wrapped up in what is going on around us, that we forget who is ultimately in charge.

We forget that while we are worrying about what’s going to happen next, God has already worked it out.

I’m sure Mary and Jospeh at that point were probably worried about whether or not Jesus would even live.

But God had already foretold exactly what was going to happen here, from beginning to end.

Including what happens next with our shepherds . . .

Luke 2:8–9 NIV - Anglicised

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

Luke 2:8-

You had better believe they were terrified!

The KJV says they were sore afraid, or literally shaking in their boots would be how we would put it.

Have you ever been so afraid you were shaking or even paralyzed by fear?

That’s what we are talking about here.

We use the term “scared to death” well these guys were literally scared to the point that they were as close to death as you could get without actually dying.

And the reason they were so frightened is #1 this was the Angel of God.

#2 God’s glory was shining all around them.

And #3, these were not the cream of the crop.

They were not high ranking government or religious officials.

To be honest, they probably were not even that religious in the eyes of the Jews.

Shepherds were considered dirty and undesirable in their society.

They were considered unimportant and low in status.

And what’s even more the shepherds that pulled the night shift were even lower than the rest of the shepherds.

These were the lowest of the low.

And this is the mind-blowing part.

God chose them to deliver the message to of the birth of Jesus.

God chose to reveal it to the lowest of the low in society.

And why?

I’m glad you asked.

Because that is who Jesus came to save.

Jesus came to give hope to the hopeless.

To bring salvation to those who couldn’t be saved.

To lift up those that society has trampled into the ground.

To replace fear with joy and death with eternal life.

The message that we need to hear is that if Jesus came for them, he came for me.

He came for everyone.

For all humanity.

No one is left out.

And because of that we need to hear and understand what the Angel told these shepherds . . .

Luke 2:10–11 NIV - Anglicised

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:10-

Listen to what he says.

DO NOT BE AFRAID.

We have nothing to be afraid of.

Because . . .

Luke 2:11 NIV - Anglicised

11 Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

The Lord of all humanity.

The Lord of all hope.

The King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

He is our Hope and our Messiah.

Our Savior.

And we need to be shouting it from the rooftops!

FEAR NOT! BECAUSE A SAVIOR HAS BEEN BORN TO ALL OF US.

HE IS CHRIST THE LORD!

And just to prove the point to them and all of us . . .

Luke 2:12 NIV - Anglicised

12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

But wait there is more!

Luke 2:

Luke 2:13-

Luke 2:13–15 NIV - Anglicised

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

Joy Brings Eternal Hope (vs 16-18)

You had better believe they want to go and see.

That my friends should be a given.

Luke 2:16–18 NIV - Anglicised

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

Luke 2:16

Altar Call

And this morning I want the message to be one of joy.

One of hope.

I want us all to realize that in Christ, we have absolutely nothing to be afraid of.

And this morning as we run around in the hustle and bustle.

As we worry about this and that.

As we get stressed out.

We need to pause and remember, why we celebrate Christmas.

Why we say “Merry Christmas.”

What it is all about.

It’s not about all of this stuff we worry about not just at Christmas but all year round.

We celebrate because Jesus has brought us hope.

And in that hope we should find joy.

And we should also rejoice and share that hope and joy with others.

But maybe you are here this morning and you are overwhelmed with worry and fear.

Maybe you are here and you are overwhelmed with grief and loss.

You’ve lost your joy.

Lost your hope in life.

You can have that restored today.

You can gain strength, joy, hope, whatever it is you need or seek.

It can be granted on God’s altar this morning.

Maybe you need to find Jesus for the first time, or go back to where you left him sometime in the past.

You can do that today as well.

Whatever your need is, you can address it today.

If you will.

Will you do that today?

Will you come to the altar?

It is up to you, but it is available to you. If you will come.