Untitled Sermon (5)

Luke 2:8–14 KJV 1900

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, Good will toward men.

Throughout the written record of God’s relationship with humanity, angels have plaid a central role.

It was an angel that was placed at the entrance of the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve had sinned and were removed from the Garden.

It was an angel that appeared to a Manoah and his wife in Judges chapter 13, revealing that they would give birth to a special son that would begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines.

It was again an angel that would appear unto Gideon who was behind a winepress threshing wheat with a message that he would save Isreal from the hand of the Midianites.

It was two angels that would come to Sodom and Gamorrah to inform Lot and his family that their wicked cities would soon be destroyed.

Jacob’s transformation was obtained after he wrestled with an angel and prevailed.

Daniel endured the lions den when God sent an angel to shut the lions mouth...

Perhaps I’m taking liberty in applying human attributes to the heavenly messengers…but I would think that some of the angelic assignments were perhaps like an employer asking who wanted to volunteer to work on Christmas Even.

Who wants the be the angel that informs Lot and his family their city is about to be destroyed?

Who wants to be the angel to go down and wrestle with Jacob?

Who wants to be the angel to have to go down and try to convince Gideon, who is hiding behind a winepress, that he is really secretly a mighty warrior…he just doesn’t know it yet?

However, I believe that when heaven posted the heavenly role call for those that would appear to humanity to inform them of the birth of the promised messiah…I believe the response was unanimous and immediate.

This was the news that all of heaven had waited for. From the beginning of time, the moment had been in the mind of God. From the first time that man had fallen into sin, the birth of this child had been prophesied.

Thousands of years had passed with the satan wrongfully believing his deceit of man had won the day. heaven eagerly awaited the one that would rise with healing in his wings.

And now the moment had come. The best news that would ever sound in the ears of humanity was soon to be declared.

and the angel began to declare…Fear not: for behond, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to ALL people.

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

And this shall be sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly…every angel in heaven showed up. it was as if a shaken soda can had been opened. The angels in heaven could no longer hold their silence…this was the message that every angel hoped to declare...

King James Version Chapter 2

Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace,

Good will toward men.

And then vs. 15…as the angels were gone...

thats it…3 phrases…but these three phrases changed everything.

These three phrases all of heaven had waited since God first said “let there be” to be able to herald to humanity.

These three phrases brought hope for our hopelesness. Joy for our sorrow. Forgiveness for our shame. Salvation to the Gentile!

And this message that the Angels declared some 2,000 years ago…today we experience the blessings from in three particular ways...

These three phrases brought

We receive them

I think we hear the good tidings so often it is easy to forget just how miraculous they are.

Week after week we are privileged to be able to hear the message that Heaven waited thousands of years to be able to hear proclaims.

Week after week we are privileged to be able to hear the message that Heaven waited thousands of years to be able to hear proclaims.

The good news that Emmanuel, God is with us!

The news that messiah had come!

The good news that Israels King and the light unto the Gentiles had been born in Bethlehem

2. We live them

We live these good tidings of great Joy.

The could only share the news that a savior was born…we live lives that have been redeemed by the savior.

The angels could speak of the news bringing great joy to all people.

We live and move and have our being in this great giver of joy. As Peter stated in 1 Peter chapter 1 vs. 8

King James Version Chapter 1

Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

The angels could only declare the news of peace on earth and good will toward men.

We are able to live this peace that passes all understanding!

Finally…as the angels did…we get to tell it!

Some suppose it had been 4,000 years from Adam to Christ…Heaven waited thousands of years to be able to declare the good news that we are now able to declare each and every day of our lives.

it should be almost combustable in our spirits…Suddenly there was with the angel of the Lord a heavenly HOST declaring Glory to God in the highest!

We have the opportunity to join in the chorus of the heavenly host and declare glory to God in the highest. We have the opportunity to declare through our lives peace on earth and goodwill toward men.

This evening as we leave and go to our homes and spend time with our families we are the beneficiaries of a heavenly message. We are the beneficiary fisheries of joy peace on earth and the goodwill of God toward men. Do you spend time with your families enjoy the moments enjoy the laughter. Enjoy the gifts that will be exchanged. And be thankful for the good news.

We live in dark times. We live in times that the Bible declared men would call good evil and evil good. We don’t have to look very far to be aware that darkness is all around us. However, the same message that angels declare 2000 years ago still brings light into darkness so I want to ask as representatives from each family that is gather tonight would come and bring the candle do you have with you and get that in the like that here with the light from on the platform as a symbol that we are going to take the good news the message that angels heralded 2000 years ago and we are going to Receive it, live it, and we are going to tell it!

Silent night!