I Believe: The God of Good News

Luke 2:8–20 NASB95

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 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; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

INTRO: Today, we come to the 3rd Angelic encounter surrounding Jesus’ birth. We looked already at Mary’s encounter and her faith in the God of the impossible. Last week, we looked at the angel’s announcement to Joseph which resulted in his trusting obedience in the Promise-Keeping God. These were both fore-tellings of things that would come and how God would have Mary & Joseph respond to them.

In our Scripture this morning, we deal with an announcement - something that has taken place already. Indeed, this was a birth announcement.

Many of you here have had children, and of course, we are so excited to let our friends and family know that our brand-new baby has been born. Especially the first-born. Right, we take pictures, we send out cards, we make phone calls… we all believe that our baby is the cutest; we all believe that we have to do something different and more elaborate than other people (thank you social media) and so we see all kinds of approaches to this.

Well, God sent angels to announce the birth of Jesus. (Bet you can’t outdo that!) And as you and I walk through this announcement of good news this morning, I am praying we not only grasp the significance of this event, but that we also walk away with some action steps.

I want to encourage you to take your bulletin, if you got one, and open to the Sermon Guide and follow along as we learn together this morning. The sermon is entitled, “I Believe: The God of Good News”

Now, the first 7 verses of Luke 2 tell us that Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem in order to be counted for the mandatory census. While there, Mary went into labor and ended up giving birth in a stable because all of the normal accommodations were full. So, we enter into the passage for the morning with an understanding that the circumstances and environment for the birth of any baby, much less Jesus, was less than ideal. But that does not mean that this is a birth that would go unnoticed. God made sure of that.

But the first thing that you and I should notice about this birth announcement is the

Unlikely Recipients (8-10)

Shepherds. Out of all the people in all the world, we are introduced to a handful of shepherds. We should note that a shepherd was a low man on the totem pole kind of job. These men were rough, smelly, and unsightly. They were constantly in the fields, thus they had little social interaction.

So, God sent an angel to these shepherds, scaring the living daylights out of them by the way, as the glory of the Lord shone around them.

Can I just point out something here: These men were not clean enough to worship God in the temple. Their filth and their sins separated them from God, but God sent his angels who brought the message of God in flesh who had come to them!!

Imagine, if you will, the most wonderful news being shared, not with the religious or the influential, not plastered on billboards or put on national TV, but instead being shared with a people who most of society would have turned their nose up to. They had no business being the recipients of this message. They certainly did not deserve to be in the presence of God’s angels and receive anything less than divine judgment...

Yet, God sent the message of good news and great joy to the “least of these.” This should be an encouragement to us as we think about the good news of Jesus. Here in the region of Bethlehem, we see the God of Creation stepping through time and space to a poor couple who would have no other option than to seek shelter with livestock to give birth. God placed Himself in flesh in the feeding trough of the unclean animals and sent the glorious news to men who were both strangers and outcasts.

This helps us to see that this good news is indeed intended for all people. “Fear not” the angel said, for there is hope in your despair. There is a Light that shines in the darkness! Though these men were mere shepherds, God had not abandoned them. The glory of the good news is that Jesus came to save people just like these. The Alpha and Omega has come to the meek and the lowly! Folks, God doesn’t care about how much money of power you have. Jesus said

Matthew 5:3 NASB95

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

I thank God that the angel told the shepherds this good news, and I thank God that it was told to me too.

Discuss: What significance is it that the angel came to shepherds?

This announcement was unlike any other in delivery method as well as content. Let’s look at the

Unique Proclamation (11-12)

ILL: How many of you have ever had one of those conversations with a new parent? I remember when a buddy of mine and his wife had their first child. He called me and I congratulated him, asked if he needed anything, blah blah blah, and then hung up. My wife asked me questions like, “How much did she weigh? How long was she? Does she have hair? What color?” I didn’t have any answers. These were not things I thought about.

Well, let’s just say that these were not the primary concerns of the angel either. We don’t get a lot of physical description, but instead we get a powerful statement of significance. Let’s look at it together:

TODAY- This is our time. It has happened. It’s real.

CITY OF DAVID - This is our place. It’s verifiable.

BORN TO YOU- Here is where it gets personal. This child is born for you, lowly shepherd. Sinner. This child is the one whom the prophet Isaiah spoke in

Isaiah 9:6 NASB95

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.

These shepherds are told that this baby was not just someone’s son. We don’t get a name but rather 3 holy titles that describe who this baby is:

SAVIOR: That is, He is the rescue, the redeemer, the one who would save them from their sins. The one who John the Baptist would declare, “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!” He is the one who would bear the weight of the sins on an old cross so that you might be saved!

CHRIST: The promised Messiah, anointed One of God! He is the One that all humanity has been looking for, the HOPE and JOY that is prophesied throughout all of Scripture.

The Lord: This baby is, for them and for me, Lord. The authority in my life. The One that is seated in the heavens and will return to gather His church. The One that every knee will bow before on that great and terrible day! Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace!!

For the Shepherds, and for all who would come to Him, He is more than just a figure in history, more than a teacher, more than a story. And this report came with verifiable information. The angel gave them a sign. “This is how you’ll know when you find this Child - He will be wrapped in cloth strips and laying in a feeding trough. Go see for yourselves!”

How great is this?! Only a shepherd would be confident approaching a feeding trough looking for the Savior! (BTW- I am pretty confident that this kind of thing didn’t happen very often.) This was God’s plan and through this message, the shepherds were given a way to see and affirm that which was told them.

Discuss: What does it mean that this child was “born to you”.

Though the recipients of this announcement were unlikely, the report of the angels was perhaps even more unique. But let us not miss the:

Ultimate Purpose (13-14)

Here at the end of the announcement, one angel is joined by thousands and a worship service breaks out!

You remember that prayer that Jesus taught His disciples to pray… “On earth as it is in heaven”

This was it! This was the angel choir singing praises on earth as they do in heaven. They turned an old field into a venue to sing GLORY to God in the highest!

This is the first of a 2-part worship chorus. We sing that song “Gloria, en exelsis deo” which is Latin for Glory to God in the highest. IN other words, the angels sang of the worthiness of the Holy God Almighty! Just like we see pictured in the book of Revelation.

The second part of this chorus speaks a blessing of peace on those “with whom He is pleased.” This speaks of those who will place their faith in Christ as their Lord and Savior. This is not speaking of political peace or peace between nations, but rather the peace of God, who Isaiah calls the Prince of Peace.

In short, the ultimate purpose of this announcement, this event we call the incarnation is for God’s glory and man’s good. The incarnation of Christ is the greatest display of God’s glory in His mercy towards mankind. Thus, we sing Glory to God in the Highest and peace for all who will be reconciled to Him.

When the angel delivered this news to the shepherds, they were given the opportunity to glorify God through their faith in this Christ who was laid in a manger bed.

Now, I know you’ve likely heard this all before and you might be asking, “So what? What more am I to do with this information?”

Well, first, I think we need to reflect upon this truly GOOD NEWS.

This good news is the source of great joy. If you have placed your hope and faith in Jesus Christ, you can join with the angels in glorifying God, just as the shepherds did. Our joy is God’s glory; God’s glory shines in our redemption. He desires for you to place your hope in Him.

The good news is meant to be proclaimed. The shepherds would not have know if it were not for the angel. Your family, friends, and neighbors will not know of this good news if you do not share it! Remember, it’s only good news if it gets there in time. For those who do not trust in Jesus, there is judgment, not peace.

Finally, the good news comes with the invitation to come and see. If you have not placed your trust in the person of Christ, I invite you to come forward as we sing and allow me to share with you how you can do just that.

Discuss: How does God’s glory shine through man’s redemption?