Worship In The Participation
Come Let Us Adore Him • Sermon • Submitted
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Luke 2:16-20
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. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
One of the greatest impacts in my life is studying God’s word. I have found great comfort in every situation I have ever been in by turning to God’s word. The Christmas story certainly is a passage that I can fine great comfort and hope. I can clearly see that it is not just a story from the past. There are many areas of application I can find that are relevant to my life today, even though these words were about an event that happened over 2000 years ago. Both the written Word of God and the Word that was made flesh give me much relevance from our text today. The Word of God can be trusted, testified, treasured and transforming for us that read it and live by it.
The Word of God Can Be Trusted
The Word of God Can Be Trusted
The shepherds had just been informed by the angelic hosts that a child was born. They are told that the child was born, wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. That was a special sign indeed. In our Advent Devotional Guide that we have made available to you, Richard and Cynthia wrote that “every baby born in Bethlehem was wrapped in swaddling clothes but only Jesus, Christ the Lord, was lying in a manger.” That was the sign that the shepherds could be assured of and that would lead them to the right place. The Bible says they hurried off and found the Christ Child, just as they had been told. The Word of God can be trusted. Here, there is proof in the sign and we see that God is faithful.
Psalm 33:4
4 For the word of the Lord is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.
We also see here that the Shepherds took the message of God’s word and embraced it. This experience showed them that God’s promises can be trusted.
23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
We can be assured that the word of God can be trusted. The shepherds learned this first hand. They were told they could find the Christ Child with this distinguishing sign, and they did! They learned first-hand that when you seek Jesus, His Spirit will guide through the darkness of the night to the right place. The more I study God’s word, the more I find the proof of the Savior. The Shepherds were guided by God’s word straight to the Savior.
20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
The Word of God Can Be Testified
The Word of God Can Be Testified
Seeing is believing and believing is telling. The shepherds could not keep what they had seen to themselves. Luke 2:17
17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
When they saw Him, they shared Him! Seeing that Child was not enough, they had to share Him with those around them. The shepherds became the first evangelists! The Bible says “they spread the word.” The word here is RHEMA. It means the message. It is the same that Jesus used in Matthew 4:4:
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
The message the shepherds saw was spread to all they could tell. How are you sharing the Good News this Christmas? When God introduces us to His Son, we are given a message to spread to others.
Colossians 1:25
25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—
The shepherds were introduced to the fullness of God. When that happens to you, you will be overjoyed to spread the Good News. We need to be in the business of testifying what God has done. If you believe it, you will share it. You might be saying, “Well, I want to spread the word, but I just don’t feel I am adequately trained.” Listen, some of us are way more capable of spreading the word than we give ourselves credit! “Did you hear about Joe and what happened to him? I heard that Mary got mad and quit her job. I saw where Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.”
We are somehow skilled with spreading the news. Half what we share is not the truth anyway. What if we shared the truth with as much enthusiasm as we did that which was not as true? The example of the shepherds was not to wait until they are properly trained. They experienced the Word of God being real in their lives and they testified about it! If God has truly shown Himself to you, you will be one that shares that message! We will not worry about what they think when we share it, but rather, we will know what know to be true and will share the message with boldness and eagerness. We learn from our text today that those who heard were amazed.
18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
So, who heard it? Who was their audience? Remember, these shepherds were caretakers of the sheep that were to be sacrificed in the temple. Thew would meet those who came to the temple to worship and offer sacrifices. In other words, those they shared the message with were those that came in contact with them wherever they were. What a lesson that is for us! We can share the Good News with anyone and with everyone! We don’t have to worry about what they think, we just need to share! There is a beautiful story in Acts 5 of the apostles being arrested and placed in jail because of their faith. While they were in jail, an angel comes to them and says,
20 “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people the full message of this new life.”
The Bible says the doors of the jail were opened and they went out to share the message. Don’t you think that if God provides you the message, He will also provide listeners? Stop judging who will listen and who will not. Just go and tell.
I am reminded of the song we have sung, “Go Tell It on the Mountain.”
"Go Tell It on the Mountain" is an African-American spiritual song, compiled by John Wesley Work Jr., dating back to at least 1865, that has been sung and recorded by many gospel and secular performers. It is considered a Christmas carol as its original lyrics celebrate the Nativity of Jesus:
Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born!
11 You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Why wouldn’t we tell that? Why wouldn’t we share it?
The Word of God Can Be Treasured
The Word of God Can Be Treasured
Another example we see here is that the word of God can be treasured and we see this in Mary. Can you imagine the conversations that Mary and Joseph had with the shepherds when they arrived? We depict as the shepherds coming in and kneeling and not saying a word. I don’t think it happened that way. I think the shepherds told Mary and Joseph about the word of the angel and the heavenly hosts shouting “Glory to God in the Highest!” I think that Mary and Joseph shared with the shepherds of their encounter with the angels as well. As they did so, they retained the word of God and treasured those words in their hearts. The Bible says that Mary treasured this and kept it, she retained it in her inmost being. Don’t you know that Mary had to be thinking of her encounter with the angel nine months earlier when that angel said,
37 For nothing is impossible with God.”
We see that Mary “pondered these things.” This means she kept it in mind to preserve it from being lost. She remembered. Do you remember the things the Lord has done for you? Do you remember the blessings He has given you?
I can’t help but quote this verse again this week:
16 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.
It is good to remember what God has done for us!
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
We see in this Christmas story that the Word of God can be trusted. We can testify at how great and mighty God’s word is and how true it is. We can treasure it as well by retaining it and remembering the deeds of the Lord as we just read. That makes me also spend time reflecting on it. The idea of reflecting is like Mary did, to ponder, think or meditate on it. Meditating on scripture is a positive and wonderful thing. The Psalmist wrote:
Psalm 119:15
15 I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.
When we do this, the Word of God can be transforming.
The Word of God Can Be Transforming (vs. 20)
The Word of God Can Be Transforming (vs. 20)
When you see and hear the Good News of Christ and experience it, your life is transformed. There is a change in your condition.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
The way you used to live is no longer. You are transformed from a sinner to a saint. From selfish to selfless. From squandering to saved. Your condition is forever changed.
Your character is transformed as well.
2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart
Your character moves from blame to blameless. From bitter to better. From broken to becoming.
As these changes take place, you also receive a charge to follow Christ. He invites us just as we are and promises that if we follow Him, we will never be the same. Perhaps this Christmas season already has you worn out and feeling over burdened and overwhelmed. Perfect. Jesus has figured out for you too.
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
No wonder when the shepherds experienced all they had, they returned glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen. They saw just how good our God is, and they were never the same.