"Good Tidings of Great Joy"

Introduction

I love the Christmas season. I love the Christmas lights. I start playing Christmas music on Thanksgiving because I know time is short and Christmas will soon be over. Christmas music sets the tone and theme for the season: "Joy to the world, Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men" fills the air. Everyone seems to consider others a little bit more during the Christmas season. The messages are filled with peace, hope, joy, and love. Maybe that's why people love to come to church on Christmas and Easter.

Through December, we've been going through a series called "Behold Your King" (show "Behold your King" graphic on the screen).

The messages reminded us of the extraordinary event of Christ's birth around 4 B.C. when God stepped out of heaven and took the form of a baby boy named Jesus to redeem and restore the hope of all humanity. Let me read you a portion of the Christmas story that you have heard so many times before, but yet we love it. It's the story of the shepherds on the night that Jesus was born.

Luke 2:8–11 ESV

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:13–14 AV

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.

So, if this great day of the first Christmas changed the course of history, what was the world like before Jesus came. Why did the world need Christmas?

People had forgotten about God. There was no joy, no hope, and no peace. And the thoughts of humanity were only evil continually.

So, the fact that the God of Love would step into their world was a very welcomed sight.

Ephesians 2:12–13 ESV

12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

The world rejoiced because hope, at last, had come. Emmanuel, God with us, would reconcile all the world back to himself. Love would rule and reign in the hearts of all those you received him, and finally, there would be peace.

How did the good news of the birth of Jesus Christ ever get twisted into a message of condemnation that we have today?

Why isn't the world embracing this message of love?

Why wouldn't we be like the shepherds, the lowest of lows, or the Wise Men of highly esteemed and receive the King of kings and Lord of lords that would lead us into peace, love, hope, and joy?

The world looks at the followers of Christ today not with envy but disdain. They feel judgment and reproach instead of love and acceptance. I think the church must look at the way we present both ourselves and the message of Christ to make sure we offer a message of hope, forgiveness, and love. No doubt, the Church has some responsibility in the message we preach.

But, the world is the same now as it was at the birth of Jesus. Everyone desires peace, hope and love, but not everyone wants God to save them from their sin. Not everyone wants to have love in their hearts. It would have been amazing if everyone received the love of God and turned back to him through Jesus. But that wasn’t the case in Jesus day and it’s not the case today.

Isaiah 53:3–5 ESV

3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

Peace, Joy, and Love only come through acceptance that leads to repentance.

So why do people despise Jesus? What causes people to turn from the greatest blessing God ever gave to the world.

Jesus was bold to preach of the changes necessary to bring the peace, love, and joy that everyone was looking for.

People didn't reject Jesus because he preached a message of condemnation. They rejected His person as God and His call to repentance.

To have the love, joy, and peace that everyone wants there must be a change of heart and ultimately a change of practice.

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

Political Campaigns

People are not offended today that we preach a message of love but that the gospel has a call to repentance.

I don’t want you to be offended by the word repentance. (It‘s taken on a negative connotation)

Repentance is learning the truth and turning from the lie.

When a person repents, they recognize the error of their way and start living in the truth.

Instead of Calling people to repentance we started calling people to forgiveness.

I’ve been in churches that stand before the crowd and proclaims that Jesus will forgive all your sin if you will just ask him. But there is no call to follow Jesus, no call to repentance.

Instead of acknowledging sin and asking forgiveness, we change the laws of God to match our lifestyle.

Let’s compare this to the message of Christ and the Apostels:

Mark 1:15 ESV

15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Luke 24:45–48 ESV

45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.

Acts 17:30 ESV

30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

Acts 26:20 ESV

20 but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.

Repentance is not the denial of pleasure.

Repentance is seeing the truth of sin and making the changes necessary.

How many people have died from smoking cigarettes? So, the CDC made them put a truth label on every package warning people that nicotine is addictive and the smoke causes cancer. You can’t blame the cigarette companies today for your cancer. The truth is out and you have a choice to repent or continue on.

Repentance is the evidence of a changed heart.

This is the moment people get discouraged because they say, “I can’t change.” Sometimes change only comes through the power of the Holy Spirit. You need an outside force to produce an inward change. Repentance is your willingness to let God change you.

God so loved the world that he sent His only Son Jesus.

Jesus didn’t come to condemn you but to save you from yourself.

The Holy Spirit teaches you the truth and guides you into truth.

We make the decision to live in the truth or continue in the lie.

John 3:17–19 ESV

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

What kind of person are you. Are you wanting to live in the truth or continue in the lie the world throws at you.

Are you searching for "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control." These are all the fruit that only comes from the Holy Spirit of God. And you can have this same Spirit that was in Jesus.

Knowing she was a virgin, Mary asked the angel how she would have the Son of God.

Just as Jesus was born, so you can be born again.

When you believe and receive Jesus Christ, the same Holy Spirit that came upon Mary comes upon you, and you are born again.

It is the Spirit of God in you that produces His Fruit of love, joy, and peace. This is "good tiding of great joy." Not that God condemns you because the world is condemned already, but that you can be redeemed and filled with the Spirit of God who created you and loves you.

I would like to have everyone bow their heads and close their eyes with me as we think about these things.

God,

I know I live in a world that has turned its back on you.

I know that Jesus has come to redeem us back to you through His sacrifice for sin.

Jesus, I believe that you are Emmanuel, God with Us. And I receive you as my Lord and Savior.

Holy Spirit, overshadow me and fill me with your love that I may love others the way you love me.

I give you my life and ask you to help me live for you.

In Jesus Name, Amen.