The Announcement - Luke 2:8-20

What is the Meaning of Christmas

A television interviewer was walking the streets of Tokyo at Christmas time. The interviewer stopped one young woman on the sidewalk, and asked, “What is the meaning of Christmas?” She responded, “I don’t know. Is that the day that Jesus died?” There was some truth in her answer—Christ was born to die. Culture today values the external gift that lack intrinsic value. Cancel culture seeks to eradicate Christ from Christmas. Christmas focuses on the newborn Christ, God wrapped in flesh, Emmanuel, “God with Us.” Yes, the gifts and trinkets provide a momentary euphoric feeling, but the greatest gift was not found under the tree. He was found in a stable made with a tree and lying in a manger constructed from a tree. This gift, the creator of earth and sky…the one who makes the seas rumble and the earth quake…the one who breathed into Adam, then, put him to sleep and performed a minor day surgery…the one called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:1-7)…the one who cause hills to skip , mountains to melt, and walls to fall…is wrapped in the frailty of human flesh…the hands that formed man, now needed hands to hold him…the one who wiped tears needed Mary to wipe his…Jesus is his name...

Luke Chapter 2 - The Nativity

Luke picks up the nativity during the period of Jews having to travel to the city of their ancestry to register, the first under the new governor of Syria. Joseph and a pregnant Mary traveled 90 miles to Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), which was part of the house and lineage of David. It was in this ancestral city that Christ the Savior was born in an humble stable, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger. The King of creation, who deserved all honor and glory, had been born into the humblest of circumstances. Surely, there were better places for the King, but the place of his birth did not diminish the announcement of the angels. Jesus is presented at the temple for circumcision, and that is where we meet Simeon and Anna who spoke over Jesus’ life and purpose as they were rewarded for their faith in waiting on the Messiah. Joseph and Mary return with Jesus, and he grew up (Luke 2:39-40). Later, at the age of 12, Jesus returns to to the temple and stuns the crowd of religious leaders with his wisdom and handle of the scripture, leaving his parents wondering twice. Jesus returns and increases in wisdom and favor (Luke 2:52). Yet, tucked away in the pericope of the text, as we peer back the veil of heaven, we hear the angels voices ring out with the good news of Christ’s arrival to earth.

“The Announcement has a Captive Audience”

The scene shifts and the humble in Luke 1:52 are visited. One should not romanticize the occupation of the shepherds. In general shepherds were dishonest and unclean according to the standards of the law. They represent the outcasts and sinners for whom Jesus came. Such outcasts were the first recipients of the good news. Shepherds were out in the fields with their flocks usually during the month of March to November. As they were keeping watch, the subsequent material follows the same announcement form we have encountered previously. Here we have the (1) angels appearance, (2) a response of fear, (3) a word of reassurance, (4) the divine message, and (5) the giving of a sign. The word fear here in the Greek is where our word phobia is derived from. The root word means a state of severe distress, aroused by intense concern for impending pain, danger, evil, etc., or possibly by the illusion of such circumstances. It means to be in a state of fearing. “God’s presence precedes his word of confirmation.” When a television show records their season worth of shows, there is what is called a captive audience present that provides an added dimension to the program. The are told when to applaud and laugh, but there are times when the audience veers off script and responds to what they see. This audience does not leave until the show is finished taping. “God has the “captive audience” ready to hear his announcement.” The angels found their captive audience, who shared the same occupation as the newborn king. One man would change their entire fortunes as shepherds. Jesus would change how we look at shepherds now because the Chief Shepherd is present.

“The Announcement Provides Road Signs”

For these shepherds abiding in the field, they were not privy to the Torah, and the prophetic books were not penned, but they were given clear directions concerning the location and the description of the Christ child. “Don’t miss your season by missing the road signs.” The angels here share the “gospel” or good news with the shepherds. God provides the announcement that families, foes, and friends we know need to hear the announcement. In life, there are signs on the road of life, just like there are signs on our freeways and streets. People ignore warnings. Much like these Austin residents who ignored flood warnings, to the detriment of their vehicles and at the risk of their own safety: No matter how brightly colored the sign or how frequently it’s heard, people seem to disregard warnings. Sometimes people just don’t care, they believe they can handle it. God consistently gives us indications or signs that we need to turn around; however, we are just not willing to listen.  People are just prone to do it their own way. The wise men followed the star, but the shepherds followed the voice of God that provided clear directions on where to find the Great Shepherd.

“The Announcement creates an atmosphere of praise and progress (action)”

Upon hearing this announcement of the long awaited Messiah, there was a “suddenly” praise from the angelic host, who had no vested interest. The word suddenly in the Greek is exaiphnes, meaning a very brief period of time between the two states or events. Simply, the message ministered to the announcer, and it is important that the message ministers to the announcer. The angels were created beings who worship God at all times. The angels do not sin, therefore, there is no need for redemption. The angels are not believers, therefore, there is no need for faith. The angels are neither saved or unsaved, therefore, there is no need to receive Christ as savior. They know Jesus as Lord, but not as savior. They know him as the Lion, but not as the lamb brought to the slaughter. They know him as King of Kings, but not as the reed blowing in the wind. They know him as God, but, not as Christ. The angels took a praise break to celebrate the king of the universe, the creator of earth and sky, the First and Last....The word here for praise here is aineo, denoting the act of expressing praise. This verb is the most common Septuagint translation of the Hebrew halal, and is used in the NT only of praising God. This praise is found in Luke’s account of the triumphal entry the people following him, rejoice, and “praise” God with a loud voice for the all the miracles that they had seen (Luke 19:37). The seemingly spontaneous angelic praise occurs after they delivered the news to the shepherds. “Good news ought to lead to a good shout.”

What God Has Done

“It is not possible, wonderful Lord, to express in human speech the depths of our gratitude to God for the preciousness of the hope we have in our Lord Jesus, the Conqueror of death, of the grave, of hell; the Victor who stands mighty to save.

O Lord, our lives, our hearts, our souls flow to You. May God give us strength and length of days to praise You; then in the eternity to come, to share in the angels’ song and the saints’ paean of love and gratitude, oh what God has done for us!”- “The Victor Who Stands Mighty to Save,” W.A. Criswell

The Lord is great in power and mighty to save us from our sin, fears, and death. We as believers must remember how God’s love for us compelled him to send his son to live among us and die for us in order to reconcile us to him.

An announcement is just words unless the hearer acts on what they’ve heard. These shepherds, these scoundrels, and vagabonds had a decision to make. Were they going continue “watching” their flock, or would they be like Moses and turn aside and see the new born king. When God makes something known to you, you have to make a decision on how you will respond. The word known in the Greek is gnorizo, to cause information to be known by someone. Announcements are not on accident, they are on purpose, and these shepherds knew it. Three things happened: (1) they went, (2) they saw, and (3) they praised.