Luke 2:8-20

I have acute asthma.

Which, so I have bronchitis.

It's a turn into asthma.

Yours?

Yeah, probably not.

What? Yeah. And?

Oh, sorry.

I'm just stupid.

Stop, sweetheart.

I was talking about hair on his face, so it's fine.

Where is Avery?

Avery.

Come on.

Come on in.

Uh, being who I am, should I'm gonna try this and make sure that I'm gonna go through them?

It doesn't matter.

What've you FIRE, I'm gonna take it away with this.

It's powerful-

Come on, Avery.

Thank you.

Good morning, Rhema family.

Merry Christmas.

It is Sunday before Christmas type stuff.

Let's see, what's it going to be today?

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Frosty the snowman was a jolly happy soul

with a corn pop pipe and a button nose

and two eyes made out of coal.

Y'all don't know that one either?

Okay.

Don't put it, don't, don't, don't.

Well, okay.

For unto us a child is born.

Y'all know that one.

Unto us a son is given,

and the government will be upon his shoulder,

and his name will be called Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace,

there will be no end.

Upon the throne of David and over his kingdom,

to order it and establish it with judgment and justice,

from that time forward, even forevermore,

the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Amen.

In the big midwinter,

all creation grows,

and the world of darkness falls like a stone.

Light is breaking in a stable for a throne,

and he shall reign forevermore,

forevermore,

and he shall reign forevermore,

forevermore.

Come to us a child is born,

the King of kings and Lord of hosts,

and the King of kings and Lord of hosts.

He shall reign forevermore,

forevermore.

If I were a wise man,

and I'll reign forevermore...

Thank you.

He shall reign forevermore, forevermore

Unto us a child is born

The King of kings and all the more

He shall reign forevermore, forevermore

Within an angel lies the one who made the starry skies

His baby born for sacrifice, Christ the Messiah

And to our hopes and to our fears

The Savior of the world appears

The promise of eternal peace

Christ, love, and Son of God

He shall reign forevermore, forevermore

And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore

He shall reign forevermore, evermore

He shall reign forevermore, forevermore

And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore

He shall reign forevermore, forevermore

Amen

Thank you.

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appears

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

Who orders all things mightily To us the path of knowledge show And teach us in her ways to go Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel

Israel Shall come to thee, O Israel Rejoice, O Israel Rejoice, O Israel Rejoice, again I say, Rejoice, for as you are the Savior of the world The Savior of the world Take heart, a weary soul Take heart, a weary soul Take heart, my help is on it

In the wonderful way And holy is this way And holy is this way And holy is this way

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, O Israel Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Rejoice, Emmanuel Re

Oh, listen to me, oh, listen to me, rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel, shall come to thee, oh, Israel.

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel, shall come to thee, oh, Israel, shall come to thee, oh, Israel, shall come to thee, oh, Israel.

I hope is here, come to thee, oh, Israel, shall come to thee, oh, Israel, shall come to thee, oh, Israel.

Good morning.

Before we go any further this morning, let's take a moment to have a word of prayer this morning.

There's a brother in our community, Mr. Larry Rogers.

Some of you know him really well.

And he's a worship leader in this community.

His father pastors the church, I believe, in Darien.

And he came home last night.

His house was burnt down.

And so, uh...

You can only imagine. But there's a lot of devastation that's taking place right here now in this brother's life. And so, Ms. Lynn, I know you know Larry and his father very well, as well, too. He's a classmate. So, we're going to join you as well this morning. But I'm going to ask if you would just, uh, begin by lifting him up this morning in prayer as we join with you. And just pray for Brother Larry. Keep him on your hearts the next few days. Amen?

Amen.

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank

that you're giving, Larry, right now,

for the faith that you're increasing in him right now,

for the joy that you're filling him with right now

in spite of the circumstances,

for the witness that that's going to be

to someone who doesn't know you.

Thank you, God.

You're here, you're holy,

and we're standing in your glory.

You are here, you are holy,

we are standing in your glory.

You are here, you are holy,

we are standing in your glory.

You are here, you are holy,

we are standing in your glory, Lord.

Our Deliverer, You are Savior

In Your presence we find our strength

Our attention is the rest

Our Deliverer, You are Savior

In Your presence we find our strength

Hope for everything, Our redemption

Jesus, You are Savior

You are Savior

Jesus, You are Savior

Thank You, God

That we are not abandoned

By You, God

Thank You, God

you have come to save us

Thank you.

You're the King of all kings and Lord, of all Lord's light, of the world you shine.

You're the King of all kings and Lord, of all pillar's light, of the world you shine.

Dear Father, everlasting, never-ending.

The only, infinite, you saw fit to come down in the form of a child.

You took on flesh for us.

You humbled yourself for us.

If that's not something worth celebrating, then I don't know what is.

It's the creator of the entire universe.

You cared about us so much that we come down in the form of a man and live and die for us.

That's amazing.

You are amazing.

You're so good.

You died for us even though we didn't deserve it.

Even when we were enemies, with our backs turned to you, you still held our open arms.

That is a love that we cannot fathom.

A love that we cannot repay.

A love that words cannot describe.

No song.

We lay down our lives for you. So that other people can know of this love. This wonderful love that we get to bask in. This amazing father that we get to know more and more every single day.

Father, help us to remember that. Father, we don't want this to become common. We don't want it to become the norm. Your love is not normal at all whatsoever. It can only be found in you.

Help us to become the norm. Help us to become the norm. Help us to keep that at the forefront of every thought and every action.

Father, we love you and we thank you. It is in the name of your precious baby boy, Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah of all the world. It is in his name that we pray. Amen.

Thank you.

I want to remind everyone that we do have our offering envelopes and our offerings taken up and put into the churches on each corner.

We also have the envelopes for giving information on the back of each chair.

Remember to be faithful with your offerings today.

I mean, this is the end of the year, and, you know, God did come to give us life everlasting, but we also need help.

So continue to give your offerings and be faithful.

All the songs that we're saying today were awesome, but I did want to read John 3, 16 through 20.

It says,

These may be...

And remember, Christmas Eve is our Christmas light service. If you would come out on Tuesday, Christmas Eve at 6 p.m. and come to the Christmas light service. We'd love to see y'all there.

Good morning, good morning, good morning. I want to say thanks to everybody who helped make the Christmas party last Sunday a great success. It was a really good turnout.

We had a lot of good gingerbread houses made, and we had a lot of icing to scrub off the floors in here. But you know what? That means ministry. That means ministry. And so Taylor was happy to get down and scrape it up, and he took it back and put it on some cookies in his office and ate it later on.

Secondhand icing is always good, right? It's always good. At this time, we want to go ahead and dismiss our children if you guys will follow Mr. David and Ms. Violet. There we go. Amen.

All right. For the rest of us, hey, Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Yes. Is everyone ready for Christmas? It's coming whether you're ready or not, right? It's coming. I don't even know what that means. Are you ready for Christmas? People always ask that. Are you ready for Christmas?

Well, we are in our third and our third part series teaching on the Christmas messages. And what I've done is I've taken a common or well-known Christmas carol and based each message on that Christmas carol.

Today's message is joy to the world. Joy to the world. If you remember, we began with O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. We talked about how in that song that there is a rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel.

But there was a desperation in there. I keyed it all on Galatians 4, verse 4, that in the fullness of time, God sent forth his son to be born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem us.

That in the fullness of time, at the right time, when the world was desperate and when the world was ready, God sent his son into the world. It was the right time. It was the right time. So that desperation.

And we talked about how that's even parallel in our lives. That really, it's really not until we come to the end of ourselves that we really realize how much we need Jesus.

When once we've tried every other thing to fix it, to put a stopgap into our lives, nothing's working, nothing's working. And God's using those things to get our attention to say, hello, I've been chasing you, pursuing you down the highways and byways of life.

Last week, it was silent night. Silent night. And we took the verse and it was a silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright. And we had that one sentence, round yon virgin.

And we kind of grouped everything on that. And just the importance of, we said that a pregnant virgin is problematic. It's problematic. But the virgin birth matters. The virgin birth matters.

There's a reason why. And it was predicted through the, by God, through the prophet Isaiah, 700 years before this event ever took place. God said that she would be born. He would be born of a virgin.

And even in, we didn't even get into Micah 5.2, how Micah 5.2 says, Oh, you Bethlehem, Ephrathah, although you're small among the clans of Judah, I'm going to use you. From you will come Messiah.

So all this prediction takes place and it happened just as God said it was going to happen. And today we have joy to the world. Joy to the world. And the key word in joy to the world, when you think of that, is what? Celebration.

Celebration. Joy to the world. And I don't know, maybe, maybe we get to this part of the area around Christmas time and we just, we've had our fill with Christmas parties and Christmas this and Christmas that.

And, uh, has anybody here just had enough Christmas parties already this year? You've had enough already, Angel? Yeah. Um, well, I, my wife is an extrovert. She would never have enough Christmas.

She would like to do, she would like to be out and do a, me, I'm not a Christmas party kind of guy. I'm, I'm happy with just sitting, being at home with my scepter in my hand and just maybe watching Christmas on TV.

And so, uh, that's a, for me, Christmas is, I'm a, uh, I'm a, uh, pumpkin pie guy. I'm a apple pie guy.

service this, this past Wednesday, but this time of year, you're so busy making sure that Amazon got your order. You're so busy making sure that this gets picked up and that got picked up and we got to get boxes. Cause I got to get, I got to get this thing wrapped, you know? And oh my goodness, there's holes in the Christmas tree. Has, does anyone else not see that there's holes? We've got to get some new ornaments. We can't have that with that dead space. And so we, we spend so much time and energy at all. And if we're not careful, we're more joyful.

We're joyful about what surrounds the season instead of what we should be joyful about. Joy to the world. Joy to the world. Um, Isaac Watts wrote the song joy to the world. He also, he also wrote when I surveyed the wondrous cross. Uh, he also wrote, um, our God, our help in ages pass and a host of other songs.

But Isaac Watts wasn't necessarily, uh, well received as we might think during his time, because during his time, he was considered a contemporary Christian composer.

Oh, I, I, I kid you not. Okay. And I've had people, I, I, I probably spent what, Jill, maybe 10 or 12 years in my 20 something years in ministry as, as a worship leader.

I've served as a worship leader. I've served in different capacities of the church. And I've had those whole battles, those whole, those whole worship song battles with people.

You know, when they come up to me, they're like, well, you know what? Um, why can't, why can't we just sing the hymns?

Why do we have to sing these new praise and worship songs? You just sing the same five lines 25 times. That's all you ever do.

Why do we, why can't we just sing the hymns? And you know what? There's, I love the hymns. Nothing wrong with the hymns, but the hymns are hymns recently, really because they're old.

Let's be honest. Age, age is what makes them hymns. Okay. Because you know, if you, if you dropped yourself back in the cultural context of Isaac Watts,

he was considered out there. He was considered out there because there were people who were saying then what's wrong with singing the Psalms?

Why do you have to write these new songs? Because back in those days, that's all you saying was the Psalms in the church.

If you're saying anything other than a Psalm, then man, that's not right. So Isaac Watts, although we, we, uh, we throw all this, uh, this clout his way.

He wasn't really embraced all that much, but he writes a song in 17, 18 joy to the world. And it was actually based from Psalm 98.

The words were, and you may be surprised at this. Isaac Watts did not write this song as a Christmas song.

It was never meant to be a Christmas song when he, when he pins it. Okay. But obviously it does line up with this time of year, you know,

joy to the world. The Lord has come, let earth receive her King at every heart, prepare him room at heaven and nature.

Sing, let heaven and nature sing, let heaven. Yes. Heaven and nature sing. Right? So it, it lines up.

And although it wasn't a Christmas Psalm, uh, you, we understand that, that we see, um, it reminds us of what the shepherds felt in our passage.

We're going to look at today in Luke chapter two, and we're going to look through verses eight through 20 as, as we get in the scripture.

And I'm going to briefly go through this encounter this morning. Um, and it's filled with joy. The encounter is filled with joy.

And as we look at this encounter, you're going to see, it's a story of interruption. It's a story of announcement.

It's a story of heavenly worship. It's a story of confirmation and it's a story of celebration. I'll give you all those in just, just a minute,

but it's a delightful, uh, movement as you read the Christmas story. Cause Luke has a way of telling the story with this strong mounting intensity as you, as, as we get through this story.

First of all, it's a story of interruption, the story of interruption. Let's begin in verse eight of chapter two of Luke.

And in the same region, there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

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.

So Luke sets the story. The shepherds are out there doing what they've always done.

They're, they're doing, they're out there doing what they're, they're watching over the flock. And I think it's interesting that it says that they're watching by night.

They're, they're watching out for predators. They're making sure that the animals are all right.

And they're, this is what they have always done. And suddenly in the midst.

The angel lights, you know, and I don't know what happens, but you know, the, the, it appears the, the shepherds. And so they, they, the angels appear to the shepherds and bear with me for a moment. But I think we read this. And I think a question we have that begs itself when we look at the scripture is why in the world was the announcement made to anonymous shepherds? Why? I mean, you ever stop it? Why to anonymous shepherds? Certainly, you know, Jesus is King. He's the Messiah. He's coming.

Come to ransom his people and to rule and to reign and all that stuff. But why in the world was the announcement made to anonymous shepherds? I mean, it would make sense if he, if the announcement was made to the priests or the political leaders of the time or just leaders of this time, people in charge. Why these shepherds? Okay. And again, I've said this every week. Now that we've done this series, we have to stop romanticizing the Christmas story. You know, I told you last,

week we had to stop romanticizing when we read about Joseph and see that there was some angst and there was some struggle in there with Joseph. Here he is, this woman he's betrothed to, he's supposed to get married. I'm sold out. We're sold out. What do you mean you're pregnant? What do you mean you're pregnant? You have to understand this.

And we have to understand culturally in context here, shepherds, shepherds. They were not only not just a normal everyday people. That's they were, they were not that, but shepherds were despised. They were despised.

It was, it was considered a filthy job and they were the outcast of the time. And so we can get into all kinds of historical evidence that the, that the shepherds and the tax collectors operated a kind of an underhanded way. But some have called the shepherds, the gypsies of Jesus time. Okay. They were not respected people, but let me just point out something here.

The shepherds were considered biblically ceremonially unclean, unclean. Okay. Because of the nature of their work. And not only, not only that, but their work kept them because they had to be away for weeks at a time. They couldn't go to the temple. They didn't have the time to go to the temple to get right, to make themselves clean, to be clean in the first place. So there's this ongoing cycle. They were ceremonially unclean.

So why is the announcement of the birth of Jesus come to these people who are considered ceremonially unclean? I think the first obvious reason is that by the angels visiting the shepherds, the angel revealed the grace of God is for all of mankind. It's for all of mankind. You know, the very way that Jesus came, okay, into this world and the announcement to the audience and to the people, to the lowest people in society that they were,

considered the outcast. That even underscores the mission of Jesus, our Savior, underscores his mission. And you lump all this together, that he's born of this young woman that wasn't married at the time that she gets pregnant.

And so there's this cloud of legitimacy over his birth. And then the announcement is made not to royalty or not to people with power or prominence. The announcement is made to shepherds who are ceremonially unclean.

And you get the message that Jesus is making a statement and that I, that he has come and he has come to the least of us.

And that least of us is you. And it's me. He has come for the least of us. No matter what you have done in your own life, no matter what your condition is, Jesus has also come for you.

That's the Christmas message for you today. It doesn't matter. He's come for you, but you don't know. No, he's come for you.

He's come for you. He's come for you. The second reason I think that he makes the announcement to the shepherds is that, that Jesus is going to be the good shepherd.

He's going to be the good shepherd. Kind of ironic, isn't it? And then in John chapter 10, 10, the announcement is made to the shepherds because Jesus is going to be the lamb of God who comes to take away the sins of the world.

Oh, man. See how everything ties together. And it's interesting to me. You look many generations and you look in Jesus's lineage and you see King David.

And what was King David? A shepherd. Wow. Is God just a master at just coincidences? No, I think this is brilliance. It's brilliance. It's interesting.

And, you know, you look at this and he comes.

We are humble people. We are humble people. And that no matter what your status is in life, it doesn't matter. No matter how good you are or how good you feel about yourself or where you live or how much money you make, what car you drive, what your genealogy says, all of that stuff. Here's the thing. Sin equalizes all of us. It don't matter. Sin equalizes. The

The playing field is level at the foot of the cross, folks. Okay? Sin equalizes all of us. And Jesus came for sinful people no matter who and no matter where you are. He is the Lamb of God who has come to take away the sins of the world.

Sin equalizes all of us. So the shepherds, they're minding their own business. They're doing what they've done a thousand times. They're watching the sheep. And out of nowhere, this angel comes. And, you know, I don't know. And they're like, I don't know what this is all about, but this is shaking our categories.

And it says in the scripture that they were filled with great fear. I think that's a massive understatement in the scriptures. And they were filled with great fear. Whatever. They can't say, and Cletus messed his pants. You know, they can't put that and they won't put that in the scriptures. And I don't know if Cletus was one of the shepherds or not. Okay? I'm just saying that. All right? So understand. Understand. All right? And before I go into the second observation, I just need to say this.

That this is the way Jesus comes crashing into our lives as well. You need to see this when you read it. We are doing what we've always done. We are going through life. Doing what we have always done. Thinking that we are in control. We are in control. Then all of a sudden, the good news, the gospel comes crashing in in our lives.

Sometimes. I thought, you know, I thought I had it all into control. Sometimes the gospel crashes in more often than not because of disappointment and failure.

And things that we have messed up and things that we can't get over. And maybe you're here this morning and that's exactly where you are. You can't explain whatever issue you're going on.

And you can't manage this situation. Maybe. And that's, I've had a lot of people, some people that I've talked to recently, they're like, I'm like, how are you doing?

Well, things aren't going so well right now. But, you know, I'm going to work it out. I'm going to work it out. That's the problem.

You're trying to work it out. And you're going to continue to chase your tail as you try to work it out.

Now, sometimes this mess that you're in is a gift from God.

It's a gift from God so that you can learn how to rely on Him and depend on Him and lean on Him and not your own understanding and not your own abilities because they will fail you time and time again.

Sometimes God allows these things to come into our lives so He can speak to our hearts and say, I'm right here.

I am right here. I am right here. And I want to interrupt your reality for a moment to let you know that this is what you were born for.

This relationship. This is what you were born for.

The second thing I want you to see in this passage is the announcement.

The announcement takes place. And let's pick it up in verse 10.

And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy.

That will be for all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.

I think when we read this announcement, there are three phrases in there that kind of beg our observation.

And the first one is fear not.

Fear not.

It's as if the angels are saying, we're not here to frighten you.

We are not here to frighten you, but to comfort you and to encourage you.

Fear not.

Obviously, we want to get your attention, but fear not.

Fear not.

We want your focus to be on what your real need is, okay?

That's what we're trying to do, but fear not.

Fear not, okay?

We want you to be ready for the solution to the world's problems that's getting ready to come,

but fear not.

Fear not.

The second phrase in here is this day.

This day.

Fear not.

Thank you.

In Galatians chapter 4, that in the fullness of time, right now, right now, this is the new beginning. This is the new beginning. Okay. History will never be the same as of this day. Nothing will ever be the same again. This day is the end of our frustration. This day. This day. It's the end of all this, all this stuff you've been struggling with. It's over with this day. Every question,

Mark, Mark, you ever had, you wanted to put to every sentence and everything you wanted to try to figure out. It ends this day. The answer to all that is found this day. Are you with me on that?

Yeah. The third phrase is salvation. Salvation. He says a Savior. A Savior is born. And it's interesting. God didn't send a judge. God didn't send a soldier. God didn't send a reformer either, folks. Okay. He didn't send a reformer. He sent a Savior.

He sent a Savior. He didn't send someone who was going to put down Rome. He sent a Savior. He didn't want to just reorder history. No, I'm going to send a Savior because our greatest need is a need for a Savior.

That was our greatest need. It is our greatest need. And I want to, I want to just state the obvious here as we look at this this morning. You know, we don't need a better life. That's not what we need. We don't need just to change some bad habits.

We don't need some new goals or some new disciplines or some new ambitions. No, you need a deliverer. We need a Savior. I need to be delivered from myself. That's my biggest problem is me. I get in the way so much.

I mean, you guys probably don't have that problem, but I get in my own way so much.

So the, the angel announces this day, right now, a Savior is born. And the, and that announcement, we read it, that announcement's for us today too, folks.

Don't just put it in history past. It's for us today too. Jesus says to all of us today, hey, hey, hey, hey, damn.

Fear not. Fear not. Fear not. This day right now, and this day right now, today could be the day for a new change for you today in your world and in your life.

Could be a new change for you, a new start for you, a new beginning. Do you know the Savior? Do you know Jesus Christ? Is he in your heart and your life?

And if he's in your heart and life, guess what he's done? He's changed you. You are a new creation. You're not a different or a better person. You are a new creation. He has made you new.

And so you have these shepherds. They're doing what they've always done. And the angels, and they've interrupted. And you know, I can imagine, think about this.

The angels have interrupted, and they're talking to the shepherds. And I can, I can, I can imagine the subtext here.

Because listen, the shepherds knew what people thought about them. People don't like us. Why do you think we're, we're, we're out here on the hill with a bunch of smelly sheep?

See, we are not endeared to a lot of people, okay? We, you know, Caroline has the little shepherds on her little, her little, by her dresser, her little figurines and everything.

And they look so cute, you know? But you can't smell them. You don't know. You don't, you don't know. And you don't, you don't look at them and go, oh, Caroline, these are unceremoniously, unclean, okay?

You don't, you don't, you don't mess with the shepherds. No. They, they, they know what people, they, but they hear this amazing news.

And it's, and it's attested to by the presence of heavenly worship. So the angel of the Lord tells him not to fear.

This is the day, and tells him a Savior has been born. And we pick up verse 13.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God, saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.

They hear this incredible message. They hear this incredible announcement.

And all of a sudden, the hosts of heaven appear, and the angels begin to sing.

They begin to worship.

I understand I understand that god the father god the son god the holy spirit

They knew about the incarnation. That means jesus coming in flesh the incarnation in in in eternity past

They all knew about that. Okay, but as I read this I can't help but to think not all of the angels knew about it

Because they bust out in worship

There's this worship that takes place as a worship as if they didn't know it

You know, I mean again, this is this is me speculating but can you imagine how amazed these angels must have been

The creator has now been born a creature. Do you guys see this?

Wow

What's going on?

What's going on? Okay, the word the word has now become a speechless baby

I mean, it's not does that not blow your mind?

The word says ah

Yeah

That's crazy. Okay, and they gave glory to god

It says and it helps us to understand later on when john says and the word became flesh and the flesh dwelt among us

And we have seen his glory glory is of the son and the son of god full of grace and truth

And we begin to god's glory came near to us

God's glory came near to us

That's it. Why is that important?

Why is it so important that god's glory comes near to us?

Well, for example in the old testament remember in exodus chapter 40 verse 34 his glory lived in the tabernacle

And then later on in in uh, second chronicle 7 13 when when solomon builds the temple

It tells us that his glory dwells there

That's where his glory dwells

But now god's glory is returning to the earth in a person the person of jesus christ

This is huge

This is huge his glory is returning

And god's god's glory is his presence

And we were we were born to know and to experience his glory

I mean

All of us

This is the reason why jesus came this is the reason why god came near so that we might experience his glory

This is what we were actually born for this is why he came

When was the last time when was the last time you sat here and you prayed god today show us your glory

Show us if god's glory truly manifested itself in the way god wanted to manifest his glory in the midst of our worship service today

We wouldn't leave this place

And the kids would be crying. Well, what about christmas open these gifts here?

There's nothing in these boxes by the way, but there's your christmas

What's in there? It's god's glory. You can't see it, but it's there

So what do the shepherds do

After the announcement of peace in verse 14 it never refers to the the end of the conflict

And the fullness of the blessing that jesus was going to bring and when it says peace on earth

What's that talking about? Is that like this kind of peace or or just you know, oh, we just need peace the pre the peace corps

It's going to bring peace, right? Or we just need to say your peace or just sue

What what does it what does that peace mean?

Peace on earth to those whom god

Has favor with right

What does that really mean is peace on earth?

Well, you see here's the deal

you and I

Are at war

With god

We are at war with god from the day we are born

Why because we are born with the sin nature

Through procreation through the seed of man the sin nature is is passed on. That's how it's passed on

We talked about this a few weeks ago

And because that we have the sin nature that means we're at war with god

And if we want if we want that war to end

God has sent the peacemaker the way maker

His name is jesus

And he's come to put an end

To that war

All who we trust

You

who the real lion is Yeah But now there's confirmation There's confirmation The shepherds were sent out to find out what in the world this is all about Where do we leave off verse 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven the shepherds said to one another let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us and they went out with

haste and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in a manger the word found right there it implies that they went searching for something it's a it's a searching it implies that they went looking they were looking for this baby they were looking for this young couple they were they were looking for this child this child that was wrapped in swaddling clothes and yet the shepherds knew what to do and exactly what to look for they knew what to look for because they were told right you know

Do you know what you're looking for?

Do you know what you're looking for in this thing called life?

Maybe you tried a lot of different things you tried a lot you're looking for hope you're looking for peace you're looking for resolution you're looking for joy but it's all eluding you maybe you've tried it in relationships

And even marriage and that husband and that wife just isn't giving you what you needed and truth be known I'm just feeling terribly disappointed right now in this relationship

And that that's where you are all this stuff is not working out for you

You thought once you got that job that was going to be the end of it

That that's going to be the answer to all of it

And this profession would bring you to a level of joy and fulfillment that you've always wanted

But truth be known that's not working for you all either

There's all kinds of stuff and things that you've tried and it's not working for you

And I want to say to you this morning have you ever considered that your whole life what you were born for is a relationship with the lord jesus christ

That's why you're still struggling because you're still all messed up with you

You all focus with you

You ever thought that maybe what you're really born for is to to know him in a meaningful real passionate sincere way

Not just you. Oh, I know. I know the bible tells me so

Now that that that visceral if if I don't have jesus today, man

I'm going to take two steps in a direction. I don't need to think about

I need him

I need him today

So and you know

Much like the shepherds

Went on a search to find the one that the angels described so also all of our lives

We've kind of been on this search. Do we do we not we're we're on this search

To find the savior but the truth of the matter is we're looking to find the savior

But we realize I mean how many of you were like this too?

I'm trying to find jesus. I'm trying to he's been pursuing me all along

He's been chasing me down every highway and by he's just been asking me to stop long enough to get my attention a little bit

He's been chasing me and on this journey

The shepherds listen the shepherds represent

What it means to become a christian

You ever think about that

The shepherds represent what it means to become they receive by faith the word of god

They received by faith the angel appeared to them and told them this is what's going on

This is what's happening this day. This child is going to be born a savior is born

Told them where to find him and they believed the word

They believed the word so they received by faith the word and they responded with immediate obedience

That's what it means and they went and they found him and that's that's what it means to be a follower of the lord

Jesus christ I mean the apostle paul says that faith comes by hearing and that and that by the word of god, right?

Okay, but you don't become a believer just by hearing the truth and you don't become a believer just by embracing the truth

you become a believer by

you

there are a lot you did we assume that we are there are a lot of people that got bible bible bible bible truth truth truth truth truth bible bible but we they have never truly put their faith in the person and the work of jesus christ do you know him does he know you does he know you

these shepherds believed the word and they got up and went to jesus got up and went to jesus

they get this they get this confirmation and they're standing there and they get mary and joseph and the baby lying in a manger and uh and when they saw it verse 17

they may known the saying that had been told them concerning the child they tell mary and joseph and

you know we don't know that perhaps there were other people around too at this point we're not really sure

you know um just look this is what we were doing we're out there doing what we've always done we're out watching the

sheep we're in the field and the angels spoke to us and they gave us this incredible announcement

and there was this worshiping in heaven and we're here and everything is just exactly the way that

we find it just exactly the way he said this is crazy stuff and then verse 18

and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told him told them they wondered you know there are two

ways to take this but i take i take the wondering here not in a sense of questioning at all this is a

in a sense of being amazed and i say it's in a sense of being amazed because the greek word that's used

here is thamazo and thamazo translates into amazed they were amazed it's not it's not doubtful it's not

questioning it's an it's it's oh my goodness oh my goodness this is incredible confirmation

this is exactly happening the way that they said it was going to happen verse 19 but mary treasured up

these things pondering them in her heart now we read this what does this imply i believe that mary

this implies that mary didn't fully understand um the implications of all that happened to her now

she didn't know how she didn't she didn't know how all this was going to play out that's all it's

saying here okay follow me on this and again we tend to romanticize this you know but mary and

joseph and their lives and all this stuff but don't get me wrong mary was assured by the angels i get

that she was told that this baby was of the lord and she didn't know that and and joseph remember he

was assured by the angel he did a complete 180 as we talked about in a message last week okay so so

they got that but they didn't understand how all of this was going to play out remember mary is still a

teenage girl she's 14 15 16 years of age okay what's going to happen to her what's going to

happen to him i just gave birth to him i know he's the savior of the world but he's not talking yet

how is all of this going to work out how is all this going to come up come to pass listen this is so

important the shepherds the shepherds were there also to assure mary do you see that they were there

to assure mary this is another confirmation from god to mary the angel appeared to her the angel

appeared to joseph the angel appeared to the shepherds joseph takes her in before the betrothal

period is over with remember breaking all the customs and the laws but and said the angels

said okay it's so mary it's okay it's okay it's okay this baby boy is the savior in about 33 years

you're gonna get it in about 33 years it's gonna get it that jesus is who i said he is

the shepherds go full circle they're out watching the sheep by night they're just doing their job

they're they're checking on the flocks and by the way some theologians believe and there's a lot of

discussion that goes around but some theologians believe that the that the actual lambs that

they're watching over because of the area that this is taking place that these were these very

possibly where the the lamps that were going to be sacrificed for the passover that's coming up

there's there's some there's some debate on on that but it's just interesting we don't really

know 100 but the angel shows up there's

you

I could do it now because we have a little we didn't have quite the intensity we did a few weeks ago when we were talking about the in Galatians 4 4 I wanted many of you wouldn't even know when I was talking about what time is it I wanted to correct and come out with Morse Day with what time but you guys wouldn't even know who Morse Day is does anybody know who Morse Day in the time oh there we go there we go what time is it okay so anyway but so they break out with celebration celebration back to what's important verse 20

and the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all that they heard and seen as it had been told them okay the shepherds did the same thing the angels did in verse 14 that's pretty cool isn't it you know it says that that this heavenly host were rejoicing and praising God these shepherds do the exact same thing you see their basis of rejoicing was that everything was just as it was told

to them everything was just as it was told to them friends listen to me this morning please through all the my ranting up here and through all my really poor humor please hear me this morning God is not lying to us God is not lying to us

when he says a savior has been born when Jesus says I am the way I am the life I am the truth and nobody comes to the father by my trust me no one gets to the father except through him God is not lying to us when Jesus says in John chapter 10 10 that I am the door I am the door of the fold and if anyone tries to come in another way they are a thief and a robber guess what

there is no other way God is trustworthy God is trustworthy God is trustworthy this is what this experience is all about this is what this this the shepherds experience is all about what I said

is so God is saying what I said is so what I said is so so when the apostle Paul says neither is there salvation in any other for there is no other name given under heaven which my men must

be saved be saved guess what I wouldn't play with your options I wouldn't play with your options okay God is trustworthy let God be true in every other man a liar God is trust God is trustworthy God is when has God ever failed you people of God when has God ever failed you seriously

you know what I have failed my wife I have failed my daughter I have failed my friends and in the midst of it all God has never failed me never never he has never failed me what he said was true what he said was true what he said was true

what he said is accurate what he said is accurate and they are and the wellspring of their joy is the consistent faithfulness of our great God shouldn't that be the wellspring of our God has been consistently faithful I can't help but to praise his name

Christmas let me tell you what Christmas let me tell you what Christmas is about

no it's not about Rudolph I'm gonna make you the red-nosed reindeer no don't do that I'm just kidding

I like Rudolph because he's most famous reindeer of all right

listen

let me let me let me just throw out three questions and we'll close this up this morning

that I was thinking about

first of all

Jesus has come to you

Jesus has come to me

Jesus has come

the issue is will you receive him

will you receive him

plain and simple

he is

here

you

He's here. There's no need to look for another Savior

There is there is no need to look for another means to bring about transformation and hope and change in your life

The means for transformation hope and change in your life and all those longings and the emptiness that you felt inside of your hearts

Is found in Jesus right here?

Because guess what the scripture says that when two or more get in my name

I'm in their midst. That's beautiful

That's beautiful

And I know I said that not every believers of not every person who goes to churches

But there's got to be at least two of us here this morning. Come on

Come on. Let's give us some credit here, right?

Look at your neighbor and say I hope you want no, I'm just kidding. Don't do that. Don't do that

Don't do that

That might be too much fun, right?

So the issue is not whether or not he's come the issue is whether or not we receive him whether we trust him

He's accurate. Isn't he we said that right?

Why not let god be god and every other man a liar?

You know

I was thinking this morning as a matter of fact

Why is it

Let's see if I can get my thoughts together

Why is it that we have this

We can have all this conversation about

Confucius, Socrates, Buddha

All this that and the other

And it doesn't it doesn't bring us up to a level

To scream as it does for jesus

Crucify him

Because what jesus calls us to live is a life beyond ourselves

It's not self-fulfillment

It's dying

Self

In order that he might live through us

So because of that in the flesh we say crucify him

Don't want any part of that

I need something that's a little bit more modern

A little bit more forward thinking

This christmas

You're wrong

You know

For all of us who are born again believers in the lord jesus christ

I asked a question I have for you this morning is

Have you ever have you ever found yourself in a place where you are ignoring or neglecting the lord?

Ignoring or neglecting the lord

Because I say that because I was walking through the campus this morning through our facility

Like I do every sunday. I'm such a creature of habit. I tell you this

I'm praying over all the rooms. I'm praying over all the chairs

I'm praying over everything and there's nothing super spiritual about me. It's just what I do

I'm asking. I'm just asking the lord covering covering covering lord covering

And I just began it the thought came on me

You know no one ever intends to become a complacent christian

You know you never said you know today i'm going to start being complacent in my life

I've just had enough of this jesus stuff

I'm, just going to push him aside for a while. We don't we don't say that intentionally

But but it happens because we don't go after him intentionally

And then it gets easier and easier and it is easier to set him and the things of the kingdom aside

And then we don't know what it's like to die to ourselves

And then we don't really care for our brother because we don't really care for ourselves

That's a whole nother sermon i'm gonna write that down don't care for my brother because I don't care for myself

And one of the ends up happening is we don't intentionally pursue the lord

We never set out to say to this year in 2020 lord. I want to be lukewarm

But it happens

it happens

And what happens is then carnality starts to step in

And you start giving into things that you never thought you would have given give into

and you stop pursuing him and and finally this

and i'm gonna have the worship team come up here in a second, but

When we read all this with the with this is is this really a commissioning that we're reading?

Yes, christmas is a commissioning

Christmas is a commissioning. This is a commissioning. Okay, because we have a joy worth sharing

Don't we don't we don't we have a joy worth sharing?

We have a joy worth sharing

So because of that

fear not

Fear not

Because unto you this day born in the city of david

That's拉 ㅎㅎ

If you follow us

Let earth Receive her king

Let every heart

Prepare him room

Because he owns it

And heaven

And nature

Sing

Merry christmas

Father we just come before you today

In the stillness of this moment

And we ask you lord that you would get our attention

You would get our attention on the things that are important lord

You would remind us of the great joy that we have a joy worth sharing

You would remind us that when the scripture says that unto you this day in the city of david a savior has been born

That means you

And that means you

That means you

So

Come all you faithful

And see that we celebrate today that the manger is full

But the good news is he didn't stay there

He didn't stay there

He came and lived a life

That we could never live

Pay a price that we could never pay

So that we one day

Could be in the presence

And the fullness of the glory of god

And hear him speak those words over us

Well done

Faithful servant

Joy to the world

So father let heaven and earth sing

May your glory

Consume us

For our god is a consuming fire

It's in jesus holy name

That we give thanks and praise

That we celebrate the incarnation this year

And the importance of this

Let us never grow weary

Sharing

The joy that rests in our hearts these days

And for those who are struggling to find that joy

May we be reminded of the truth of your word

That there is nothing that can separate the great love that the father has for us

If we will simply turn

He is waiting

Open arms

To receive us

We love you father

And it's in the name of jesus we pray

And all god's people said together

Amen

Joy to the world

The glory is God

Let open this team

Keep looking

And every heart

Prepare and run

And never make the same

Let all the songs in joy Let all the songs in joy White fields and floods Rocks, hills, hills, and hills We hope the sound in joy We hope the sound in joy Repeat, repeat The sound in joy Repeat, repeat The sound in joy

but the sound in joy Shine out in joy Let all the songs in joy Spire and run And only burn And love No sun gets in joy Joy, speak of all joy Rise in my soul Never let me go

He moves the world with truth and grace

And makes the nations move

The more he's on, his righteousness

The wonders of his love

Speakable joy

For the holy well

No tongue can tell

The wonders of his love

Speakable joy

Rising in my soul

Never let him go

Father, we just thank you for the word today

We thank you for all the reminders and hints that Curtis gave us

We thank you that God sent his only son to save us

Because we are sinful

We are born sinful

And we remain sinful

Lord, we just thank you that you did send your son to us

So that we believe in him

We'll have everlasting life

Lord, we just ask that you keep our minds on the

The real reason

That we're celebrating this year

It's not about the presents

It's not about Rudolph

It's not about

It's a wonderful life

It's not about

All these things

And traditions that we think that Christmas is about

We ask that you sweetly break us

Onto our knees

And give thanks

For our father sent his son

To save us

Merry Christmas

Scripture

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