December 11, 2016

The Christmas Night Messengers

Pastor: Shannon Ford Scripture: Luke 2:8–20

The Christmas Night Messengers
Luke 2:8-20

On Christmas night, angels in heaven and shepherds on earth joined to announce the good news of great joy…the Savior has come.

Jesus’ birth drew the Angels from Heaven (Luke 2:8-14)

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

1) God delights in seeking us

  • The first announcement of Jesus’ birth was given by an angel not to royalty or religious leaders, but to society’s outcasts.
  • Ordinary, hard-working, anonymous, dirty shepherds were the first to hear God’s Christmas message of Good News.
  • Because of grace, the Lord seeks the nobodies to make them somebody in Christ.

2) God delights in saving us

  • Luke emphasizes a worldwide Gospel: the Good News is for everybody, not just the Jews.
  • The Good News is that God did not send a soldier or a judge or a reformer, but that God sent a Savior to meet man’s greatest need.

3) God delights in showing us

  • The lowly manger in Bethlehem was now the Holy of Holies because God’s glory had returned to earth in the person of Jesus Christ.
  • The whole purpose of the plan of Salvation is to bring glory to God.

Jesus’ birth drew the Shepherds from the Fields (Luke 2:15-20)

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Evangelism – Shepherd Style

1) They were in awe of the message of Christmas

  • Personal contact with God’s message should always be awe inspiring.
  • Many of us live day after day without any awe.
  • We were meant to live with eyes gazing upward and outward.

2) They accepted the message of Christmas

  • Salvation happens when we hear the good news and simply believe and accept it.
  • God’s good news is a gift that must be received if you want true peace and joy.

3) They acted on the message of Christmas

• The Bible is clear that acceptance must lead to action.

• They could have doubted or delayed but instead they decided to go and move.

4) They announced the message of Christmas

  • The shepherds went and saw then left and shared.
  • Too many spend time discussing and debating the message instead of declaring and demonstrating the message.

5) They gave adoration to God for the message of Christmas

  • A clear evidence of conversion is always adoration and praise.
  • The shepherds returned to the same place but not as the same people.

If Jesus were born one thousand times in Bethlehem and not in me, then I would still be lost. (Corrie Ten Boom)