December 15th Sermon

To this very day, the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ is the single most important event in the history of the entire universe. The Bible declares that “the Word became flesh and dwelled among us,” (John 1:14) which is the warrant for calling this event the “incarnation.” In other words, the God who has lived from eternity and who created all that exists, “took the form…and likeness of men” and lived among people. Yet even though living as a human among humans, He retained all of the power, dignity, and authority of God. As the God-man, Jesus was sent by the Father to accomplish His will through the power of the Holy Spirit.

In the current annual celebration of this event, it is nearly impossible to distinguish God’s supernatural power on display in the birth of Jesus Christ. It seems to be buried underneath layers of commercialism, and materialism; along with the spending of large quantities of money, including hours of frenetic shopping online and in stores. In the midst of all this distraction, it is often difficult to remember the surprise and wonder of God’s personal intervention into our world.

If you were to walk through Bethlehem’s neighborhoods, you would have found no colorful lights on houses, no Christmas trees standing in windows, and no crowds of people trying to purchase last-minute Christmas gifts. No one was busy preparing food for Christmas dinners and no one was traveling to be home by Christmas. In fact, to the people of that time, it was simply another ordinary night and, as far as they knew, nothing of any importance would happen. They went about their daily routines and prepared to do the same the next day.

It was God’s will that Jesus was sent to earth with the mission of redeeming lost souls. He came to live a perfect and sinless life on the very stage of humanity where sin reigned. His sinless life would ultimately destroy sin’s iron grip on the souls of men and women. He came, knowing fully that religious leaders, some of whom were already living a short distance away, would have Him arrested, accused, tried, convicted, and executed for crimes He would not and could not commit. He knew on the night of His birth that He would die so that the sins of men, women and children would be completely and eternally forgiven. All they would have to do to make their lives right with God is believe in Him as Messiah and Lord.

Jesus came to earth to reveal the glorious light of God’s truth to a dark and deceitful world. He came to show the world of lost people the only way to life. He came to disclose God’s remedy for wickedness and open the door of faith for whoever would come to Him. Jesus came to reveal the truth.

On the night of His birth, an army of angels surrounded shepherds guarding their sheep on a hillside near Bethlehem and the heavens rang with their praise. Why did God send this multitude of angels and why did they praise the coming of Jesus Christ into this world? We begin by focusing on the birth of Jesus Christ.

CHRIST THE SAVIOR IS BORN. Luke 2:1-7

Caesar’s Decree. Luke began the account of Jesus’ birth with a reference to Caesar Augustus, the first emperor of the Roman Empire. Caesar Augustus is not primarily a name. Instead, it is a title. Caesar means “emperor” and Augustus means “revered,” “honored,” or “esteemed.” The Roman Empire was noted for its extensive system of roads. They were built primarily for the movement of the Roman Army to various parts of the Empire. They were likely the world’s best built roads and many are still in use today; two thousand years after they were constructed. Travel in the Empire was facilitated by common language and laws. Hundreds of ships sailed the Mediterranean and brought goods from all over the Empire. They also facilitated the swift movement of the Gospel. Missionaries and evangelists sailed from port to port and established dozens of local churches in a relatively short period of time. The Roman Empire gave the world a common currency and it was minted in various denominations and designs. During the early days of the church, it was easy for churches in Greece to give to churches in other parts of the Empire without worry of exchange rates.

A Specific Time for Jesus’ Birth. We notice that there was a Roman politician named Quirinius who became the governor of Syria. He was appointed counsel and held several jobs in the Empire. Just before Christ’s birth, he organized the region of Syria and Palestine to participate in Caesar’s census. As part of this census for taxation, people were commanded to go to specific places where the Roman government had established offices and register. An official sat or stood at a desk and wrote on parchment or papyrus the information given by the citizen to be kept as official records.

Why did Joseph and Mary have to travel to Bethlehem? Why did Joseph and Mary have to travel to Bethlehem? Bethlehem means “house of bread,” and known primarily for the large quantities of sheep that provided for sacrifices at the temple in Jerusalem about six miles away. Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem to see the Roman government official in order to register for the imperial census. We are told that Joseph was a descendant of David. We find that Bethlehem was the burial place for the patriarch Jacob’s beloved wife Rachel and the home of Boaz and Ruth. It was there that David was born. Jewish practices maintained that their inherited land, which was given to the various tribes in Joshua’s day, and were passed down from generation to generation. So, Joseph had some inherited ancestral land in the Bethlehem area. For that reason, he had to go to the tax agent located at Bethlehem.

Mary accompanied Joseph for several reasons. The couple knew she would have the Baby during the time Joseph was gone, and they most likely did not want to be separated at that event. Also, both of them knew that the Child was the Messiah. They also would have known that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem. The swaddling cloths of the first century were very similar in size and composition to infant blankets today. Depending on the temperature, two or more additional blankets were used. We find that Mary laid Jesus in a manger. It no doubt had been a very exhausting day and Mary needed some rest. The newborn was evidently asleep and so Mary carefully placed Him in a makeshift crib. The manger is a very nice word for an animal’s feeding trough. Constructed out of roughhewn wood and designed to contain fodder it was the only apparatus available that would serve as a temporary crib for the infant. So that is where He was placed.

THE ANGEL’S ANNOUNCEMENT. Luke 2:8-12

The Shepherds Guarding Their Flocks. The Bible tells us there were shepherds close to the place where Jesus was born. Bethlehem was an agricultural village and most of its inhabitants were probably involved in agriculture in some way. It was not unusual for shepherds to be in the nearby fields. The weather in Israel’s hill country can be pleasant much of the year. The narrative takes us from the manger to the fields surrounding Bethlehem. In this field, centuries earlier, Jacob camped (Genesis 35:21) after the death of his wife, Rachel. The Bible tells us, “Israel (Jacob) pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder.” The Hebrew for this is Migdal Eder, and is translated, the “Tower of the Flock.” This was a tower constructed by shepherds to help them guard their flocks and it was still in use in the first century and was less than a mile from Mary, Joseph, and Jesus.

It seems peculiar that God would choose to reveal the coming of the Son of God to a group of shepherds. They were not among the rich and powerful. They had few if any governmental connections. They were simple hard-working men who earned their living managing flocks of sheep and goats. The New Testament presents shepherds in a favorable light. Shepherding was a noble pursuit in the Old Testament. Men like Abel, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and David were all shepherds at some point in their lives. According to John 10, Jesus would later be called the “Good Shepherd” and in the book of Hebrews, He is called the “Great Shepherd of the sheep.”

The Angel of the Lord. It is interesting that angels did not arrive at the manger and hover over Jesus and Mary and Joseph. Instead, the angel came to reveal the good news to these unknown shepherds not far away. The angel’s name is not mentioned in these verses, but since it was the angel Gabriel who had previously sent to Zacharias and Mary, it is likely that God sent him again to bring this news. We must note that the angel spoke in a language these simple shepherds understood. It was of utmost importance that the message be completely understood by these frightened men.

The Glory of the Lord. If the presence of the angel was not shocking enough, God’s brilliant and blazing glory also appeared. Brighter than the sun at noon, God’s glory blazed forth out of the darkness and surrounded these men and their flocks. The people of Israel have had a long history with the glory of God. They encountered God’s glory at Mount Sinai in Exodus 24:16 where we find, “The glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai.” We are told, “The appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the mountain top.” This caused great alarm among God’s people. Later, when the Tabernacle of the Lord was completed, “The glory of the Lord filled” it. Israel was blessed to see this visible evidence of God’s power and strength.

Finally, with the birth of Jesus Christ, God’s glory once again shone in Israel. Over the fields of Bethlehem, God’s glory returned. God’s glory was not seen in the rebuilt Temple that was not far away, but in this pasture among shepherds and sheep, and near the place where Jesus was born. The glory of the Lord is God’s visible presence in His creation. God’s glory means that God is there.

Good News for All. The shepherds were absolutely terrified. They had no idea what was going on. Nothing like this had ever happened before. They were witnesses of the greatest event that had happened on this planet up to that point and they were “terribly frightened.” This was a typical response of people when they encountered the supernatural. Zacharias had been afraid and so had Mary. Before revealing the great truth of God’s redemption, the angel first said, “Do not be afraid.” This announcement was to be a blessing and an encouragement. There was nothing to fear.

The word translated “good news” can also be translated “gospel.” Gospel/good news is one of Luke’s favorite terms and he used it more than any other New Testament writer. The good news brought by the angel is that the saving God sent the Savior to redeem sinners. The good news produces great joy when received by faith into someone’s life. The good news is for all the people. It was first proclaimed to the people of Israel and then proclaimed throughout the world. It is still being proclaimed on every continent. This is the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ.

The Savior, Who Is Christ the Lord. The name “Jesus” means “the Lord is salvation,” therefore “Jesus” means “Savior.” The Savior that was born is Jesus. The reason Jesus was born in Bethlehem that night was to “save His people from their sins.” In our day people often wrongly construe the purpose of Christ’s coming was to rescue people from the lack of fulfillment in their marriages, their families, or their jobs; from a devastating habit they cannot overcome on their own, or, possibly, from a profound sense of having no purpose in life. Sometimes believing in Jesus Christ for salvation can lead to the remedying these problems as a by-product, but the true problem for mankind is sin and only Jesus can rescue people from their sins and that is why Jesus came–to save you and me from our sins. People have real sin and it is accompanied by real guilt. Jesus came as the Savior and that is the real message of Christmas.

Christ is a title meaning “the One who is Anointed.” Jesus is the One anointed by God as set apart for fulfilling all of the messianic prophecies found in the Old Testament. It is significant that the angel announced this title while Jesus was an infant lying in a manger–not years later at His baptism or later, at His transfiguration. He always was and always will be the King of kings, the great High priest and the only Mediator between God and man.

Lord in this context means much more than some elevated human designation of authority. To say that this Child is Lord is to say that He is God. Lord in this New Testament passage means the same as Yahweh in the Old Testament. Jesus is the sovereign almighty God and Eternal Father–He is Lord. To be saved, a person must “confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord.” This is a confession of affirmation of Jesus’ full deity and absolute equality with God. Faith of this nature is God’s requirement for salvation. Unless you and I believe Jesus is Lord and God, we cannot be saved.

THE PRAISE OF THE ANGELIC CHOIR. Luke 2:13-14

The Angel’s Sign. The angel gave the shepherds a sign obviously implying that they were to find the Lord Jesus. He would be identified by the cloths wrapping Him and the fact that He was lying in a feeding trough. Abruptly, the angel was no longer alone. The heavenly host was a innumerable assembly of angels who had gathered to praise the Lord. They gave glory to God in the highest for this amazing accomplishment of His plan to save men and women. The “men with whom He is pleased” shows that God’s favor rests on people giving them the opportunity to experience His salvation through His grace alone.

The Heavenly Host. What is this “heavenly host?” In the original language, the word translated “host” is stratia, from which we get the English word “strategy.” It is probably better translated by the word “army.” We should picture this as an enormous formation of God’s angelic army in numbers beyond counting. They were all beautifully radiating God’s glory, turning the night sky more brilliant than the noon-day sun. The is heaven’s entourage that continuously serves the Lord. They came to rejoice at the birth of the Son of God. All of them know Him as the Second Person of the Divine Trinity and now they witness His incarnation and they know He is here to provide salvation for all who come to Him by faith. 

The Angels’ Praise. So, did this great army of angels sing? There are three nouns in the Greek language that are used for singing. They are all found in Colossians 3:16 and are translated psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. None of those words are used here. The Bible tells us that the angels were “saying.” That word is lego which means “to speak.” It is the root word from which we get logos or “word” (from John 1). This tells us that instead of a melody, the army of angels were probably speaking the words in unison. Imagine thousands of angelic voices saying, “Glory to God in the highest!” The angels’ chorus of praise reflects the pinnacle of all thoughts and actions, the highest and most profound of all truths; the supreme reason for all that exists–the glory of God. They call us to recognize that salvation in Christ brings us eternal peace with God.

The last phrase of verse fourteen is better translated, “peace to men on whom His favor rests.” It is those whom God chooses rather than those who choose God of whom the angels speak. Peace means peace between God and people and the healing of estrangements cause by human sin. Peace refers to the divine good pleasure that rests on those who have accepted His rule and have ceased to fight against Him. This peace, this true shalom is for those on whom His favor rests. Therefore, the good news of great joy was of far greater significance than world peace. The angels’ message was to remind us of the removal of the enmity between God and man. This message was the greatest and most important news ever told in the history of humanity.

The Bible tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ was a gift given by God the Father. John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” We cannot earn or win anything from God through our own efforts. We must either receive Christ and His salvation as a gift or do without His salvation. Like salvation, our spiritual growth is God’s gracious gift. To grow in our faith, we must trust the Lord with all our being and not rely on our own intelligence, talents, or abilities. To those who are spiritually hungry, God gives the gift of the essential nature of God through His own power.

Are you a believer in Jesus Christ? If you are, are you intentionally growing in your faith? Are you walking in obedience to Christ the Lord, who is the One true God? If you are not a believer in Christ, will you receive Him today?