Sermon Central
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The Miracle Of The Manger Series
Contributed by Allan Quak on Dec 26, 2018 (message contributor)
Summary: This Christmas Sunday Message is in two parts. The first part considers the angelic messengers who announced the birth of Jesus and were also surrounded by the glory of the Lord. The significance of the message is the focus of the second part which looks at John 1:14 and the miracle of the manger.
Message - Part 1
The Importance of the Messengers.
The Greek word for angel is angelos. The main meaning for angelos is messenger.
At the time in the culture an angelos was an ambassador that would speak and act in the place of the person who sent them. They were such important people that it is believed they were under the protection of the “gods” and they were not to be harmed or injured.
The New Testament takes this name from the culture and uses it to describe these powerful messengers who speak and act on behalf of God. And in the lead up to the birth of Jesus they have been quite busy.
There was a message for Zechariah when he was in the temple. The angel said to him: ‘‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. (Luke 1:11-14).
There was the message for Mary given by the angel Gabriel who said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus (Luke 1:30-31)
Another angel came to a very confused, and probably quite angry, Joseph to say “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21
All these angels … and these messengers … how one focus. To let people know what God is doing. And on the day Jesus was born a whole group of angels bring a message to some shepherds in a field.
Think about this situation through the eyes of the angels.
God is on His throne in heaven. Glory and splendour is all around.
Then an angel is summoned before the throne.
“Go to those shepherds watching the sheep just outside of Bethlehem … here is the message I want you to tell them”.
Then a great company of angels is summoned before the throne.
“When the angel has given the message I want you to bring praises … all of you … so those shepherds hear about my glory.”
Somehow they get to earth … transferring from the heavenly world to the earthly world.
And suddenly they arrive in this field with the shepherds.
They are absolutely terrified.
So before the angel can even deliver his message he has to calm all the shepherds down.
Don’t be afraid.
I can understand that I am quite imposing.
But I can assure you that I am here with news that is going to change the world forever.
The long awaited Messiah has been born in Bethlehem.
Right now he is lying in a manger.
From that moment the history of mankind has been changed forever.
The angels are there.
The good news is starting to spread.
It is a moment of significance.
But something else adds to the significance. We read about it in verse 9.
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
The Glory of the Lord is God’s visible presence on earth.
We read about it quite regularly when the Israelites go on the Exodus journey from Egypt to Canaan.
We read about God’s glory in relation to the tabernacle and the temple.
And now, here we are in the field.
The angels are going to deliver a message; and the glory of the Lord is already there.
God’s presence has come down to earth.
The glory of the Lord was present so you would see how significant this is.
You can have peace.
Your past doesn’t disqualify you … no matter how horrendous you think it is.
Your character doesn’t exclude you … no matter what people say about you.
Your actions don’t dismiss you … no matter what the consequences.
The message of the angels was clear.
Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.
The angels tell the message.
The glory of the Lord shines as God’s presence on earth affirms the importance of the message.
Listen to the message.
Stop disqualifying and excluding and dismissing yourself.
God is a God of grace, love and forgiveness.
A God who gave His Son for us.
A God who is willing to help us even when we have not lived good and moral lives.
A God is willing to help us even if we are not religious yet.
That is the Good News we speak and sing about at Christmas.
