An Angel's Song & A Shepherd's Laugh Series

"It’s Beginning To Sound A Lot Like Christmas"

An Angels Song & A Shepherds Laugh

Luke 2:8-20

December 23, 2001 FBC, Chester, Illinois Mike Fogerson, Speaker

I Introduction:

1 The world is full of common folks like us.

A Abe Lincoln said, "God must have an uncommon fondness for the common because he made so many of us."

a Most of are average, common, run-of-the-people.

b Average incomes, average homes, average families......average.

B Most days we feel like we can’t get break.

a I went to the Barnes & Noble yesterday and asked a salesperson where are the Self-Help books, She said, "If I told you where the self-help section, that would be defeating the purpose wouldn’t it?"

b It toughs being just a common guy....gal.

2 Christmas has something to say to common people like us. Today’s message is "An Angels Song and A Shepherds laugh."

A LK 2:8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. [9] An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. [10] But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. [11] Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. [12] This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." LK 2:13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, LK 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." LK 2:15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." LK 2:16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. [17] When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, [18] and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. [19] But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. [20] The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

a Jesus’ birth announcement was sent first to the common shepherd. (ETS)

b God uncommonly loves the common person. (ESS)

B I hope you’ll leave knowing that God loves common people like us. (Objective)

a What will you do about God’s uncommon love for you? (Probing Question)

b Lets listen to what Christmas tells people like us. (Transitional Sentence)

1 The first thing Christmas tells common people is that they matter.

A The shepherd was at the bottom of the ANE social scale. (Rednecks)

a Lonely & thankless Job. Noble? Yes. Respected? NO!

(Often felt forgotten, ignored, obscurity.......)

b God said, "Guys, I remember you! I care! I love you! I notice you!

*God didn’t send his angels to kings, queens, Caesar,...he went to six workings third shift. These guys mattered to God!

B How many of us have felt similar?

(Nobody cares, loves, concerned about us. We don’t matter)

a vv:10 & 11 ([10] But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. [11] Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

*Where ever you read the word "YOU", submit your name.

*The angels song is an announcement to YOU!

b John 3:16 "For God so loved....You, that he gave his one & only son....

*No one else may love you, care about you, concerned about you....but God does.

C D.T. Niles was a missionary to India was talking to a shepherd. He asked the shepherd boy, "How many sheep do you have in your flock?"

a The replied, "I don’t know, I can’t count." "Well, how do you know if you loose any, since you can’t count?"

b "I can’t count, but every sheep I have has name & if they are missing, I may not know how many are missing, but I know which sheep are because I know each sheep by name."

*Were not numbers to God. We are names, hurts, hopes, desires.

*We Matter To God!!!!

T.S.: Christmas tells us we matter, but it says more than that.

2 The second thing Christmas tells common people is to keep their faith.

A Do you think God would send a choir of angels to shady, deviant & disobedient shepherds? (Yes, but I doubt it.)