Good News For All People

GOOD NEWS FOR ALL PEOPLE

Luke 2:8-16

(Antioch Baptist Church: Sunday. December 21st, 2025)

Many years ago my pastor and I were out doing some door-to-door evangelism. We encountered a man named Charlie and shared with him the wonderful truth that Jesus died for his sins. I will never forget his response, he said “nah, Jesus came to die for good people like y’all, not hellraisers like me!” Charlie, (like so many others) couldn’t grasp the reality that no one is worthy of salvation. Paul shared in Romans 3:10-12:“None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one”. He would go on to declare that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

- The Bible is saturated with verses that declare the astonishing reality that Jesus Christ came to earth to save sinners.

Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

Matthew 20:28 …the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Romans 4:25 (Jesus) was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Romans 5:6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

Romans 5:8 But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 Corinthians 15:3 …Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

There are many people who are of the opinion that they have “gone too far” or “sinned to much” to be accepted by Jesus, forgiven of their sins, and welcomed in to the family of God. However, it was Jesus Himself who said, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). He declared that His purpose for coming to earth was to “seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

As we celebrate the birth of our Savior we are reminded of the wonderful promise that the Angel of the Lord gave to some lowly shepherd’s. The Angel said, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). I would like for us to examine this encounter and consider the thought “Good News For ALL People”.

The announcement of the Messiah’s birth was not given to the religious elite or the ruling class in Jerusalem, instead, God sent a supernatural messenger with a special message to some humble shepherds.

Shepherds spent most of their time in the fields away from society, they were largely unnoticed by those in power, and had no societal influence to speak of. There is no way that those men could have ever expected to be part of one of the most amazing and important events in the history of the world.

On this night they were in the field, minding their business and tending their flocks. Suddenly a bright, glorious light shone all around them and then an Angel of the Lord appeared before them. Understandably they were terrified; however, the angel said, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (v10). The “good news” that the Angel spoke of was that the long-awaited, and promised Messiah had been born in the City of David.

The shepherds were told that if they would travel to the Bethlehem, they would find a Baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, “lying in a manger.” Following this proclamation, “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, goodwill toward men!” (v13-14).

This supernatural manifestation, glorious celebration, and exciting information certainly intrigued the Shepherds. When the angels “went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” (v15). They did not delay, they hurried to the village and “found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.” (v16).