Hearing God’s Good News-1

HEARING GOD’s GOOD NEWS-I—Luke 2:8-20

—OR—

DISCOVERING The GOOD NEWS!

Attention:

FBCC wants you to have a ‘Touchy-Feely Christmas’!--So that God will ‘touch’ you! That you will ‘feel’ God’s presence!...

...And to Know that there is actual Substance to Christmas even when surrounded by the Worldly traditional trappings.

*All those things that comprise the Christmas season are fun & exciting!—& nothing is wrong with that! But all those fun & exciting things should be a response of mankind to God’s ministry of love to us thru Christ Jesus.

Jesus’ birth is celebrated the world over by Christians because of:

A.)How He came—born of the Spirit, born of a virgin.

B.)Why He came—Our sins condemn us.

—&—

C.)What He would accomplish—

i)Deliver us from the penalty of our sins.

ii)Secure our place in heaven.

iii)Give us a new purpose...His purpose.

iv)Empower us to live for Him(moment-by-moment) by His Spirit.

Shepherds were given an official announcement of Jesus’ birth.

Jesus’ birth has been publicly announced.

BUT...

Who will hear God’s Good News?

4 means of Hearing God’s Good News.

1—Those who Hear/Discover God’s Good News...

Are HUMBLED In GOD’s PRESENCE(:8-9)

Explanation:(:8-9)Trustworthy/Appropriate/Suitable/Humble

:8—“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.”

In the “same country”/region/area where Christ was born.

Somewhere near Bethehem(the city of David) where Mary had just given birth(Lk. 2:4-7).

Bethlehem is roughly 5.5 miles south of Jerusalem. Any of the area from west to south to east of Bethlehem would be useful for grazing sheep.

These “shepherds” were near the environs of Bethehem(the city of David). These shepherds were not necessarily all sleeping. Some were on guard being watchful for enemies of the sheep.

Also a shepherd or one assigned from the shepherds, would typically become ‘the door’ for the corralled sheep of the sheepfold—a gathering of the sheep of many shepherds(Cf.-Jn. 10:1-3, 7-15). Such a ‘door’ or ‘doorkeeper’ would pass the night as the door, sleeping at the only entrance to the corralled sheep.

Jn. 10:1-3, 7-15—“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief & a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, & the sheep hear his voice; & he calls his own sheep by name & leads them out.”.....“Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. “All who ever came before Me are thieves & robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, & will go in & out & find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, & to kill, & to destroy. I have come that they may have life, & that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming & leaves the sheep & flees; & the wolf catches the sheep & scatters them. “The hireling flees because he is a hireling & does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; & I know My sheep, & am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; & I lay down My life for the sheep.”

The arrival of history’s most important person occurred simultaneously—1)In a most miraculous & 2)In a most humble & un-miraculous way(Lk. 1:31, 34-35; Mat. 1:18; Lk. 2:1-7).

Mary 1)conceived by the Holy Spirit’s power, 2)but she also gave birth as every woman has & does.

Lk. 1:31, 34-35—“And behold, you will conceive in your womb & bring forth a Son, & shall call His name JESUS.”.....“Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered & said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, & the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”

Mat. 1:18—“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.”

Lk. 2:1-7—“And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house & lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, & wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, & laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”