Hearing God’s Good News-2 Series

HEARING GOD’s GOOD NEWS-II—Luke 2:8-20

—OR—

DISCOVERING The GOOD NEWS!

Attention:

A portion of my testimony—My breaking point(in front of the TV)

Recognition of personal sinfulness despite having previously heard & read God’s truth for years.

There is actual Substance to Christmas even when surrounded by the Worldly traditional trappings.

*All those things that comprise the Christmas season(including New Year’s) are fun & exciting!—& nothing is wrong with that! BUT all those fun & exciting things should be a response 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, rather than by flesh.

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.

Last Sunday, we found that Those who Hear/Discover God’s Good News are those who...

1. Are HUMBLED In GOD’s PRESENCE(:8-9)

2. Are PREPARED for it(:10-11)

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

SEE IT’s POTENTIAL(:13-14)

Explanation:(:13-14)Among men

:13—“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God & saying:”

Upon the angel’s revelation to the shepherds, an innumerable gathering of heavenly angels then appeared before the shepherds.

The whole “multitude” of angels then “praised God.” Their praise(plural) consisted of a particular revelation regarding the birth of Christ the Lord(:14 below).

“Suddenly”—exaifnhv—Adv.—1) Of a sudden, suddenly, unexpectedly. Strong—Of a sudden(unexpectedly). Used 5X.?From—ek/Ex—1) Out of, from, by, away from. Strong—a primary preposition denoting origin(the point whence action or motion proceeds), From, out(of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote).—& the base of—aifnidiov[non apparent]—Unexpected, i.e. Suddenly.

“With”—sun—Preposition—1) With. Strong—a primary preposition denoting union; With or together(but much closer than meta or para), i.e. By association, companionship, process, resemblance, possession, instrumentality, addition, etc.

“Multitude”—plhyov—Noun Neuter—1) A multitude—1a) A great number, of men or things, 1b) The whole number, the whole multitude, the assemblage—1b1) The multitude of the people. Strong—A fulness, i.e. A large number, throng, populace.?From—plhyw—To “fill”(literally or figuratively [imbue, influence, supply]); specifically--To fulfill(time).

“Host”—stratia—Noun Fem.—Eng.=‘strategy’—1) An army, band of soldiers; 2) in the NT, The hosts of heaven—2a) Troops of angels, 2b) The heavenly bodies, stars of heaven(so called on account of their number & their order). Strong—feminine of a derivative of stratov(an army; from the base of strwnnumi[to "strew", i.e. spread(as a carpet or couch)]as encamped); Camp-likeness, i.e. An army, i.e. figuratively--The angels, the celestial luminaries. Used 2X.

“Praising”(See :20)—ainew—Verb—1) To praise, extol, to sing praises in honor to God; 2) To allow, recommend; 3) To promise or vow. Strong—To praise(God). Used 9X.?From—ainov—apparently a prime word; properly--A story, but used in the sense of epainov[laudation; concretely, a commendable thing]; Praise(of God).

“Saying”—legw—Verb—1) To say, to speak—1a) Affirm over, maintain, 1b) To teach, 1c) To exhort, advise, to command, direct, 1d) To point out with words, intend, mean, mean to say, 1e) To call by name, to call, name, 1f) To speak out, speak of, mention. Strong—a primary verb; properly--To "lay" forth, i.e. figuratively--Relate (in words [usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas epw & fhmi generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while rew is properly, to break silence merely, & lalew means an extended or random harangue]); by implication--To mean.

The angels praised God for what had already been accomplished among men thru the sign(:12).

The angel’s testimony was a confirmation of the present & future fact!

:14—“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

The angels directed their praise to YHWH God. They proclaimed the highest glory/praise/honor, for His gift of Christ the Lord.

The angelic declaration compelled men to give glory...

1)Their call to give the “highest” glory?

2)God the “highest” God & worthy of praise?

“And on earth peace”—

The angels also declared the arrival of peace/harmony/tranquility among men on earth. The birth of Christ the Lord was cause for bringing real peace to mankind(Cf.-Dan. 9:24-26b; Jn. 14:27).

Dan. 9:24-26b—“Seventy weeks are determined For your people & for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision & prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy. Know therefore & understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore & build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks & sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, & the wall, Even in troublesome times. And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself;...”