Title: Telling of the Good News.
Theme: Understanding what the Good News of Christmas is Christ.
Text: Luke 2:8-21
8. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Shepherd were probably the most unlikely people to be presented to with the coming of the savior. They were primitive in their knowledge of the customary law. Plus they were many of times associated with thieves because of their bands and travels.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
This is similar to the glory shown to Abraham in the Ur in Acts 7:2, the glory that appeared in the tabernacle in Exodus 40, the glory that appeared in the permanent tabernacle of 1 Kings 8:11, or even the glory that appeared to Ezekiel in Ez 10,11. But it had been almost 500 yrs since this glory had come to Israel.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
What a thing to say, "Fear not". If I were to see the glory of the Lord I know that I would fear.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David (2 Samuel 7:16) a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this [shall be] a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
The magi had a star. Their sign was a star from the sky. The shepherds had the description of a baby "wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." I wonder how many baby’s in Bethlehem were like this?
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
They were so excited about what they had heard. The hurriedly left their flock. Who watched their flock? God. I don’t believe that they even went and found someone to watch over it they left and God protected them. If we will do God’s will then he will watch over our jobs and our time. But they left all to find this Savior, this Christ, this Lord.
17 And when they had seen [it], they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard [it] wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered [them] in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
I want us mainly to look at verse 10 of this passage. I want to notice three titles that is given to our Lord.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David (2 Samuel 7:16) a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:10-YLT And the messenger said to them, `Fear not, for lo, I bring you good news of great joy, that shall be to all the people--
What was the good news?
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
I. Savior was born The Redeemer
Greek- soter {so-tare’} saviour, deliverer, preserver
The name was given by the ancients to deities, esp. tutelary deities, to princes, kings, and in general to men who had conferred signal benefits upon their country, and in more degenerate days by the way of flattery to personages of influence
Christ came to save the world. The world was lost and on its way to destruction but he came to save it.
Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew word yeshua (Joshua). It meaning is "the Lord is my salvation)
Luke 19:10-AV For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
John 3:17-AV For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
If we are to be saved then we must be caught in something. We must be trapped or on the wrong path. We are under bondage. But Christ came to set us free.
A Savior who came to set us free
John 8:31. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: [but] the Son abideth ever. 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, [and] to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Paul expresses this in even more detail in Romans 6 and 8
II. Christ The Messiah
Christos {khris-tos’} Christ = "anointed" 1) Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God 2) anointed Christ is the Greek equivalent for the word Messiah.
Daniel uses this word in predicting to time of the coming of Jesus in.
Daniel 9:25 Know therefore and understand, [that] from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince [shall be] seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
It also means The anointed one. The one who has been sanctified and set apart for a purpose of God.
Anointed with the Holy Spirit
John 3:34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure [unto him].
Anointed as prophet to bring the truth
Deuteronomy 18:5 For the LORD thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons for ever.
Anointed as priest for the sacrifice and cancel the guilt offering
Hebrews 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all].11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
Anointed as king to rule, guide and establish the kingdom of righteousness
Zechariah 9:9. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he [is] just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
This brings us to our last point about Christ. He was the Lord.
III. Lord The ruler
Speaks not only of the Messiah ship of Christ but also the authority
kurios {koo’-ree-os} 1) he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord
1a) the possessor and disposer of a thing
1a1) the owner; one who has control of the person, the master
1a2) in the state: the sovereign, prince, chief, the Roman emperor
1b) is a title of honour expressive of respect and reverence, with which servants greet their master
1c) this title is given to: God, the Messiah
Speaks of His equality to the Father
Isaiah 9:6-AV For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is
given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
John 10:30-AV I and [my] Father are one.
Speaks of His rulership over this world as king.
1 Corinthians 15:25-AV For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
Revelation 19:16-AV And he hath on [his] vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Conclusion
Matthew 27:22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? [They] all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
There are only two holidays that allow us to have a very good reason to mention Christ with no excuse. Now don’t get me wrong we should mention him always to everyone. But during Christmas and Easter we have an special reason. So during these time of years we must especially as this question. "What shall I do then with Jesus which is called the Christ?" What will you do with him today? What will you do with him this week? What will you do with him this season?
I pose another question that the Lord gave me as I was pondering on this message. Do the people around you know the good News of Jesus. Do your neighbors? Do your children? If they do then where did they hear it from? Their teacher or preacher. Or from you. The parents have the greatest influence on their children. The friends have the greatest influence on their friends. The neighbors have the greatest influence on their neighbors.
