Christmas
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
Luke 2:8) "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night."
(Luke 2:9) "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."
(Luke 2:10) "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."
(Luke 2:11) "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."
(Luke 2:12) "And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."
(Luke 2:13) "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,"
(Luke 2:14) "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
(Luke 2:15) "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."
(Luke 2:16) "And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger."
(Luke 2:17) "And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child."
Introduction
Of all the important announcements that were ever made this was it. This was the most important announcement since the fall of Adam and Eve. I have heard announcements all my life. However, the only announcement that will ever be made to come close to this one in Luke is the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then the trumpet will blow. However, we could never have a second coming if it were not for the first coming. Most churchgoers dread announcements. Announcements are considered dull, but not this announcement. In this out line sermon we list why and to whom it is important.
I. First of all it was important to you. Why? It Was Personal." It was for you and me.
A. The shepherds were surprised at what they saw and heard. They did not expect to hear such songs or see such sights
1. Most unsaved when they hear God love them are surprised
2. They never expected that anyone could love them like God. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
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B. We are surprised that shepherds were chosen to receive this greatest of all announcements.
C. The heavenly choir sang for the shepherds showing that God is not respecter of persons. Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
D. We may never know why they were chosen, but the fact that they were chosen is a comfort to all of us.
E. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29. God often chooses humble things for grand purposes, and ordinary people to do extraordinary deeds. (1 Cor 1:26) "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:"
(1 Cor 1:27) "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;"
(1 Cor 1:28) "And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:"
(1 Cor 1:29) "That no flesh should glory in his presence."
E. Now two thousand years later we still hear the message as a personal message. It is still personal!
Love Came Down
A Christmas Parable
A man is climbing a mountain, at the top of which he hopes to find God. By ascending the heights, the seeker expects to leave all the cares and miseries of life behind in the valley. But while he climbs, God is coming down the mountain into the toil and grief. In the mists of the mountain God and the man pass one another. When the man reaches the mountaintop, he will find nothing. God is not there. What then will he do? He knows the climbing was a mistake, but in agony of that recognition, will he fall down and despair? Or will he turn to retrace his path through the mists and into the valley to where God has gone seeking him? Love came down at Christmas, but only a few perceived its coming. Reference {John 10:17}{John 10:17}; \reference {John 15:13}{John 15:13}; \reference {1 John 3:16}{1 John 3:16}
II. It Was Universal, the message and announcement were for all people.
A. It was personal in impact, but universal in scope. All people were to have the opportunity to respond individually and personally to a God who loves them individually and personally.
C. The fact that the announcement is universal destroys any ethnic pride that we may have.
D. This fact also makes us humble. God’s chosen people today are those who choose to believe.
F. It makes us evangelistic. God wants us to share the message with everyone
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
G. It gives us missionary zeal. God wants us to share the message in every place.
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
G. The apostle Peter learned that God is no respecter of persons.
(Acts 10:35) "But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."
His words "every nation" were the proper response to Jesus’ words "all nations."
III. It Was Timely and it still is for today.
A. Spiritually it can be that every Christmas we are celebrating the birth of Christ for the first time.
B. Nationally and internationally we seem to need Christmas especially at this time.
C. Perhaps in your life Christmas has special meaning this year.
D. We must never be content with simply recalling a past event. The famous Christmas carol says "Be born in us today!"
While it is proper to pay special attention to these verses in December, it is equally true that they are important to us every day of the year. On any Sunday we could appropriately sing, "Joy to the World, the Lord is Come!" At any time of the year we could appropriately sing "O Come All Ye Faithful."
IV. It Was Also Timeless, Jesus Christ is our Savior.
A. That’s what people needed then. That’s what people need now.
That’s what people have needed in all the years between then and now.
That’s what people will need until the end of time.
Conclusion
It is never enough to just listen to the announcement even if we listen attentively. It is not enough to just listen to the announcement, even if we listen reverently. We must respond to this angelic announcement.
Illustration
Recently a photograph of two sculptors decorating a new post office in a suburb of Cologne, West Germany, appeared in our daily newspaper. Two giant hands, each two meters long, seem to be grasping for each other but in vain. One hand, the higher hand, juts right out of the side of the building toward the second hand rising from the ground. We do not know the meaning of the mysterious sculptures, but to us they represent the hand of man stretched out for help and the hand, the almighty hand, of God, stretched out to deliver man from the pit into which he has fallen. This is essentially the Christmas story -- God reaching down to earth, and praise God, His action was not in vain!
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