Introduction
A Introduction Story
B In our text we see two of Christmas’ most familiar players: Angels/shepherds.
1 The history of angels surrounding Jesus is recorded with great detail in Scripture.
a As Jesus made creation (Heb. 1.2) angels shouted for joy (Job 38.7)
b Ministered to Him after the temptation in the wilderness (Matt. 4.11)
c At His beck & call at Gethsemane (Matt. 26.53)
d At His tomb at the resurrection (Luke 24.1)
e As Jesus enters creation, the angels praise Him.
2 Luke 2.6-15
a Why shepherds? (Outcasts, job made them unclean & kept them away from Temple)
b These are hard working, no-nonsense, practical men.
aa If they said they saw angels, they saw angels; Found the Messiah.
bb God gave these men the birth announcement before anybody else.
cc He didn’t call for the rich & mighty, poor & lowly (1 Cor. 1. 26-29).
dd It is possible these shepherds were raising sheep to be used for service/sacrifice in the Temple.
c He comes for God’s glory (Luke 2.14).
aa In Ex. 40.34, God’s presence had dwelt in the holy of holies, on the mercy seat which was formed by the folding of angels wings.
bb 1 Sam. 4.21; Ezek. 8.4; 9.3; 10.4, 18; 11.22-23, tells us that the reason that the glory of God had departed from the nation was due to Israel’s sin.
cc Now, His glory was returning in the person of His Son (John 1.14).
d The stable is Messiah’s first throne room & the manger is first throne; His first night is not in a palace, but in the open air.
I In v. 11, the angels join together three positions that were held by Jesus even as a babe in a manger: Savior, Christ, & Lord.
A “Savior” often gets obscured many times in our modern world.
1 Too often the only idea we focus on is that Jesus can rescue people from unfulfillment in marriages, families, jobs, bad habits, hang ups.
a Offers strength of overcome, sense of purpose.
b BTW, all of these are true, but these are not the Saviors primary intent.
2 Salvations true message is that Jesus Christ came into the world to rescue people from guild & sin.
a Not poor self-image, psychological, artificial guilt.
b Saved from true, God-imposed guilt that sends people to hell.
c Rom. 3.10, 23
aa Everyone of us deserves hell, spiritual death.
bb Jesus, as Savior, saved/saves/will save us from the power & penalty of sin.
B He is not only Savior, but also Christ (It’s OT counterpart is Messiah) with both words carrying the same meaning, “anointed one.”
1 Since apostolic times the name Christ has become the proper name of Jesus, the Person whom Christians recognize as the God-given Redeemer of Israel and the church’s Lord.
a “Christ” or Messiah is therefore a name admirably suited to express both the church’s link with Israel through the Old Testament.
b And the faith that sees in Jesus Christ the worldwide scope of the salvation in Him.
2 He is the One placed in high office, high position; worthy of honor/exaltation/praise.
a He is God’s appointed king, “King of kings” who will sit on David’s throne & reign forever. (1.32-33)
b He is anointed as High Priest (Heb. 3.1) for His people.
c He is anointed as a prophet, God final & greatest spokesman (Heb. 1.1-2)
3 Only the Messiah/Christ could be the Savior & the Savior could only be the Messiah/Christ.
C He is not only Savior, not only Christ; He is also Lord (In human sense it is a term of respect/esteem given to someone in a position of leadership/authority. Especially if a slave used the title to address his owner!)
1 Calling someone Lord puts you in your place and them in theirs.
a In our text, it is not a just a human elevation; it is a divine title.
b The gk. is kurios (Lord). The Septuagint (greek translation of the Hebrew Bible) translates YHWH as “Kurios/Lord” every time.
aa YHWY is the name of God (Ex. 3.14-15)
aa To say this child/baby who is only moments old is “Lord” is to say that He is God.
bb The babe in the manger is the Great “I Am.”
c John 8.24 “Unless you believe that I am [God], you will die in your sins.”
2 The most basic/fundemental confession of Christianity is, “Jesus is Lord” (1 Cor. 12.3).
a If you do not believe w/ heart/confess w/ your mouth Jesus’s posistion as Lord (full deity/equality w/ God the Father), you are not saved!
b Rom. 10.9
aa He is not one way among many, a path among multiple paths . . . He is Lord!
II The good news comes with a sign! (2.12)
A The good news came into the world that was in bad times.
1 The Romans occupied Israel, taxes/unemployment were high.
a Morals were slipping, gov’t was taking over more & more of their lives.
b Mary & Joseph were on their way to Bethlehem to be counted in a gov’t censes.
aa If Israel ever needed to hear some good news, it was then.
bb If Israel ever needed a message of peace, it was then.
2 I see two encouraging truths in this text.
a Your life may feel like it is in shambles, under oppression from the enemy, low time, going down a road you never thought you’d be going down, in a place that is dirty, dark, smelly.
aa It could be God quietly @ work, working all things together fro your good & His glory!
bb Even at creation, God perfectly put stars in orbit & alignment so they would perfectly align over Jesus’ birth place. He allowed Rome to have a census so Mary/Joe would be in Bethlehem to give birth to Jesus as fortold in prophecy!
cc A sparrow doesn’t fall from the sky that He doesn’t see fall . . . There is nothing in your life that God has overlooked.
dd Preacher, you really believe that? I’m living on it that promise.
b He brings “peace” (2.14). Hebrew “peace” is shalom.
aa Peace is more than just a truce in the battles of life.
bb It is well-being, health, prosperity, security, soundness, completeness. HAS MORE TO DO WITH CHARACTER THAN CIRCUMSTANCES
cc We can know shalom/peace because God through Jesus Christ has removed the guilt, penalty, shame, power, condemnation of sin.
dd It is well w/ my soul!
ee Not a positive attitude; living on a promise!
Conclusion:
A If He isn’t Savior, Christ, Lord then He is a sham and we’re the biggest fools in the world & deserve to be pitied among all men, and our faith is in vain.
1 I know He lives because . . .
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