THE ANGELS
LUKE 2:8-14
December 12, 2010
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
9 an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
A delivery truck driver was driving his truck down the street. But there was something strange about this driver. Every time he came to a stop light, he jumped out and repeatedly beat the side of his truck with a huge baseball bat. Someone pulled up beside this unusual driver and asked, “Why are you beating the truck with a bat every time you stop?” The driver said, “It’s like this. I have a two-ton truck, but I’m delivering four tons of canaries. I have to keep two tons of canaries in the air at all times!”
Do you ever feel like you’re trying to carry four tons of worries on your two-ton life? If you haven’t noticed, there is plenty of reason to worry these days.
Globally - rogue world leaders, wars, the constant threat of terrorism, economic
uncertainty.
Nationally and locally - a shaky economy, unemployment, rising cost of health
care, uncertainty about the future.
Personally - we face the daily grind and pressures of life in a sinful world which can seem unjust and unfair..
Sometimes it feels like we’re trying to carry four tons of worries on a two-ton life!
Facing this kind of landscape can turn a happy go lucky optimist into a cynic. After a while,
the glass starts to look half empty
Every silver lining has a dark cloud and
the pot at the end of the rainbow has a hole in it.
There’s a lot to worry about in our world this Christmas. But can the coming of Christ into our world and into our lives make anything different? Can the advent of our Jesus somehow lighten our worry load?
This is where The Greatest Story Ever Told can help us. Last week, we learned the birth of Christ should not have been a surprise to anyone. It was predicted throughout the Old Testament, and the birth and even suffering of Jesus was vividly described by the prophet Isaiah.
Today we learn it was also announced by the angels.
Have you ever listened carefully to the angelic announcement? This is an important announcement, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed by four tons of worries! So, what’s the message for us which the angels announced?
Announcement #1: Release
The angel told the shepherds, Do not be afraid.
That’s easier said than done. If you have ever been afraid, you know it doesn’t help very much when someone says, “Don’t be afraid.” But if an angel of the Lord says, “Don’t be afraid!” it carries a lot more weight. Angels in the Bible often serve as God’s messengers.
So when you hear from one of God’s angels, you’re hearing from God.
This means the “don’t be afraid” message is really coming from God himself. Have you ever considered that?
A woman went to see her doctor and he asked her to describe her problem. She began to list all her fears. Finally, he gave her a 3x5 card and said, “Write down your three biggest fears so we can start working on them first.” After a few minutes he returned and looked at the card. It read, “My past, my present and my future!”
This Christmas we don’t have to be afraid, regardless of the circumstances around us. God has everything in control: past, present and future. Therefore, we can release our fears to him.
The first message announced by the angels is a powerful reminder that we have been released by God. We now have the ability to soar, we’re free, released, and if we’re willing, and if we really believe that we don’t have to be afraid, then the power of God becomes real to us and real to others. We can then soar like an eagle.
The 2nd announcement is the call for us to Rejoice
The angel said, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Don’t you love it when you receive good news?
You receive an A on an assignment you worked hard on. You’re offered a new job, or you receive a promotion, you receive a good report from the doctor, you make the team.
There is nothing that lightens the worry load like good news. The angels announce good news, but this is no ordinary brand of good news.
I love the way Luke describes this pronouncement from the angels. He tells us it is good news of great joy. Isn’t that the kind of news we like? We want good news which will give us great joy. This is outstanding, extraordinary, over-the-top, abundant joy.
It is good news for all the people - no one is left out; everyone gets in on this good news, if, if they are willing. And remember the word for GOOD NEWS comes from the Greek word εὐαγγελίζω (you-ang-hel-id-zo) which means “evangelize.” The good news is the news which is to be proclaimed to the world, and when we receive this good news, we should experience great joy, because we’ve heard the message of Christ.
Some of us have had more than our share of bad news this year. We need an extra dose of good news of great joy. This Christmas, you can rejoice, no matter who you are and no matter what you’re facing because God has good news for you. And this good news leads us to rejoice.
The final part of the angelic announcement is a call for us to — Receive.
We read, Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. What an amazing announcement from the angels.
God was finally sending the long-awaited Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One. He was coming on a rescue mission. It was bigger and better than the Mission Impossible and Rambo, John Wayne, and Matrix movies. This was the real event. God sending His Son, His one and only Son was coming into the world, not to condemn the world, but to save the world.
Think about this announcement.
God was sending a Savior - what does Savior mean? One who saves, delivers or rescues from peril. Isn’t that a great definition. We most certainly need a rescuer. We need the One, Jesus, who will come and save us from our sinfulness. That’s another reason to celebrate our release, the need to never be afraid, it’s a reason to rejoice because of the good news which fills us with great joy.
A Savior has come into the world, to save us from peril, from danger, from our sinfulness; to forgive us. Now that’s what I call taking a load off our truck! Remember trying to carry 4 tons of problems on a 2 ton life? This Christmas, you can receive your Savior. Let him forgive, heal, and restore you. Let him take the load of guilt off of your shoulders.
There’s a wonderful old Christmas poem written by Harriet Heine
If there had been no Christmas morn,
No Christ Child in a manger born,
No shepherds watching in the night,
No angel song, no star of light
Then there would be no hope today
For this old world where sin holds sway.
No peace for souls weighed down with sin,
No deep abiding joy within,
No burdens lifted by his grace,
No strength to run life’s weary race,
No sorrows eased, no tempests quelled,
No fears dispersed, no doubts dispelled.
No song of praise, no answered prayer,
No loving Lord to guide and care.
But friend, there was a Christmas morn
When Christ, the Son of God, was born.
Oh, Hallelujah, praise his name,
Hope lives today because he came!
The third message announced by the angels is a call for you and I to receive . . . receive the gift of Christ, receive the hope only He can offer you and I.
A first grade boy was selected by his teacher to play a small role in the annual school play. At one point in the first act, he was to walk to center stage, face the audience and say, “It is I: do not be afraid!” On the night of the performance, the little boy was very nervous. At the appointed time, he walked to center stage, looked at the packed house and said, “It’s me and I’m scared!”
Some of you may feel like this little boy.
You’re here and you’re scared!
And for good reason, for there is plenty to fear this Christmas.
But something has happened that has changed everything. God’s angelic messengers have come with a special announcement. An announcement which has changed the world forever. The Savior of the world has finally arrived so we can:
Release our Fears - Do not be afraid
Rejoice in the Good News - and experience great joy
Receive our Savior - He came for you.
Now that’s what I call, Great news!
