GOOD NEWS FOR ALL PEOPLE
Luke 2:8-16
(Antioch Baptist Church: Sunday. December 21st, 2025)
Many years ago my pastor and I were out doing some door-to-door evangelism. We encountered a man named Charlie and shared with him the wonderful truth that Jesus died for his sins. I will never forget his response, he said “nah, Jesus came to die for good people like y’all, not hellraisers like me!” Charlie, (like so many others) couldn’t grasp the reality that no one is worthy of salvation. Paul shared in Romans 3:10-12:“None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one”. He would go on to declare that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
- The Bible is saturated with verses that declare the astonishing reality that Jesus Christ came to earth to save sinners.
Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
Matthew 20:28 …the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Romans 4:25 (Jesus) was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
Romans 5:6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
Romans 5:8 But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
1 Corinthians 15:3 …Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
There are many people who are of the opinion that they have “gone too far” or “sinned to much” to be accepted by Jesus, forgiven of their sins, and welcomed in to the family of God. However, it was Jesus Himself who said, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). He declared that His purpose for coming to earth was to “seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
As we celebrate the birth of our Savior we are reminded of the wonderful promise that the Angel of the Lord gave to some lowly shepherd’s. The Angel said, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). I would like for us to examine this encounter and consider the thought “Good News For ALL People”.
The announcement of the Messiah’s birth was not given to the religious elite or the ruling class in Jerusalem, instead, God sent a supernatural messenger with a special message to some humble shepherds.
Shepherds spent most of their time in the fields away from society, they were largely unnoticed by those in power, and had no societal influence to speak of. There is no way that those men could have ever expected to be part of one of the most amazing and important events in the history of the world.
On this night they were in the field, minding their business and tending their flocks. Suddenly a bright, glorious light shone all around them and then an Angel of the Lord appeared before them. Understandably they were terrified; however, the angel said, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (v10). The “good news” that the Angel spoke of was that the long-awaited, and promised Messiah had been born in the City of David.
The shepherds were told that if they would travel to the Bethlehem, they would find a Baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, “lying in a manger.” Following this proclamation, “suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (v13-14).
This supernatural manifestation, glorious celebration, and exciting information certainly intrigued the Shepherds. When the angels “went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” (v15). They did not delay, they hurried to the village and “found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.” (v16).
The shepherds found exactly what the Angels had promised; when they found Mary, Joseph they told them what the angels had said about the child. In response, “Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart” (v19).
Luke says that “when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered (were astonished) at what the shepherds told them.” (v17-18). After seeing Jesus, the shepherds lives were changed and they could not help but "spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child".
Everyone who heard the shepherds' testimony "were amazed at what the shepherds said to them". The shepherds acted as the first witnesses, sharing the angelic message with anyone who would listen, fulfilling the angels' proclamation that this news was for "all the people". God used these men to share the “good news” that prophecy had been fulfilled and the Messiah had been born.
After these things, “the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.” (v20). The shepherds returned to their fields and flocks, and as they went they glorified and praised God for all they had been privileged to see and hear. There is no question that those men were never the same after the amazing things they witnessed in Bethlehem.
The “good news” that the shepherds received is indeed news that is designed for “all people”. As we ponder their story we see how we should respond to the Good News of Jesus Christ. First of all this passage shows us that:
THE GOOD NEWS HAS BEEN DELIVERED
God Himself was the first to deliver a prophecy concerning the Messiah. Just after Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, the LORD declared that One would come who would “crush the serpent’s head” (Genesis 3:15). This promised was later expanded and detailed through prophets like Moses, Isaiah, Daniel, and others. Both the Law and the Prophets pointed to the eventual arrival of Jesus Christ and His work of redemption.
Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a perfect life, worked many miracles, and changed countless lives. Jesus came to save us from our sins and to reconcile us to God. He came to offer His life as a sacrifice on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. He came to show us how to live a life perfectly aligned with God's will. Jesus came to make God known and glorify the Father. Jesus came to offer us a relationship with God and the promise of eternal life.
In time Jesus was betrayed by one of His own, abandoned by His closest friends, arrested, falsely tried and condemned to die. At the hands of His enemies Jesus was stripped, mocked, scourged and ultimately crucified. He suffered, died, and was buried in a borrowed tomb. However, on the third day he rose again; and eventually ascended into heaven where He is currently seated at the right hand of the Father. One day He will return to judge the living and the dead.
Just as He did for those shepherds, God is still actively working to share the amazing news of salvation with people today. He has obedient servants all over the world are involved in evangelistic efforts, He speaks to people through His Word (the Bible), and ultimately the Holy Spirit is working to bring people to salvation, empowering them to understand and accept the Gospel.
The Good News has been and continues to be delivered, but it is not enough for people to simply hear the message of the Gospel, the story of the shepherds also shows us that:
THE GOOD NEWS MUST BE BELIEVED
From the outset of His ministry, Jesus said: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15).
John 3:15-18 says “whoever believes in (Jesus) may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only (begotten) Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
Paul said in Romans 10:9, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
When Jesus came to earth He was rejected by His own people. The Jews did not believe that He was the Promised Messiah. John says that “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:11-12).
Scripture makes it clear that belief is essential for salvation, however, “believing” in Jesus involves more than acknowledging Him; it means trusting Him for eternal life.
It is not enough for you to simply believe that Jesus Christ existed or even that He currently exists. James tells us that “even the demons believe and tremble” (James 2:19). You must believe that Jesus is who the Bible says He is, and you must trust Him as your Lord and Savior.
(( Do you believe that Jesus is God in human form (John 1:1, 14)? Do you believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins (1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21), for which you deserve eternal separation from God (Romans 6:23)? Do you believe that the sacrifice of Jesus, God incarnate, is the only adequate payment for your sins (1 John 2:2; John 14:6; Acts 4:12)?
Believing the facts about Jesus is only part of the equation. Biblical faith/belief is far more than believing certain things to be true. Biblical saving faith is also trusting/relying on those facts.
Are you trusting that Jesus is your Savior? Are you relying on His death as the full payment for your sin debt? Are you depending on His resurrection as the guarantee that you, too, will be raised to eternal life after death?
If you understand and believe what the Bible says about Jesus, and if you are trusting in those truths as the basis for salvation—you are saved! You “believe in Jesus” in the biblical sense. - https://www.gotquestions.org/believe-in-Jesus.html))
The good news was delivered to the shepherds, they believed the message, responded accordingly and made their way to the stable. There they saw Joseph, Mary, and the Baby lying in the manger. They had a personal encounter with the Messiah and it changed their lives forever. As a result, they excitedly shared this good news with others. This shows us that:
THE GOOD NEWS SHOULD BE SHARED
R.C Sproul said, “Their (the shepherds) testimony although worthless in the law of the courts of the day, was valued by God. He entrusted to them the first human proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They heard the gospel; they came to Christ; they saw, believed, and proclaimed. ‘And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them’” (Luke 2:18).
God gave those lowly shepherds the opportunity to be involved in His redemptive plan. They echoed the angels’ declaration that this good news was for "all the people" (Luke 2:10). The brief mention of their story highlights the process of Gospel transformation that is experienced by all Christians. We hear the good news, believe the good news, and instinctively share the good news.
The Apostle Paul considered himself to be the foremost sinner that Christ came to save, he said: “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life” (I Timothy 1:15-16).
You may think that there is no hope for your salvation. The Devil would have you to believe that you have gone too far or sinned too much and there is no way that God could or would ever forgive you of your sins. This is contrary to what God declares throughout His Word. 1 Timothy 2:4 says that God "desires all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth". Furthermore, the Gospel is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).
I pray that you grasp the reality that this “good news” is indeed for all people and that means that you qualify. The good news has been delivered and if you will believe it the Bible assures that you will be saved. For those who have heard and received this good news, it is imperative that we respond in the same way as the shepherds; we must share the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. We can and should praise God that this “Good News Is For All People”.
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