Luke 2:8-20 [vs. 8-14].
Luke 2:8-9. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
The way many approach Christmas has not changed in years.
ILLUSTRATION: A family during the great depression was unable to afford anything but the bare necessities. One day the news came that a circus was coming to town. Tickets cost one dollar. The little boy came running home excited and eager to get the money from his dad. The father regretfully told his boy that he could not provide him with that much money, but if he went out and worked on odd jobs, he might make enough to purchase a ticket on his own. The dad promised to match what the boy could earn.
The boy worked feverishly and, just a few days before the circus came to town, he found that he had just enough, including his dad’s contribution. He took the money and ran off to town to buy his circus ticket.
The day the circus came to town, he grabbed his ticket and rushed to the main street, where he stood on the curb as the circus parade went by. He was thrilled to watch the clowns, elephants, and all of the performers. A clown came dancing over to him and the boy put his ticket in the clown’s hand. He eagerly watched as the rest of the parade went by.
After the parade, the boy rushed home and told his father that he had been to the circus and how much fun it was. The father, surprised that the boy was home already, asked him to describe the circus. The boy told of the parade that went down the main street and of giving his ticket to the clown. The father sadly took his son in his arms and said, “Son, you didn’t see the circus; all you saw was the parade.”
That boy reminds me of many people at Christmas time. They get caught up with the carols, trees, lights, and gifts. They think that they are experiencing what Christmas is all about. But really, all they’re doing is seeing the parade and missing the main event, the true joy of Christmas.
• We too can read this passage, go through the motions and forget the wonder of Christmas.
• More importantly we go through life thinking everything is good with our souls – we walk like ducks, smell like ducks, quack like ducks but are not ducks...get the picture?
Good time to remember that the first Christmas night: “The glory of the Lord shone around them”
This Christmas let us make it about God’s glory.
Objective: Being confronted by the glory of God to have this uncontainable gratitude that won’t keep quiet, as our spiritual response.
Let’s go through the passage and comb through to learn... We will make pit stops and pickup 7 words to help us take it in.
I. LUKE 2:8. SHEPHERDS
“IN THE SAME REGION THERE WERE SHEPHERDS…”
The greatest event yet on the face of planet earth has just happened in Bethlehem; and we read that in that “same region” there were shepherds.
A. Same region:
i. In the same region: The divine dignitary shares the same space.
I understand the narrative requires this telling but I had to pause to take it in. that’s the first pit stop. Let me explain what caught my attention…”same region”
Illus: Unlike when our hotel in Dubai hosted an exhibition Golf tournament in anticipation to the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. Tiger Woods was staying at our hotel and in anticipation they emptied the whole floor. The suite next to his was converted into a personal gym for his use. And more importantly, no one was allowed into that floor.
Illus: Or, consider the time when we had a presidential delegation visit us at the hotel I used to work in Mumbai when the not just the floor where they stayed but floors above and below too were vacated and the entrances to those floors boarded up except the one guarded by the black cats.
This ‘divine dignitary’ invited the shepherds to share his space --"in the same region".
ii. In the same region: This was David’s city.
The fields were probably the same area where he kept watch – fought the lion & killed the bear.
Now in this same city is now born another Shepherd like no other. A shepherd who is also a lamb – the Lamb of God. [Jn 1:29; Jn 10:11].
B. The Shepherds:
i. The Status
Shepherds were the lowest on the social ladder.
They lived in the fields and cared for the sheep 24/7 and so couldn’t keep the Mosaic law, the Sabbath and the other ceremonies.
Not very different years ago. “Shepherds were an abomination to the Egyptian”. Gen 46:34.
They were social outcasts.
ii. The privilege accorded to the shepherds
Why is this important?
Many years later when Jesus begins His ministry we read how crowds were amazed at Jesus’ teaching.
…"How has this man become learned, having never been educated?" [Jn 7:16].
This statement was not about being literate but about being a Scholarly Rabbi which took years of disciplined learning.
They had come to believe only such will receive and explain the revelation of God.
This first Christmas the privilege accorded to the Patriarchs, the Pharisees the Priests and the Rabbis was now granted to shepherds.
The first proclamation of the glad tidings was to those who were poor and social outcasts.
C. Fulfillment of the Isaiah 61 Prophecy
This beginning of the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isa 61 starts with the lowly shepherds.
This is what the Lord reads in Nazareth when the scroll was given to Him.
"The Lord has anointed Me to preach the good news to the poor," [Isa 61 / Luke 4 / Luke 2].
“IN THE SAME REGION THERE WERE SHEPHERDS…”
Thankful to God that even today just as the shepherds, you and I are invited to watch the Divine unfolding, centre stage.
Then this story that happened 2000 years ago is something you and I can be a part of.
II. SILENT NIGHT
LUKE 2:8. “…KEEPING WATCH OVER THEIR FLOCK BY NIGHT.”
This is our second pit stop.
It was a ‘silent night’ as the carol goes.
That night seemed no different from any other night – except of course that God pulls apart heaven’s veil for those glorious moments.
However, on earth it was a different story.
There were political and social rumblings that’s worth noticing.
A. Augustus Caesar’s taxation:
Chapter 2 opens with the news of taxation.
Bethlehem was probably swarming with ‘Censees’ and ‘Censors’—those who came to give their census and those who were conducting the census.
However, that census experience was not a pleasant one.
Years later as Luke’s readers would read or hear about the birth of Jesus they would be confronted with the context or the time when Jesus was born; and it would have brought up memories that were not pleasant.
Let me explain:
i. Taxation changed from ‘kind’ to ‘coins’:
Paying taxes in kind was acceptable in some sense by the Jews but the coins contained the image of Caesar and that led to a revolt by Judas and his bands.
Gamaliel refers to Judas when confronted with the issue of Peter and the other Apostles.
Acts 5:37. After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
Judas and his group had believed that God will give them victory for opposing the coin taxation since they were standing up against idolatry. However, the uprising was squelched by the Romans. The Jewish rulers were increasingly cautious not to upset the Romans and thus lose their temple and their land.
But the issue of coin taxation continued to be a contentious even 30 years later.
That was the ‘trap’ question that Jesus was asked, “Is it lawful to pay tax to Caesar?”
We know the Lord’s classic answer – whose image does it bear? And whose do you bear?
In bringing the connection to the census Luke wonderfully connects the life story of his first century readers with his Gospel narrative.
ii. Poll Tax:
Poll tax is a tax not on the income of the person but on the number of heads in the family.
Joseph was not a ‘clever’ businessman but an obedient servant.
Joseph did not wait till after the census for him to avoid having to pay for two additional heads.
Also, it was the first century “Jizya” if you would.
In June 2014 we heard the story of the Christian in Syria.
I bring this up because we read in Luke 2:2 about Syria and the ‘Jizya’ that was levied that year.
“This was the first registration [or census] when Quirinius was governor of Syria.”
They were given three options:
a. Leave Syria;
b. Convert to Islam; or
c. Pay the Jizya.
The family opted to stay but when they couldn’t pay….[read story in the link]
2000 years later as we read about the timing, and that Quirinius was governor of Syria, the lives of all those so affected are wonderfully connected to the Gospel narrative.
Truth be said: Whether AD First Century or 21st Century the incident that occurred that silent night is something that will change our lives forever.
Get this: It is in the ‘light’ of those darkest moments that the rest of the Christmas story unfolds.
We can be thankful to God that the silence of that night [indicative of the silence for the past 400 years] was ripped by the long awaited announcement of the Messiah.
III. SH'KHINAH OF THE ADONAI [GLORY OF THE LORD]
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. [Luke 2:9-10].
This is our third pit stop.
A. NOT THE GLORY OF THE ANGEL
In the two appearances of Gabriel, Gabriel prefaced his announcements with “fear not”.
While we do not know the identity of this angel, we still hear the phrase “fear not”.
However, we are know not confronted by a “mere” angel but by the glory of the Lord. And that is certainly a more fearful experience than any other.
We read in the Hebrews, about their Mt. Sinai experience that the children of Israel had:
Heb 12:19. and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them.
Here now for the first time, the revelation of God’s glory was with ‘glad tidings of great joy’.
• A ‘terrible thing’ that froze their fathers and killed their priests, is now a matter of great joy.
B. UNDERSTANDING GLORY
We have a terrible time wrapping our head around the theme of “glory of God”.
i. What is Glory?
Manifestation of His holiness
Isa 6:3. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, the whole earth is full of His… [not holiness] but glory.
• Glory of God from this passage is the inherent quality of God.
• Glory is the manifest beauty of God’s holiness.
No wonder it has been a terrible thing.
How could sinful men ever meet a glorious God?
God’s answer is Jesus Christ.
ii. Glory of God in Jesus Christ
Though we cannot know what the shepherds experienced that night,…
We too are given the privilege to experience the glory of God in Jesus Christ.
We read:
Hebrews 1:3.
• He is the radiance of the glory of God and
• the exact imprint of his nature,…
Jn 1:14. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory,
[whose glory?]
• glory as of the only Son from the Father,
• full of grace and truth.
READ A PASSAGE BY JOHN MAC ARTHUR:
Excerpt from: Thou Long Expected Jesus: Experiencing the Peace and Promise of Christmas.
[quote] “…God only whispers in His creation. He revealed a shadow of His glory in the Shekinah. But He speaks with absolute clarity in his Word. “God…spoke” [Heb 1:1] – and not in a whisper but in full voice.
Still, there was an incompleteness in it all until,
“[God] has in these last days spoken to us by His Son. [Heb 1:2].
Now that is God shouting. You can’t mistake it. Christ is God, and you see every attribute of God manifest in Him: His judgment, His justice, His love, His wisdom, His power, His omniscience.
It’s all there in person as we see Him walk through the world, working His work, living His life.
The fullness of God may be seen as it was never seen before in Jesus Christ.
Who is Jesus Christ? He is the glory of God. He is the “express image” of God’s glory. He is the embodiment of the brightness of God’s glory. [Jn 1:14].
Jesus is the shining forth of God.
- Just as the radiance of the Sun reaches the earth to light us, to warm us, to give us life and growth, so in Christ do we sense the warmth and radiance of the glorious light of God touching the hearts of men.
- The sun is never without its brightness. The brightness of the sun cannot be separated from the sun and yet it is distinct. And so, Christ is God and yet distinct.
- He is God and yet He is the manifestation of God.
- He is the glory of the Lord who shouts the reality of God, which was only whispered in time past.
God’s answer to the dilemma of sin is Jesus Christ – the glory of God made manifest in human flesh. [end quote]
We are thankful that the Son of God became the Son of man that first Christmas.
C. No common ground
In the old covenant, when the glory of the Lord came down, all business stopped.
• Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle [Ex 40:34-35].
• When Solomon built his temple for the Lord as a place to offer sacrifice and the glory cloud came down, the priests were so overwhelmed with its presence that they could not do their priestly duties. [1 Kings 8:10-11].
In the old covenant the glory cloud and the presence of the Lord did not abide in the same space that was occupied by men.
Moses: The glory of the Lord left Moses wanting more. Even though Moses had witnessed such miracles and the coming of the cloud on Mt. Sinai and on the Tabernacle his longing was to see the glory of the Lord.
He had to be satisfied with seeing the goodness of the Lord after the Lord passed by.
D. A promise that “all flesh will see the glory of the Lord”
Isa 40:3-6. The first part was fulfilled by John the Baptist [Luke 3:4-7]; and the later part by Jesus Christ though its complete fulfillment is still in the future.
A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
E. This coming of the ‘glory of the Lord’ is the good news of great joy
The angel announces the Gospel – “the euaggelizō”.
The original expression is: “I evangelize unto you great joy”.
• Jesus is the “Good news”
• Jesus is the matter of great joy.
• Jesus makes possible for the revelation of the glory of God to all flesh.
In Jesus, heaven’s gate have been opened wide – the news is to “all people”.
• You are now no more the outcasts of the society.
• You and I can now become the citizens of heaven.
IV. THE SAVIOUR
Luke 2:11. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
A. The gift: Jesus is our Christmas Gift
• “Unto you”: God’s gift to us on Christmas day is Christ Himself.
• Born…City of David: Christ is born in the city of David, so that Psalm 87 will be true for us with regards to the city of God:
Speaking about the city of God, we read in Ps 87.4.
"This man was born there."
This possibility for man and woman to be born in the City of God opens up because of the incarnation, death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• Christ the Lord: Your savior is Christ the Lord.
He is Immanuel, God incarnate.
B. The Result: Our transformation, as we “Behold the glory of the Lord in Jesus Christ”
2 Cor 3:18. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image [the image of Christ] from one degree of glory to another.
John Owen: One of the greatest privileges and advancements of believers, both in this world, and unto eternity, consists in their beholding the glory of Christ.
If the glory of the Lord does not grip our attention today and in this world, we are eternally lost.
C. The Warning: Consequence of rejecting the glory
Woe to the one who rejects the glory of God made manifest to us.
We read in Romans chapter 1.
Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. (Romans 1:22,23, NASB).
Earlier, we read about the children of Israel:
Ps 106:20. They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass.
The nation of Israel, having seen and experienced the glory of God thought Him no more than a calf.
The natural expression of glory of God is praise that must bubble over; a thanksgiving that cannot be contained.
• Anything less is dangerous.
• Anything less indicates that we are still dead in our sins.
Illustration: See the Taj or the Grand Canyon.
V. A SIGN
Luke 2:12. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.
This is our fifth pit stop.
Sign is “Semeion” in Greek means the “finger-marks” of God.
A. The paradox
Not sure if you caught the paradox of this passage yet?
Shepherds had just seen the great display of Divine glory.
What could be the next possible steps?
• That they would have expected now to be invited to the palace?
• That they would witness the transformation of Bethlehem – the city of David because the Messiah is now here?
We all probably expect to see something that would top this experience or at least something that matched it.
Instead, they are invited to go and find “a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger”.
Notice 3 things that’s in stark contrast to what they just observed:
a. It’s a baby.
• How can a baby be a savior? The Christ?
b. In swaddling cloths
• A baby just like any other. For they were all wrapped just the same. You wouldn’t be able to identify the Messiah if laid in a nursery together.
• If they hadn’t witnessed the grand spectacle they would never have identified this baby as the Savior of the world.
c. Lying in a manager
• Something is terribly wrong with this picture - a picture framed by human mindset.
Notice: Glory of God on one hand; and the humility of the baby in a feeding trough on the other.
No wonder we sing:
Wisdom unsearchable, God the invisible. Love indestructible in frailty appears.
Lord of infinity stooping so tenderly. Lifts our humanity to the heights of His throne.
O what a mystery meekness and majesty. Bow down and worship for this is your God.
This is your God.
B. The sign screams He is now one of you.
The sign screams out that He who is the Christ has become one of you.
Not just a human but one whom even the poor can associate with.
The good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is this that none of us are excluded in the glad proclamation. We all can be a part.
VI. THE SONG/SHOUT
Luke 2:13-14. And 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 among those with whom He is pleased!
This is our sixth pit stop.
A. And Suddenly with the angel…
R C Sproul: All heaven broke loose… [and I think that hell must have frozen over]
This angelic choir would make Handel’s Messiah concert look like a class of kindergarten singing.
B. “Glory to God in the Highest; and peace on earth”
A praise that rose heavenward; and a peace that came downward.
“Heaven came down and glory filled my soul.”
Peter talking to Cornelius and his household says:
Acts 10:36. This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
Angels in heaven praise the Lord.
But now even the shepherds – so you and I can say:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!”
VII. THE SPONTANEITY
Luke 2:17, 20.
v. 17. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.
v. 20. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
The seventh and final pit stop.
A. The speech of the shepherds
[v.18] What do you make of the phrase “all who heard”?
• Was it Joseph and Mary?
• Was it the milling of those who like Joseph had come to Bethlehem for the census? Who saw the baby but had not idea what they were beholding till the shepherds told them.
• Was it crowding of the heavenly hosts in that cramped cavern or the open courtyard, trying to catch a glimpse of Deity.
The shepherds were excited to tell the story:
• The shepherds didn’t seem to care that they would not be believed for such an improbably story.
• They didn’t seem to care that no one would listen to them.
They just couldn’t stop talking.
• They had just seen the ‘fingermarks’ of God – a baby laid in the manger.
That’s the timeline of the Gospel story isn’t it?
• The Gospel story reminds me that the one who was laid in the manger by Mary [Luke 2:12] is the one who was laid in the grave [Mark 16:6].
• Hallelujah! However, the story neither begins in the manger nor ends in the grave.
My response is therefore to rejoice. I can’t keep quiet.
VIII. WHAT’S YOUR STORY?
Why this unnatural silence? Why isn’t our spirit extolling in the glory of the Lord?
If the shepherds were UNABLE BUT to talk about the what they saw, why is it that we are silent?
A. Telling all who will hear
We often wonder how can I tell my neighbor about Jesus?
Our excuse!
• I don’t know where to begin?
• I don’t know what to say?
If those are your questions, then learn from the shepherds.
• They said what they saw.
• They repeated what they heard.
And so can you.
Let me end with two closings.
A. Remember the Shepherd was also the Lamb
Because of Jesus, I can face anything.
That is something I will share.
1954 film, White Christmas:
“When I'm worried and I can't sleep.
I count my blessings instead of sheep.
And I fall asleep Counting my blessings.
When my bankroll is getting small.
I think of when I had none at all.
And I fall asleep Counting my blessings.
If your worried and you can't sleep.
Just count your blessings instead of sheep.
And you'll fall asleep Counting your blessings.
B. Remember that gratitude cannot be silenced.
Because of Jesus, I am grateful.
That is why I will share.
Texas evangelist James Robison has a deep heart of compassion for disadvantaged and abused women.
His organization has done countless deeds of mercy to help those who have been victimized by the traumas of unwanted pregnancies. Though Robison’s organization offers many services, from counselling to crisis-pregnancy support, his concern is not merely the outcome of what he has observed in others.
[Read]: He believes that God has a destiny for others that is often unseen by human eyes.
While others debate the technical aspects of a controversial subject, Robison feels it on a personal level.
He will be the first to tell you how thankful he is that one woman decided to keep a child that was conceived from pregnancy that resulted from a violent rape. Robison knows that he wouldn’t be here today if his mother had chosen otherwise.
Let your gratitude and praises last forever!
FURTHER LEARNING:
Other reasons for taking joy in Jesus Christ.
1. Why did Jesus have to be born as a baby in Bethlehem?
Why was He not presented to us as an adult just as Adam was?
[ Though that was probably the Jewish expectation]
Jn 7:27. But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.”
2. What is the uniqueness of the incarnation of Jesus?
[How is it different from the other ‘Avatars’ or religious narrations of gods becoming man].
EXTRAS
For this I am thankful:
• The scholar is not able to understand the wisdom of God. It is given to the foolish.
• The rulers were unaware of the birth of the greatest ruler. It was shared with the poor men.
• The Jewish priests were skipped over. It is given to the religious rejects, the ceremonially unclean.
• The natives of the David’s town – The townsfolk of Bethlehem were sleeping that most wonderful night. It is presented to those outside the town.
