HEARING GOD’s GOOD NEWS-I—Luke 2:8-20
—OR—
DISCOVERING The GOOD NEWS!
Attention:
FBCC wants you to have a ‘Touchy-Feely Christmas’!--So that God will ‘touch’ you! That you will ‘feel’ God’s presence!...
...And to Know that there is actual Substance to Christmas even when surrounded by the Worldly traditional trappings.
*All those things that comprise the Christmas season are fun & exciting!—& nothing is wrong with that! But all those fun & exciting things should be a response of mankind to God’s ministry of love to us thru Christ Jesus.
Jesus’ birth is celebrated the world over by Christians because of:
A.)How He came—born of the Spirit, born of a virgin.
B.)Why He came—Our sins condemn us.
—&—
C.)What He would accomplish—
i)Deliver us from the penalty of our sins.
ii)Secure our place in heaven.
iii)Give us a new purpose...His purpose.
iv)Empower us to live for Him(moment-by-moment) by His Spirit.
Shepherds were given an official announcement of Jesus’ birth.
Jesus’ birth has been publicly announced.
BUT...
Who will hear God’s Good News?
4 means of Hearing God’s Good News.
1—Those who Hear/Discover God’s Good News...
Are HUMBLED In GOD’s PRESENCE(:8-9)
Explanation:(:8-9)Trustworthy/Appropriate/Suitable/Humble
:8—“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.”
In the “same country”/region/area where Christ was born.
Somewhere near Bethehem(the city of David) where Mary had just given birth(Lk. 2:4-7).
Bethlehem is roughly 5.5 miles south of Jerusalem. Any of the area from west to south to east of Bethlehem would be useful for grazing sheep.
These “shepherds” were near the environs of Bethehem(the city of David). These shepherds were not necessarily all sleeping. Some were on guard being watchful for enemies of the sheep.
Also a shepherd or one assigned from the shepherds, would typically become ‘the door’ for the corralled sheep of the sheepfold—a gathering of the sheep of many shepherds(Cf.-Jn. 10:1-3, 7-15). Such a ‘door’ or ‘doorkeeper’ would pass the night as the door, sleeping at the only entrance to the corralled sheep.
Jn. 10:1-3, 7-15—“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief & a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, & the sheep hear his voice; & he calls his own sheep by name & leads them out.”.....“Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. “All who ever came before Me are thieves & robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, & will go in & out & find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, & to kill, & to destroy. I have come that they may have life, & that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming & leaves the sheep & flees; & the wolf catches the sheep & scatters them. “The hireling flees because he is a hireling & does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; & I know My sheep, & am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; & I lay down My life for the sheep.”
The arrival of history’s most important person occurred simultaneously—1)In a most miraculous & 2)In a most humble & un-miraculous way(Lk. 1:31, 34-35; Mat. 1:18; Lk. 2:1-7).
Mary 1)conceived by the Holy Spirit’s power, 2)but she also gave birth as every woman has & does.
Lk. 1:31, 34-35—“And behold, you will conceive in your womb & bring forth a Son, & shall call His name JESUS.”.....“Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered & said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, & the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”
Mat. 1:18—“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.”
Lk. 2:1-7—“And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house & lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, & wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, & laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
“Same””—autov—Pronoun—1) Himself, herself, themselves, itself; 2) He, she, it; 3) The same. Strong—from the particle au[perhaps akin to the base of ahr[air] through the idea of a baffling wind]--Backward; the reflexive pronoun--Self, used(alone or in the comparative eautou) of the third person , & (with the proper personal pronoun)of the other persons.
“Country”—cwra—1) The space lying between two places or limits; 2) A region or country i.e. a tract of land—2a) The (rural)region surrounding a city or village, the country, 2b) The region with towns & villages which surround a metropolis; 3) Land which is plowed or cultivated, ground. “Region, country”, extensive; space, yet unbounded. Strong—through the idea of empty expanse; Room, i.e. A space of territory(more or less extensive; often including its inhabitants).
“Shepherds”(See :15, 18, 20)—poimhn—Noun Masc.—1) A herdsman, especially a shepherd—1a) in the parable--He to whose care & control others have committed themselves, & whose precepts they follow; 2) metaph.—2a) The presiding officer, manager, director, of any assembly: so of Christ the Head of the church—2a1) Of the overseers of the Christian assemblies, 2a2) Of kings & princes. Strong—of uncertain affinity; A shepherd(literally or figuratively). Used 18X.?*The tasks of a Near Eastern shepherd were:?—to watch for enemies trying to attack the sheep?—to defend the sheep from attackers?—to heal the wounded & sick sheep?—to find & save lost or trapped sheep?—to love them, sharing their lives & so earning their trust.?*During World War II, a shepherd was a pilot who guided another pilot whose plane was partially disabled back to the base or carrier by flying alongside him to maintain visual contact.
“Living out in the fields/Abiding in the field/Staying out in the fields”—agraulew—Present Active Participle—1) To live in the fields, be under the open sky, even at night. Strong—To camp out. Used 1X.?From—agrov—A field(as a drive for cattle); The country; specially--A farm, i.e. Hamlet—&—aulew—To play the flute.—= ‘Field/Farm/Country fluters’ which appearances, city-folk may equate to ‘laziness.’
“Keeping watch”—fulassw—1) To guard; 2) To observe for one's self something to escape. Indicates safe custody & often implies assault from without. Strong—To watch, i.e. Be on guard (literally or figuratively); by implication--To preserve, obey, avoid.
“Flock”—poimnh—Noun Fem.—1) A flock(esp.) of sheep.—1a) Of Christ's flock i.e. The body of those who follow Jesus as their guide & keeper. Strong—A flock(literally or figuratively). Used 5X.?A contraction from—poimainw—To tend as a shepherd of(figuratively--Supervisor).
“Night”—nux—Noun Fem.—1) Night; 2) metaph.--The time when work ceases—2a) The time of death, 2b) The time for deeds of sin & shame, 2c) The time of moral stupidity & darkness, 2d) The time when the weary & also the drunken give themselves up to slumber. Strong—a primary word; “night”(literally or figuratively).
:9—“And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, & the glory of the Lord shone around them, & they were greatly afraid.”
“An angel of the Lord” suddenly appeared before the shepherds. The shepherds must have been in one area. At night, the sheep would have been penned & the shepherds themselves either being the door or guarding the sheep from intrusion.
“The glory of the Lord shone around” the shepherds. “The glory of the Lord” was manifested as a light surrounding the shepherds. It was doubtlessly recognized by them as belonging to the manifestation of the Lord God’s presence(See :15).
The shepherds were extremely frightened by this sudden display of God’s glory in its brightness.
*Try to imagine the sheer brightness of God’s glory manifested before such lowly uneducated people as herdsmen going about their usual routines at night.
In the presence of God’s glory one’s helplessness before such inconceivable majesty is realized. And this is merely a single “angel”—NOT other angels(yet cf.-:13) & NOT God Himself, & they were still frightened! The “angel” is God’s specific messenger & thereby manifests God’s glory!
“Stood before”—efisthmi—1) To place at, place upon, place over. Strong—To stand upon, i.e. Be present(in various applications, friendly or otherwise, usually literal).
“Glory”(See :14, 20)—doxa—N. f.—1) Opinion, judgment, view; 2) Opinion, estimate, whether good or bad concerning someone—2a) in the NT always A good opinion concerning one, resulting in praise, honor, & glory; 3) Splendor, brightness; 4) A most glorious condition, most exalted state. Strong—Glory(as very apparent), in a wide application(literal or figurative, objective or subjective).
“Shone around/Shone round about”—perilampw—1) To shine around. Strong—To illuminate all around, i.e. Invest with a halo. Used 2X.?From—peri—1) About, concerning, on account of, because of, around, near. Strong—properly, Through(all over), i.e. Around, With respect to.—&—lampw—1) To shine. Strong—a primary verb; To beam, i.e. Radiate brilliancy(literally or figuratively).
“Greatly/Sore/Terribly”(See :10)—megav—1) Great; 2) Predicated of rank, as belonging to—2a) Persons, eminent for ability, virtue, authority, power, 2b) Things esteemed highly for their importance: of great moment, of great weight, importance, 2c) A thing to be highly esteemed for its excellence: excellent; 3) Splendid, prepared on a grand scale, stately; 4) Great things. Strong—Big(literally or figuratively, in a very wide application).
“Afraid/Frightened/Terrified”—efobhyhsan fobon megan—RWP/ITR—Lit.=“They feared a great fear.” ?—fobew(‘They feared’)—Aorist Passive Deponent Indicative—1) To put to flight by terrifying(to scare away)—1a) To put to flight, to flee, 1b) To fear, be afraid—1b1) To be struck with fear, to be seized with alarm—1b1a) Of those startled by strange sights or occurrences, 1b1b) Of those struck with amazement, 1b2) To fear, be afraid of one, 1b3) To fear(i.e. hesitate) to do something(for fear of harm), 1c) To reverence, venerate, to treat with deference or reverential obedience. Fobew denotes “to fear”, the general term; often used of a protracted state. Strong—To frighten, i.e. passively--To be alarmed; by analogy--To be in awe of, i.e. Revere.?—+—fobov(‘A fear’)—Noun Masc.—1) Fear, dread, terror—1a) That which strikes terror; 2) Reverence for one's husband. Strong—from a primary febomai(to be put in fear); Alarm or fright.
Argumentation:
**Php. 4:10-13—“But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, & I know how to abound. Everywhere & in all things I have learned both to be full & to be hungry, both to abound & to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
**1Cor. 1:26-29—“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, & God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; & the base things of the world & the things which are despised God has chosen, & the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”
*Heb. 11:13-16—“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them & confessed that they were strangers & pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”
Rom. 1:16-17—“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first & also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” ”
**Acts 20:17-24—“From Miletus he sent to Ephesus & called for the elders of the church. And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears & trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, & taught you publicly & from house to house, testifying to Jews, & also to Greeks, repentance toward God & faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains & tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, & the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
Contrite—“feeling or expressing remorse or penitence; affected by guilt”
**Ps. 34:18—“The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.”
**Ps. 51:15-17—“O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken & a contrite heart-- These, O God, You will not despise.”
*Isa. 66:1-2—“Thus says the LORD: “Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,” Says the LORD. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor & of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.”
**Col. 3:12-17—“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy & beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, & forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; & be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching & admonishing one another in psalms & hymns & spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
All are marks of a humble people/person.
Illustration:
Not Attentive—A habitual speeder who is ticketed & charged higher dues for their car insurance/May continue to speed, despite the obvious warnings/Humbled by those who hold obvious authority over you/Your personal speeding habit is unappreciated!/HUMBLED In GOD’s PRESENCE
Lifeway’s recent(2017) poll regarding ‘Evangelicalism.’
Their evidence suggests(*they have never asked me nor probably yourselves) that the more public education a person has, the less likely that person is to be ‘evangelical by belief’/Perhaps a secular education encourages or commands trust in self & sight rather than life by faith!/Satisfied with the things the world offers—Is this a shock?/HUMBLED In GOD’s PRESENCE
Application:
?Are YOU HUMBLED In GOD’s PRESENCE?
?Have YOU Heard God’s Good News?
2—Those who Hear/Discover God’s Good News...
Are PREPARED For It(:10-11)
Explanation:(:10-11)
:10—“Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people...”
The angel spoke reassuringly to the Jewish shepherds & told them that there was no need to be afraid.
The angel had not come with frightening news but had instead come bringing them good news.
“Do not be afraid”—There is no reason to fear that which is ‘good’ in God’s eyes & plan.
“Good Tidings”—Good news/Gospel—(explained in :11 below).
The angel’s good news was about a “great joy.”
“Great Joy”—Happiness—A “joy” driven by seeking God’s holiness & finding it!
The “great joy” was intended to be experienced by all the people.
“To All People”—None are excluded from the blessing—Rich-poor, Black to white & everything in between
God is not a respecter of persons—meaning that He holds no prejudice except by belief only! No language, looks, or location, determine God’s decisions.
Gen. 12:1-3—“Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Deut. 1:17—“‘You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, bring to me, & I will hear it.’”
Deut. 10:17—“For the LORD your God is God of gods & Lord of lords, the great God, mighty & awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe.”
Deut. 16:19—“You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise & twists the words of the righteous.”
Prov. 28:21—“To show partiality is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.”
Jn. 7:24—“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
Rom. 2:11—“For there is no partiality with God.”
Eph. 2:11-16—“Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh--who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands-- that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel & strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope & without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, & has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, & that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.”
“Not”—mh—Particle—1) No, not lest. Strong—a primary particle of qualified negation(whereas ou, ouk, ouc expresses an absolute denial); adverbially--Not, conjunctionally--Lest; also(as an interrogative implying a negative answer[whereas ou expects an affirmative one])--Whether.
“Afraid/Fear”(See :9)—fobew—Verb—1) To put to flight by terrifying(to scare away)—1a) To put to flight, to flee, 1b) To fear, be afraid—1b1) To be struck with fear, to be seized with alarm—1b1a) Of those startled by strange sights or occurrences, 1b1b) Of those struck with amazement, 1b2) To fear, be afraid of one, 1b3) To fear(i.e. hesitate) to do something(for fear of harm), 1c) To reverence, venerate, to treat with deference or reverential obedience. Fobew denotes “to fear”, the general term; often used of a protracted state. Strong—To frighten, i.e. passively--To be alarmed; by analogy--To be in awe of, i.e. Revere.
“Behold”—idou—Particle—1) Behold, see, lo. Strong—second person singular imperative middle voice of eidw; used as imperative--Lo!.
“Bring...good tidings”—euaggelizw—Verb—1) To bring good news, to announce glad tidings—1a) used in the OT--Of any kind of good news—1a1) Of the joyful tidings of God's kindness, in particular, of the Messianic blessings, 1b) in the NT--Used especially of the glad tidings of the coming kingdom of God, & of the salvation to be obtained in it through Christ, & of what relates to this salvation, 1c) Glad tidings are brought to one, one has glad tidings proclaimed to him, 1d) To proclaim glad tidings—1d1) Instruct(men) concerning the things that pertain to Christian salvation. Strong—To announce good news("evangelize") especially the gospel.?From—eu—neuter of a primary euv(good); adverbially--Well—&—aggelov—A messenger; especially an "angel"; by implication--A pastor.
“Great”(See :9)—megav—
“Joy”—cara—Noun Fem.—1) Joy, gladness—1a) The joy received from you, 1b) The cause or occasion of joy—1b1) Of persons who are one's joy. Strong—Cheerfulness, i.e. Calm delight.
“People”—laov—Noun Masc.—1) A people, people group, tribe, nation, all those who are of the same stock & language; 2) Of a great part of the population gathered together anywhere. In classical Greek—An unorganized people at large. ?Whereas in Biblical Greek—The people of a heathen city.? ?Laov is a word which is usually limited in use to the chosen people, Israel.? Strong—apparently a primary word; A people(in general; thus differing from dhmov[The public], which denotes one's own populace).
:11—“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord”—
This great joy(:10) would come as a result of something which had already taken place in the city of David(Bethlehem).
“Born to you”—Jesus’ birth is ‘for’ you shepherds!
“This Day”—This very day. Beginning now!
“A Savior”—Rescuer/Deliverer
“The people under Rome's rule came to call the emperor "Savior" & Christians took the word & used it of Christ.”—RWP
Mat. 1:21, 23—“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.””.....“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
“A Savior” “had been born” in Bethlehem. This Savior was for the shepherds & thus for their people, particularly as they themselves were not heads of any people. This announcement was not politically or governmentally directed, yet it would have definite ramifications upon governments.
“who is Christ”—Messiah(Dan. 9:25, 26) or God’s Anointed.
“the Lord.”—He who is Supreme in authority & has the right as controller. He to whom a person or thing belongs, but not suggestive of either property or of absolutism, nor overbearing, for Christ’s yoke is easy & His burden light(Mat. 11:29-30).
Isa. 9:6—“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Mat. 11:29, 30—“Take My yoke upon you & learn from Me, for I am gentle & lowly in heart, & you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy & My burden is light.”
“Christ the Lord”—“This combination occurs nowhere else in the N.T. & it is not clear what it really means...It may mean "Christ the Lord," "Anointed Lord," "Messiah, Lord," "The Messiah, the Lord," "An Anointed One, a Lord," or "Lord Messiah.””—RWP
The infant “Savior” who “has been born” was identified by two titles. The “Savior” was both “Christ(Messiah/God’s Anointed) & “Lord.” Thus Messiah(Anointed deliverer) was endued with ‘teeth’ in that He is also their Lord(absolute sovereign deity). It is implied that since He is the “Lord” of the shepherds, that He is also “Lord” of all.
This is no merely political Savior!
What a fantastic, & instantly ponderable message for those unfamiliar with the extent & depths of God’s plan!
“Born”(See :6—“Delivered”, :7— “Brought forth”)—tiktw—Verb—1) To bring forth, bear, produce(fruit from the seed)—1a) Of a woman giving birth, 1b) Of the earth bringing forth its fruits, 1c) metaph.--To bear, bring forth. Strong—a strengthened form of a primary tekw(which is used only as alternate in certain tenses); To produce(from seed, as a mother, a plant, the earth, etc.), literally or figuratively. Used 19X.
“You”—umin—Personal Pronoun Dative 2nd Person Plural—1) You. Strong—irregular dative case of umeiv[irregular plural of su; you(as subjective of verb)]; To(with or by) you.
“This Day/Today”—shmeron—Adverb—1) This (very)day; 2) What has happened today. Strong—On the(i.e. this) day(or night current or just passed); generally--Now(i.e. at present, hitherto).?From—(o, h, to)—1) This, that, these, etc. Strong—The definite article; The(sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom).—&—hmera—1) The day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise & sunset, as distinguished from & contrasted with the night—1a) In the daytime; 2) Of the civil day, or the space of twenty four hours(thus including the night). Strong—Tame, i.e. Gentle; Day, i.e. literally--The time space between dawn & dark, or the whole 24 hours(but several days were usually reckoned by the Jews as inclusive of the parts of both extremes); figuratively--A period(always defined more or less clearly by the context); 4) Used of time in general.
“Savior”—swthr—1) Savior, deliverer, preserver. The name was given by the ancients to deities, esp. tutelary deities, to princes, kings, & in general to men who had conferred signal benefits upon their country, & in more degenerate days by the way of flattery to personages of influence.?“The people under Rome's rule came to call the emperor "Savior" & Christians took the word & used it of Christ.”—RWP
“Who”—ov, h, o—Pronoun—1) Who, which, what, that. Strong—the relatively (sometimes demonstrative)pronoun--Who, which, what, that.
“Is”—esti—Verb—1) third person singular of “to be.” Strong—third person singular present indicative of eimi; He(she or it) is; also(with neuter plural)--They are.
“Christ”—Cristov—Adj.—Christ = “Anointed”—1) Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God; 2) Anointed. Strong—Anointed, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.?From—criw—probably akin to craomai[to furnish what is needed; (give an oracle, “graze”[touch slightly], light upon, etc.), i.e. (by implication--To employ, or by extension--To act towards one in a given manner] through the idea of contact; To smear or rub with oil, i.e. by implication--To consecrate to an office or religious service.
“Lord”—kuriov—Noun Masc.—1) He to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord. Kuriov has a wider meaning[than despothv], applicable to the various ranks & relations of life & not suggestive of either property or of absolutism. Strong—from kurov(supremacy); Supreme in authority, i.e. as noun--Controller; by implication--Mr.(as a respectful title).
Argumentation:
Rom. 1:16-17—“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first & also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” ”
Deut. 4:1-10, 23-35—[Moses to Israel]““Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes & the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, & go in & possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you. You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. Your eyes have seen what the LORD did at Baal Peor; for the LORD your God has destroyed from among you all the men who followed Baal of Peor. But you who held fast to the LORD your God are alive today, every one of you. Surely I have taught you statutes & judgments, just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom & your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, & say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise & understanding people.’ “For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? And what great nation is there that has such statutes & righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day? “Only take heed to yourself, & diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, & lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children & your grandchildren, especially concerning the day you stood before the LORD your God in Horeb, when the LORD said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me, & I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, & that they may teach their children.’”.....“Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, & make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. When you beget children & grandchildren & have grown old in the land, & act corruptly & make a carved image in the form of anything, & do evil in the sight of the LORD your God to provoke Him to anger, I call heaven & earth to witness against you this day, that you will soon utterly perish from the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess; you will not prolong your days in it, but will be utterly destroyed. And the LORD will scatter you among the peoples, & you will be left few in number among the nations where the LORD will drive you. And there you will serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood & stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. But from there you will seek the LORD your God, & you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart & with all your soul. When you are in distress, & all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God & obey His voice ‘(for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them. “For ask now concerning the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, & ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether any great thing like this has happened, or anything like it has been heard. “Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, & live? “Or did God ever try to go & take for Himself a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand & an outstretched arm, & by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD Himself is God; there is none other besides Him."
Mat 5:21, 27, 33, 38, 43—“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, & whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’”.....“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’”.....“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’”.....“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye & a tooth for a tooth.’”.....“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor & hate your enemy.’”
Rom. 5:1-2—“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, & rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Col. 3:12-17—“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy & beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, & forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; & be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching & admonishing one another in psalms & hymns & spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
Php. 4:7—“& the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts & minds through Christ Jesus.”
Isa. 52:7, 13-15; 53:1-12—“How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”..... “Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted & extolled & be very high. Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider.”.....“Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised & rejected by men, A Man of sorrows & acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, & we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, & afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed & He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison & from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked--But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, & be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.”
Gal. 3:23-26—“But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Illustration:
Before the days of Television, & with the advent of electricity, families would purchase a radio if they wanted to stay in touch with the rest of the world/They would broadcast News, Stories, Books, Bible which the entire family could enjoy together/They would broadcast presidential speeches & encouragements—A unifying process for Americans/PREPARED For a bigger world than just themselves
High School Graduation is the culmination of 12 years of graded preparation/College Graduation is the culmination of 4 years of career preparation/PREPARED For Work-Career-Family
An upcoming wedding calls for solid biblical & technical Counseling/PREPARED For Marriage
Not that we get excited preparing for the so-called ‘good news’ of Gifts, Presents, Parties, Vacations, Family, etc....But PRIMARILY Prepared for the Good News of Eternal Life in Christ Jesus!
Application:
?Are YOU PREPARED For God’s Good News?
?Have YOU Heard God’s Good News?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
What’s the world’s strategy in the Christmas season?
Holiday? Vacation? Family? Friends? Hunting? Gifts? Party?--ANYTHING BUT God’s truth in Jesus!
?Replaced Christmas w/Worldly Traditional Trappings?
Action:
Those who Hear/Discover God’s Good News are those who...
1. Are HUMBLED In GOD’s PRESENCE(:8-9)
2. Are PREPARED for it(:10-11)
Pts. 1-2 presented 12/24/2017am to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave. SE(SE Ave. A)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
