“With Us” - Part 3 - Goodwill
Steele Creek Church, Eastfield Campus - December 20, 2020
Dr. Tom Bartlett
OUTLINE
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. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:8-13 (NKJV)
Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:8-13 (NKJV)
A message from God: “I bring you. . . peace, goodwill toward men. . .”
Key 1 - Peace with God leads to the peace of God
Peace with God - Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 (ESV)
Peace of God - And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 (ESV)
Key 2 - When peace is present goodwill abounds
Goodwill – “Goodwill is God’s will!”
Goodwill In Action
• GOD EXTENDS LOVE TO US
And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:7 (ESV)
• WE RESPOND TO GOD’S LOVE
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14“Glory to God in the highest. . . Luke 2:13 (ESV)
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)
• WE PLEASE GOD AND OTHERS
. . . and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17 (ESV)
. . . and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:14 (ESV)
MANUSCRIPT
Good morning and Merry Christmas! I want to welcome you here today live and in person and virtually as well. Today we will observe the Lord’s table and commemorate all that Christmas means in the grand scheme of things.
Now, I love Christmas time, when it is Christmas time! Unfortunately, I live with people who like to play Christmas music year-round. As I said, I love Christmas, but not year-round! But I have to admit that the sense of Christmas that comes out of singing those songs and celebrating the reality of the birth of Christ is a wonderful thing. Just think about the great must-see movies that we watch over and over again;
• It’s a wonderful life
• Miracle on 34th street
• White Christmas
• Scrooge
• Home alone!
Well, maybe not home alone (LOL).
What’s the great theme of every great Christmas movie? It’s always the triumph over terrible circumstances to a place of peace and goodwill toward others. People come to grips with an issue, find the answer and return goodwill to God and others.
I guess you can say that at the heart of it, Christmas is all about peace and goodwill.
We’re concluding a series today called “With Us”. It’s based on the name of Christ found in Isaiah 7:14, Emmanuel, which interpreted means, “God with us.” Truly, that’s who Jesus is!
Now, the first Christmas was not like what you and I might picture and beyond that, Jesus was not born in December and there was no snow on the ground! But He was born and He did enter the world in lowly circumstances. His birth was announced to shepherds and observed by animals not kings and people of high standing. From this lowly place He rose to change the world.
Let’s revisit once again the message from the angels to the shepherds.
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. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:8-13 (NKJV)
The message was from God through the angels to the shepherds. God’s message was delivered to the shepherds but the results are ours if we want them. The promise of joy, peace, and goodwill are all part of this message. Today we will focus on peace that leads to goodwill.
Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:8-13 (NKJV)
A message from God: “I bring you. . . peace, goodwill toward men. . .”
I can remember a time when pageant contestants would answer difficult questions with a standard, “I want world peace” answers. Some would argue that the message from the Lord was bogus since the angel promised peace, yet there is no real world peace. But that’s not what the angel promised. Now, Jesus will bring world peace eventually, but what the angel promised was personal peace to those who please God. Now, let’s explore peace for a moment. Here are two keys.
Key 1 - Peace with God leads to the peace of God
You will never experience the true peace of God until you make your peace with God.
Peace with God - Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 (ESV)
This is a life changing moment. The moment when you say yes to the good news of Jesus Christ and allow Him to be the director of your life. You say yes to His salvation, you’re justified by your faith in Him.
ABBY LOWERY TESTIMONY
Once you’ve made that decision, then the peace of God can be yours right here on earth no matter what you face!
Peace of God - And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 (ESV)
The result of peace with God and of God is a heart of compassion for others to experience the same. We express that heart by loving others sacrificially, just as God did by sending His Son Jesus to the earth. Surely there was no greater sacrifice than that!
Key 2 - When peace is present goodwill abounds
The angels said their good-news was peace and goodwill toward men. Goodwill is this sense of doing what please God and by extension, what pleases or is good for man. Wishing or willing the good for others! In essence we can say, . . . “Goodwill is God’s will!”
Goodwill – “Goodwill is God’s will!”
How do we put God’s will, “goodwill” into action?
Goodwill In Action
Now I’m not a science expert but I have been exposed to science and I know that Newtons third law of motion states that for every action, simply put there is a reaction. Maybe you’ve seen those kinetic balls that pass energy from one through several that stand still yet transfer energy to the outer ball making it move. When one side strikes the energy passes through and sends the outside ball swinging.
Think of the action and reaction associated with God’s love toward you and me. Nothing happens until God acts, then because of His action, we respond and then we express His love to others. That’s goodwill in action.
• GOD EXTENDS LOVE TO US
And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:7 (ESV)
The greatest act in human history occurred in the heart of God when He humbled himself and became a mere human to walk and live among us. To be one of us so He could save every one of us.
The Christmas story as wonderful as it is, is a message of an undying love that God has for all. Deity wrapped in humanity. Perfection taking on imperfection. Sinlessness taking on sin all for the purpose of our salvation. The kinetic energy of that single event has been changing lives for eons of time.
Nations have been founded on this sense of goodwill. Wars have ceased because of its true message. Churches and hospitals, mission posts and schools have all sprung forth because of this loving action of God to us and through us.
But you see, it’s not enough for some to respond. Sure, the shepherds responded, but what about you? Have you responded to that love? If you have, it means your life has changed and that starts with an realization of who He is.
• WE RESPOND TO GOD’S LOVE
There’s this sudden awareness of the greatness of God at the message of His arrival. The angels proclaim the glory of God, they recognize who Jesus is.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14“Glory to God in the highest. . . Luke 2:13 (ESV)
In Matthew 6:10 Jesus prays for the will of God to be done on earth as it is in heaven. In heaven they recognize and respond to who God is. Yet many people today say they believe in God yet never respond in faith. In Hebrews 11, often called the “chapter of faith”, the writer explains the proper response to who God is.
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)
The shepherds obviously responded to the greatness of God. How do we know? Because they went to see Jesus! They took a look for themselves and they knelt before the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
So, God creates this tremendous energy toward us, we respond to it by receiving it but that’s not all, then . . .
• WE PLEASE GOD AND OTHERS
The word “goodwill” in the Greek found here in the Christmas story is a unique word to the Christian and Jewish faith. The basic understanding of the biblical phrase is that peace is on those who please God. In other words, when your actions mirror the action of God, He is well pleased. It’s the same word usage we see in Matthew 3:17 when God splits open the heavens at the baptism of Jesus and says, “This is my beloved Son in who I am well-pleased”.
. . . and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17 (ESV)
What pleases God? When His children pass on goodwill and love based on His goodwill and love!
GOODWILL IS GOD’S WILL!
. . . and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:14 (ESV)
If God has made a difference in your life, who’s life are you making a difference in?
In this series we’ve expressed the fact that God is with us. Still, I wonder, are you with Him?
Are you with Him only in a moment of salvation or are you seeking to bring glory to Him by doing what pleases Him?
Are you with Him when things are tough?
Are you with Him when times are confusing?
The best way to make sure you are with Him, is to live moment by moment in His presence aware that HE IS WITH YOU!
COMMUNION
