O Come All Ye Faithful
Luke 2:1-20
Good Morning
A mother telling one of her favorite Christmas stories said, “My proudest moment came during the children's Christmas pageant.
My daughter was playing Mary, Two of my sons were shepherds and my youngest son was a wise man. This was their moment to shine.
My five-year-old shepherd had practiced his line, "We found the babe wrapped in swaddling cloths."
But he was nervous and said, "The baby was wrapped in wrinkled cloths."
My four-year-old "Mary" said, "That's not 'wrinkled clothes,' silly. That's dirty, rotten cloths."
A wrestling match broke out between Mary and the shepherd
and was stopped by an angel, who bent her halo and lost
her left wing.
I slouched a little lower in my seat when Mary dropped the doll representing Baby Jesus, and it bounced down the aisle crying,
"Mama-mama."
Mary grabbed the doll, wrapped it back up, and held it tightly as
the wise men arrived.
My other son stepped forward wearing a bathrobe and a paper crown, Knelt at the manger and announced,
"We are the three wise men, and we are bringing gifts
of gold, common sense and fur."
The congregation dissolved into laughter, and the pageant
got a standing ovation.
The pastor said, "I've never enjoyed a Christmas Program as much as this one", wiping tears from his eyes…
…"For the rest of my life, I'll never hear the Christmas story without thinking of gold, common sense and fur."
The mother said, "My children are my pride and my joy and my greatest blessing, as I dug through my purse for an aspirin”.
Folks, learn to count your blessings and enjoy these HOLY days; even with kids who don’t always do exactly as you think they should.
Please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke 2
Last week, we talked about the different perspectives of the Lord’s message to Mary about being with child.
Today we will fast forward a little bit within the narrative and see how a couple, with a brand new baby needs to make an 80 mile trip for a census.
I. A baby born in a barn.
Read Luke 2:1-7
Caesar decided that a census was needed, and no matter how inconvenient the timing was for this census; it was a law.
Rome controlled most of the world at this time of history and Caesar Augustus was the most powerful man on the planet.
What could possibly be more important than Caesar's decisions in Rome?
Who cared about a Jewish baby born in a Bethlehem barn? God did.
Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
Galatians 4:5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. NKJV
When the fullness of time had come…God sent Jesus to redeem and adopt us.
Without realizing it, mighty Augustus was only an errand boy for the commencement of "the fullness of time" of God.
He was a pawn in the hand of Almighty God . . . Caesar was only a very small part of the pages of prophecy.
And while Rome was busy making history, God arrived on the scene.
The prophet Isaiah seemed to be impatient when he said to God…Isaiah 64:1 Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence NKJV
Folks…God tore open the heavens and came down to earth.
John tells us about Jesus in John 1:1, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. NKJV
The Lord dwelt or tabernacled among us, in silence, on straw in a stable, under a star. John 1:1, John 1:14
Chris August has a song; Starry Night; some of the lyrics say
“From the desert sands to the place we stand; He's God of all, He is everything
I'm giving my life to the only One; Who makes the moon reflect the sun. Every starry night that was His design”
The world didn't even notice; they overlooked Jesus the baby, and the world still does.
Last week, we read about an angel speaking to Mary; and then the Angel spoke to Joseph…
But there were some men nearby, who were visited by an angel to tell them of Jesus’ birth as well.
II. The Visitation
Read Luke 2:8-12
One of the Christmas carols we love to sing at this time of year is O Come All Ye Faithful. The song closes with, “Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above! Glory to God, all glory in the highest…”
“Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;
“Jesus, to Thee be glory given; Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.”
This is the real Christmas story Christian…
Over the years we have watered down the holiday to make it a time about gifts, charity, and family.
Now those are not bad things; but, Christmas is about you and I being lost forever in our sin; separated eternally from a loving Holy God…
And then that same God, sending His only Son Jesus Christ to appear in the flesh and endure the consequence of our sin.
So here again, an Angel of the Lord appears to humans; this time it is to these shepherds.
The angel says to the shepherds, a Savior has been born for you.
I’ve got good news, a Savior has been born. He has come to you and you will find Him in Bethlehem.
Here’s the sign of how you’ll find Him wrapped in cloths.
The Savior of the world was wrapped in baby cloths here; but will be placed in a tomb in different cloths after He is crucified for our sin.
The Redeemer of sinners has come to you. Fear not! Instead of the wrath of God visiting you, the love of God has visited you.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. NKJV
After this announcement, notice what the citizens of heaven do
III. The Host of Heaven.
Read Luke 2:13-14
The Bible refers to the Lord as the Lord of Hosts and He is also known as the “Lord of the heavenly armies” or “God of the heavenly hosts.”
Whenever we see an angel in scripture, they are always a mighty figure. Notice what they are doing here…
First and foremost, the citizens of heaven give Glory to God. They give the Lord the Glory due His name.
Psalm 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. NKJV
Christmas is all about God; so it stands to reason that it is a time to worship Him! What does it mean “to glorify God?”
1. Appreciation.
To glorify God is to set God highest in our thoughts and to have a deep honor for Him.
We appreciate all of the things He has done and will do for each of us. That starts with the free gift of Salvation in Christ.
Psalm 97:9 For You, LORD, are most high above all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods. NKJV
We glorify the Lord when we are God-admirers; admire His attributes, His promises, and respect His holiness.
To glorify God is to have God-admiring thoughts; to esteem Him the most within our lives and desires.
2. Glorifying God with admiration and worship.
Hebrews 13:15 let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. NKJV
These angels here know who God is, and that He is the only One worthy to be praised.
If His people could just catch on to the fact that every good and perfect gift comes from God; we would be quick to praise Him.
3. Affection.
This is part of the glory we give to God, who counts Himself glorified when He is loved.
We are affectionate to those we love.
Who or what gets our affections?
Deuteronomy 6:4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!
Deuteronomy 6:5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. NKJV
4. Subjection.
This is when we dedicate ourselves to God, and stand ready dressed for His service.
2 Timothy 2:3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 2:4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. NKJV
The angels in heaven glorify the Lord; they serve at His throne, and are ready to take orders from Him
We glorify God when we are devoted to His service; we seek Him in His word, we are His hands and Feet…so His desires become our desires.
Next, the host of heaven make the …
a. Pronouncement of peace and Goodwill towards Man.
Peace on earth = peace between men and God.
Good will toward men = God's peace between Himself and men who accept His Son
Listen to the words of Paul about our relationship with God
Ephesians 2:12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, NKJV
And then listen to what Paul said to the Romans
Romans 5:10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
Romans 5:11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. NKJV
Peace and Goodwill came at a price; it cost Jesus His very life to bring us goodwill.
IV. The Shepherds’ Reaction
Read Luke 2:15-20
What will the shepherds do? They obey immediately.
God said it and they believed it; so they went without waiting.
If you truly believe God; when He tells you to do something; you will be motivated by your love for Him, and you will obey immediately.
2 Corinthians 5:14, in the NLT, says, “Whatever we do, it is because Christ's love controls us.
The Lord sent messengers to these shepherds, and notice as soon as they are gone; the shepherds Go.
Jesus last recorded words to His disciples….
Matthew 28:19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
And not only did the shepherds obey immediately, they also…
1. They shared the Good News …with everyone they met.
vss. 17-18
If the Christmas narrative is real to you personally; you can’t help but tell everyone around you, about the peace and goodwill God has placed in your heart.
If you have really understood the glorious Good News from the Lord; the announcement is, “I have come for you…
You will be motivated by excitement and love for Jesus to tell others to come and adore Him.
He has provided a way for all who will receive Him, to escape punishment and enjoy a life with Him.
• So that people who are faithless might become faithful
• We who are hopeless might become joyful.
• We who are defeated might become triumphant.
It is Christ that gives this to us.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
Ephesians 2:9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. NKJV
The shepherds obey immediately, they also shared the Good News, and then they
2. Return praising and glorifying God.
Read Luke 2:19-20
What were these shepherds doing prior to the angel of the Lord appearing to them…just kept watch, going about the normal business of their life.
But now, we see them praising and glorifying the Lord.
The grammar used here in verse 20 in the original language tells us they went and continued to praise and glorified the Lord.
If our daily lives don’t praise and glorify the Lord; we have not been changed by the reality of Christmas.
Jesus will accept us right where we are; but He loves us too much to leave us there.
He is in the changing of life business…
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. NKJV
The vilest offender who truly believes and accepts Christ’s offer of forgiveness and Salvation; receives the greatest Christmas present ever…
And then, by His power, not our works of righteousness, He will change us!
If you understand the real Christmas story…you will be constantly growing and maturing in Christ.
Faith causes us to put our trust in the finished, full work of Christ the Lord
• Our Redeemer, our Savior, came in the form of a baby
• He died on a cross to atone for our sin.
• He was raised to life on the third day
• and He is now enthroned at the right hand of God.
By faith I now come to Him, and receive eternal life. So the message to all is…Come all ye faithful
My empty heart has now been filled with faith as a gift from God.
It is a glorious faith, a faith that saves because it is a gift that comes from God Himself.
V. Practical Application
1. We need a visitation.
We may not have been visited by an angel out in a field; but each one of us have had God reveal Himself to us in some way.
• Romans1 tells us that even creation shouts of His existence.
• He has revealed Himself in His Word
• He has revealed Himself through people, situations, and
• Finally, He reveals Himself perfectly in Jesus.
The response for each human heart, once the visitation has happened is to Come to Him!
2. We should respond like the host of Heaven did.
They gave God the Glory due His name. He is creator, and sustainer of life. Worship Him. We worship Him with:
• Appreciation
• Admiration
• Affection
• Subjection
Because God has sent Jesus to make peace with the Father; for the war our sin has caused
3. We should respond like the Shepherds did.
• Obey the call of God immediately. Don’t wait, if you have heard the voice of God, and then obey.
• We are to share the good news with others
• And then live a life of continual praise and worship of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
We have been changed, we are a new creation!
Now we know that we are saved by Grace through Faith; and even our faith is a gift from God.
We also know like Titus 3:5 says, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
But, once we are saved by Grace through Faith…
Titus 3:6 says, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
Titus 3:7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. NKJV
The evidence of New Life that He poured out on us abundantly will be evidenced by a life change.
• New perspective
• New Priorities
• New Hope
• New Focus
Once saved, we receive a new center of our life…His name is Jesus, Immanuel, God with us.
May His presence fill you with joy even in a broken world and its effects outside of us and battling the sin is still around us.
Our joy in the Lord reigns.
He is our Champion. We walk in the triumph of the resurrected Christ.
Come all ye Faithful. Come to the Savior. Come to Him. Have you come to Him as Savior?
Receive Him, the Lord of glory. Come and adore Him, worship Him. And finally, how can we who were sinners, be called faithful?
Revelation 17:14 He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."
We are chosen and faithful; because we are His!
Come to the Only One Who makes the moon reflect the sun
On that starry night He changed my life, so I'm giving my life to the only One
So the practical response to this story…Come all ye faithful.
