GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAINS (LUKE 2:8-20)
Every year consumers make December the busiest month of the year for all the wrong reasons. December is the biggest festival in the western world, the biggest card giving holiday, and the biggest selling season. Jesus’ birth was no different. The shepherds were in a big hurry, too, on the occasion of Jesus’ birth. On a quiet night in the country outside of Bethlehem, an angel appeared to shepherds who were watching their flock to tell them the good news. After hearing what the angels told them, the shepherds then made haste to Bethlehem to find and see and know baby Jesus for themselves.
What is the good news at Jesus’ birth? More toys for the kids, more time with each other, more things to do and more travel to make? What is our thrill and task at this time of the year?
Greet God’s Advent with Great Pleasure (Luke2:8-12)
The mood at Jesus’ birth is a contrast between dread and delight. The Greek text used the word fear twice to describe how the shepherds felt at the angel’s sudden appearance: The shepherds “feared” (phobeo) a great fear (phobos megas)!” (v 9)
The first New Testament evangelist, technically, was not John the Baptist (Luke 3:18), but an angel. NIV clumsily translated the Greek word “euaggelizo” (v 10, evangelize) as “bring you good news.” But the angel did not come to strike great fear, but in contrast, to spread great joy or “chara megas” (v 10). The angels’ proclamation of is not just of joy, but great joy. This great joy is for all the peoples of the world – Jews and Gentiles, the learned magi (Matt 2:10) and lowly shepherds, angels and men. It is cause for true celebration among the Chosen Ones and the Goyim, the rich and the poor, heaven and earth.
The great joy (v 10) is the birth of the Savior, the Christ, the Lord. Savior is stressed because sin is universal. What binds Jews and Gentiles is our sin, His salvation and the Savior. Savior is the present salvation, Christ is the past promise, and Lord is the ever after. Why do people need a Savior? Salvation from what? The sway of sin, the slavery by Satan, and the separation from God.
Greet God’s Advent with Glorious Praise (Luke 2:13-14)
Praise was first rendered by angels (v 13), to be replaced by men (v 20). It is to say thanks to Him and to worship Him and to receive His gift with open arms.
World peace, personal peace and or relational peace are precarious and are hanging by a thread today. God’s peace is different Goodwill (v 10) means thinking good or having a good mindset.
Personal peace can be easily shattered by an emergency call, a traffic accident, or a crime scene, but God’s perfect peace is secured by Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6). This Christmas, our nerves are frayed more than ever. We will not experience peace of mind until we receive and embrace the gift of peace in Christ Jesus, which is priceless. By our own efforts we fail. Others disappoint us. Only the most powerful - the Omnipotent God, only the most knowledgeable - the Omniscient God, and only the most attending - the Omnipresent God - can give us peace.
When you look to the world for answers, you will find unending problems. Look to Christ for answers, and you will find unceasing peace.
Greet God’s Advent with Generous Proclamation (Luke 2:15-20)
The shepherds did not return immediately to their job of keeping sheep or to their post in the field. What was their responsibility with the sights and sounds that night? The last unit hinges on and builds on the repetition of the verb “make known” in verse 15 and 17, from “the Lord has told/make known” (v 15) to “they spread/make known the word concerning what had been told them about this child” (v 17). Praise the Lord, the greatest event in history was shared with shepherds who passed the good news to others, although the angels did not request or require them to do so.
Further, the angel clearly evangelized everything to them in two short verses (2:10-11), or the 5 W’s and 1 H’s: what to announce - “great joy”; who it was for - “for all the people”; when the event happened - “today;” where it was located - “in the town of David”; why - “a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord;” and how -”you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Previously the shepherds were poor, cold, tired and frightened, taking over the graveyard shift and working at night, but now they were rich, joyous, energized and inspired, taking over the angels’ evangelistic effort in spreading the word (v 15) and working non-stop to “spread/make known” (v 17) the word concerning what had been told them about the child. The shepherds now shouted for joy, sang in unison, gave glory, honor and praise to God (v 20) because they had done their part of spreading the word and making Him known (v 17). As a result, all who heard it were amazed/marveled (v 18) and Mary treasured up/kept (suntereo) all these things and pondered (sunballo) them in her heart (v 19).
The word “tell” is an inescapable key word in this passage. The shepherds told one another “Let’s go,” the shepherd spread the word what was told them (2:17), all were amazed at what was told them (2:18) and the shepherds returned after doing justice to what was told them (2:20).
Conclusion: The birth of our Savior, Christ and Lord, transforms terror into triumph, doom to deliverance, gloom to gladness. The rotten world, with its bitter suffering and bleak future, was a thing of the past.
Do you have the peace of God, which transcends all understanding? Do you desire God’s peace to guard your hearts and your minds? (Phil 4:7) Do you have Jesus in your heart and the peace that the world can’t give and the world can’t take it away? Christmas does not mean eating, shopping, or traveling. Make haste and don’t hesitate. Pursue, discover and experience Christ for yourself. Are you a quiet, passive and ignorant observer, listener and believer? The Christmas angel appeared to make believers, eyewitnesses and evangelists out of unsuspecting shepherds. Do you tell others what you know and believe, and what you have seen and heard?
