CHRISTMAS 2024: FEAR NOT
LUKE 2:8-21
# fearnot
READ LUKE 2:8-21 (ESV) [person from the congregation reads]
“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 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. 10 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. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a Baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and 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 among those with Whom He is pleased!” 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this Child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. 21 And at the end of eight days, when He was circumcised, He was called Jesus, the Name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.”
INTRODUCTION
Christmas is that time of year where we focus on the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Knowledge about the birth of Jesus calls a human being to respond. A Baby was born to a virgin and that Child was and is the Son of God. There are two broad categories of how people might respond to the birth of Christ… positive and negative… and inside those two broad categories there are several different options. How might someone respond to the birth of Jesus?
A positive response would be worship and adoration. Someone who believes that Jesus Christ is Who He claims to be might respond with worship embracing Jesus as Lord and Savior and adoration offering praise and reverence for His divine nature. We see the shepherds doing this in Luke 2.
A positive response would be thanksgiving. The birth of Jesus is quite significant in the history of humanity and so recognizing the birth of Jesus and the resulting gift of salvation means we might respond with a heart of thankfulness for the Son of God. We see the shepherds doing this in Luke 2.
Another positive response is definitely faith. Accepting Jesus as the promised Messiah is the most important decision anyone can ever make in life. Putting trust in His miraculous birth, His sinless life, His willing death, and His victorious resurrection is a big deal for the soul.
Service and generosity are also a positive reaction to the birth of Jesus. Jesus was Someone Who served others, loved, and also turned people’s hearts to God… and so in response to Him we are motivated to do the same. We show love and we give of our time or material possessions. Lastly and certainly not least is sharing the Good News about Jesus. Spreading the Good News of Jesus’ birth and why He is important to us is a proper response. Inviting others to believe in Jesus is our mission as believers. We see the shepherds doing this in Luke 2.
There are two broad categories of how people might respond to the birth of Christ. I have just mentioned several positive responses to Christmas. What about the other side? What about the negative responses? How might someone respond negatively to the birth of Jesus?
A negative response would be rejection. Much like King Herod in other parts of the Christmas passages, some might reject Jesus, feeling threatened by His claim as King or unwilling to surrender to Him. Taking Jesus as King means He has claim to all parts of our lives and some just say “no thank you” to His Lordship.
A negative response might also be indifference. #whateva. Many might feel indifferent to Jesus’ birth seeing it as just another event without any personal significance. For some, it may be that the other messages of Christmas… namely gifts and yule tide feelings… have overwhelmed the real meaning of Christmas so the religious side is just not important.
Another negative response to the birth of Jesus, which is an honest one, is distrust. Listen… virgins do not have babies! The Holy Spirit does not create babies on a regular basis! Some might not believe in the miraculous nature of His birth or accept the reality of His mission. I get it. Much about Jesus might be distrusted as not real.
Fear is also an honest, but negative response. Responding with fear, as some did when they heard of His birth, is a reality of the human heart. The shepherds were afraid. I have to imagine that Joseph and Mary had some fear. Herod was afraid. Fear plays a big role in the birth of Jesus.
Lastly and certainly not least is neglect of the truth of Christmas. Failing to acknowledge Jesus’ birth and what it means for salvation for people is a response that we might see. Negatively a person might continue in a self-centered secular lifestyle without regard for Jesus. It happens.
Both the positive and negative responses show how deeply the birth of Jesus can impact us as individuals. The birth of Jesus is a big deal. One of those negative responses has caught my attention. It is the fourth of the five that I mentioned… fear.
TRANSITION
Last week we talked about the fear that the shepherds experienced on the night of Jesus’ birth because the angel and the heavenly host broke into the night sky with the glory of God shining around them. That fear is understandable as angels are spiritual beings that produce shock and awe in physical beings and trip the fight or flight response in us when we see one.
The fear that the shepherds felt at the sight of the angels is not the kind of fear I would like to dig into. There is a different kind of fear that the news about the birth of Jesus might have caused then and may cause even now. To look at this fear, I would like to focus on the good news of the angel in verses 10-12.
RE-READ LUKE 2:10-11 (ESV) [HAVE CONGREGATION READ ALOUD TOGETHER]
“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. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord.”
THE GOOD NEWS THE ANGEL BRINGS
The center of this passage is the news that the angelic host brings about the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The angel says in verse 10, “fear not” because “I bring you good news of great joy.” The angel is telling the shepherds not to fear because he is bringing good news for all people. He says the Baby born not too far from them is the Promised One predicted in the Old Testament. The angel uses several key words: Savior, Christ, and Lord.
The Baby is the Savior. The word used by the angel is a word that means deliverer and also preserver. The Baby will save people from sin and preserve their souls that they might be in God’s Kingdom. Jesus is the Savior. This is an important understanding of the identity of Jesus. The understanding of Jesus as Savior ties directly to His willing death on the cross 33 years later.
Isaiah 11 is a prediction all about the Savior and what He would do. The poetry describes this “stump of Jesse” which is a metaphor of the Savior.
READ ISAIAH 11:1-5 (ESV)
“There shall come forth a Shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. 3 And His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what His eyes see, or decide disputes by what His ears hear, 4 but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall kill the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of His waist, and faithfulness the belt of His loins.”
The prophet goes on to illustrate salvation in terms of wolves dwelling with lambs and leopards hanging out with goats all with no issues. All safe. All peaceful. The Baby is the Savior.
The Baby is the Christ. The word that the angel uses is a word that means “anointed one” and in another language is “Messiah.” Christ and Messiah are the same word. This means the Baby born is One that has a specific divine mission given by God the Father. Jesus had a very specific mission and that mission was to save His people from their sins. This was a mission predicted long before He arrived on the scene. We see this reflected in Luke 4 when Jesus reads from Isaiah.
READ LUKE 4:17-21 (ESV)
“And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to Him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
20 And He rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
The Baby is the Christ with the divine mission from God to be the Savior.
The Baby is the Lord. The word that the angel uses means “one to whom things belong,” “the master,” “a title of honor, respect, and reverence to royalty.” The Baby born on the night the angel comes and announces to the shepherds is a special Child. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He is the Son of God. Again, this is something that was predicted long before Mary was even pregnant with her Baby. Centuries before the Baby arrived and was laid in a manger, a prediction was made that He would be the Lord.
READ ISAIAH 9:6-7 (ESV)
“For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His Name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will do this.”
The promises about the Baby is that He would be born, He would be a Son, He would be God, He would bring an everlasting kingdom, He would bring peace, He would be just and righteous and that God was the One Who would accomplish all of it. He Baby is the Lord.
SUMMARY
The good news the angel brings is news that the Baby born in Bethlehem not far from where the shepherds are watching their flocks is the Savior, the Christ, and the Lord. The angel tells them not to be afraid of this news. The angel has to tell them not to be afraid of the Baby because babies are the scariest things on the face of the earth.
ILLUSTRATION… Babies are Scary (chatgpt experiment)
Babies are absolutely terrifying creatures:
Babies are crying monsters. When a baby starts crying, it’s like summoning a primal force of nature. You never know if it’s a hunger cry, a tired cry, or the dreaded "I’ve reached my emotional breaking point" cry. Loud. Relentless. Mysterious.
Babies are judgmental. Babies stare intently at people and it feels like they're judging us for all the mistakes we make and not being good enough. Also, when babies make eye contact, it's as if their soul has inhabited the body of a tiny, adorable alien that is trying to read your thoughts. It is unsettling.
Babies are vomit pros. One second a baby is fine and then the next moment there is spontaneous gagging and projectile-vomiting like some kind of baby exorcist. It’s like being in the middle of a horror movie, except the villain is adorable.
Babies also unexpectedly fart and have bowel movements. Babies do bodily functions at the most inconvenient times. The noises and smells that come from their little frames are not to be underestimated. We won’t even go into the mysterious tar that leaks from children right after birth.
Babies are also shapeshifting ninjas. You put them down in one position, and when you turn your back, they’ve somehow magically contorted their tiny body into a completely different shape. Not only that, you think you’ve got a handle on where they are and then—poof!—they’ve somehow vanished or rolled across the room in a split second putting a battery in their mouth.
For all these reasons and more, the angel had to appear to the shepherds and tell them that the Baby born not too far from them was a good normal lovable Baby and not a normal psychopath.
SUMMARY & TRANSITION
The good news the angel brings is news that the Baby born in Bethlehem is the Savior, the Christ, and the Lord. The angel tells them not to be afraid of this news. I also am telling you not to be afraid of this news.
And yet, some are afraid of the birth of Jesus. When Jesus was born, King Herod was afraid. Others in Jerusalem were afraid… mostly because Herod was afraid… but fear is a possible negative response to Baby Jesus Who is the Savior, the Christ, and the Lord. Why might someone be afraid of Baby Jesus?
THE NEGATIVE REACTION OF FEAR
There are various reasons why someone might fear believing in Jesus Christ, even though He is the source of love, hope, and salvation. Fear is deeply personal and complex. Fear is shaped by emotional and psychological influences. Everyone’s fear is probably different. It is my hope and prayer today that you hear the words of the angel: “Fear Not” and understand that the Savior, the Christ, and the Lord is not to be feared.
Fear may come because of the fear of change. Believing in Jesus is transformation of life. This might be a frightening prospect because it might mean giving up old habits, relationships, or ways of thinking. Yes, Jesus wants to change you to become more like Him. That is called sanctification. That is called “abiding in Christ.” That is called discipleship. Fear not. The good news is that Jesus always changes us for our spiritual good, our emotional health, and mental wholeness and Jesus’ way of life is best.
Fear may come because of the fear of condemnation. Jesus exposes our sinfulness and the need for repentance and surrender. Just so you know, every single person in here is a sinner. Don’t be fooled by the “Sunday Best” faces. Every single person in this place is sinful and must surrender to Jesus. No one in this place is better than you or I. Fear not. There is no condemnation in Jesus Christ because He saves us from all our condemnable actions and attitudes. Jesus is not the Angry Judge, but the Loving Redeemer.
Fear may come because of the fear of responsibility. Becoming a follower of Christ can be seen as accepting a way of living according to Biblical morals. That is absolutely true. I cannot change the fact that God’s Family is a family run His way and according to His boundaries. Yes, He calls us to His way. He is the Heavenly Father! No one ever earns their way into Heaven. Fear not. The life that Jesus wants for us is way better than the path we forge for ourselves and in the end it is the only path to God the Father.
Fear may come because of the fear of the unknown. On one hand, being a believer in Jesus is based on faith, but not blind faith. On the other hand, being a believer in Jesus does have its mysteries and unanswerable questions. Maybe you have not grown up in church or know nothing about Jesus or God or the Bible. Fear not. Jesus does not leave us alone as we grow in faith, but gives His Spirit to be with us and guide us and we become part of a faith community to learn and grow.
Fear may come because of the fear of surrendering control. This is a huge fear. 100% absolutely a core aspect of believing in Jesus is surrendering one’s life to God and trusting in Jesus as the Savior. Yes, a believer in Jesus gives up self.
We trade self for God.
We trade self for salvation.
We trade self for grace.
We trade self for peace.
We trade self for purpose.
Fear not. God is worthy of our trust and His wisdom for our lives is far beyond what we can control ourselves.
SUMMARY & CHALLENGE
A Baby was born in Bethlehem (the one in the Middle East, not the 18 towns in the United States with the name) Who was and is the Savior, the Christ, and the Lord. I do not know if you believe in Jesus or not, but I do know that He is not to be feared.
READ JOHN 3:16-17 (ESV)
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.”
READ 2 CORINTHIANS 5:20b-21 (ESV)
“We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake He made Him to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
FEAR NOT
Fear not. Jesus always changes us for our good.
Fear not. There is no condemnation in Jesus Christ because He saves us.
Fear not. The life that Jesus wants for us is way better than the path we forge for ourselves.
Fear not. Jesus does not leave us alone as we grow in faith, but gives His Spirit.
Fear not. God is worthy of our trust.
RE-READ LUKE 2:10-11 (ESV) [HAVE CONGREGATION READ ALOUD TOGETHER]
“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. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord.”
PRAYER
INVITATION
Do you know Jesus? I could be that Baby Jesus is your favorite Jesus, but Christ the Lord Who willingly died on the cross for my sins is my favorite Jesus. I want to invite you to permanently accept the grace of God in your life by accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord. Won’t you come forward today?
