The Song to the Shepherds
Jeffery Anselmi / General Adult
Heaven and Nature Sing / Christmas / Luke 2:13–14
Heaven’s song reveals God’s plan to bring glory to Himself and peace to humanity through Christ.
OPENING SLIDE
INTRODUCTION
• For 400 years, heaven had been silent.
• No prophets, no new word from God—only waiting.
• Then, on a dark hillside outside Bethlehem, that silence was shattered.
• Not by thunder, but by a song.
• A song not from earth, but from heaven’s own choir.
• Imagine the scene: ordinary shepherds, forgotten by society, watching over sheep that may one day be offered in the temple—and suddenly, the sky explodes with light. The quiet night becomes a concert hall of glory.
• Picture the stark contrast: elite priests in Jerusalem miss the miracle, while forgotten shepherds receive heaven’s spotlight. Open with a modern hook—“In a world chasing viral fame, God spotlights the overlooked.”
• The quiet night becomes a concert hall of glory.
• This is heaven’s announcement that the wait is over.
• God has stepped into history.
• And heaven cannot stay silent!
• This is a very short song.
• Short hymns or songs aren’t necessarily bad.
• What matters is not so much quantity as quality.
• That’s where we find ourselves with this song of exultation from the angelic host.
• Compared to Mary’s and Zechariah’s songs, this one is very brief.
• It’s also very familiar.
• Most church-raised children participated in an annual Christmas play at their church, which featured this exact scene.
• Children would come out dressed in white robes, with homemade halos on their heads, and one youngster would quote this.
• Today we will examine three divine truths this short, beautiful song unveils.
• This short, simple song brings hope and purpose.
Luke 2:13–14 NET 2nd ed.
13 Suddenly a vast, heavenly army appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!”
MAIN POINT 1 SLIDE
SERMON
I. The Messengers: The Arrival of God’s Army
• The birth of Jesus matters.
• Think of the magnitude of the event.
• The announcement begins with an angel of the Lord appearing to the shepherds.
• The shepherds were extremely afraid, but the angel tried to calm them down before he shared the good news he had to announce to them.
Luke 2:10–12 NET 2nd ed.
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! Listen carefully, for I proclaim to you good news that brings great joy to all the people:
11 Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord.
12 This will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”
• Then it happened!
• A vast, heavenly army appears!
• Heaven’s response was immediate and overwhelming.
• When God moves, He doesn’t always send advance notice; sometimes He erupts into the ordinary moments of life.
• The shepherds weren’t in the temple, and they weren’t at a revival meeting; they were at work, doing what they did every night.
• When God decides to make His glory known, even the hillside becomes holy ground.
• You may feel like your life is in a routine: same hills, same sheep, same night.
• However, do not underestimate the sudden changes God can bring when He enters your ordinary life.
• The sudden appearance of the “vast heavenly” indicates that the birth of Jesus was an event "too important to be heralded by any one angel."
• God did not send a choir in the soft sense, but the armies of heaven.
• This wasn’t a defensive army but a declaring army, proclaiming victory before the battle had even begun.
• Heaven’s army didn’t come with swords, but with a song.
• They came not to destroy, but to declare joy and peace.
The presence of this vast army shows that "all heaven was interested" in the departure of its prince and "marveled at the grace of the Father" who sent Him.
• The announcement of Christ’s birth wasn’t a whisper from heaven; it was a declaration of war against sin, death, and darkness.
• The same heavenly forces that fought for Israel now sang for a baby in Bethlehem.
• The supernatural power of God's glory confronted the shepherds, accustomed to danger and fear.
• But the message wasn’t “Run!” It was, “Rejoice!”
• When a military victory is declared, armies shout in triumph.
• Heaven’s angels shouted because victory was certain; the Savior had come.
• Christmas isn’t cute; it’s epic.
• It’s the day God’s army arrived to announce peace through strength: the strength of a Savior born to die.
Once the vast army arrives, it does not draw attention to themselves, it is all about God!
• Heaven’s messengers came to point to heaven’s message: “Glory to God in the highest.
• The angel’s role was not to be worshiped but to lead others to worship.
• Even in heaven’s army, the focus was not on power but on praise.
• God still sends messengers, not winged angels, but willing believers.
• When we share the gospel, when we worship with authenticity, and when we live with joy, we continue heaven’s song on earth.
• It is fascinating to see that the angels bypass palaces and priestly courts to stand over a hillside of unclean, socially marginal shepherds.
• The message of Christmas is not for the privileged, but for the humble who are willing to listen.
Luke 2:13–14 NET 2nd ed.
13 Suddenly a vast, heavenly army appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!”
MAIN POINT 2 SLIDE
II. The Adoration: Glory in the Highest
• The short song that the angels of the Lord shared with the shepherds focused on the phrase GLORY TO GOD!
• Another way to say this is praise be to God.
• Before the shepherds ever hear about peace, they hear about praise.
• Heaven begins where we should begin, with God.
• This was no lullaby; it was a declaration that God had done something so magnificent that even the angels couldn’t keep quiet.
• Glory to God in the highest” means the highest place of honor belongs to God alone.
• The angels are saying, “All credit, all splendor, all worthiness goes to Him.”
• They don’t sing, “Glory to the shepherds for being faithful,” or “Glory to Mary and Joseph for their courage,” but “Glory to God.”
• When heaven sings, God is always at the center.
• True worship is never about the worshiper; it’s about Him.
• The glory of God and His presence was made visible—His holiness is revealed in His power.
• In the Old Testament, God’s glory filled the tabernacle and temple.
• But now, His glory is wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.
• God came to us as an infant.
• The One who spoke the universe into being now cries in the arms of His mother.
• Heaven rejoiced because, in that moment, God’s glory was not just above us; it was among us.
When I used to hunt, there was nothing like seeing the sunrise in the morning.
If you’ve ever watched the sunrise after a long night, you know what it’s like when light breaks into darkness.
• The angels were announcing that the Light of the World had dawned.
We can rejoice because the glory of God is no longer hidden behind a veil; it’s revealed in the Person of Jesus!
• In Jesus, the majesty of heaven meets the misery of earth.
• The song of the vast army reveals a contrast between heaven and earth.
• “Glory to God in the highest” stands in sharp contrast to the lowest place on earth, a stable in Bethlehem.
• The highest praise of heaven met humanity at its lowest point.
• Jesus was not going to be born in a palatial palace or with an abundance of pomp and circumstance; He was going to be born in a manger in a stable.
• This contrast demonstrates that humble settings do not hinder God's glory.
• In fact, He delights to display His greatness through our weakness.
• The world gives glory to power, fame, and success.
• Heaven gives glory to a baby who would one day die on a cross.
• When God chooses to work in small places and through ordinary people, He’s reminding us that His glory doesn’t need a grand stage; it just needs surrendered hearts.
• We also get a glimpse of what the response to true worship looks like
• The worship of the Lord’s army was spontaneous and unified; no one had to tell them to praise and worship God.
• When you see what God has done, you can’t help but worship.
• The shepherds would worship the Lord and see all that the angel and the army said was true.
• When you see and know God is working in your life, you too will praise and worship Him.
• Worship isn’t an obligation; it’s a reaction to the revelation of who Jesus is.
• The army of angels saw God’s plan unfolding, and they praised Him.
• We’ve seen even more; we know the cross, the resurrection, and the empty tomb.
• How much more should we give Him glory?
• Our worship on Sunday should be an echo of heaven’s anthem: “Glory to God in the highest!”
• Every time we gather, we are joining the song that started that night in Bethlehem.
Heaven’s adoration wasn’t just for heaven’s benefit—it was an invitation for earth to join in.
• The glory they proclaimed became the gospel we proclaim.
• Every Christian is called to continue the angels’ message: to live in such a way that God gets the glory and people find His peace.
• You too can be an instrument in heaven’s song when your life points others to Jesus.
• Let’s take a final run at our passage.
Luke 2:13–14 NET 2nd ed.
13 Suddenly a vast, heavenly army appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!”
• The angels’ song began with glory to God—that’s heaven’s side of the song.
• But it also declares peace on earth—that’s humanity’s side.
• Heaven’s highest glory brings earth’s deepest peace.
MAIN POINT 3 SLIDE
III. The Assurance: Peace Among Humanity
• The song to the shepherds now moves from heaven to earth!
• “Peace on earth” is more than a seasonal slogan or a catchy part of a song; it’s a divine declaration.
• The song pf praise from the angels of the Lord unveils the purpose of the coming of Jesus: the opportunity for peace.
• The world had been at war, not just nation against nation, but humanity against God.
• Since the fall of humanity in the garden, sin has broken our fellowship with God, and peace has been shattered.
• In that manger, God announced the end of hostility between humanity and Himself.
• The blessing of peace between a person and God would be made possible because one day, that baby who would be born in a manger in Bethlehem would one day hang on Calvary’s cross—and through His blood, peace would be made.
Colossians 2:20 NET 2nd ed.
20 If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, why do you submit to them as though you lived in the world?
• Some have supposed that the heavenly choir spoke of an earthly peace.
• The heavenly host sang of something more real and enduring than this temporary lull.
• The peace talked about here is the peace with God that comes with the forgiveness of sins.
Ephesians 2:14 NET 2nd ed.
14 For he is our peace, the one who made both groups into one and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility,
• Before we can enjoy peace in the world, we must have peace with God first.
• The army of the Lord sang of a peace that is "real and enduring,” specifically the "peace with God that comes with the forgiveness of sins."
• The peace offered is not universal in effect but specific in application.
• While God's love is shed upon all sinners, His peace "comes upon those who have accepted his Son."
• It is challenging to grasp peace in our lives because there is so much turmoil around us.
• Most people, homes, institutions, and countries desire to be in a constant state of peace.
• Turmoil is oppressive and can have heavy psychological, spiritual, and physical effects.
• This announcement was hope.
• It was not only what people had been looking for, but it was also what we needed.
• The people needed deep spiritual peace, and it was about to arrive in the form of a baby.
• True peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Jesus in the turmoil.
• You can’t manufacture peace through good deeds, therapy, or success; it’s a gift that comes only from being right with God through Jesus Christ.
• If you’re searching for peace today, in your home, your heart, or your future, it’s not found in better circumstances; it’s found in Christ Himself.
• Notice, the hosts didn’t sing “peace in politics” or “peace through progress.”
• They sang “peace on earth”—and that peace has a name: Jesus.
Isaiah 9:6 NET 2nd ed.
6 For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us. He shoulders responsibility and is called Wonderful Adviser, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
• The peace Jesus offers is relational before it is circumstantial.
• He reconciles sinners to God first, and only then can we know true peace within and with one another.
CLOSING SLIDE
CONCLUSION
• Heaven’s choir sang it first, but we’re meant to sing it next.
• The glory of God in the highest brings the peace of God to the lowest—and that includes us.
• The angels of the Lord announced it.
• The shepherds believed it.
• The Savior accomplished it.
• Now, we proclaim it: Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to all who receive His Son.
• That’s the heart of Christmas.
• Not gifts, not lights, not nostalgia, but God’s glory and our peace.
• When we live in that peace, we don’t just celebrate Christmas… we continue the song.
