(Based on a series by Paul Snoddy, Tri-Village Christian Church, Pataskala, OH)
SERIES: “GIFTS UNDER THE TREE”
TEXT: LUKE 2:8-20
TITLE: “PURPOSE – THE INDISPENSABLE GIFT”
INTRODUCTION: A. The head of an executive search firm in Chicago uses a simple question to disarm
job candidates. This experienced “head-hunter” has interviewed some of the most
poised and powerful leaders in the nation’s third largest city. His task is to cut
through their sophisticated exterior and find out how they reacted under pressure.
He asks them a few simple questions that they can answer easily. Then he
pauses and asks them one particular question that inevitably causes them to squirm,
clear their throats, stutter and stammer. He simply asks them, “What is your
primary purpose in life?”
B. It’s amazing to me that so many people are not sure of their purpose in life
1. Companies have mission statements that explain why they exist.
2. Many churches have mission statements that summarize their purpose for existing.
3. If organizations need a clearly defined purpose, how much more important is it for
individuals to have an understanding of their purpose?
4. Here are some very important questions that everyone needs to determine for their
own lives:
a. Why are you here?
b. What are you trying to accomplish in life?
c. Where are you really going?
C. I believe that a lack of purpose is the reason we have so many ineffective
congregations and ineffective Christians
--Wandering around with a “hit or miss” mentality produce erratic results. You will
“miss” much more than you will “hit”.
1. Zig Ziglar: “We cannot make it as a wandering generality. We must be a
meaningful specific.”
2. J. Wallace Hamilton: “Roads to nowhere are hard to build.”
D. Following Jesus Christ means that you have a direction and a purpose for your life
1. We’ve already looked at the gift of joy that was brought to the shepherds when
Jesus was born
2. As we look at that event again this morning, we need to see that Christmas means
that the gift of purpose made a big difference in the lives of those shepherds.
3. It can make a major difference in our lives, too, if we’ll just receive the gift of
purpose
4. Let’s see what we can learn about the gift of purpose from the shepherds.
E. Lk. 2:8-20 – “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch
over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the
Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not
be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in
the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a
sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly
a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and
saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor
rests.’ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one
another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord
has told us about.’ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who
was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning
what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the
shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in
her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they
had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”
I. THEY RECEIVED GOD’S REVELATION
--v. 15 – When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to
Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’”
A. The shepherds recognized that they had been the recipients of Divine revelation
--They accepted it and they received into their hearts
1. Human pride wants to discover truth on its own.
--It’s like a strong-willed child who says, “Mom, I’ll do it myself.”
2. Human beings want to reach up to God and find Him on their own
a. The problem is that finite man cannot discover an infinite God on his own.
--1 Cor. 1:21 – “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him,
God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.”
b. These shepherds could never sit on a Judean hillside and conclude, by reasoning, that God was going
to come to earth as a baby
3. As technologically advanced as we have become, even today we can never discover salvation on our
own
--Salvation is only discovered through revelation
a. We can look at creation and know that God is powerful
b. We can know through our conscience that there is a moral character
c. But the plan of salvation can never be discovered through reason
--1 Cor. 2:7-10 – “No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God
destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they
had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: ‘No eye has seen,
no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him’— but
God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”
d. Did you ever watch a stage magician do some incredible trick or illusion? If it affects you, you turn
that trick over and over in your mind trying to figure out how in the world the magician pulled it off.
If you’re curious enough, you study some magic tricks yourself and find out how those things are
done. Once it’s revealed to you, it really seems quite simple.
e. The same is true of God’s plan
--Once God reveals His plan to you, it’s very simple
B. Our first purpose is to accept God’s revelation
--We have to say to ourselves:
1. I accept the truth that there is only one true God and that He alone is to be worshipped.
2. I receive His revealed truth that He came to this earth in the form of a baby, lived a perfect life, died for
my sins on the cross, and rose from the grave
3. I accept the fact that His truth is revealed in Scripture
C. Until we accept God’s revelation, we will never find an ultimate purpose in life on our own
--1 Thess. 2:13 – “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God,
which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God,
which is at work in you who believe.”
II. THEY OBEYED GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS
--vs. 16 – “So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.”
A. Our purpose in not just to receive the revelation
--We must also obey it
1. James 1:22 – “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
2. God expects a response to His revelation
3. Most people would probably say that their primary purpose in life is to be happy
a. If our primary purpose in life is happiness, we will invariably choose those things that are the
easiest, most pleasurable, and immediately advantageous to us.
b. But in the long run, that which brings immediate happiness can bring ultimate misery to ourselves
and to others.
B. We exist, as creations of God, to be obedient to Him; not to pursue our own personal agendas
--Lk. 11:28 – [Jesus said] “…Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
1. When we as Christians are faced with decisions concerning our entertainment, our marriages, our
money, our whole lifestyle, our job is not to do what pleasures us
--Our sole intent should be obedience to God
2. It may take some time for your obedience to produce fruit, but invariably it will
--Gal. 6:9 – “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if
we do not give up.”
III. THEY WORSHIPPED GOD’S ONLY SON
A. These shepherds made the decision to worship the Christ child
1. Defined by the dictionary, worship means “to express respect for, pay homage to, and ascribe
devotion to”
2. The biblical language depicts bowing down before a king and kissing his ring
3. When we join together with other Christians for worship, our purpose is to acknowledge God’s
Lordship over us
--His sovereignty
4. When we worship, we express our thanks to Him for His grace, mercy, and goodness
--We reaffirm our allegiance to Him as our Lord
B. The primary purpose of corporate worship is not to impress us but to exalt God
1. People may say after leaving corporate worship: “That didn’t do much for me”
--They critique the worship service as if they’ve been to the theatre.
a. We act as if worship is primarily for us
--“Did it meet my needs? Did it entertain me? Did it inspire me?”
b. Instead worship is supposed to be focused on God
--“Did it honor him? Did I express my thanks for all He’s done for me? Did God enjoy my
worship of Him?”
2. Imagine going to the 50th wedding anniversary of friends and on the way home, you say to your
spouse, “That didn’t do much for me.”
a. Instead, you should leave saying, I’m so glad we went. They really appreciated our being there.”
b. Why? The gathering was for them and not for you
3. Imagine the shepherds leaving the stable and saying, “That didn’t do much for me. I don’t think
Joseph had much of a say in the matter. Mary didn’t look very good. When that baby started
crying, it really disrupted the whole night. And it wasn’t very clean in that stable. The animals
sure did smell and those angels sand way to loud!”
4. Instead, the shepherds were jubilant and overjoyed that they had seen the Christ child even though it
had to have been terribly inconvenient for them to come and worship
--They left their watch over the sheep in the middle of the night. They traveled down the steep
terrain in the dark. The sheep were in danger from predatory animals and from predatory humans.
5. The primary purpose of worship is to glorify God and see that He is praised
--A little girl was asked, “Did you get all the presents you wanted for Christmas?” She replied,
“No. But that’s okay because it’s not my birthday.”
C. Worship, like Christmas, is in honor of the Lord Jesus; not us
--Ps. 100 – “Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before
him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his
people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give
thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his
faithfulness continues through all generations.”
1. Worship can be expressed in many forms
2. However, our problem with is that we have a faulty picture of what worship is all about
--Too many see worship as the leader being the performer, God as the prompter, and the congregation
as the audience. In reality, the congregation is the performer, the leader is the prompter, and God is
the audience.
3. The big question is: Does God get anything out of our worship?
IV. THEY SHARED GOD’S MESSAGE
--vss. 17-18 – “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about
this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”
A. Many Christians can be vocal at church but are silent elsewhere
1. I heard a fellow that loaned a friend several thousand dollars for a facelift. The friend never repaid
the money and the fellow who loaned the money couldn’t find his friend.
2. Some Christians are like that
--They ask for transformation from Christ but you can’t find them again. They’ve blended back into
the world
3. Imagine the shepherds saying, “We can’t tell our friends about a baby being born in a manger.
Worse yet, this baby is supposed to be the Messiah. They’ll think we’re religious fanatics. Let’s just
keep it to ourselves.”
--Instead, the shepherds were so excited, so invigorated over what they had seen and heard, they
couldn’t wait to tell everyone about this wonderful thing they had experienced.
B. We exist for the purpose of sharing God’s message
1. If the message is true, that Jesus came to die on the cross for our sins, we can’t keep quiet about it.
2. We can use Christmas to share the message of Christ
--We can use the card we send, the things we tell our children and grandchildren, and how we
observe Christmas
3. Just a warning: if you are a vocal proponent of the Christmas message, you will be considered
“politically incorrect” by a segment of our society
a. People will try to force you to say, “Happy holidays”
b. They will try to eliminate anything that reminds people of Christmas
--Christmas – “Christus mas” – “more Christ”
c. And they’ll try to substitute secular meanings for the season
d. However, these lowly shepherds weren’t afraid of what people thought
--They simply shared the message that had been shared with them
CONCLUSION: A. The reason we exist can be summed up in three words: to glorify God
1. The shepherds understood it
--v. 20 – “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they
had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”
2. We glorify God by receiving His revelation, obeying His commands, worshipping
His Son, and sharing His message
B. About 20 years ago, a farmer in Great Britain by the name of Maurice Wright
purchased an old painting at an auction for $4.00. He brought the painting home and
stored it in his barn.
One day, his accountant was by for a visit and saw the painting in the barn. He
thought the picture might be worth something so he took a photograph of it and sent it to
Christy’s – the well-known London auction firm.
After further investigation, the painting was declared the lost painting of Thomas
Danielle, a highly-acclaimed 19th century artist that had painted this particular work in
1808. Art critics knew it existed but it had mysteriously disappeared many years before.
Maurice Wright sold that painting at auction for $90,000.00. Not a bad return for a
$4.00 investment
1. Can you imagine that? Finding something that valuable in a barn?
2. The shepherds found something much more valuable in a barn
a. They found something more precious than gold
b. They found Jesus Chris who gave them a lasting joy, a mysterious peace, and a
purpose for living.
3. Christ can give you those same gifts today, if you will come to Him.
