The Reason The Angels Were Singin’

The Reason The Angels Were Singin’ (Christmas Message)

Luke 2.10-14

December 20, 2015 CFBC Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

A The Pax Romana (Roman Peace) came in to effect 27 B.C. and lasted for nearly 200 (180 AD) years.

1 It’s been said that this period was the longest period of relative warfare-free time in history.

a A time of prosperity, peace, low crime, and people were safe under the cover of Rome’s government.

b It was during the time of Pax Romana that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

2 The absence of war doesn’t guarantee the presence of peace.

a The government/President/Prime Minister/King may give peace from a war on land & sea, but all of these are incapable of giving the kind of peace that our souls desire.

b The kings of this world can make treaties, call a truce . . . but not real peace to our hearts.

aa United Nations, U.S. Congress, Senate, White House can not bring peace to you.

bb Bring armies home, stop battles but they can’t stop the battles that rage in our hearts.

B I think we live in a time when the idea of Faux Pax (False Peace) is sought.

1 Governments, Climate Change Conferences, Science, Technology, Financial Stability . . . these are the keys to peace. (False)

a If we can all just be tolerant of others, not offend anyone, coexist, hold hands & sing Kumbaya . . . I’d like to buy the world a coke and live in harmony . . .that would be peace! (False)

b I’ve got Peace because I’m a good person, give to charity, vote a certain way, go to church, moral . . . that’s peace, right? Wrong.

b 2,015 Years ago, Angels came singing to shepherds who were tending sheep between Jerusalem & Bethlehem and said, “I bring you good new of a great joy which shall be for all the people.;” Luke 2.10 NASB

aa Good news that will make you happy, happy, happy!

bb News that will make you get on your good foot!

2 The good news that “ . . .TODAY, in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior (deliverer), Who is Christ (Messiah) the Lord (King.)” (Luke 2.11)

a v.12, tells exactly what the baby will be wearing (swaddling cloths): where the baby will be (Bethlehem, in a manger.)

b The details were so the shepherd wouldn’t make the mistake of going to the wrong baby thinking they found the right on.

aa People find religion but it doesn’t mean they found Jesus.

bb People find a church but it doesn’t mean they found Jesus.

cc People get a little excited over a little exposure to the Kingdom doesn’t mean they found Jesus.

C v.13, The angels that appeared to the shepherds seemed a bit happy that Jesus, the Son of God/second person in the Trinity/agent of creation, was being born on that night 2015 years ago.

1 There a few things that you need to remember here . . .

a The angels had known Jesus ever since the nanosecond they were created.

aa They knew Him as God before He was ever the baby wrapped in swaddling cloths.

bb They had praised Him in the beginning when He was creating the universe (cf. Job 38.7) and now they are praising Him at the beginning of the New Covenant.

b The angels remembered the good ol’days when God’s Presence dwelt in The Land inside the Tabernacle, guarded His Glory in the Holy of Holies (Ezek. 8.4; 9.3; 10.4, 18; 11.22-23)

Ezekiel 8:4 (NASB) 4 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the appearance which I saw in the plain.

Ezekiel 9:3 (NASB) 3 Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen at whose loins was the writing case.

Ezekiel 10:4,18-19(NASB) 4 Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub to the threshold of the temple, and the temple was filled with the cloud and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the LORD....18 Then the glory of the LORD departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim.19 When the cherubim departed, they lifted their wings and rose up from the earth in my sight with the wheels beside them; and they stood still at the entrance of the east gate of the LORD'S house, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered over them.

aa They also remembered when God removed His presence from the people because of their sin (1 Samuel 4:21 (NASB) 21 And she called the boy Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel," because the ark of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband.