What A Story!

WHAT A STORY!

Luke 2.20

S: Good News!

C: Christmas

Pr: ENTHUSIASTICALLY LIVE THE BEST NEWS THAT HAS EVER BEEN TOLD!

Type: Inductive

The Shepherds were:

I. ORDINARY

II. SCARED

III. CURIOUS

IV. CONTAGIOUS

PA: How is the change to be observed?

• Humbly realize that God became human

• Meet Jesus

• Be contagious

• Live the excitement and tell, tell, tell

• Tell someone over the next three days that Christmas is about Jesus

Version: ESV

RMBC 23 December 07 AM

INTRODUCTION:

1. Who have you met that is important?

And what is your reaction?

Did you go crazy?

Decide not to wash a part of your body for a week, or ever for that matter?

I think most of us have this one common reaction…

When we meet someone important, we tell other people about it.

I was speaking to Marie about this in the office this week, and she told me that she and Troy shook hands with President and President Clinton (oops, I am getting ahead of myself there).

Troy has a fascinating interest and he has met these people: Jimmy Doohan, George Takei, Patrick Stewart, Gates McFadden, and Marina Sirtis.

They are also known as Scotty, Lt. Sulu, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Dr. Crusher and Counselor Deanna Troi.

Just the other week, Kam met someone famous: Lee Evans.

And I have too…

I ran into Jim Kelly once – literally!

I bounced off.

Even after being retired, he is a solid guy!

But these examples do not even compare to who some sheep herders were able to meet one evening.

They met really important people in the largest scheme of things.

But no one expected it to happen to them, because…

OUR STUDY:

I. The Shepherds were ORDINARY.

(8) And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

2. These were men without pedigree.

Shepherds were not highly educated.

They did not have a lot of money.

Since the nomadic nature of their job created plenty of opportunity, they were known for “what is thine is mine.”

Because of this, shepherds were treated with contempt and mistrust.

You could not depend on shepherds for anything except their sheep.

They were hard men – calloused, grubby and uncouth.

And in this story, they were scared…

II. The Shepherds were SCARED.

(9) And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.

3. These men were flattened with fear.

You see, the tough guys are on the ground.

These hard men are flat on their face – trembling.

Why?

Because when the Glory of God comes, it puts everything in perspective.

When you are faced with the reality of God’s presence, you realize what bad shape you are really in.

It has a way of making you humble real fast!

And I am sure they are thinking, “We are in for it now.”

“We are going to be vaporized!”

For sure, they thought they were goners.

But now…

Now that they are where they are supposed to be, humbled, flat on the ground…and ready…so now…

4. They received good news that brings mega joy.

(10) And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a 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!”

Mega joy.

That word that is translated “great” to describe joy is, in the Greek, mega.

This was huge!

They were, at that very moment, receiving the best news that could ever be communicated.

To ordinary people like them, even grubby, dysfunctional men like them, the Savior had come.

This was huge.

It was time to celebrate.

It was time to express some joy!

The Messiah had come.

And they, those sheep herders, had been told.

Of all people, why should they be told?

Why them?

They probably could not figure out why.

It probably never crossed their minds to ask.

All they knew was that their King had come…and they knew it…

So now we find that…

III. The Shepherds were CURIOUS.

You know how this room is when there is big music in here, like last week?

As a piece ends, there is that moment with the reverb…and then the silence.