The Good News Of Christmas
Luke 2:8-17
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Introduction:
1. When you think about celebrating Christmas, what thought should come into your mind immediately? The thought should be, ìJesus!î
2. Yet there are thousands around this city and country who will celebrate Christmas, but will never give one thought to Jesus Christ. It is simply a holiday - a day of festivity, food, and gift-giving.
3. But today, let’s think about what Christmas is really all about and what it stands for.
4. Without a doubt, one of the most mind-boggling events in history is the incarnation of Jesus Christ. God left the glories of heaven, wrapped Himself in human flesh, and was born into this physical world. God became a human being and dwelt among us.
• He felt what we feel, smelled what we smell, saw what we see, heard what we hear, laughed our laugh, cried our tears, and felt our pain.
5. The birth of Christ is the fourth greatest day in history.
• The third greatest happened 33 years later when this babe of Bethlehem was crucified on a cross for our sins.
• The second greatest came three days later when this babe came out of the grave.
• The greatest day is yet future, when this babe will split the sky and come back down to the earth to rule and reign over it in total righteousness!
6. With this in mind, let’s examine some key questions about His birth and answer them from God’s Word.
Was Christ’s birth in Bethlehem foretold? vs. 8-10
1. We see in our text that the angel of the Lord comes to reveal the coming of Christ. Who does the angel first reveal it to? He reveals it to the shepherds, and what was their reaction? Fear and trembling.
• But the angel says to them, “Don’t be afraid. I’ve got good news.”
2. Do you see that Bethlehem was not an accident? It was not a spur-of-the-moment decision by God. His birth was foretold centuries before, and God is very specific in His prophecies and always fulfills them with 100% accuracy.
• Genesis 3:15 - The Savior would come from the seed of the woman.
• Genesis 12:3 - The nation He would come from would be Israel (Abraham’s seed).
• Genesis 49:10 - He would come from the tribe of Judah.
• 2 Samuel 7:12-13 - He would come from the family of David.
• Isaiah 7:14 - He would come through the womb of a virgin.
• Micah 5:2 - He would be born in the city of Bethlehem.
3. In Luke 2, we don’t just have a revelation of His birth, but a confirmation of God’s Word, and God’s glory fulfilled in Jesus Christ. It was a confirmation of what God had been saying for the past 4,000 years.
4. Now we have a proclamation. We have good news that can bring great joy to all people (vs. 10). We have a gospel that is not just for a nation, or a people, or a specific tongue or race, but a gospel for the whole world. Joy to the world, the Lord has come!
Second, what was the reason for Christ’s birth? vs. 11-14
1. There are many things that have been accomplished that could have never been accomplished had He not come. Here are just a few:
• We have a revelation of the Father. We know the Father because we know the Son. We’ve seen the Father because we have seen the Son. John 1:18, 14:9
• He provided for us an example. 1 Peter 2:21
• He has healed the broken-hearted (Luke 4:18). Christ is not just for the elite and rich, but for the poor, the down and out, and downcast. Do you have sadness, feel like nobody understands you, and that you have been let down? You have a friend in Jesus. He understands.
• He has destroyed the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). Satan is alive and can give us trouble, no doubt. But he is a defeated foe, and one day Jesus will throw him in his proper place. We’ve been set free from the power of sin and bondage of Satan.
2. As wonderful as all these things are, they are not the primary reason that He came. If you want to know the primary reason, read verse 11. He came to be our Savior and to save us from our sins. cf. Matthew 1:21; 1 Timothy 1:15
3. Our culture has missed this because people don’t realize anymore that they are sinners. They think of sinners as murderers. They figure, “I’m not that bad. I’m fine.” They fail to realize that sin is coming short of God’s glory. Romans 3:23
4. You may say, “Well nobody is perfect.” That is exactly right, and that is why Jesus came! He came to be a Savior for imperfect people like you and me. Jesus came to deliver us from the penalty of our sin and to set us free, so we can live with God eternally. Luke 19:10; 1 John 4:14
Third, what should be our reaction to Christ’s coming? vs. 15-17
How did the shepherds react?
1. They came with haste. vs. 15-16
• The angel came and gave them the message, and they said, ìWe need to do something about this.” They didn’t think about it, wait around for a week, or say, “We’ll get to it next week.” They came with haste.
• The good news of Jesus isn’t something you need to put off. You need to come with haste. Hebrews 3:15
• Can you imagine if the shepherds would have said, ìLook at that, have you ever seen so much light? And what about those angels? What should we do? Let’s put it off until tomorrow.î We would say, “That’s crazy.” But people do the same thing today.
• You tell people that they are lost in their sin and eternal judgment awaits, but there is good news. Jesus has died in their place. They simply need to believe on Him, and God will give them eternal life. They yawn and say, “I’m not ready yet. Maybe later.”
• They are living under the presumption that they will have tomorrow. Proverbs 29:1
2. They made it known. vs. 17
• It only makes sense that, when you find Christ, you want to share Him with others. How can you hear and accept the good news and then not share it? How can you contain such good news?
• A gospel that will convert your soul, change your life, and give you eternal life NOW! That is something to share. Where would we be if somebody had not shared it with us?
In Conclusion:
1. Do you know this babe of Bethlehem that came to be the Savior of the world? Luke 2:10-11
2. Is He your personal Savior? Can you remember the day when He became your Savior and saved you from your sins?
