Luke 2 v 1 - 20 THE REVELATION OF THE INCARNATION I. THE HEAVENLY CHOIR PREACHED A MESSAGE v.10-14 (Delivered a Message of Peace) 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. i.e. Its a:- (a) Message of Peace - "Fear not" - v. 8 & 9 "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid." They were afraid at:- The Presence of God v.9 "lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them" The Power of God v.9 the glory of the Lord shone round about them The Purity of God - v. 9 "they were sore afraid" Habakkuk 1 v. 13 "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?" v. 10 "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." (b) Message of Praise - v. 10 "behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy" Note:- The Joy of the Messenger - "Behold", The Joy in the Message - "good tidings of great joy", The Joy of the Multitude - v.13 & 14 "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Nehemiah 8 v. 10 "Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
Habakkuk 3 v. 17 & 18 "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation." (c) Message of Pardon - v. 10 "Which shall be to all people" His Pardon is:- Universal - "all people", unequivocal - "shall be" , unquestionable - "to all people" Mercy there was great and grace was free, pardon there was multiplied to me, there my burdened soul found liberty, at Calvary (d) Message of Purpose - v. 11 "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." (a) A Particular Birth - 2:11 "For unto you is born"
(b) A Personal Birth - 2:11 "unto you"
(c) A Physical Birth - 2:11 "born" (d) A Posted Birth - 2:11 "this day"
(e) A Prophesied Birth - 2:11 "in the city of David"
(f) A Providential Birth - 2:11 "a Saviour"
(g) A Preeminent Birth - 2:11 "which is Christ the Lord"
II. THE HUMBLE SHEPHERDS PREACHED A MESSAGE v.15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. (Delivered a Message of Praise) 1. A Message Of Opportunity 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. (Ill. The shepherds were considered to be social outcasts. Their duties made them unclean and the fact that they were unable to come to the Temple for many weeks at a time prevented them from getting clean. Luke 19:10, For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 2. A Message Of Obedience -v.15-16 a) The Men Are Drawn To Jesus - 2:15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
b) The Men Are Delighted With Jesus 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. c) The Men Are Dispatched By Jesus - 2:17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. d) The Men Are Dumbfounded At Jesus - 2:18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
e) The Men Are Declarative of Jesus -2:20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. It is His command - Mark 16:15; And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Matt. 28:19-20; Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Acts 1:8. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. C. A Message Of Overcoming -v.20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God While their circumstances had not changed, their hearts had! These men returned with hearts full of praise for the Lord. What a difference Jesus makes! (Ill. His great purpose is to change sinners into saints) Eph. 2:8-10; For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 2 Cor. 5:17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. If you know Him, remember that your situation may be bad, but your God is Great! III. HARD HEARTED INNKEEPER PREACHED A MESSAGE v.7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. (Delivered a Message of Presumption) A. A Message Of Sadness - Ill. No room for Jesus, Ill. The cry of the crowd the day He was crucified - John 19:15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. B. A Message Of Sorrow - Ill. No Jesus, No Hope, Know Jesus, Know Hope! Without Jesus, there is no hope, no future and no life - John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. C. A Message Of Separation - the Innkeeper, secure in his bed. Jesus lying in a manger. The Innkeeper's rejection prevented him from knowing the joy of the shepherds. To be without Jesus is to be without life, and to be without Heaven, 1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
