1ST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY
LUKE 2:8-14
#NBCCADVENT2016
INTRODUCTION VIDEO… https://youtu.be/7-NOZU2iPA8 (2:48)
It is my hope that after watching the previous song that you have laughed so hard that your stomach hurts. Believe it or not, the song does have some high points in it. The first being the tremendous musical talent and snazzy style the band has… I am indeed impressed. The second being that the song does, in a humorous way, share the “Good News of Great Joy” that we are going to begin talking about today.
Verse 1:
He taught me how to live, my life as it should be, He taught me how to turn my cheek when people laugh at me, I’ve had friends before, and I can tell you that, He’s the one who will never leave you flat.
This part of the song rightly reflects for us that part of the Good News of Jesus Christ is that He shows us the right way of living. We do not have to wonder how to be, how to act, how to react… but rather Jesus has taught us a narrow path of living which enables us to love others. This verse also rightly reflects for us that Jesus Christ is ever present for us as our Guide and Companion. Jesus does not leave us. Both of these Truths are part of the “Good News of Great Joy” that we are talking about today.
Verse 4:
He loves me when I’m right, He loves me when I’m wrong, He loves me when I’m wrong, He loves me when I waste my time writing silly songs. He loves me when I’m quiet and I have nothing to say, He’ll love me when I’m perfect if I ever get that way. Whooo!
This part of the song also rightly reflects for us the boundless love that God has for us through Jesus Christ. You and I cannot be separated from the love of God. The love of God is unconditional, boundless, grace-filled, forgiving, and consistent. The love of God is part of the “Good News of Great Joy” that we are talking about today.
As we think about “Good News of Great Joy,” I have three questions:
Question 1: How was it communicated?
Question 2: What is it?
Question 3: What does it have to do with us?
To answer these questions, we need to dig into Luke 2:8-14 which describes for us all of the answers to those three questions.
READ LUKE 2:8-14
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.”
I. HOW WAS IT COMMUNICATED? (VERSES 8-9)
In verses 8-9 of our passage, we get a clear picture HOW the “Good News of Great Joy” came into the world. We find first that the “Good News of Great Joy” was first given to very simple people. Shepherds were in the fields making their living and working hard. Shepherds had the constant job of leading their flocks to fields where they could graze and leading them to running water or to wells where they could drink. Shepherds had the constant job of keeping the wandering sheep together. At night, the time of this particular passage, was no time off for the shepherd. It was at night that predators would stalk the sheep and also the most likely time for thieves to also prowl around and try to steal sheep. It was to these simple hard working people that the “Good News of Great Joy” was first communicated.
We also find that the message was not an ordinary message because the messengers themselves were extraordinary and a tad heavenly. The messengers of the “Good News of Great Joy” were angels. Angels are the created beings in Heaven that do as God commands (Genesis 2:1, Psalm 104:4, Colossians 1:16). Some of them have the job of constantly praising God (Hebrews 1:6, Revelation 4:8). Some of them fight in spiritual battles (Revelation 12:7). Some of them sing praises (Job 38:7, Luke 2). Some of them are messengers (Job 1:6, Luke 1). We find one angel in this passage that is tasked with approaching the shepherds and giving them the initial message. After the initial message and instructions, other angels joined and a chorus of angels sang out the message in the dark night sky.
The message that the angels gave to the shepherds was not only words, but also seemed to be tied and wrapped up in a person. The first angel that arrived and shone brightly in the night communicated with words to the shepherds about what was going on. The second group of angels also appeared in the sky and sang out about what was happening. There was even a sign about what was being said and sang was true which was in the form of a little baby born in a barn.
So, HOW was the “Good News of Great Joy” communicated? It was communicated by heavenly angels to simple hardworking people with words, a song, and a sign to show that it was true.
ILLUSTRATION… FACIAL EXPRESSIONS WHEN WE GET GOOD NEWS (p)
The passage that we are looking at centers around “Good News of Great Joy.” There is good news and then there is bad news. You and I have all been in the situation where someone said, I have good news and I have bad news. One brings us joy and happiness and positive thoughts. One brings us sadness and hardship and negative thoughts.
I want you to take a look at the following pictures and tell me if you think the person has received good news or bad news.
Show Face 1 = Good News [show picture of happy baby face]
Show Face 2 = Bad News [show picture of sad baby face]
Show Face 3 = Bad News [show picture of sad baby face]
Show Face 4 = Good News [show picture of happy baby face]
Show Face 5 = Bad News [show picture of sad baby face]
Show Face 6 = Good News [show picture of happy baby face]
It makes sense does it not that “Good News of Great Joy” creates in a person the appearance of joy. This “Good News of Great Joy” created in the angels a desire to share the news and were glad to do it. This “Good News of Great Joy” created in the shepherds who heard it smiles and later a desire to irresponsibly leave their flocks in the middle of the night and see this great person who was born in Bethlehem. It was that exciting! They heard good news and they loved it!
II. WHAT IS IT? (VERSES 10-13)
In verses 10-13, we get an answer as to what the “Good News of Great Joy” message actually is. The “Good News of Great Joy” is centered on a message, but also that message is tied directly to a person. In fact, you could say the person is the message and you would be completely correct. This is a strange message for us because the words are important, but so is the person about whom the message speaks.
First, this message is offered for “all people.” What does that mean? That means that what we are about to talk about has been offered to anyone and all people who will accept the message. This message is for poor, rich, and everyone in between. This message is for red, yellow, black, and white for we are all precious in God’s sight. This message is for those who tell little white lies and those that kill with big whoppers. This message is for the broken hearted and for the broken marriages. This message is for the person who thinks they are basically a good person and the person who feels like they are a scoundrel. “All people” means the person who hurts with words and the person who hurts with fists. It means that it is not just for people who have their lives together, but also for those who live in a perpetual hot mess.
The Bible shares this Truth with us in other places:
Romans 5:18 = “Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.”
This “Good News of Great Joy” is offered for “all people” and we must never forget that.
Second, this message centers around a “Savior.” What does that mean? Well, the presence of a savior usually indicates the need or the desire to be saved from something. In our case, all of us are in desperate need of a Savior because we are stuck in sin. Sin is doing wrong, thinking wrong, having wrong motives, and breaks our relationship with a Holy God. You and I have sinned and fallen short of the standard set for all people.
The Bible tells us this same Truth over and over:
Romans 6:23 = “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8 = “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Titus 2:11 = “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.”
This “Good News of Great Joy” is centered around a “savior” and we must never forget that.
Third, the message centers around “Christ the Lord.” What does that mean? That means that you and I are not stuck in our sin, but rather there is a plan from God to get us out of the mess we find ourselves in. The baby born in the barn of which the “Good News of Great Joy” is about was the plan all along. Jesus Christ was the plan for us to have knowledge of the way of salvation. Jesus Christ was the plan for us to have forgiveness for sins. Jesus Christ is the only plan for us to be saved.
The Bible tells us this Truth over and over:
Luke 1:77-78a And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God,
Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
This “Good News of Great Joy” centers around “Christ the Lord” and we must never forget that either.
So, WHAT was the “Good News of Great Joy?” The Good News is that all people in all places and at all times have a Savior to save them from the consequences of sin in the person of Jesus Christ who was God’s plan to save us.
ILLUSTRATION… FACIAL EXPRESSIONS WITH GREAT JOY (p)
There are two things that are in abundance in a face that is full of joy. I imagine that these two things were present on the faces of the angels as they gave the news and sang it out. I imagine these two things were present on the faces of the shepherds as they heard about the “Good News of Great Joy” from the Angels.
First, a joyful face is one that shows it in the eyes. Joy is an emotion that can make our eyes sparkle even though they probably do not naturally or biologically do that. Joy brings out a lightness and life to our eyes. A person who is joyful you can see in their eyes.
Second, a joyful face is one that most obviously shows it in the mouth. A smile is a good indicator of joy. Joy is not usually found with someone who has a big frown on their face. If you have joy and it is welling up from the inside, your face will show it.
So it would make total sense then, that if you and I are sharing “Good News of Great Joy” with someone that we should look like it. Makes sense doesn’t it? As we are sharing the “Good News of Great Joy” that all people in all places and at all times have a Savior to save them from the consequences of sin in the person of Jesus Christ who was God’s plan to save us… we should look like we have joy because of it.
III. WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH US? (VERSE 14)
The last question is just as important as the other two. The last question we will look at today is WHAT does this message of “Good News of Great Joy” have to do with us? If it doesn’t have anything to do with us or doesn’t change our lives in anyway, we might as well toss the message out. The message that the angels told the shepherds and that the shepherds told their neighbors is one that impacted them and impacts us still today.
In verse 14, we hear directly what this message had to do with the shepherds and the people in that day, but also for us even though we are removed by time from the message. This message, in verse 14, has to do with one word in verse 14: “peace.” The “Good News of Great Joy” works out as “peace” for us in three areas.
Peace with God. You and I who are sinners can have peace with a Holy God only through the death of Jesus and accepting Him as our Lord and Savior. We can have peace with our Heavenly Father by following the way of peace set up for us. This means forgiveness by way of grace. This means God holds us as forgiven. Romans 5:1 tells us, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Peace with Self. You and I who are sinners can have peace within ourselves. You and I can be free from the guilt of our sins because of the Grace of God. The way of peace that God has planned for us makes peace within us as we accept the forgiveness and grace given to us by God. Micah 7:19 says, “You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” 2 Corinthians 3:17 says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
Peace with Others. You and I are sinners and so are the people around us. You and I have a way of peace with the people who hurt us and with the people we hurt. Relationships are difficult. Marriage is difficult. Friendships can be difficult. Family relationships can be strained. As you and I think about the people in our lives, we can be guided by peace with them and for them. Romans 8:6 says, “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 14:19 says, “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”
So, WHAT does the “Good News of Great Joy” have to do with us? It brings us peace with God, peace within ourselves, and peace with others.
CHALLENGE
RE-WATCH VIDEO… https://youtu.be/7-NOZU2iPA8 (2:48)
So you have seen this video twice now. Is that who you want explaining the “Good News of Great Joy” to the people that you love and care for? To be honest, I don’t think I want strangers being introduced to the Savior of My Soul with something like that. I look at that and I think… “seriously?” Listen, you and I are the messengers of the Gospel. It is our job to make sure the people in our lives see an authentic person of faith who can explain why Jesus is important and how He can save them from the consequences of sin. Let us be the messengers of “Good News of Great Joy!”
