Luke 2:10-11

To be seated and open your Bibles to Luke chapter 2.

Luke 2 · chapter mention

To be seated and open your Bibles to Luke chapter 2.

Luke 2 · chapter mention

And then there are those parents who think that their children are out of this world.

And they think that their children can sing better than Beyonce.

They think that their children can play better than Messi.

And I guess for some parents, maybe for all of us, to some degree we live out our hopes and dreams through our children.

You couldn't do it, but you think maybe with a bit of encouragement they can.

But let's push it.

When push comes to shove, there is only one set of parents who could actually say without a shadow of doubt that their child, their kid was out of this world, literally.

At Jesus Christ, who came from heaven itself.

And at the birth of any child, there's usually a huge amount of fuss, isn't there?

Camera, presence, videos, phone calls.

But at the birth of Jesus, the angel of the Lord turns up and makes this massive announcement to shepherds.

As he'd already done to Elizabeth and Mary.

Look at chapter 2 and verse 10.

The angel says this.

Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a saviour who is Christ the Lord.

God wants the shepherds to know.

He wants you to know this Christmas day that this child born in Bethlehem is good news.

It's always good news, isn't it, when a child is born.

We've had a number of babies born this year in church life.

It's always a joy to get that text message, to get that phone call.

But this is uniquely good news.

The kind of good news that the word literally was only used at the birth of an emperor.

It's good news because the waiting is over.

Some of you children, you've been waiting, haven't you, for Christmas to come.

There's been a countdown.

But Israel had been waiting.

Today, finally.

Today, on that first Christmas day.

Today, today in the town of David, a saviour has been born to you.

And at that moment in history, 2,000 years ago for us,

the long-awaited saviour had finally arrived.

He'd been a long time coming.

The Bible is 66 books.

It's not a collection of proverbs and myths and nice sayings.

It's an unfolding story that starts with creation and finishes with the new creation.

The message of the Bible is basically God made this world.

We broke it.

Jesus fixes it.

And that's the storyline of the Bible.

But scattered right through the Bible are promises.

And so, for example, 2,000 years ago, before the Christmas day, the first Christmas day,

God had said to Abraham,

Through you a son will come,

and your seed will bless the whole of the world.

That was 2,000 years before the first Christmas.

1,000 years before the first Christmas,

God had said to King David in 2 Samuel 7,

That from you will come a king,

and his kingdom will never end,

and he'll be on the throne forever.

And death will be no more.

Then 500 years before the first Christmas,

the prophet Micah

said when that king comes,

he's going to be born in one place,

and one place only,

and that place will be a place called Bethlehem.

The waiting has been long.

Some of us have got long journeys ahead of us this week

to visit family,

and you will hear little cries from the back,

won't you?

Are we there yet?

When are we going to get there?

And that's the cry of the Old Testament.

Are we there yet?

When are we going to get there?

They knew that God's king would come.

He would come,

and he would fix this world.

This world that has gone wrong.

He would deal with my problems,

and forgive my sins.

They just didn't know when.

And then we're told,

Can you see it?

Luke chapter 2, verse 11.

Luke 2:11

And to you this day,

in the town of David,

a saviour has been born to you.

And I know it's old news for us, isn't it?

That's not new news for you this morning.

It's not old news.

It's old news for us,

but it's still good news.

Let me tell you why it's good news.

Let me break it up.

It's good news because he is a saviour.

And I tell you,

we need to be saved as much today

as we ever have.

We need to be forgiven today

as much as we ever have.

You've got to know this.

You've got to know this today,

that there is nothing that you have done

that cannot be forgiven by Jesus Christ.

Let me say that again.

There is nothing that you have done

that cannot be forgiven you this morning

if you receive Jesus Christ.

Because today

is born this day in the city of David

a saviour.

And it's good news,

not only that he's a saviour,

but he is God's king.

Somebody who is in charge of this crazy world.

Do you remember last Christmas?

Last Christmas,

we just survived, didn't we?

This kind of

next flood of COVID

that they thought was going to come through.

And we thought, didn't we,

we'd come out of the pandemic

and it would be happy times again.

Life returning back to normal.

But this year,

we've seen an international crisis.

War in Ukraine.

Global fallout.

Three prime ministers.

Political instability.

The death of the queen.

And England yet again

losing the France

in the World Cup.

A cost of living crisis.

Climate anxiety

after record heat waves.

Do you remember them?

But the message of Christmas Day

is that this world

is not going to stay as it is.

So much grief,

and yet that grief will be dealt with.

And you need to know

that God is coming back

to take charge of this world.

A world that has thumbed its nose

at him.

And it begins

on this day in Bethlehem

with the birth of his son.

The son of the most high God.

God has come to make himself known.

And he's come

with the express purpose

that you would have

a relationship with him,

but on his terms.

But notice how God

fulfills his promise.

Every Bible

believing Israelite

knew that God's

appointed king

had to be born in Bethlehem.

But how does it happen?

A couple

called Mary and Joseph

who are betrothed to be married

are living in Nazareth.

But they end up giving birth

80 miles away

in Bethlehem.

Remember there's

no public transport

much like today.

There are no cars,

no motorbikes,

no scooters,

just a donkey

and walking.

And it's not as if

Joseph is reading

Micah one day

and thinks,

flip Mary,

we better get to

Bethlehem.

You need to have

the baby there.

That's not how it happened.

Look at chapter 2

and verse 1.

Look at the larger canvas.

In those days

the decree went out

from Caesar Augustus

the emperor

that all the world

should be registered.

That there should be

a census.

So first of all

God says

500 years before

Jesus is born

when God's king comes

he will be born

in Bethlehem.

The month before

he's born

or six months

before he's born

God works in the heart

of the emperor

Caesar Augustus

in Rome.

2,000 kilometers

away from

Bethlehem

and gets him

to do a census.

It affects the whole

of the Roman Empire

and on the edge

of that Roman Empire

a young couple

Joseph and Mary

who are originally

from Bethlehem

have got to go back

to their hometown

and register.

Also this amazing

prophecy could be

fulfilled.

So God promised

500 years before

God works in the heart

of an emperor

to organize a census

and God brings

a teenage couple

from Nazareth

so that in her

final trimester

she is there

and she gives birth

to fulfill

God's prophecy.

So God is a God

who makes promises

and keeps them.

The Bible is not

a story of myths.

We're not in the realm

of Star Trek

a long, long time

ago in Bethlehem

in a Bethlehem

far, far away.

No, you're dealing

with fact.

You're dealing

with promises

made by God

in one period

of history

and fulfilled

in another.

You can be assured.

And so let's not

miss the phrase.

Look with me

at chapter 2

verse 11 again.

For unto you

Isn't that a funny phrase?

Unto you

Born to you

Is born this day

in the city of David

a saviour

who is Christ the Lord.

Born to do you good.

Martin Luther

the German reformer

he said this

he said

why is it

when I go into the garden

all the birds

fly away from me

as if I mean

to do them harm.

Why do they do that?

He said

I've not come

to do them harm

but I go into the garden

and the birds

fly away from me.

You know what that's like.

If you've got

an air rifle

it's fair enough

isn't it?

The birds scatter.

But this one

born on Christmas day

who came to save

not condemn you

why is it

when I go into the garden

all the birds fly away

do I mean to do them harm?

Why do they do that?

Why is it

that when I mention

Jesus

the name of Jesus

my friends

they want to change

the subject

as if Jesus

means them harm.

Could it be right now

as I begin to speak to you

about the Lord Jesus

you find yourself

intentionally distracted.

I'm not going to think

about that you say.

I'm not going to allow

myself to go there.

Maybe you're thinking

I'm too ashamed.

I don't think

I can be safe

with him.

Maybe you think

as I talk about

the Lord Jesus

to you

you think

I know

that I can't

be forgiven

you don't know

what I've done.

Could it be

that you're so upset

with God

that there's

an empty space

at the family table

and you're angry

with him

and you're blaming God?

Could it be

that you're kind of afraid

that if you put your trust

in this wonderful saviour

that he'll ask

to be lord of your life

and to be in charge

and you will lose rights

over your life?

Or maybe you're thinking

I just don't want

to be disappointed again

because it really is

a broken world

and there's so much

over promising

in our world

and under delivering.

I quite like the film

The Incredibles

do you know the film

The Incredibles?

It's a good film

as that.

And at the beginning

of the film

the main character

who's imaginatively

called Mr. Incredible

he's going from

one scene

to another

saving and rescuing people.

He's saving

this person

and that person.

And this is what

Mr. Incredible says

right at the start

of the film

he says

you just rescue one

and then there's another

it's never ending.

No matter how many times

you've saved the world

it always manages

to get back

in jeopardy again.

Sometimes I just

want it to stay

saved.

You know just

for a little bit

I feel like the maid

I just cleaned up

this mess

can you not keep it

clean for ten minutes?

And I think he captures

what we want

this world to be

we want this world

just to be saved

for ten minutes

or so

just to be alright.

and you don't have

to think about

the whole world

you just have to

think about

your world

for a minute.

That everything

just seems so right

doesn't it?

And then it goes wrong.

I don't know what

your Christmas morning

has been like

maybe it's been

the picture perfect

Christmas morning

but I promise you

it won't stay like that.

And God's word

comes to you

this morning

and God says

I've not simply

come to save you

but to save this universe.

He's come to put

right

the beginning

of the story

is little you

but the end

of the story

is the beginning

of a whole new world.

A new creation

where there's no more

pain or crying

or grief

and that's God's agenda

with you in it

if only you would

take his hand.

And because it's

good news

it always comes

with great joy.

Whenever you meet

the angels

meet the shepherds

the angels

scare the living

daylights

out of the shepherds.

And the first thing

the angel says

is do not be afraid

and then

he talks to them

about the Lord Jesus

and the response

is always great joy.

I don't know

when you were born

when you were born

there was probably

a great deal

of fuss made

about you

loads of photographs.

Particularly

if you're child number one

many child number one

if you're child number one

there's loads of photographs

aren't there?

I was child number four.

You're lucky

if you can find

four, ten baby photos.

But when you were born

I can tell you

what didn't happen.

Verse 13

didn't happen.

In my house

especially

mum and dad

think you are.

And suddenly

there was an angel

and a multitude

of the heavenly hosts

praising God

and saying glory

to God in the highest

and on earth

peace among those

with whom he is pleased.

A whole army

of angels

burst onto the scene.

And what I love

is this

what is good for us

peace on earth

is good for God

glory to God.

One is

not at the expense

of the other

our God

is a very pro-human God

and to glorify him

is to do good to people.

And to do good to people

is to glorify him.

And when

you were born

the angels

didn't cry out

about that.

I'm sorry.

There's no

recording

in the Bible

of angels

rejoicing

at my birth

or yours.

But what the Bible

says is this

when you are born again

then the angels

kick into gear.

Jesus says that

in Luke 15

he says

I tell you

there is joy

before the angels

of God

over one sinner

who repents.

And since Jesus

who was born

on that first Christmas day

is the saviour of the world

we need to trust him

that's the call.

And since Jesus

who was born

on the first Christmas day

is Lord and King

we need to obey him.

And when you do that

as many of you have

as Jesus becomes

your Lord

and your saviour

the Bible deems you

to be born again.

Because nothing more

than a fresh start

has happened.

And when that happens

the angels in heaven

rejoice

and your heart

is filled with joy.

And Peter says

1 Peter 1.8

we are filled

with an inexpressible

and glorious joy.

A joy so wonderful

we can't put it into words.

I think one of the dangers

on a day like this

is that you confuse

happiness and joy.

If you've not been born again

by God's Spirit

you've not known this joy.

If you've not accepted

Jesus as your Lord

and saviour

you will know of happiness.

Yes.

That's a human experience

but you will not yet know

of joy.

Because joy is

the single

unique

Christian emotion.

Let me give you

a definition

as I round up.

A deep

profound

experience

of thankfulness

at the certainty

of being saved

by Jesus

from hell.

That's where joy

springs from.

a deep

and profound

experience

of thankfulness

at the certainty

of being rescued

by Jesus

from hell.

And unless

you have

the Lord Jesus

you can't have

that joy.

In fact

you can't get it

any other way.

So that means

you can be depressed

this morning

but you can have

that joy.

Members of this church

struggle

with anxiety

and depression

like everyone else.

People in this church

go up

and down.

Sometimes it feels

like an up and down

club.

And I need to be

really careful

this morning

that I don't

over promise.

I'm not promising you

in the gospel

permanent

24-7 happiness.

But what I am

saying to you

is that in the highs

and lows

of life

there is

this joy.

this deep

profound

experience

of thankfulness

at being

rescued

by Jesus

from hell.

And there is

no greater joy

than that.

When the

saviour comes

praise

and thankfulness

follow

verse 20

the shepherds

turn up

and confirm

everything

the angel

says

when they

meet baby

Jesus

and Mary

and Joseph.

We're told

that the

shepherds

returned

glorifying

and praising

God

for all

they'd

heard

and seen

as it

had been

told

them

back to

our

verse

I bring

you

good

news

of

great

joy

that

will

be

for

all

people

for unto

you

is born

this day

in the

city

of David

a saviour

for all

people.

In this

church

there are

about

40 nationalities

and people

have come

to Jesus

from very

different

backgrounds

at very

different

stages

of life.

People

who've

been

broken

others

who've

not been

particularly

broken.

they've

just been

persuaded

by the

facts

of

Jesus.

People

have come

when they're

happy

and they've

come when

they're sad.

Some people

have come

when they're

doing really

well in

business

some have

come when

they're

flat broke.

People

have come

when they're

healthy

and fit

and others

when they're

unhealthy

and sick.

And all

have found

themselves

worshipping

this Jesus.

And when

Mary and

Joseph went

to Bethlehem

there was

no room

was there

in that

guest house

for Jesus.

And I

wonder this

morning if

there is

room for

Jesus in

that heart

of yours.

There's a

big difference

isn't there

between singing

about Jesus

as the

saviour of

the world

that would

be just

another

Christmas.

And useless

to you

unless you

understand that

Jesus is

my saviour

and my

Lord.

Galatians

2.20 is

one of my

favourite

verses.

It says

this.

Let me read

it to you.

The life

I live

I now

live in

the flesh

I live

by faith

in the

son of

God

who

loved

me

and

gave

himself

for

me.

You see

the truth

is

this morning

there is

nothing

that you

have done

that can't

be forgiven.

God so

loved the

world

that's

wonderful

but God

so loved

me

that's

unbelievable.

Have you

done that?

Have you

made Jesus

your saviour

and your

Lord

that you

may know

the joy

of his

forgiveness

that you

may know

the joy

of God

God being

your father

and of heaven

being your

home.

let's

pray.

Let's

pray.

Let's

pray.

Let's

pray.

Let's