Luke Ch2v1-21 - Christmas Baptism

Luke's Gospel, Chapter 2.

We're going to read from that in just a minute.

We've been hearing lots of bad news recently, haven't we?

We can't escape the bad news.

Every time we turn on the news, the bad news of COVID.

Well, this morning we want to think about some good news.

The good news of Christmas.

And so we're going to read an account of the Christmas story.

The Christmas story from the shepherd's perspective.

So let's read Chapter 2, Verse 1 to Verse 21.

Follow along with me in your Bibles.

Luke 2, Verse 1.

Luke 2:1

In those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree

that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.

This was the first census that took place

while Quinerius was governor of Syria.

And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea

to Bethlehem, the town of David,

because he belonged to the house and line of David.

He went there to register with Mary,

who was pledged to be married to him

and was expecting a child.

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born.

And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.

She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger

because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby,

keeping watch over their flocks at night.

And 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 today good news

that will cause great joy for all the people.

Today in the town of David,

a Saviour has been born to you.

He is the Messiah, 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 hosts

appeared with the angel,

praising God and saying,

Glory to God in the highest heaven

and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven,

the shepherds said to one another,

Let's go to Bethlehem and see what has happened,

which the Lord has told us about.

So they hurried off

and found Mary and Joseph

and the baby who was lying in the manger.

When they had seen him,

they spread the word concerning

what they had been told about this child.

And all who heard it were amazed

at what the shepherd said to them.

But Mary treasured up all these things

and pondered them in her heart.

The shepherds returned,

glorifying and praising God

for all the things they had heard

and seen,

which were just as they had been told.

On the eighth day,

when it was time to circumcise the child,

he was named Jesus,

the name the angel had given him

before he was conceived.

Well,

we're going to look at three things this morning

from this text.

An amazing encounter,

a joyful announcement,

and a transformed life.

Three things.

So here's the first one.

An amazing encounter.

Look at verse 8.

Follow along with me

in your Bibles.

Verse 8.

There were shepherds

living out in the fields nearby,

keeping watch

over their sheep at night.

And an angel of the Lord

appeared to them.

Now, I don't know about you,

but I don't think

that I've ever met

an angel.

And it's not every day

that you hear in 6.1 News

of angels appearing in the sky.

Could you imagine

being out for a walk at night

or maybe at home in your room

and then all of a sudden

this angel shows up?

How would you feel

if that was you?

Special?

Excited?

Shocked?

Well, you see,

you and I can read

through this story

and you can think,

well, you know what?

I wish that was me

because I would love

to meet an angel.

I wish an angel

showed up at my door

because, well,

if an angel showed up,

well, then for sure

I would know

that this Christmas account

is true.

I mean,

if an angel was there,

it must be believable.

That would be some story

to be able to go back

and tell your friends

that an angel appeared.

But when the angels

came to the shepherds,

they were,

look at the end of verse 9,

they were what?

They were terrified.

You see,

visiting angels

is really not

a normal experience.

It's extraordinary.

angels are God's

servants

and God's

messengers.

So when an angel

shows up,

it means

God has something

really important

to tell us.

Angels appearing,

well, that's incredible.

That would be amazing.

But here's something

even more amazing.

It's their message.

You see,

God might not

send you

a personal angel

today or tomorrow

or next week,

but God has made sure

that the message

from the angels

has been kept

for you.

You see,

God wants us

today to hear

what the angels

said to the shepherds

because it's a message

for you and I.

That means

we need to listen

very carefully

to what is being

said.

So first,

an amazing encounter.

Second,

a joyful announcement.

The message

of the angels

comes in

in three things.

Well, at least

that's how we're

going to look at it.

Three parts

to the message

of the angel.

Here's the first one.

It's good news.

Look at verse 10.

The angel said

to the shepherds,

Do not be afraid.

I bring you

good news

that will cause

great joy

for all the people.

This wasn't just

any news.

This was good news.

In other words,

it was an announcement,

a declaration

that was going

to cause

real excitement

and joy

and happiness

for

not just

shepherds,

but for

all the people,

including you

and I.

It's going to be

life transforming.

Think about

this good news

like this.

We've all seen

our Taoiseach

Micheál Martin

make his way

down from

Leinster House

and he stands

in front of the podium,

doesn't need to

address the nation

just like I'm

standing here now

and he makes

his declaration

to the nation,

an announcement.

And most of the time

it's bad news.

News about

COVID

and further

restrictions

and out of

the pubs

and the restaurants

by eight o'clock

and all sorts

of things like that.

But imagine

on this occasion

he walks down

the steps,

down the red carpet,

he stands in front

of the microphone

to make his

announcement,

a declaration.

I bring you

good news

of great joy

for all the people.

COVID

is no more.

A pill

has been found

that kills

COVID

and heals

you of COVID.

All you have

to do

is take it.

Somebody

has done

all the

scientific

and medical

work on your

behalf,

all you have

to do

is take it

and everything

will be right.

Wouldn't that

be good news?

Well that's

what the angels

have come to do.

They are announcing

good news.

They're telling us

all that

something has

been done

for you.

You don't have

to do it.

You just have

to receive it.

Something

has been

done

for you

and for me

and it's

good news.

Well what is it

that has been

done?

Well,

here's the second

part of the

message.

It's all been

done by a

saving king.

Look at the

announcement

from the angel

verse 11.

Today in the

town of David

a saviour

has been

born to you.

He is the

Messiah,

the Lord.

Now Messiah

is a

title

just like

we have

Taoiseach.

That's a

title.

It's a

special

office.

Well,

Messiah

is a

title,

a special

office reserved

for one

person and

one person

alone.

God's

son,

the Lord

Jesus

Christ.

Messiah

really means

God's

promised

saving

king.

God's

promised

saving

king.

God has

sent to the

world a

saviour.

The baby

born to

Mary and

Joseph,

Jesus

Christ is

God's

saving

king.

But what

kind of

saviour

is he?

What's he

going to

save us

from?

That's a

really important

question.

Well, as we

read on in

Luke's gospel,

and you can

follow with me,

have a look at

chapter 5.

So just go on a

couple of

chapters to

chapter 5 in

your Bible.

as we read

into Luke's

gospel, we

discover what

Jesus saves

us from,

because Jesus

actually tells

us.

We don't have

to figure it

out.

He tells

us.

And here we

get the answer,

chapter 5.

He's been

talking to some

religious leaders

who've been

very upset with

Jesus because

he's hanging

around with

so-called

sinners,

naughty people.

What's he

doing with

them?

Well, he

answers them.

Verse 31,

chapter 5,

verse 31,

Jesus said,

it's not the

healthy who

need a doctor,

but those who

are ill.

I have not

come to call

the righteous,

or I haven't

come to call

those who

think they're

good,

but sinners

to repentance.

Now, if

you're sick,

if you're not

feeling well,

you go to

the doctor,

you ring up

your GP,

don't you,

and you get

a bottle of

medicine,

a few pills,

or whatever is

needed to

help you

better,

get better.

You don't

go to the

doctor to

announce that

you're well.

You don't

ring up and

make an

appointment and

say,

hi doctor,

great to see

you,

high five,

I'm feeling

really well

today,

I just wanted

to come and

tell you that

I've never

felt better.

that would

be a bit

ridiculous,

wouldn't it?

Well, in the

same way, we

don't go to

Jesus to

tell Jesus,

Jesus, I'm

doing great,

I'm a really

good person,

I've done

brilliant things

this week,

I'm spiritually

pure.

no, we

run to

Jesus because

we're sinners,

we're all

spiritually sick,

and the only

person who's

going to be

able to heal

us from

our sin is

the Lord

Jesus.

You see, the

Bible tells us

very clearly

that we've

all been

born sinners.

We live in

the rebel

county,

County Cork.

But we're

all rebels,

not because we

live in

Cork, but

because of

our birth.

That means

we've replaced

God with

self.

God's the

creator of

the universe.

He's the

centre of

the universe.

He owns

everything.

He's in

the charge

of everything.

He's the

boss of

everything.

He's in

the centre.

But we've

all come

along and

we've pushed

him out and

we've put

ourselves in

the centre.

rather than

God be

king of

our life,

I'm king

of my

life.

And I'm

going to

decide what

is right or

wrong and

I'm going to

decide how

I should

live.

The problem

with that

is all

of us are

fighting for

the centre.

We all

want to be

king.

We all

want to be

in the

middle.

It means

we're all

in conflict

with God.

It means

we're his

enemies.

And if

we're his

enemies,

we can't

live in

God's

good and

eternal

kingdom.

You see,

God has

promised that

one day,

yes,

Jesus has

come once,

that's what

we celebrate

at Christmas,

but Jesus

is going to

come again

in the future.

We don't

know when,

but when

he comes

again,

he's going

to sort

out all

the trouble

and all

the suffering

is going

to end

and all

the evil

is going

to end,

all the

bad things

that we

read about

and see

and experience

in our

life will

all be

gone.

But if

we're in

conflict

with God,

if we're

his enemies,

we can't

share in

that eternal

kingdom.

I'd love

to be able

to stand

and tell you

and say,

you know

what,

it's going

to be

okay,

it's just

going to

work out

fine,

and we'll

all be

part of

the kingdom.

If we're

still in

conflict,

still fighting

for center

place,

pushing God

off his

throne,

we can't

share in

it.

So God

sent his

son,

the saving

king,

to make

us his

friends,

so that

we can.

How does

he do

that?

Well,

here's the

third part

of the

message.

Peace.

Listen

again to

what the

angel said.

Let's go

back to

chapter 2

and verse

13.

This is

what the

angels

said.

Suddenly,

a great

company of

the heavenly

hosts appeared

with the

angel.

That is,

there were

hundreds of

other angels

joined that

one angel

in the sky

and they

all started

singing,

glory to

God in

the highest

heaven and

on earth

peace to

those on

whom his

favour rests.

Peace.

We've been

promised peace.

Now that

peace doesn't

mean a

suffering free

life, a

life where

we'll be

free from

troubles and

no more

bad things

will ever

happen to

us ever

again.

No, what

it means is

peace with

God.

It means to

be reconciled,

to be put

back again

into a

right

relationship.

Instead of

being his

enemy,

facing

punishment and

being shut

out of his

presence,

we receive

his peace.

We become

his friends.

Let me

explain how

we can all

know and

experience that

peace.

In a

moment, Asia

is going to

get baptised.

That's why we

have this

large tub of

water at

the front.

And two

actions are

involved in

baptism,

aren't they?

There's the

going down

into the

water and

then the

coming up

out of

the water.

It's

symbolic.

That means

it represents

something.

It's a

picture of

the good

news.

It's a

picture of

the death

of Jesus

going down

into the

water and

it's a

picture of

the resurrection

of Jesus

coming up

out of

the water.

You see,

when Jesus

died,

his death

on the

cross,

he was

taking my

sin and

your sin,

all the

things that

we've done

wrong,

all our

rebellion,

all that

conflict,

is all

taken by

Jesus.

He's taking

the punishment

you and I

deserve.

And when

Jesus rose

again from

the grave,

he's giving

us new

life.

He's making

peace with

us so that

we can be

friends with

God.

It's as if

he reaches

out his

hand,

a handshake

of peace.

And when

Asia gets

baptized,

what she's

saying is,

hands up,

I'm a

sinner,

I'm trusting

that Jesus

died for

me.

I've done

bad things,

I've done

wrong things,

but his

death is a

death for

me.

Isn't that

right,

Asia?

And Asia,

when she

gets baptized,

is saying,

I need

new life.

I'm

trusting that

when Jesus

rose again,

he rose

again for

me.

His

life is

my new

life.

I'm no

longer his

enemy,

but his

friend.

I no

longer fear

punishment,

but I now

can enjoy

peace with

God.

It's like

Asia

has kind

of taken

center place

because that's

what we all

do.

We take

center place,

we push

God out,

and in

repentance we

turn and

say,

no,

God's the

center,

and I

live to

serve him,

and I

want to

follow him

all my

life.

You see,

the angels

came to

announce

good news,

the good

news of

a savior

who makes

peace with

God for

us.

That's

brilliant.

So how did

the shepherds

respond?

respond?

Well,

we've looked

at an

amazing

encounter,

we've looked

at a

joyful

announcement,

and then

last,

a transformed

life.

Three things

we're just

going to look

at very

briefly to

show us

what we

can learn

from the

shepherds

about how

you and

I can

respond to

the angels

announcement.

Because this

is good news,

not just

for the

shepherds,

but for

everyone.

Here's the

first thing,

to receive

God's

grace.

I wonder,

did you

take note

of who

the angels

went to?

Who did

the angels

go to?

We know

the answer,

don't we?

To the

shepherds.

Now,

shepherds in

those days

were very

unimportant

people.

Shepherds

today are

really important

people because

they provide

us with

lovely legs

of juicy

roast lamb.

Mmm,

my favourite.

But shepherds

in those days

weren't very

important people.

In fact,

they were

considered the

lowest of

the low.

We're told

in verse 8

that they

lived out

in the

fields.

They had

to make

their own

shelter,

get their

own food,

their own

water.

In fact,

when people

were walking

by,

when they

were journeying

from one

place to

another,

shepherds

would rob

other people

because they

didn't have

much.

Nobody liked

shepherds.

They were

the most

unimportant,

despised

people that

you could

find.

But amazingly,

God chose

the shepherds

to be the

very first

people in

the whole

world to

hear the

good news

from the

angels.

How amazing

is that?

God chose

the lowest

of the

low.

He didn't

go running

to the

political

leaders,

the ones

that we

read about

in chapter

2,

verse 1,

Caesar,

Augustus,

Quinerius,

all these

political,

important

people.

God didn't

send angels

to them.

He didn't

send angels

to the

self-important

people.

people.

He goes

to rotten

thieving

sinners.

He goes

to shepherds

to announce

the news

of Jesus'

birth.

You see,

that's God's

amazing grace.

He doesn't

come to us

and say,

I want you

to sort

your life

out,

then you

can come

to me.

He doesn't

say,

promise me

that you'll

do better

and that

you'll try

harder and

then I'll

help you.

God doesn't

say,

make a

commitment

to never

ever fail

again and

then I'm

going to

save you.

No,

God has

sent his

son to

invite sinners,

people like

you and me.

He comes

to seek

and save

the lost.

He comes

to people

who know

they need

help,

people who

know they

need a

saviour,

people who

know they're

not good

enough,

people like

Asia,

people like

me and

people like

you.

Well,

receive

grace.

Here's the

second response,

check it out.

After hearing

the good

news,

the shepherds,

look at

verse 15,

when they

heard this,

they said,

let's go to

Bethlehem and

see this thing

that has

happened which

the Lord has

told us about.

Let's go check

it out.

Let's go see

if this is

true.

We've heard

a message,

maybe it's

fake news,

maybe it's

all made

up.

Let's go

and find

out.

So,

verse 16,

they hurried

off and

found Mary

and Joseph

and the

baby who

was lying

in the

manger.

And when

they'd seen

him,

they spread

the word

concerning what

had been told

about this

child.

You see,

they went to

find out,

to check out,

if what they'd

heard was

true.

And we're

hearing the

same message

today.

And you're

maybe sitting

here thinking,

I'm not quite

sure I believe

this.

It's a nice

story,

but I don't

know if it's

true.

Well,

check it

out.

How do you

check it

out?

Read Luke's

Gospel.

Luke was

one who

went and

interviewed

people and

searched for

all the

evidence and

he got all

the stories

together,

he got all

the witnesses

together,

and then he

wrote down

Luke's Gospel

so that we

could know

the truth.

Read it

for yourself.

Check out

if the story

is true.

The shepherds

did,

and they

discovered

something

amazing.

They checked

it out,

and they

came to

worship him.

look at

verse 20.

The shepherds

returned,

back to

where they

had come

from,

back to

their fields,

glorifying and

praising God

for the things

they had heard

and seen,

which were

just as

they had been

told.

You know

when you

glorify someone,

or you

praise someone,

what you're

doing is

you're

worshipping

them.

You're

saying what

they have

done,

if somebody

scores a

great goal

or somebody

achieves

something really

good,

you clap and

applaud and

you jump up

and down and

go,

yes,

brilliant,

fantastic.

You're giving

them praise,

you're giving

them your

worship.

You see,

the shepherds

had come to

understand what

this baby

means.

He's not just

an ordinary

baby,

he is the

saviour of

the world.

Therefore,

he deserves

our worship.

He deserves

my whole

life.

Do you

remember how

the shepherds

responded when

they saw the

angel?

Remember when

the angel

appeared?

Do you

remember their

response?

They were

terrified.

Why were

they terrified?

well,

the shepherds

knew exactly

what kind of

life they'd

lived.

They weren't

the most

reputable

people around.

They were

downright

dirty sinners.

Now God

had appeared

with an

angel in

the sky,

with a

message.

That could

only mean

one thing.

We're doomed.

God's coming

to strike us

down.

We're lost.

But no.

What did

the angel

say?

Don't be

afraid.

No, you're

not going to

get struck

down.

God hasn't

come to

wipe you

out.

God has

come to

save you.

He's come

to give

his life

for you.

That's why

he deserves

our worship.

It means

to make

Jesus the

most important

person to

you.

It's to

make him

the greatest

treasure in

your whole

life.

It's saying

that if I

don't have

Jesus in

my life,

I'm lost

forever.

I'm dead.

The shepherds

worshipped him.

They gave

their life

to Jesus.

Asia

has given

her life

to Jesus.

she has

come to

worship

Jesus

because of

what he

has done

for her.

The

question is

to you,

do you

worship

Jesus?

Have you

given your

life to

him?

Most

important

thing we

could ever

do.

And maybe

you're here

and you're

thinking,

yeah,

I've done

that.

Well,

let me ask,

have you been

baptized?

as a

demonstration

of your

love

and trust

in the

Lord Jesus.

Maybe that's

something you

need to be

thinking about.

Worship

him.

Give your

life to

him.

He's your

savior.

Let's

pray.

Amen.

Father,

we're

amazed

at such

good news.

We all

were just

desperate to

hear good

news and

we've just

listened to

it.

Thank you,

Lord Jesus,

for being

the perfect,

full,

and sufficient

savior of

our life.

Help us

to trust

you.

help us

that we

might

worship

you

with our

life.

Thank you

for the

work you've

done

in Asia's

life.

Thank you

for the

work you

can do

in our

life too.

In

Jesus'

name,

Amen.

Amen.

Well,

before we

baptize,

we're

going to

sing.

We're

going to

sing about

what the

angels

announced.

Hark,

Thank you.