Advent 4

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

Our passion is to experience and express grace. Join us.

We're going to read the story of the first people who got to go tell it on the mountain

that Jesus Christ was born. It's the familiar Christmas story in Luke 2. But as I read it,

I want you to imagine that you got a special invitation to some huge event. The royal wedding,

the national championship game, I don't know, something that would be a really big deal to you.

And you'd really want to be there and you weren't even looking for an invite yet. You didn't know

it was happening. You're just minding your own business. And you're the only one to get a special

personal invitation to the big event. That's what happens to these shepherds. The only people

other than the baby's parents to get an angelic invitation to the birth of the Messiah. As far

as we know, the only people other than Mary and Joseph actually at the manger. I want us to consider

their story, what the birth of Jesus means to them, and also consider through that what the birth of

Jesus means to each of us, ordinary people like them. Let's read this glorious account in Luke 2,

beginning at verse 8. This is the very Word of God.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they

were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, 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 Savior

who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you. You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths

and lying in a manger. 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 among those with whom He is pleased.

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go over

to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us. And they went with

haste and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known

the saying that had been told them concerning this child, and all who heard it wondered at what the

shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the

shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen as it had been told them.

Let us fire God's holy word. Let's pray together.

Father, thank you for your word. Would you by your spirit teach it to our hearts? Would you by your

spirit mold our hearts this morning, change us, that we would not merely celebrate a season

with warm and good feelings, but that we would celebrate a Savior with hope and joy?

Would you do that work in our hearts? Would you speak to us by your word? In Jesus' name, amen.

Amen.

Most of us aren't experts on shepherds, so let me give you a little window into their world to help us

appreciate how the birth of Jesus would have impacted them. Shepherds in this culture were in some ways

ordinary blue-collar folk. They were certainly not the upper crust of society or particularly influential

in the town. In fact, they were the black sheep of Jewish society, pardon the pun. Often despised in the

community, thought of as thieves, so mistrusted, in fact, that they weren't even allowed to be legal

witnesses. That's who shepherds were. Perhaps the ones who looked down on them the most and made them feel

the most like outsiders were the religious types. The religious churchy people made sure the

the shepherds felt unworthy because they weren't in worship very often. You didn't find them at the temple

much. With their crazy work schedules, long distances they had to cover, the fact they were at times

ceremonially unclean from the animals or dead things they came in contact with. They were usually absent

from worship. We may think of them as as sweet characters around the manger, but but nobody else thought of

them that way. Everyone, themselves included, I suspect, would have been surprised, shocked to hear or read that

the local shepherds were by the end of this story leading the community in glorifying God, announcing

the good news of the Messiah coming to save God's people. But that's exactly what happens, isn't it?

God often has the most special plans for the most unsuspecting people as we already saw with Rae.

So the shepherds will show us this morning a special view of Christmas. Will show us Christmas means

good news that must be celebrated and must be shared. Let's start with the first part of that.

What's the good news that is worth celebrating? Something causes these shepherds who are out with

their flocks by night to get really excited. But first, it scares them. An angel shows up and verse 9 says,

they are filled with great fear. They were sore afraid, another translation says. Now likely, these shepherds

would have known enough to know that when an angel shows up, it's either really good or really bad.

And these shepherds certainly knew enough to know that if an angel was showing up to them,

it was really bad, right? No chance was an angel showing up to them anything good. And so they're

reasonably terrified. Well, what's going on? What's happening? But by the end of the story,

verse 20 says, they're not terrified anymore. They're glorifying and praising God. They're excited.

They're thrilled. They praise God. What happened? What did he tell them? He says to these fearful shepherds,

fear not. I understand why you're afraid. Don't be afraid. I've got good news. It's of great joy.

It's something worth celebrating. What's the content of the good news that they celebrate? What could an

angel bring to these shepherds that would tell them they should celebrate? Look at verse 10.

Good news of great joy that will be for all the people unto you is born this day in the city of David

David. A savior who is Christ the Lord, a savior. Christ the Lord, the Messiah. Look, even the shepherds knew

who that was, right? This is the one we've all been waiting for, the promised one, the anointed one.

We've waited centuries and and now he's here. Are you serious?

That's the first angle the shepherds get on the good news. A savior. In other words,

God is making rebels his children. Now that's good news for rebels. And if you don't think of yourself

as a rebel, maybe that's not really the personality type you have or how you usually think of yourself.

Remember last week we saw that every time we sin, we're picking up our swords and waging war against

the king. We think we'd do better on his throne. Rebels, consider your own heart and life for just a

minute. Do you wake up every day thinking, I wonder what God wants me to do today?

Do you ever consider your own needs ahead of others? Do you ever struggle to love even the people you picked

to love? Do you ever do something just to look good to others, just to impress someone else, to avoid getting

caught and punished? See, even the even the rule followers among us have hearts that rebel against the king.

When we're honest about our hearts, we feel the same way the shepherds would have about being in the presence of God.

Not me. I don't deserve to be there.

The Bible's right, isn't it, when it says we are sinful from birth. There is no one righteous.

By nature, we are all hostile to God. We are bent towards ourselves and what we want and away from God and what

He's designed us for. We desperately need a Savior.

And that's exactly what God sends. A Savior. While we were yet sinners, the Messiah came to die for us.

At just the right time, God sent His Son so that rebels might become His sons.

It's the good news of Christmas that causes these shepherds to do backflips.

I mean, I made that detail up, but they're praising God. They're really excited.

They're celebrating His goodness and grace. A Savior. God makes rebels His children.

Chai Sun knew what it meant to be a rebel. He was part of a communist rebel

militia group in Korea after World War II. He hated Christians. In 1948, he killed two sons of a local

pastor in an uprising. But soon afterwards, the communist uprising was put down and troops from

the National Army came in to execute justice, to mete out punishments on these rebels. Chai Sun

rightfully expected he was facing death. Until Pastor Sun, the father of the two boys he had killed,

stepped in. He pleaded with the military court to forgive Chai Sun. The court at first refused, but

finally, the court consented when Pastor Sun offered to adopt the rebel in the place of his two murdered sons.

When Pastor Sun finally saw Chai Sun, he said to him,

Don't worry, I have already forgiven you, and God is longing to forgive you too.

It wasn't long before Chai Sun experienced forgiveness of sins and adoption as a son from his heavenly father. He became a Christian like his new father.

From rebel to son, twice. That's such good news.

But then the one angel is actually joined by something that I think would be a lot scarier than just one brilliant messenger of light.

There's a whole host of them, an army of angels. To add more to the message, verse 14,

Glory to God in the highest, they're singing.

And on earth, peace among those with whom he is pleased.

They've got a message.

There's glory in heaven and there's news for earth.

I wonder what it will be.

The armies of heaven, of the glorious God,

declare not war,

but peace.

An announcement, not that God has found some men of goodwill on earth

who deserve for God to make peace with them,

but rather that God has declared peace toward men currently hostile and warring against him.

My enemies will be my friends, God says.

Hey, that's us, right?

The shepherds knew it.

He's talking to us.

What a glorious reality.

Do you know that?

That's you and me?

And the holy God of the universe,

at the point of his highest and greatest glory,

does not wait for us to earn our way back up to him.

That's not what he does.

Instead, he brings us back to himself.

It's the same message of grace from another angle

for restless, fearful, peace-lacking people.

People who scramble around trying to have a good enough life,

to have a good enough family,

to have a good enough Christmas this year,

frantically trying to be good enough

just to keep God appeased,

keep him from doing anything bad to me,

to make me not have to think about him.

And God shows up to those people and says,

Enough!

Peace!

And God sends hosts of angels

to announce it to shepherds

who would never have believed it otherwise.

Listen, shepherds.

A Savior has been born

to you

I don't want you to miss it.

I want you to know

beyond a shadow of a doubt

that God is speaking good news

to you.

This will be a sign to you.

How many people

was the baby

wrapped in swaddling cloths

and lying in a manger

a sign for?

As far as we know,

just for a few shepherds,

it was a sign

to them.

A sign just for them

from their God

who wanted to make sure

the outcast, rebel,

undeserving shepherds

knew they were welcomed

in His family.

That's the personal part

of Christmas

that I'm so glad

I get to share

with you this morning.

If you've never heard it

that way before,

Jesus is born

for you.

Specifically,

to save you.

Especially,

to rescue you.

Can you even

comprehend that?

Can you imagine

the God of the universe

thinking that way

about you?

I read the story

recently of a young

Filipino man

named Timothy.

Timothy grew up

in deep poverty

without much at all,

but he had received

letters

and gifts

and prayers

from a man

he had never met

and knew only

as George Walker.

It wasn't until

Timothy was 17

that he learned

the man

who had been

sending him

all of these things

so regularly

was actually

named George

Herbert Walker Bush.

Then the former

President of the

United States.

The Compassion

International staffer

who had connected

them and finally

told Timothy

who it was,

said Timothy

was dumbfounded,

speechless.

Timothy said,

well, I knew

he was a kind

and encouraging,

wonderful man,

but I had no idea.

And they write,

to a child in poverty,

it's amazing enough

that anyone

would care about them,

but it was beyond

his wildest imagination

and even his ability

to comprehend

that the President

of the United States

knew his name.

Dear friends,

new friends,

new friends

that I've never

met before.

The God

of the universe

knows

your name.

And more than that,

he cares

for you.

He has

been

caring

for you

since you were

young.

Can you believe

that?

you who have

run from him,

you who have

pretended to know

him but failed

him so many times,

you who have

felt fearful

even this morning

at the idea

of coming to a

place like this,

that if there

even is a God,

he certainly

has no

kind feelings

towards me.

He's certainly

out to get me

rather than

out to help me.

I know that's

what I would

deserve if

he's even

there.

And the

good news

is he is

and he cares

for you.

He knows

your name

and it's not

something that

should make

you run

away.

He's welcoming

you in.

He sent

his son

so that he

can

welcome you

home.

He cares

so much

that he sent

his son

to save you,

to make you

his friend,

even to adopt

you as his

son.

Peace.

Will you

embrace him

in that peace?

Rejoice.

Good news.

Great joy.

Trust Jesus.

Rest.

Finally.

Praise God

for good news

of great joy

for you.

Can you

imagine

Timothy

keeping

the news

of the

President

of the

United

States

being his

friend

to himself?

No way,

right?

This is

something I

gotta tell

my friends.

I gotta tell

everybody.

It was too

marvelous to

contain,

I'm sure.

The shepherds

had an even

more marvelous

story to tell.

The angels

depart.

The shepherds

run to

Bethlehem,

find the

baby,

and immediately

what do they

do?

They start

talking.

Apparently,

to any and

everyone who

will listen

to him.

Verse 17,

when they

saw it,

they made

known the

saying that

had been

told them

concerning

this child,

and all

who heard

it wondered

at what

the shepherds

told them.

All who

heard it,

apparently

no small

number of

people that

they found,

all of

them were

amazed,

marveled.

It's what

it means,

wondered.

At what?

What did

they say?

What did

the shepherds

share with

them?

The saying

that had

been told

them about

the child.

What was

that?

That the

baby was

the Messiah,

the Savior.

Wow!

Wow!

Angels announce

it to

them,

and now

they announce

it to

everyone else.

Have you

ever thought

before how

odd that is?

How strange

it is that

God puts

shepherds,

rather than

Bible teachers,

in this

position to

make this

announcement.

Put yourself

in the shoes

of the people

hearing from

them,

maybe good

faithful Jews

waiting for

the Messiah,

hundreds of

years waiting,

and now I'm

hearing about

this good

news from

them?

I don't

know.

That doesn't

seem likely.

Do you realize

apparently it's

not a negative

thing to God

that those

announcing the

good news of

the Messiah's

birth are

scoundrels?

People that

others look

down on and

don't see as

great success

stories,

paragons of

virtue?

In fact,

His choice

of the

shepherds

first seems

to underscore

that this is

good news of

great joy for

all people.

Maybe God

knew that the

shepherds would

joyfully share

the good news

of the birth

of the Savior

because they

knew how

desperately they

needed one.

That would

fit with what

God often seems

to do in

sending out

needy people

to tell

others of

how God

has met

their needs.

Needy

messengers

from cover

to cover

in this book.

If you haven't

read it,

that describes

all of them.

So if you feel

you're not good

enough to

represent Jesus

to others,

welcome to

the club.

He puts

the best

news ever

in jars

of clay.

Weak,

broken

vessels

like you

and me.

Young

kids

that somewhat

overlook.

Elderly

people

leaning on

walkers.

Sinful,

unimpressive

pastors.

church.

And God

wants us

to share

this news

so that it

will be very

clear who the

Savior is.

Right?

Not you,

not me.

Who the

glorious one

is,

who the

strong one

is.

These

outcast

shepherds

realize the

marvelous,

critical

truth that

the message

of Christmas

is a message

that must

be spread.

In that

regard,

I feel like

they may be

ahead of us

many days.

This is really

where God

has convicted

me this

week.

I love

celebrating

the good

news of

Christmas.

But the

Spirit has

been saying

to my

heart,

you celebrate

Christmas

like it's

worth sharing.

But you

share about

Christmas

like it's

not worth

celebrating.

Is that

ever true

for you?

Do you

celebrate

Christmas

like it's

worth sharing

but share

about Christmas

like it's

not worth

celebrating?

Would your

unbelieving

family member

be fair in

assuming the

birth of

Jesus is

really not

that big a

deal?

If you went

the tenth

straight Christmas

together without

mentioning Jesus

at all?

No.

Does it

really make

sense to

come to

special services

to shop

and buy

all these

presents

and wear

yourself out

celebrating

for an

entire month

something that

you won't

walk across

the driveway

or the

hallway to

talk to

your neighbor

about the

other eleven

months?

It doesn't

make sense

though.

Is it

really good

news or

not?

Shepherds

didn't have

to think

twice did

they?

It just

made sense.

Good news

like this

must be

shared.

Sometimes I

think we

forget how

much we

need it

and we

need to

slow down

and experience

God's grace

again for

ourselves so

that we

celebrate it

as we

should.

Sometimes we

forget how

much others

need it

and we

need to

express

God's

grace to

them so

that they

can celebrate

with us.

We talk

about experience

and express

grace around

here a lot.

It's our

mission.

Experience

and express

grace.

But do we

talk about

that with

each other

more than

we talk

about the

grace,

the Savior

himself

with others?

It must

be both.

love.

The message

of Christmas

we've been

talking about

is one that

we ourselves,

our loved

ones, our

neighbors in

this world

desperately

need.

I've shared

with you

before about

the disease

that I made

up.

It's called

Irish Dalmatian

rhinitis.

It's where

your nose

swells up and

is covered

with green

spots.

Irish

Dalmatian

rhinitis.

If you

saw that a

cure for

that disease

were discovered,

it wouldn't

make you

jump up or

run for joy

to tell

someone about

it, would

it?

Because neither

you nor

anyone you

love suffers

from this

disease and

needs this

cure.

I know

because I

made it

up.

It's not

good news

of great

joy to

you.

But we

absolutely

share with

others something

that is

celebratory good

news, don't

we?

We never

miss a

chance it

seems.

When

Clemson

wins the

national

championship

this year,

sorry, if,

I should

still say

if, Clemson

wins, I

will celebrate

with others

who are also

excited.

All the

Clemson and

Auburn fans

that I

know will

celebrate

together.

We do

that naturally.

Imagine you're

scrolling through

Facebook and

you see a

recipe, a

video, a

news story or

something that

you like and

you click

like.

You do

that a

lot.

But then

sometimes you

see something

you know many

of your friends

will enjoy or

benefit from it.

It tasted so

good and they

love chocolate.

It encouraged

you so much and

you know others

who are hurting.

And you click

share because

everyone else

needs to know

too, right?

Christmas is

that kind of

good news.

In case you

forgot.

It's that kind

of story.

One that

must be

shared.

It is, after

all, the

angel says,

good news of

great joy for

whom?

All

people.

Celebratory

good news

for everyone.

See, Christmas

is universal

because the

need for a

Savior, for

peace with

God, for

good news of

great joy is

universal.

Christmas is

very personal.

But as we

consider people

personally,

consider your

friends and

neighbors for

just a minute

as we close.

Our disease is

no joke.

is eternally

serious.

And living in

a nice

neighborhood in

Huntsville does

not cure it.

It just

masks it

sometimes.

We live in a

world full of

people desperately

searching for

peace.

Is there

anyone this

time of year

not feeling at

least some of

the stress and

strain of this

life?

Perhaps they're

searching for it

in other people,

professional success

in a controlled

life, but

not finding what

they're ultimately

searching for

there.

And God has

given to us

good news

of great joy,

the way of

peace,

the child

of peace,

the prince

of peace.

We must

share that.

We live in a

world wracked

by fears,

grief,

anxiety,

depression.

It's

overwhelming

often.

We're

increasingly

unable to

manage the

pains and

difficulties of

life.

You have

neighbors

overwhelmed by

a sense of

loneliness, a

fear of

failure.

It's masked

by workaholism,

materialism,

suburban

isolation,

any number of

things, but

God has given

to us good

news of

great joy.

He has been

born in our

world.

Emmanuel,

God with

us in our

lowest points,

in our

darkest places,

God has

come in.

We must

share that.

God has

been

perhaps most

importantly,

we live in a

world full of

people tormented

by guilt,

not having lived

up to their own

standards, even if

they're unaware of

God's.

Many sitting in

pews like these

and worrying

they've failed

God, not done

enough, been

pretending to be

okay so long

they're exhausted.

Maybe you know

that feeling.

And according

to God's

word, everyone

not feeling

that is

ignoring the

reality of

their guilt

before a

holy God,

seeking to be

enough on their

own, pretending

there's no

eternal problem,

and in fact

there is.

And God has

given us good

news of

great joy,

of Savior,

Savior for

people just

like you and

me and

them.

Jesus, who

removes our

guilt and

restores us to

our Father.

Good news of

great joy for

all people.

We must share

that.

that.

If you've

ever really

celebrated

Christmas, really

found your

heart overwhelmed

with the joy of

a Savior being

born to you,

then know for

certain that

everyone you

know needs

that same

Savior and

can taste that

same joy.

And what a

joy to share

with them what

has brought you

such great joy.

Let's pray.

Jesus, your

coming is

indeed good

news of

great joy.

And I pray

first that we

would see it

for ourselves

in a fresh

way.

We forget

in the

busyness what

great news

your love

and your

birth and

your death

and your

resurrection

are for us.

And then

might you

not be able

to contain

us.

Might the

joy of

our salvation,

the relief

of a Savior

who has

rescued me

and given

me rest

be something

we're so

eager to

share with

others.

We're weak

and needy

like the

shepherds.

we won't

be able to

impress them

with stories

of our

goodness but

we can tell

them about

you,

about a

Savior,

Christ the

Lord.

Give us joy

in that even

today and this

Christmas we

ask in his

name.

Amen.

Amen.

For more

information,

visit us

online at

southwood.org.