Audio - Christmas Sermon of the Angels

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The First Sunday After Christmas
December 28, 2008
Christmas Sermon of the Angels

TEXT:  NKJ Luke 2:8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
 
Before we examine our text—let’s review the action God took after Adam and Eve sinned
 
NKJ Genesis 3:22 Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever" -- 23 therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
 
Cherubim are angels with two wings—they set above the Ark of the Covenant—the dwelling place of God in the Old Testament Tabernacle
 
NKJ 1 Kings 8:7 For the cherubim spread their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles.
 
In Paradise—before the fall of man into sin—the angels and man were spiritually one—there was and is one Church—man could no longer be a member of that Church—the things of heaven—God and His angels—were separated from the things of the earth—man
 
The angels serve God, and they always have, and they always will—when God reacted to man’s fall into sin—He used His angels to guard the way to the tree of life—we were separated by the sword, as described in Scripture
 
Now God is sending His Son to redeem us from sin—and the angels were given the honor of announcing the birth of this Christ Child
 
This is not by chance—it is part of God’s glorious plan of mercy and grace—the things of heaven and the things of earth would once again be united—in accordance with God’s plan—and God’s mercy
 
NKJ Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth -- in Him.
 
The angel Gabriel came to Daniel in a vision to announce the prophecy of the time of the birth of Christ
 
NKJ Daniel 9:20 Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God, 21 yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering.
 
This same angel Gabriel announced the coming birth of John the Baptist to his father Zacharias
 
NKJ Luke 1:17 "He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." 18 And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." 19 And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.
 
This same angel Gabriel announced to Mary the coming birth of the Savior
 
NKJ Luke 1:26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" 29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32 "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 "And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."
 
That’s why it is so fitting that an angel announce the birth to the shepherds in the field that night—we go to our text
 
TEXT:  NKJ Luke 2:8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
 
Our Lord was born of the virgin Mary in a stable in Bethlehem—contrast this with the arrogant pride of our parents Adam and Eve—who wanted to be like God
 
Jesus could have been born in a transfigured state—lighting that tiny stall with the brightness that was the Word—but instead He was born in humility—and the brightness was revealed to the shepherds in the field
 
There was no doubt in the minds of those shepherds that this was a very special Child—and that they were part of a very important event—this was the Child that would enlighten the world
 
NKJ John 1:9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
 
Surely there were some educated or prominent people available for the angel to proclaim the birth—but the shepherds were chosen—shepherds were considered so insignificant and unworthy in their culture—Paul gives us some idea of why
 
NKJ 1 Corinthians 1:26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.
 
Those who wish to possess the things which this baby in a manger brought to us—cannot rely on their worldly wisdom to reveal the truth of spiritual things—they are revealed only through the Holy Spirit
 
 
 
 
NKJ 1 Corinthians 3:18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their own craftiness"; 20 and again, "The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile." 21 Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come -- all are yours. 23 And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
 
NKJ 1 Corinthians 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
 
We should remember these things when we are reminded that the angels spoke to the lowly shepherds first
 
TEXT:  NKJ Luke 2:10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
 
When the angel spoke—it was a word of comfort that was given—don’t be afraid—I’m here to announce good news—YOUR Savior is born—this was personal news—yet it was for all the world to know
 
The angel is calling for the shepherds to have faith—faith that the message is true—and faith that the message of comfort pertains to them—and not only them—but to all people
 
NKJ John 1:16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.
 
Through this Christ-Child—we all have the power to become the son of God
 
NKJ John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
 
As we know—this birth was very special—the conception of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary—Jesus was born in sinless perfection—unlike the sinful birth of men—David told us that in his Psalm
 
NKJ Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.
 
Therefore—we as sinners can only approach God through the perfection of Christ
 
NKJ John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
 
All who understand this message—understand through faith—and through that same faith—they inherit the things of God—even eternal life in heaven
 
The shepherds are told the Babe will be wrapped in swaddling clothes—and lying in a manger—not exactly the picture the Pharisees had in mind when they were looking for the King of the Jews to enter the world
 
But the most simple and humble things are the greatest things for those of faith
 
What could be simpler than the water of baptism—yet from the water and the Word of baptism—we receive the Holy Spirit
 
The bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper—two of the most common foods in the world—and yet these bring to us with the Words of Scripture—the forgiveness of sins and the strengthening of faith
 
When we think of the Savior in that manger—it should take us to the symbolism of the Bible—we are to think of the significance of the symbols—the manger is a feeding trough—and the Word of God is our spiritual food
 
NKJ John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
 
Jesus is the Word—Luther wrote that he pictured the swaddling clothes to be the Christ Child wrapped in the Old Testament—as you peel through the Old Testament—you clearly see the Christ
 
You cannot see Jesus—the Christ—through the eyes of human reason—He can only be revealed to you by the Holy Spirit—by investigating the Scriptures
 
ALL GLORY BE TO GOD!