Jesus is Born.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Welcome to Village Church. [0:01] If this is your first time here, my name’s Steve. [0:03] I’m one of the pastors here at Village Church. [0:05] And as always, I am very thankful and grateful [0:08] to see each and every one of you this morning. [0:10] If you have your Bibles,

[0:12] go ahead and open them to Luke chapter two. [0:14] We’re gonna be starting in verse one this morning. [0:16] But before we get into that, [0:18] I have two things I wanna talk to you about. [0:20] The first one we’ve already mentioned, [0:21] and that is that next Sunday morning,

[0:24] which is Christmas Eve Eve, Eve Eve, [0:26] we will be having a great celebration service [0:30] to celebrate the very thing [0:31] that we’re gonna begin discussing today, [0:34] and that is the birth of Jesus Christ. [0:36] The greatest miracle that this world has ever seen,

[0:39] that God himself, the one who spoke everything that is [0:43] into creation, the one who is master and ruler [0:45] over all things, that he became a man. [0:50] And he became a man in order to save. [0:53] And so next week at nine, 11, and six, [0:55] we’re gonna be celebrating that.

[0:57] We’re gonna have a lot of fun, [0:59] mostly because we enjoy grace around here. [1:02] We love to celebrate and we love to have a good time. [1:04] So that’s why we’re gonna be doing that. [1:06] So please join us. [1:07] And I’m very serious that you need to take full advantage

[1:10] of what Christmas affords us as followers of Jesus, [1:14] as people who’ve been given a great mission by Jesus. [1:17] And that mission, if you get nothing else, [1:19] understand that that mission is for you to bring [1:22] the good news that we just sang about, [1:24] the fact that the God who is, the God who is all powerful,

[1:28] the God who is all encompassing of everything that is good [1:32] and everything that is holy, [1:33] he has not separated himself off from us, [1:35] but rather has invaded our space and he has come to save. [1:40] There’s no better news than that. [1:42] And there’s no better time of year than the time

[1:44] that we specifically set aside for the very purpose [1:48] of saying that Jesus was born. [1:51] God entered into humanity. [1:53] And so please do everything that you can [1:55] to invite people next Sunday. [1:57] Your friends, your coworkers, your neighbors,

[2:00] everyone will be looking for a place to worship [2:04] on Christmas. [2:06] And so you need to give them that place. [2:09] And we will have that 9, 11, and 6, [2:11] and they’ll be the same service three times. [2:13] And we wanna fill all three of them up.

[2:15] And there’s a second thing that I wanna talk to you [2:17] a little bit about this morning. [2:18] And that is as of February 1st, 2015. [2:21] So that’s a lot of notice. [2:23] I mean a lot. [2:25] And here’s one thing that I know

[2:26] before I even say anything. [2:27] Some of you will forget. [2:29] And then I’ll say, we have you so much notice. [2:31] So much. [2:32] Sunday morning, February 1st, [2:33] we’re gonna switch things up a little bit.

[2:35] And our service times will be changing. [2:38] Our service times will change from 9 and 11 [2:41] to 8.45 and 10.30. [2:44] 8.45 and 10.30. [2:47] So that means that if you’re 15 minutes late [2:50] to the early service every Sunday,

[2:52] now 15 minutes late means you show up at nine. [2:55] But that means you need to come at 8.45. [2:58] So our service will begin at 8.45. [3:00] I may even throw a wrench and start at 8.44 sometimes. [3:02] I mean just to really throw you off. [3:05] But what’s been happening over the past six months,

[3:07] we’ve been keeping track. [3:08] And our 9 a.m. service is a little heavier [3:12] than our 11 o’clock service. [3:14] So we’re gonna shift things backwards [3:16] in order to gain a little bit of traction [3:19] in our second service.

[3:21] And so actually if some of you are like 8.45, bro, [3:25] that 15 minutes is gonna kill me. [3:27] Yeah, I don’t think you know what you’re doing. [3:28] Come to the 10.30, we need a few people there. [3:31] All right? [3:32] So it’s gonna be 8.45 and 10.30 a.m.

[3:36] starting February 1st, 2015. [3:39] Now I rarely involve you guys in talking back to me. [3:45] I want you to repeat after me. [3:48] February 1st. [3:49] February 1st. [3:51] 2015, you don’t have to say that.

[3:53] All right, but 8.45, 10.30, [3:55] those will be our new service times. [3:59] You know, we’re in a great season. [4:02] We’re singing songs that we only sing once a year, [4:04] yet we cherish them, we love them. [4:07] By now, many of you, I won’t say most

[4:10] because I really have no idea how lazy some of you are, [4:12] have decorated your houses for this season. [4:15] Some of you more than others. [4:17] Some of you just, I go to your house and I’m like, [4:20] I don’t know where you get the time [4:22] because man, I have entered the North Pole.

[4:24] But it’s beautiful and I love the Christmas season. [4:30] And this is a season that for us, [4:33] for those of us that have life in Jesus, [4:37] we should be able to have more joy. [4:40] We should be able to celebrate even more [4:44] because there are people in this world

[4:46] that don’t know the life that is in the God, [4:49] man, Jesus Christ. [4:51] And that all that they have are the little festivities [4:54] and maybe the little trinkets that come along [4:56] with Christmas, but we have more than that. [5:00] We have Jesus.

[5:02] We have the hope of life that is in us [5:05] from the God who came, the God who sacrificed for us, [5:08] the God who rose from the dead to give us life. [5:11] And so we can take part in absolutely every part [5:15] of this holiday because God in his grace [5:17] has given us this freedom to live

[5:22] as we were truly meant to live. [5:24] So no more bondage, no more slavery, [5:28] but rather he comes to give us life. [5:33] So during this season, I want to specifically go through [5:36] the narrative of Jesus’s birth this morning [5:39] and I just want to marvel this morning really with you

[5:43] at the beauty that is the birth of Jesus Christ. [5:48] You know, so much goes on in life [5:50] and especially in this time of year. [5:52] We have two things coming up. [5:53] We have Christmas and then we have New Year’s [5:56] and we may get a little retrospective.

[5:59] We may get a little nostalgic about 2014 [6:01] during this time of year. [6:02] And for some of you, there’s been great joys, [6:05] there’s been great successes. [6:07] For some of you, maybe there’s been some setbacks, [6:09] maybe there’s been some suffering,

[6:11] maybe there’s been some hard times. [6:13] And during this time of year, [6:14] it can become almost overwhelming [6:16] between the two forces of enjoyment and pain [6:20] that we’ve got going on in our lives. [6:21] But what I want us to understand this morning

[6:24] is that the birth of Jesus is so important

[6:28] because it gives us the ability to have something [6:31] that trumps absolutely everything else. [6:34] And that is that this God who created everything [6:37] that is into existence, [6:40] spoke it and then the great rebellion happened [6:43] that we have to own,

[6:44] we have to take responsibility [6:46] for that rebellion against God, that disobedience. [6:51] All the way back in Genesis 3, [6:55] God made a promise to save us from our sin. [7:00] And he sets out through history [7:02] and sometimes it gets a little darker

[7:04] and harder to see than at other times. [7:06] But he sets out through history [7:07] on this great mission of redemption, [7:09] setting everything in order so that at a specific time [7:12] in a specific way, at a specific place, [7:16] a child would be born.

[7:19] A child unlike any other child in this world. [7:23] A child who’s born with the reality [7:26] that he’s going to grow for the specific purpose [7:29] of taking the sins of humanity onto himself, [7:34] the penalty that you deserve, [7:35] the penalty that I deserve for sin.

[7:38] Jesus was born in order to take that penalty.

[7:44] And it’s in that manger that we really begin to see [7:47] how important his mission to save is. [7:52] I said before Christmas should be a season [7:55] of immense celebration. [7:57] And I don’t want even for a moment [8:00] over these next two and a half weeks

[8:03] for you to fall into the temptation [8:04] that’s going to be there. [8:07] The temptation to cease your celebration. [8:11] The temptation to give in to the negativity [8:15] that will invade your mind, [8:17] to give in to anger that may come.

[8:19] To give in to the temptation that’s going to come [8:21] when an event that maybe you planned [8:23] or an event that you go to [8:25] and it doesn’t go exactly the way that you envisioned it. [8:30] Maybe disaster happens. [8:32] Maybe the person that you wanted to treat you

[8:33] a certain way doesn’t treat you that way. [8:37] Maybe your child isn’t as grateful [8:40] for the gift as you want your child to be. [8:44] And in that moment there’s going to come [8:46] this great thread of temptation. [8:52] And that’s a temptation to forget.

[8:55] Why we celebrate. [8:57] To forget why your joy should be unshakable. [9:02] That is that God brought objective hope as a fact. [9:09] It’s irremovable. [9:11] It’s irreplaceable. [9:12] It’s real.

[9:14] And it’s forever if we have faith. [9:17] Because there’s so much in this world [9:19] that doesn’t look like the kingdom of God to us. [9:21] But Jesus came and he said the kingdom is here. [9:24] Because he was here.

[9:27] And through faith, we believe because of the resurrection [9:30] and because of this miracle, [9:34] we believe that the kingdom is certain [9:38] that it’s coming and he will deliver it into this world [9:43] and it will be forever.

[9:47] And here’s the story of how that started. [9:51] Luke 2. [9:52] I want to start in verse one. [9:55] In those days, a decree went out [9:59] from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. [10:04] This was the first registration when Corrinius was governor of Syria

[10:08] and all went to be registered each to his own town. [10:12] And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth to Judea, [10:16] to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, [10:19] because he was at the house in the lineage of David to be registered [10:22] with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. [10:26] And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.

[10:30] And she gave birth to her firstborn son, [10:32] wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger [10:37] because there was no place for them in the end. [10:41] I want to stop there.

[10:45] Do you realize that what we just read [10:47] is so full of things that we’re like, I don’t understand that. [10:50] I can’t even pronounce that name. [10:52] I don’t even know where that is. [10:54] I don’t even know who that is. [10:56] And then he just kind of sidesteps history.

[10:59] And he says, and there was this guy and this girl [11:02] are getting married. [11:04] There’s a pregnancy involved. [11:06] Can’t find anywhere to stay. [11:09] And then if you’re Joseph, disaster happens.

[11:15] The water broke. [11:17] I remember when my wife gave birth to my firstborn son. [11:22] I’m so glad there were other people in control.

[11:27] I was useless, completely useless in that moment. [11:33] All masculinity left me. [11:35] All take charge left me. [11:37] I realized that in my fight or flight response, [11:40] flight was taking over in full regard. [11:42] They had to restrain me just to keep me in the room

[11:46] because I wanted to be anywhere but there. [11:50] So I can only imagine the emotion. [11:52] I can only imagine the toil that goes to Joseph’s life when she says it’s time. [11:57] And he says, no, it’s not. [11:59] I don’t think you understand. [12:01] This isn’t happening, honey. Not now. Not here.

[12:05] I’m just paying taxes, which is hard enough.

[12:10] And we see in this story. [12:13] That so many obstacles have to be overcome.

[12:19] But when the promise of this is made very beginning, [12:22] no one knows how it’s going to fall out. [12:24] There’s only two people in the world at that point. [12:27] And God says, I’m going to save, I’m going to do a great work, [12:30] and I’m going to end Satan’s temptation. [12:32] I’m going to put a stop to the condemnation that evil’s brought.

[12:36] It’s going to happen. [12:37] And no one knows how it’s going to happen. [12:39] And then there’s little promises throughout the Old Testament. [12:42] Things get good. Things get bad. [12:44] People have faith. People lose faith. [12:47] But all along, God says, I’m going to stay faithful.

[12:49] And I’m going to give you a little nugget here of what it’s going to look like. [12:52] I’m going to give you a little nugget there of what it’s going to look like. [12:55] And then all of this history begins to unfold. [12:59] There’s a government that is tyrannical and it’s evil and it’s in charge. [13:03] And they’re not even of Israel. [13:05] And now they’re saying, hey, Israel, you have to go to your home place.

[13:09] You have to be registered.

[13:13] And he’s got a fiance who’s pregnant.

[13:19] Scandal all around that. [13:22] And he goes and a child that he knows isn’t even his. [13:28] To a young girl. [13:30] He’s filled, probably, with the scorn of the society [13:33] that knows that she’s not married yet. [13:35] And all that we see in this first few verses of Luke, Chapter two,

[13:39] our obstacle after obstacle after obstacle. [13:42] I once drove in a car with my wife when she was nine months pregnant [13:45] for an extended period of time, and it was miserable.

[13:50] That’s why I don’t want to go to hell.

[13:59] Imagine traveling in the first century [14:02] with a woman who’s about to give birth. [14:05] I can only give the masculine side, guys, I’m a man. [14:09] Never been pregnant. [14:11] What do you expect? [14:12] I only know of being the tag team partner who really you can’t tag in at all.

[14:19] Biology.

[14:22] And we see obstacle after obstacle after obstacle after obstacle [14:24] to even salvation itself, because even in this time, you find Israel [14:29] in probably its most faithless, disobedient and sacrilegious state.

[14:36] And so I want you to understand the thing that this miracle does [14:41] above everything that I see is, number one, this morning, [14:43] that God overcomes obstacles in order to save.

[14:47] God overcomes obstacles in order to save.

[14:52] You know, the birth of Jesus is more significant than you may think it is. [14:57] It’s more significant than I think it is. [14:59] It’s more significant. [15:00] You could wonder at Luke two, you could wonder at the promises of Genesis three. [15:04] You could wonder at all of the prophecies. [15:06] You could wonder at everything in the life of Jesus.

[15:08] And it’s still more significant than any wonder you’re ever going to be capable of [15:13] in this world. [15:15] Luke gives us so many details, more details than any other gospel [15:20] author does in the New Testament, and they’re not just filler.

[15:25] They’re not filler, because sometimes I think we look at it and it’s like, [15:28] is this is this the introduction that you kind of race through of a book [15:31] where he’s just kind of given me this picture and he’s telling me all these [15:35] things that I’m going to be able to forget about later. [15:37] No, no, Luke gives these as an eyewitness is really a journalistic look. [15:42] That’s what Luke two, excuse me, that’s what the whole book of Luke really is all about.

[15:45] It’s a very factual book. [15:47] And he gives us these details because he wants us to understand that this really [15:51] happened. You can check my work. [15:55] You can go and you can look at the facts. [15:58] Joseph, Mary, really, Gwen, Joseph, Mary really weren’t married. [16:03] They really had to be registered.

[16:05] Check what I’m saying here, because it’s true. [16:08] Why would he be so certain to make sure that we could check his work? [16:14] Because he wants us to understand that this is amazing. [16:19] That this is important. [16:20] This is significant. [16:23] This isn’t just another baby being born.

[16:26] There were so many babies probably born that night.

[16:32] So many stories about my my first born are going to be in this sermon. [16:37] So I understand I love my wife. [16:39] I love my children. [16:41] But my wife’s first labor was 36 hours. [16:44] I know very hard on me. [16:47] It’s very difficult time.

[16:49] Thank you for your for your pity. [16:51] I appreciate it. [16:52] But but where where where we [16:55] the birth took place right down the road, they play harps every time a baby’s born. [17:01] And and I heard nine thousand harps go off. [17:04] And I’m like, what’s wrong with my son?

[17:07] Come out.

[17:09] And this is just a small town, [17:12] not really significant in the realm of the world. [17:15] And so many babies were born in that one [17:19] maternity ward, not one Friday night in 2009.

[17:27] And the same thing’s happening here. [17:29] But all those births that happened that night, Lucas, look at this one. [17:34] This one’s significant. [17:36] I mean, you think about the significance of this, you think about obstacles [17:40] being overcome, you think about the scandal of just what he’s telling us [17:44] that Joseph has to go to Bethlehem, fulfilling prophecy, by the way.

[17:47] He has to be registered.

[17:51] And he brings Mary with him, and Luke goes into great detail [17:55] to not give us these trumped up royal views of this perfect birth of Jesus, [18:02] who’s the Messiah, but rather he gives us this huge scandal. [18:04] He says that Mary is his betrothed and she was with child.

[18:11] And that day and age, that’s huge.

[18:16] Because in that realm of society, [18:20] if pregnancy happens before the marriage, [18:23] if pregnancy happens during the betrothal. [18:27] One of two things took place, either the two of them were immoral. [18:34] And they may be executed.

[18:37] Or she was unfaithful. [18:39] She may be executed.

[18:43] Joseph’s first response when he finds out that Mary’s pregnant [18:45] is he loves her so much, he says, I’m going to put you away. [18:49] So that people can’t find out about this. [18:51] I mean, even Mary’s response, look in Luke, Chapter one, [18:55] the angel comes to Mary and says, Mary, you’re so blessed, [18:58] I’m going to ruin your life.

[19:03] Says, you’re going to have a baby, it’s going to be the Messiah. [19:06] The one who’s always been told of would come. [19:08] And Mary says, the angel, how will this be since I’m a virgin?

[19:13] And Mary’s response is, there’s an obstacle here. [19:18] Yeah, we’re going to do that, but we haven’t.

[19:22] The angel answered her, understand, Mary, there’s going to be something [19:26] so significant about your marriage, excuse me, about your pregnancy. [19:29] It’s going to be unlike any pregnancy that’s ever taken place [19:31] in the history of the world or ever will take place in the history of the world. [19:35] The Holy Spirit is going to come on you and the power of the most high [19:37] will overshadow you.

[19:39] Therefore, the child to be born will be called Holy. [19:43] The son of God.

[19:47] Right from there, we see this is a birth like no other.

[19:52] And an angel, I mean, imagine being in Joseph’s shoes, too. [19:56] An angel has to go to him, too. [19:57] It’s like, no, Joseph.

[20:02] Mary was not unfaithful. [20:04] God has done the miraculous.

[20:10] The miraculous that he promised all the way back in Isaiah seven, fourteen. [20:16] Some over four hundred years before that, God says this through the prophet Isaiah, says [20:20] the Lord himself will give you a sign, Israel, behold, the virgin shall conceive [20:25] and bear a son shall call his name, Emmanuel. [20:29] You know, manual, if you don’t know, Emmanuel means God with us.

[20:37] But you see, everyone expects it to be this huge thing.

[20:43] Everyone expects fireworks to go off in the sky and for us to know [20:48] specifically who he was.

[20:52] But quietly to these two insignificant people.

[20:57] And a time of great unrest and a time when a Messiah was certainly wanted.

[21:05] God just goes to these two. [21:07] He overcomes a huge obstacle. [21:11] Just the biology of it all. [21:14] He overcomes huge obstacles in a time when people weren’t following God [21:18] for hundreds of years before that, God had been completely silent [21:21] in the nation of Israel.

[21:24] So for the first time in centuries, in generations.

[21:31] God does the most amazing work that he’s ever done. [21:34] The parting of the Red Sea was nothing compared to what he’s done here. [21:39] It’s not just that a virgin has conceived, but rather it is who she has conceived. [21:44] The very God who spoke everything that is into existence is in her womb.

[21:51] So understand that any obstacle [21:54] that’s going to come into your life during this season, because I mean, [22:00] admit it, sometimes when we think about love, joy, [22:04] peace and hope, I mean, those are the four things about Christmas, love, joy, [22:09] peace, hope is the time of year where we have them all. [22:12] And when we think about them, it creeps into our mind immediately.

[22:16] All of the reasons we can’t have those things right now.

[22:24] And yet here in this story with these two people and a third that’s born. [22:31] We have hope defined.

[22:36] That God is still there, [22:39] that God is not far off from his people, but rather God has come. [22:45] Emmanuel, God is with us.

[22:51] When those barriers.

[22:54] To hope, those barriers to love, [22:58] those temptations to not feel peace, [23:02] those feelings to not have faith. [23:08] Come into your life, understand that for every barrier that you put up, [23:12] God can and will take them down [23:15] because of the birth that happened on that night in Bethlehem.

[23:23] What is robbing you of your joy in God right now?

[23:28] How should the birth of Jesus break that barrier down?

[23:34] It’s not just that it should. [23:37] Friends, it’s that it must break them down. [23:43] Because that’s what faith does. [23:46] Faith continues to trust, faith continues to hope. [23:49] Faith understands that we have objective peace because of this child [23:53] that was born to die for our sins,

[23:56] rose again to give us new life. [24:00] But secondly, when the obstacles are coming down, [24:04] is when we see the glory of God the most clear. [24:09] You see, God gets glory from his mission to save. [24:13] Christmas is about a mission to people, [24:18] but everything that we could make it about during this time,

[24:21] we could try to holy it up and we could try to make it really reverent [24:25] and significant and and all of the pomp and circumstance of everything that we could do. [24:31] When I take a look at this story. [24:34] I don’t see any of that. [24:36] Now there’s anything wrong with that. [24:39] But I think sometimes when we’re looking for the glory of God,

[24:41] we’re looking in all of the wrong places, and I think that’s why the birth happened [24:44] the way that it did. [24:46] I mean, understand that in the birth of Jesus, [24:50] nothing seemingly glorious happens.

[24:54] I mean, you’ve got a tough road to travel [24:58] with a woman who’s probably already in immense pain.

[25:05] With a fiance who’s undoubtedly scared to death.

[25:11] I mean, just think about the weight of responsibility that comes on you. [25:14] It already came on me when my son, when I realized my wife’s pregnant with my son, [25:18] it’s like, I got to be a dad. [25:19] Let’s figure that out. [25:22] Joseph’s then like, oh, and he’s the son of God. [25:25] Fantastic.

[25:28] I am not prepared for this. [25:30] Mary’s like, oh, good. [25:33] I’ve got to raise God. [25:36] Well, let’s set the bar a little higher.

[25:40] Fantastic. [25:41] I mean, just imagine the fear that someone that’s flawless is going to see your flaws.

[25:48] And he’s your child.

[25:53] So it’s just like these two regular people [25:56] are given this immense responsibility and then just how unglorious the birth seems. [26:03] These aren’t two people who had the wealth or the renown to even have a room waiting for them. [26:10] You think the people in our era with wealth and renown ever travel anywhere [26:13] where the room’s not waiting?

[26:16] Joseph and Mary are so insignificant that the room’s not waiting. [26:20] Joseph and Mary are so insignificant that they’re just stopping at motels, hotels, [26:24] inns on the way, and everybody’s like, no, we’ve got no room. [26:27] The significant people are already here. [26:30] And they’re in the room. [26:32] You’re not significant.

[26:33] Have a great day. [26:35] So much so that they go to just really what was a stable on that day is really just kind of a [26:41] dug out cave side where they keep the animals. [26:46] And so they’re in there and Jesus is born and it’s not significant. [26:51] And, you know, there’s no midwives waiting. [26:53] There’s no nurses.

[26:54] There’s no doctors. [26:55] There’s no one to make sure everything went well. [26:57] It’s just this guy and this girl who are insignificant and they have Jesus and really an [27:02] insignificant way and no one’s there to congratulate them. [27:06] No one’s there to pat them on the back.

[27:09] But then I want you to look at another thing. [27:11] I want you to look at the people who got the first birth announcement and it gets even [27:14] less significant.

[27:18] Look in verse eight. [27:22] And in the same region, there were shepherds out in the field. [27:28] Keeping watch over their flock by night and an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory [27:32] of the Lord shone around them and they were filled with fear. [27:36] I would be too. [27:37] And the angel said, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will

[27:41] be for all people, for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a savior, who’s [27:47] Christ the Lord. [27:48] And this will be a sign for you. [27:50] You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger. [27:53] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying [27:59] glory to God in the highest on earth.

[28:06] Peace amongst those with him is pleased.

[28:11] The first birth announcement goes to.

[28:14] Hillbillies.

[28:18] And significant men who are typically in that era were very anti-social, were not [28:23] thought of as even being good people, but rather they’re shepherds who spend most of [28:27] their time on the outskirts of town fighting people who might steal their sheep.

[28:32] Not men of great reputation.

[28:37] And yet God calls these insignificant people who have a baby in a very insignificant and [28:43] uncomfortable situation.

[28:46] Goes to these insignificant shepherds just on the countryside outside of town. [28:52] And God says.

[28:55] Glorious.

[28:59] Sends his angels, sends a multitude of heavenly hosts. [29:01] A multitude of them, probably the greatest choir you could ever possibly hear. [29:06] And they sing glory to God in the highest.

[29:12] God looks at this situation. [29:15] No pump, no circumstance. [29:18] Everyone’s disappointed with where they are in life in that moment. [29:22] And God says glory is in this moment where you are in the hardship. [29:31] In the tough places. [29:33] And then he goes out to a bunch of sinners.

[29:38] He doesn’t go to the priest.

[29:42] He doesn’t go to the Pharisees, he doesn’t go to the Sadducees. [29:45] He doesn’t go to the center of Rome because the outskirts of an insignificant town of [29:51] Bethlehem.

[29:54] And he says, you want to see glory? [29:57] This is it. [29:59] So during your Christmas season, there’s going to be disappointment. [30:04] You’re going to be very disappointed at the way some things in your life go.

[30:12] I want to prepare some of you. [30:14] All right. You’ve already set the expectation bar so high.

[30:21] Get ready. You’re not going to reach it. [30:25] You’re not.

[30:27] Something’s not going to taste right. [30:30] Something’s not going to go right. [30:31] Something’s going to break.

[30:34] The gift isn’t going to show up.

[30:38] UPS is going to blow it.

[30:43] And you’re going to be devastated.

[30:47] Because you’re like, oh, figures. [30:51] My life is out always goes. [30:55] Nothing goes the way that I think it should.

[30:59] And yet in that moment in Bethlehem, inside and outside of town, God says [31:05] nothing is going any any way that anyone wants it to go. [31:09] And that’s the most glorious thing that has ever happened in the history of the world.

[31:16] I want you to understand that sometimes when we think about God’s glory and even [31:21] his holiness, we think about it in completely wrong ways.

[31:27] And then in the moment of Jesus’s birth, he undoes everything that we ever think of glory. [31:32] And he gives us a baby in a manger. [31:37] The angels present it as the showcasing of God’s ultimate glory. [31:42] You won’t have the perfect day, but you will have a perfect reason [31:50] to celebrate.

[31:54] Cavesides and countrysides don’t look or sound good, but they were glorious [32:00] because of who was in the manger. [32:06] That’s why. [32:08] That’s it. [32:10] And so if everything goes wrong in your Christmas, if nothing adds up, [32:18] nothing feels good, nothing goes right.

[32:22] Everything and everyone is disappointing you. [32:27] I want you to just realize that real hope can be had, real joy can be had. [32:33] Celebration must ensue.

[32:38] Because of who is in the manger. [32:41] Friends, not only is that enough, but that’s more than you will need for eternity.

[32:51] As a reason to celebrate.

[32:57] One of the most important things some of us need to do during this Christmas season.

[33:04] Is to enjoy grace.

[33:08] Grace is all over the story. [33:11] Joseph and Mary aren’t perfect. [33:14] The shepherds, no one would say they’re perfect. [33:17] Not in that era. [33:19] But look at the grace, grace, grace, grace, grace, grace. [33:25] Shepherds aren’t even following him.

[33:27] He says grace.

[33:34] Rest in the grace of God. [33:37] Stop nitpicking your life.

[33:42] Something. [33:43] Am I saying this right? [33:44] Am I doing this right? [33:46] Am I allowed to sing that song?

[33:50] Grace.

[33:53] Oh, the grace of God.

[33:57] Enjoy it.

[33:59] And then extended to others. [34:05] Do you see the practice that God is giving us? [34:07] He’s telling us that the most glorious thing that he has in this world is his mission to save.

[34:16] His mission to bring his grace into the lives of others. [34:19] His mission to forgive people for their sins. [34:22] His mission to make people who are sinners and turn their lives so around that they are now worshipers of Jesus. [34:30] He’s on a mission to do that. [34:32] That is the most glorious thing that he has for us. [34:36] Everything else is less than that.

[34:39] That is what holiness looks like in your life. [34:42] It looks like mission to save sinners.

[34:49] Most everything in your life is about fighting for significance in this world.

[34:56] But in this season and in every day, understand that the birth of Jesus means that the fight is over.

[35:03] The greatest thing of significance that you’ll ever find is Jesus Christ.

[35:09] And in this season and in every day, I want you to enjoy that.

[35:14] I want you to fight for that joy and I want you to give that away freely. [35:18] I want you to organize your life so that others can have that. [35:22] Because that’s how God wants to get glory out of you.

[35:27] When people look at your life, do they find joy in God?

[35:37] Do they find it?

[35:39] Do they see it? [35:41] Is it there?

[35:43] See, that’s why the prophecy in Isaiah seven said that his name will be God with us.

[35:52] Because God is with us. [35:54] God has come. [35:56] He came to save. [35:59] And he’s given us his power so that we can live for him in peace. [36:05] We can live for him in joy. [36:09] And it’s an unshakable joy because it’s grounded in an objective fact of who Jesus is, what he did, and what he’s going to do.

[36:24] No one and no thing can ever take that away from you if you believe it. [36:33] But thirdly this morning, there’s more to the story.

[36:38] We see something happen in the lives of the shepherds. [36:42] They’re changed forever.

[36:44] Thirdly this morning, the presence of God moves us to mission. [36:50] Look at the way the shepherds react.

[36:55] The angels have just sang the greatest chorus that you’ve ever heard. [36:59] And then in verse 15, when the angels went away from them into heaven.

[37:03] Would you imagine what that was like? [37:05] Just as an aside. [37:08] These angels are singing amazing songs of glory, of God. [37:15] They’ve promised it. [37:15] By the way, we’re going to give you a sign that we’ve got good news for all to hear. [37:20] And you’re going to find him in a manger.

[37:22] He’s a baby. [37:23] And then the angels leave and the guy said, what did you put in my food?

[37:29] That is not cool.

[37:33] The angels look to one another. [37:35] I mean, that’s just a natural reaction. [37:37] You’ve got Fred there and he’s a prankster. [37:41] You’re like, Fred.

[37:44] The angels went away from them into heaven. [37:47] The shepherds said to one another, let us go to Bethlehem.

[37:54] It’s as if I don’t even have sheep right now.

[37:59] Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that’s happened.

[38:03] But note what he says. [38:05] Which the Lord made known to us.

[38:11] Can you imagine how bewildered they were in that moment over that fact?

[38:16] Like, us.

[38:19] I don’t understand it, but I’m in. [38:23] I’m in. [38:25] And they went with haste. [38:28] They ran into town. [38:31] Found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in a manger. [38:35] When they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.

[38:41] You know, I think God did that as much for the shepherds as he did for Mary and Joseph.

[38:49] If you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, you’ve got faith, but then something happens in your life and you question everything. [38:56] You question everything you’ve ever believed. You question everything you’ve ever been told. [38:59] You question everything you’ve ever researched, everything you’ve ever studied, everything you’ve ever read in the Bible. [39:02] This event just really kind of hits you in the foundation. [39:07] And you’re like, I don’t know. [39:10] I could imagine looking at that baby.

[39:12] I mean, that pretty much happened to me when my son was born. He wasn’t the son of God. [39:16] Trust me, I’m raising him, not the son of God.

[39:21] Could you imagine? There he is.

[39:25] Mary and Joseph scared to death and here come this group of shepherds. [39:30] Hi. You don’t know us. [39:34] I mean, I’m sure they’re filthy. I mean, you know. [39:37] But we just had an angel choir.

[39:43] And I’m sure Joseph’s like, I should have brought weapons.

[39:48] I don’t know.

[39:52] And so. [39:54] But he told us that good news.

[39:57] Has come of great joy, which will be for all people.

[40:04] And he said, we’re going to find you guys. [40:06] We’re going to find this baby in a manger. [40:08] They even told us what to look for. [40:10] And I bet the parents hearts were just so overwhelmed.

[40:20] Worship.

[40:22] Overwhelmed with probably repentance for having their trust shaken.

[40:27] And overwhelmed with faith.

[40:32] That Jesus, their son. [40:35] Is the Messiah.

[40:39] And then note what happens.

[40:42] And when they saw it, they may know the saying. [40:46] That I’m told them concerning this child. [40:51] In verse 18, all who heard it wondered. [40:55] What the shepherds told them. [40:59] There’s this interesting thing that takes place in verse 18.

[41:03] It tells us that more people are hearing the Joseph and Mary.

[41:10] It tells us that the shepherds aren’t being silent. [41:13] The shepherds aren’t being quiet. [41:15] The shepherds are telling people what’s going on in their lives. [41:19] They’ve been in the presence of God. [41:22] They’ve seen the most glorious event that they’ll probably ever see for the rest of their lives. [41:26] They’ve then been in the presence of Jesus.

[41:28] But note that they never stay there.

[41:33] Note that they don’t create a monument. [41:36] To that moment.

[41:39] Note that they don’t walk around looking in their lives. [41:42] Probably saying if we could only recapture the angels.

[41:47] No, God was moving. [41:50] And God moved them. [41:51] He moved them into a life of mission. [41:54] The mission was you go from here. [41:57] Yeah, you could build a temple. [41:58] You could build a synagogue.

[41:59] You could build whatever you want. [42:00] But that’s not where mission is. [42:02] Mission is there. [42:03] So you go there. [42:05] And it makes me realize.

[42:11] That God’s presence was not bound to the manger. [42:17] God’s presence was not bound to the countryside. [42:20] God’s presence is not bound to that one place and that one time in your life. [42:24] When you felt closer to him than you’ve ever felt before in your life.

[42:29] God’s not still there. [42:31] God has moved. [42:32] And you need to move with him.

[42:36] You need to move on to a life of mission and stop trying to recapture that moment.

[42:43] Luke 2 doesn’t present the shepherds as ever just kind of wondering.

[42:48] If they were standing in the presence of God the right way. [42:50] Or if they left the countryside. [42:52] If they were going to lose that holy mojo.

[42:56] No, God said you guys need to go and find this one thing. [42:59] And they went and found it. [43:00] And then they made people know about what God had brought to them. [43:04] Because what did God say through the angels? [43:06] He said I bring you good news of great joy which shall be for all peoples.

[43:14] When I think about my life.

[43:17] I think about the moments that I just kind of stopped living the mission. [43:20] Because I think I’ve found it. [43:23] I think I’ve found that one place. [43:24] That one time. [43:25] That one moment. [43:26] And God wants me to stay in that one thing forever.

[43:29] But God is never presented as working that way. [43:31] God is always moving. [43:32] God is always working. [43:33] God is always on mission.

[43:36] And when we stagnate in our spirituality. [43:39] When we stagnate in our life in God. [43:42] We must understand it is not because God has failed us. [43:45] It is because God is moving and we are not moving with him. [43:49] God is on mission and we are not. [43:53] You see that’s the thing that we have to understand about the birth of Jesus.

[43:56] Is that it reveals a God who is on mission.

[44:02] Are you overcome with God’s presence in your life or are you just pretending it? [44:07] Because if you are overcome with his presence. [44:10] You will move with him. [44:12] You will live his mission.

[44:16] The question that many of us need to deal with in this season is whether or not people see the joy of the salvation that God brought into our lives. [44:25] Do they see the hope that the shepherds had in that moment? [44:28] I mean shepherds were not known for running into town and yelling hey the Messiah has come.

[44:35] The shepherds stay out of town. [44:36] They are not really welcome. [44:37] And the shepherds say I don’t care if I am welcome. [44:39] I have got to find this because God told me to move. [44:42] God has told all of us to move. [44:45] God has given us the good news for all people.

[44:49] It is of great joy. [44:51] It is for your neighbors. [44:53] It is for your co-workers. [44:55] It is for your enemies. [44:56] It is for your friends. [44:59] It is for your children.

[45:01] It is for people in other nations. [45:04] It is for people that you have not even met yet. [45:06] But you will not get there unless you move with God.

[45:12] Stop trying to make your life this perfect little picture that you have. [45:17] And move with God into a life of mission. [45:20] And he will make your steps certain as you follow him. [45:25] He is not confined to one space for you. [45:29] He is moving on his path and faith follows. [45:33] That is what we learn from the shepherds.

[45:38] We can only know the love of God through Jesus. [45:41] Do you know that?

[45:44] Those who know Jesus share the love of God with others.

[45:49] That is the picture that God is painting in that moment. [45:52] It was not just Joseph and Mary. [45:55] It was not just wise men. [45:57] It was not just royal people. [46:00] It was not just one nation. [46:02] It was about everyone.

[46:05] Even those outlier shepherds. [46:07] God wants them too.

[46:11] And God wants you.

[46:14] God wants to do a mighty work in every life in this room today. [46:18] He wants to do it during the Christmas season. [46:19] He wants to do it in every season.

[46:23] But we must understand that for God to work in our lives, we must treasure the Savior. [46:32] We must treasure Jesus above absolutely everything else.

[46:38] Do not forget the reason that he came. [46:40] You know in John 3, Jesus is an adult. [46:44] He is having a conversation with a religious leader and he gives that man the very reason that he came. [46:49] He says, God so loved the world that he gave his only son. [46:53] Whoever believes in him will not perish. [46:56] They will have eternal life.

[46:57] God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world through him might be saved.

[47:07] That is why what we are doing is so important. [47:15] That is why Christmas is so important.

[47:19] So above all, enjoy that grace. [47:23] This Christmas. [47:24] Shepherds did not deserve it. [47:26] Joseph and Mary did not deserve it.

[47:31] Jesus actually deserved better.

[47:37] But he went to get himself glory.

[47:41] He became one of us. [47:44] He took our sin. [47:46] And he gave us joyful grace.

[47:51] So during the next few weeks, don’t fall into the temptation to parse every moment. [47:59] Don’t fall into the temptation to look for bad.

[48:05] Fall into the joy of the God who saves and wants to work through you to save others.

[48:14] When we celebrate what God has done and is doing, the world sees a God who loves.

[48:25] I want to close a little differently for the next two weeks.

[48:33] As the band comes up, I want us to take some inventory for a few seconds.

[48:42] Just right where you are, right in this moment, right in your seat. [48:48] I don’t want you to reflect on the last year for failures and successes. [48:54] I don’t even want you to reflect on where you have been good and where you have been bad.

[49:00] I want you to simply reflect in this moment with this story.

[49:08] What does God want to do with you right here and right now that is going to change your tomorrow? [49:13] Because that is what grace does. [49:18] Grace covers all wounds, all flaws, all sins. [49:23] And grace looks forward to the future with Jesus.

[49:28] For just a few moments, I want you to consider the greatest miracle the world has ever seen. [49:34] God became a man.

[49:39] I want you to treasure it. [49:41] I want you to ask God, what do you want my next few months, my next few years to look like in light of that? [49:52] Spend some time praying.