December 27, 2015 | Bob Bartlett
Passage: Luke 2:1-20
Christmas 2015 – Luke 2:1-20
The Good News of Christmas – Part 1
"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
The Shepherd’s Testimony
- A God without cultural barriers.
- Shepherds were cultural outcasts. John 1:12 “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”
- A God without religious barriers.
- Shepherds were not deemed true worshippers of God. Romans 3:23:
- Luke 5:31-32 “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
- A God without social barriers.
- The greatest herald to mankind came not to kings, or those of wealth and power. James 2:1
- 1Corinthians 1:26-29 “Not many of you were wise by human standards…”
The Birth of Jesus Christ is the Culmination of:
Vs 9: “the glory of the Lord shone around them”
- God reaching into the darkness to redeem the world from sin and death.
- Matthew 4:16 “the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”
- This event is the greatest light to the world.
Vs 10: “good news of great joy that will be for all the people”
- God reaching down from heaven to reconcile the world to himself.
- 2Corinthians 5:19 “that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them.”
- This is it! No more blood! No more bulls! No more sacrifices!
Vs 11: “a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord”
- God reaching out to humanity to restore the world from death to eternal life.
- Hosea 6:2 “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.”
- God declared that beautiful eve: this is the Savior of the world! John 14:6
- The breach of sin (greatest human tragedy) begun in Genesis 3 is now restored!
Vs: 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."