"Our Reaction To Jesus' Birth Announcement"

Sermon on Luke 2:8-14

December 25, 1999

Saint Mark's, Watertown, WI

Pastor Karl Walther

Introduction: God's Word Today Is a Heavenly Birth Announcement

The Scriptures assure us: Mary gave birth to her firstborn -- also God's firstborn! -- a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Amen.

God's Word to us today is the angel's announcement of the birth of Jesus-- Luke chapter two, verses eight through fourteen:

There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 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 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."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

This is the Lord's Spirit-inspired Word of our newborn Savior, Jesus Christ.

Dear fellow Christians-- celebrating this last Christmas of the nineteen hundreds:

No doubt, you've received birth announcements in the mail in the past. Usually they come in a little envelope or on a postcard, saying: "It's a girl!" or "It's a boy!"

What's your reaction to a birth announcement? -- Well, it might be surprise-- especially if you're like me, and you forget all the time who is expecting! Your reaction will also probably be like mine is invariably-- joy! over another soul added to God's world. And then a lot of times, there's one more reaction to a birth announcement to reckon with -- a sudden need to run out and buy a present for the new little one.

Theme: Our Reaction To Jesus' Birth Announcement

Well, God's Word to us today is a birth announcement, too-- a heavenly birth announcement. And our reaction to it will probably follow the pattern I've just described: surprise, joy, and then generosity. You see, this section of Scripture illustrates for us: (*) OUR REACTION TO JESUS' BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT. This reaction is a three-fold one. First of all, (1) OUR SINS GIVE US TERROR at Jesus' birth, and secondly, (2) OUR SAVIOR GIVES US JOY in the birth of Jesus, and finally, (3) WE GIVE OUR SAVIOR PRAISE AND PROCLAMATION on the occasion of his birth.

Part One: The Shepherds' Sins Gave Them Terror

Like I mentioned before, birth announcements can sometimes surprise us. It went that way in this first announcement of the birth of Jesus. We read about the recipients of that birth announcement in the first verse of God's Word to us today, which says: There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

Put yourself in the place of those shepherds. For years now the slopes surrounding Bethlehem are your home. There you feed your sheep, water your sheep, shear your sheep, milk some sheep, and sometimes slaughter some sheep. It's no different than what King David did in this same area almost a thousand years earlier. On this particular night you are guarding your sheep, as you usually do, from predators and robbers. You're with other shepherds-- probably in the cold, around a dying fire, huddled under some blankets.

And boom!-- An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. Terrified!-- not only because they were startled, not only because this was an unexpected intruder, but particularly because these men were in the presence of the glory of the Lord: all God's righteousness, all God's holiness, all God's hatred for sin.

Application One: Our Sins Give Us Terror

Now, put yourself in the place of those shepherds! A holy angel is in front of you. The glory of the Lord surrounds you. Immediately and profoundly you are aware how awful you are. An awareness of all your dirty thoughts floods your mind. You remember in an instant every mean word you ever spoke. And every time your wicked desires gave birth to wicked deeds-- these crash into your mind, as well.

You know, it's hard even to imagine all that. But I imagine that what the shepherds experienced would be like God taking you up here in front of church, in front of all these eyes, and stripping off your every last bit of clothing. You'd be really embarrassed! I'd be really embarrassed! And that's the terror that our sins earned for us.

Part Two: The Angel's Message Gave People Joy

Well, the way birth announcements can sometimes surprise us, this one surprised the shepherds-- and terrorizes us for our sins. But like I mentioned before, birth announcements usually bring great joy. And this birth announcement of Jesus is no different.

We read that: The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people." So, this is a birth announcement for the entire world. And its contents? "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." And then, rather amazingly, the angel reports: "This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Application Two: Our Savior Gives Us Joy

So, a Savior, ...Christ, ...the Lord is born. And each of these terms really deserves a closer look on our part, because they announce the birth of no ordinary child(!).

Friends, this Christmas Day the angel issues to us the birth announcement of our Savior. In the Bible languages, a Savior is someone who delivers another person out of danger and into a state of safety. That's what Jesus has done for us! The danger posed by our dirty thoughts, the danger posed by our mean words, the danger of our wicked deeds -- Jesus delivered us from that by coming to the earth to take that punishment upon himself. And-- Jesus has promised to deliver us to heaven, a safe haven from our sins.

Secondly, this Christmas Day the angel issues to us the birth announcement of the Christ. In the Bible languages, "Christ" or "Messiah" is the "Anointed One". An anointed one is one on whom the Lord has poured out his Holy Spirit, equipping him to be a prophet, or to be a priest, or to be a king.

And Jesus is all three! Jesus is our Prophet-- not just telling the Lord's love for us, but being the Lord's love to us. Jesus is our Priest-- not just reconciling us by sacrifice to the Lord, but also being that one sacrifice to end all sacrifices for us. And Jesus is our King-- not just ruling us powerfully, compassionately, and perfectly, but also earning that rule by triumphing over our eternal enemies on our behalf.

And thirdly, this Christmas Day the angel issues to us the birth announcement of the Lord. The very Lord who created all things has now been born into the world. The very Lord who wrecked the world, but rescued Noah in the Flood-- he's come. The very Lord who made Abraham's descendants into a family, a nation, and finally an empire: in order to elevate his love to recognition throughout the world-- this Lord himself has now come into this world to love it personally.

And what mercy this showed! What a step down Jesus took! Here is the Lord, once wrapped in the eternal splendor of his glorious godliness, now wrapped in rags-- for you! and for your salvation! Here is God himself, once dwelling in everlasting loftiness, filling and ruling the entire universe, with heaven and earth under his dominion, now lying in a manger. And don't be thinking, "Oh, what a soft little bed and a warm little place for Jesus." This was a cattle feeding trough, the sloppy little feed box from which the animals ate: God was born into a cattle feeding trough-- for you! for your salvation! That's love!

Part Three: The Angels Gave the Savior Praise and Proclamation

Now, when a birth announcement brings you the joyous news of a newly born baby, lots of times that means you begin pondering an appropriate present. Likewise here: we ask, "What can we Christians give to God who gave so much to us at Christmas?"

Well, let angel hosts provide the response: Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host -- literally a crowd of the army of heaven -- appeared with the angel. Imagine hundreds or thousands of angels, and how their splendor must have filled the sky! They were: praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth: peace, to people: his favor."

Application Three: We Give Our Savior Praise and Proclamation

When you think about it, what the angels offered Jesus here was praise and proclamation. And the angels serve as our examples to render the Lord the same.

What birthday gift, then, should we bring our newborn Savior? How about praise?

Whoever you are, whatever you do: praise Jesus! Praise him for choosing you from eternity to get to know him! Praise him for creating this world for you! Praise him for creating you for this world! Praise him for adopting you by baptism into God's family! Praise him that you have his holiness, his forgiveness, his inheritance! Praise Jesus that for unending ages you will join Jesus in the joy of heavenly glory!

Praise him loudly today in song! Praise him loudly tomorrow in prayer! Praise him every day, every hour, every moment-- with all of your heart!

And what other gift can we get our newborn Savior? How about proclaiming him?

I mean: God was born for us! Isn't it time we quit chickening out of telling that to others? God lived for us! Isn't it time we tell that to relatives and friends with whom we live? God died and rose for us! Isn't it time we shout that from the rooftops? God has prepared for us a place with him perpetually. Isn't it time we dedicate ourselves completely to him?

Conclusion: This Birth Announcement Changes Our Lives Entirely

You see, even earthly birth announcements have a way of changing people. Those who send them are newly parents, and their lives are never the same. Those who receive the announcements, of course, also recognize the change that's taken place in their friends. Jesus' birth announcement changes your life, too. To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Adore him! Adore him eternally! Amen.

The Scriptures assure us: The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Amen.