The Glory of the Christmas Story
Luke 2
December
18th 2011 AM
Pastor
Craig Ledbetter
I.
Introduction
A.
Christmas is a most
wonderful time of the year!
B.
But not for everyone.
1.
Most people have a twisted
and ruined ideal of Christmas.
2.
Most only experience a
series of failed expectations at Christmas.
3.
The shame is that today,
with all the multimedia tools that people have at their fingertips, they are
further and further removed from the words of a story that changes nations, and
peoples and cultures and hearts!
4.
I would guess that less than
half of the population of
C.
But when you take the time
to read and learn the real Christmas Story, you fall in love with it over and
over and over again! And you want to experience it just like it happened the
first time!
D.
This morning, I just want to
read through 18 lines of Scripture, 18 verses, and ask that you allow just the
words of this wonderful event to show you the glory of this marvellous birth!
E.
I would like us to
experience the glory of the Christmas Story! As if we were children, hearing it
for the first time! It’s better than Santa Clause, and Rudolf, I guarantee you!
II.
Background (Luke 2:1-7)
A.
Mary is heavily pregnant – 9
months pregnant to be exact!
B.
The world was struggling to
pay a new tax just imposed by
C.
Mary and Joseph were
wrecked-tired from travelling over 60 miles to Joseph’s hometown of
D.
They arrived into the little
village late one evening, and all the Inns were full – door after door turned
them away
E.
Only was place remained open
to them… a barn
F.
But that was okay. There was
no need to complain! That’s right where God wanted His Son to be born!
G.
And it was in that barn,
that the Christmas Story gets all its glory!
III.
Message
A.
The Audience of Christmas
(2:8) Who heard about Christmas first?
1.
It was late at night - The
world was fast asleep
2.
But way out in the country
fields – there were some sheep.
3.
And the sheep were restless,
and kept their shepherds up
4.
This was a small group of
shepherds – may 10, or 15 tops!
5.
All keeping watch – wide
awake! They sensed something was “out there” so they stayed vigilant – couldn’t
sleep! Maybe a bear, or a mountain lion lurking in the darkness, hungry for a
lamb steak!
B.
The Glory of Christmas
(2:9) – the brightness!
1.
This was no ordinary night
anymore!
2.
Something was happening that
made this one day, glorious, beautiful, bright and wonderful!
3.
In the middle of the quiet
of the night; in an instant, a flash of lightning
4.
An angel appeared out of
nowhere – “came upon them” – like an approaching high speed train
5.
The night was transformed
into the brightest day!
6.
It was glorious!
a.
It was the glory of just one
angel
b.
It was the glory of heaven,
surrounding those shepherds
7.
And this angel was excited!
8.
All the excitement freaked
that small band of shepherds out – “sore afraid!”
9.
Wonderful events don’t
always make sense!
C.
The News of Christmas
(2:10)
1.
That angel turned to face
that small group of shepherds and spoke right at them! He didn’t “speak into the
air” like politicians
2.
Usually, when God spoke,
there was trouble!
a.
Exposing sin
b.
Catching people in the
middle of sinful acts and thoughts
c.
Warning of the Wrath of God
d.
But not this time!
3.
Listen to these precious
words at Christmas
4.
“Don’t be afraid” he said!
There is nothing to fear about what he was about to tell them
5.
“Behold…”
a.
To behold is to command
someone to “Fix the eyes upon; to pay attention; to observe with care.”
b.
The angel was begging them…
“Don’t miss this what I am about to tell you!”
6.
“I bring you Good tidings…”
a.
This is where the word
GOSPEL comes from
b.
Good News! Great News
c.
Just like when
1)
The doctor tells you your
wife just had a healthy baby
2)
When your candidate got
elected
3)
When your team won the world
cup
7.
Of Great Joy…
8.
To All People…
9.
You would think the whole
world would be queuing up to learn about this Good News that even angels are
excited about!
D.
The Gift of Christmas
(2:11)
1.
Just One Gift – some of you
would be very depressed if you only got one gift at Christmas! But not if you
got THIS one gift!
2.
Unto you
a.
Not just “to the world” –
that would be too generic
b.
But to YOU and YOU and YOU!
To you poor shepherds!!!
c.
It’s like the Late late Show
when everyone got a gift – everyone in the audience!
d.
It’s even greater when
everyone in the world gets a gift!
e.
Santa can’t even do that! He
only gives gifts to rich white people in the western hemisphere!!!
3.
Born THIS Day – it actually
occurred! Christmas DAY!
4.
In the little, city of
5.
What is the Gift that GOD
gave everyone at Christmas?
a.
A SAVIOUR!
1)
Not an entertainer, a
politician, a musician, or an actor
2)
But Someone who could save
people from the punishment of their sins!
3)
Everyone uses this title,
but very few actually allow this Baby to SAVE them from their sins (Mt 1:21)!!!
b.
The Christ (Messiah) – the
promised One, with over 300 prophecies pointing to His birth and perfect life!
c.
The Lord! King of kings, and
Lord of lords!
6.
What a GIFT! The KING of
kings! The Creator of the entire universe! The Alpha and the Omega! He’s the
answer to all the world’s problems! He is God!
7.
And He is presented to the
world, all in one package!
E.
The Signs of Christmas
(2:12)
1.
The angel tells these
shepherds that just three things would tell these shepherds that they found
Christmas
a.
A baby! A WHAT? A Baby?
b.
Lying in a manger – an
animal feeding box! WHAT??? In a BARN?
c.
Wrapped in swaddling clothes
– that is the POOREST of poor wrappings for warmth
2.
No mention of:
a.
His mother Mary, or of
Joseph.
b.
No mention of the wise men
(especially because they were not there – wouldn’t be arriving for another 6
months).
c.
No mention of Christmas
trees, or piles of wrapped presents, or mistletoe
d.
No mention of anything else…
except that Baby!
3.
What signs are there in your
home that it is Christmas?
a.
A load of debts from
overbuying gifts?
b.
An overloaded powerstrip
with a half dozen strings of blinking lights hanging off of it?
c.
Cases of wine and drink
piled up around the house?
d.
Someone singing “I’m
dreaming of a white Christmas” on the CD player?
e.
The TV on later at night
than usual so that you can watch all the old reruns again for the 47th
time?
f.
I’m telling you, The signs
that it’s Christmas are a whole lot simpler than any of that rubbish!
4.
What are YOU looking for at
Christmas?
a.
We all want love… That Baby
is love – at His BIRTH, He was and is God’s love!
b.
We all want forgiveness… HE
paid for your forgiveness
c.
We all want some gifts… HE
is the gift of God for your lost soul
d.
We all want joy… HE brings
lasting joy!
F.
The Joy of Christmas
(2:13-17)
1.
It was contagious to other
angels
a.
At that moment, as soon as
that angel finished telling those few men about the manger…
b.
A hundred million angels
appeared in the sky – filling it from east to west!
2.
It started some singing and
rejoicing! They all burst out with loud, resounding praise!
a.
“Glory to God in heaven”
b.
“And Peace to all mankind on
earth!”
c.
Make sure all honour and
praise and worship goes to God alone!
d.
Allow this one, single event
to bring about what no one else has achieved! PEACE on earth!
e.
Do any of you realise that
if you Give glory and rightful praise to God…
f.
We will actually start
experiencing some real peace on earth!
3.
The excitement of those
angels affected some tired, cold shepherds
a.
They abandoned watching over
their sheep and ran into
b.
They came with haste – RAN
c.
They went from barn to barn,
out-house to out-building, shed to shelter looking for a baby, wrapped in
swaddling clothes, lying in a manger!
4.
When they found the right
one, they took one look and bolted back into
5.
What a night that first
Christmas night was!
a.
Over in the distance, there
was a glow in the sky where angels were still shouting and praising God
b.
Shepherds were running
around waking everybody up to come see the baby
c.
Every home was pouring out
into the streets to go and see this new baby
d.
And Mary was overwhelmed
with all the attention her Son was getting in that private barn stall!
e.
But it was worth it!
f.
To Mary and Joseph,
Christmas was worth it!
IV.
Conclusion
A.
What is YOUR Christmas time
like?
1.
A struggle just to get
through it?
2.
A long series of depressive
memories and heartaches?
B.
I’ll tell you what it was
like for those shepherds…
1.
Those shepherds were like
children on Christmas morning – they just couldn’t sit still. They were running
around, yelling, telling everyone to get up, get up! Christmas has come! Come
and get YOUR gift!
2.
It was probably hours before
they ever got back to their flocks of sheep out on the countryside!
C.
You have seen what it was
like for the angels
1.
There was great joy in
heaven at THE GIVING OF THE GIFT
2.
At the MIRACLE of GOD having
a Son, who would be the answer to all the world’s problems and heartaches!
D.
You have seen what it was
like for Mary, and Joseph
E.
But what about for YOU?
F.
There can be great joy IN
YOUR LIFE!
G.
If you would just RECEIVE
THAT GIFT (John 1:10-12)
H.
Here’s how to be saved this
morning from the wrath to come:
1.
Admit that you really are a
sinner – separated from God by your wicked pride and arrogance
2.
Believe that God sent His
Son to take your place in death so that you could live – could have life more
abundant!
3.
Repent of your hard heart
towards God
4.
Just decide to follow Jesus,
asking Him to come into your heart and wash away all your sins – He can do it!
He did it for ME!
5.
Right now, receive the gift
of eternal life! Romans 6:23 “The wages of sin is death; but the gift, the GIFT!
THE gift of God is eternal life… THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord!”
6.
Is He YOUR Lord! He ought to
be! There is no other way to enjoy Christmas!