← Back to sermon library

everyone welcome to free grace Baptist Church and any visitors with us this morning we do welcome you to our church it's always a joy to have you with us maybe not you specifically but visitors general it generally speaking I'm just joking we welcome all into our church it's always a joy to gather together for the worship of our triune God before we get to that just just a few announcements first a reminder and I'm sorry I missed this last week Emma Jones's baptism is on January the 7th so we look forward to that Emma Jones will be baptized on that Lord's Day January the 7th we we usually have a message that's preached from the word concerning concerning baptism and then the baptism will immediately follow during the course of worship there so that's January 7th we can encourage Emma and the Jones family also there will be no so Surrey Bible study this week or next week just a reminder for anyone who does normally attend or may have intended to for the first time there is no so Surrey Bible study this week or next week but it'll reconvene the week following related to that then a reminder that here at free grace Baptist Church will have no Wednesday Bible studies until either the first or the second week of January but we will remind you send an email out and in those sorts of things when that will reconvene well let's now move to those sacred things of the worship of our triune God with a call to worship from the Scriptures you can turn with your Bibles in your Bibles with me to Psalm 98 we'll read from Psalm 98 the entirety of the psalm and this is the Word of God Psalm 98 a psalm Oh sing to the Lord a new song for he has done marvelous things his right hand and his holy arm have gained him the victory the Lord has made known his salvation his righteousness his righteousness he has revealed in the sight of the nation's he has remembered his mercy and his faithfulness to the house of Israel all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God shout joyfully to the Lord all the earth break forth in song rejoice and sing praises sing to the Lord with the harp with the harp and the sound of a psalm with trumpets in the sound of a horn shout joyfully before the Lord the king let the sea roar and all its fullness the world and those who dwell in it let the rivers clap their hands let the hills be joyful together before the Lord for he is coming to judge the earth with righteousness he shall judge the world and the people's with equity amen let's stand and sing together the first hymn were going to sing from the large Trinity hymnal is 87 let's stand and sing that together 87 [Music] Oh please be seated let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you we can gather together now in the name of Jesus Christ our Savior before the worship of our great God Father Son and Holy Spirit we rejoice that once again you've caused each and every one of us to arise on a day given by you to us in loving condescension and we thank you that it is the lord's day Sabbath where we can gather together we can sing your praises we can read from your holy word we can engage in that act of worship the preaching of your word we can bring before you prayers and supplications and petitions and we pray that you would help us to do this mingled with Thanksgiving knowing Lord God that you give us peace through Jesus Christ our Savior we do thank you for this Liberty and this freedom we thank you that we can have full Bibles on our lap so we can open them up and read concerning Our Blessed God and our glorious Christ in the gospel of Jesus Christ the Savior and we do pray that you give us the thankful hearts that you'd help us Lord God to praise you for these things we thank you for that gospel we know that we are not saved by deeds of righteousness which we have done but according to your mercy you saved us we thank you for the gospel of Christ the fact that he came into this world sinners to save and we thank you that that statement is one that is a faithful statement worthy of all acceptance we rejoice in this fact that he came into this world to save sinners that he lived a perfect life of obedience to your law in the place of all who believe in his name that he died upon Calvary's cross to pay the penalty do for the sins of all those who believe in his name at that atonement and then that that redemption is not one of maybe in one of perhaps but that Christ so died so as to secure the salvation of a multitude which no man can number we rejoice in that blessed truth and in his blessed death we thank you that he rose again the third day in power and great victory that he ascended to your right hand that he now our Savior does ever live to make intercession for all of his people that he rules and that he reigns over his enemies and that he does subdue the hearts of his elect we rejoice in so great a savior and so great a God and in so great a gospel we do pray Lord that you would be with us in worship help us to be mindful of the God that we come before and the God that we serve the Father Son and Holy Spirit help us Lord God to have hearts that are tuned to worship where would you help us by your spirit to cast off thoughts of this past week to not be stolen away by thoughts of the upcoming week but that we would be solely focused on your worship we would sing your praises that we would rehearse your works and that we would rejoice in the Savior we do pray God that you be with those who need prayer for many things as we prayed in the prayer meeting this morning for all who are sick and unwell and we pray that you'd strengthen them we pray Lord God that you'd be with a dawn new fill that you'd continue to strengthen him we pray that you'd be with Wilma Faber we pray Lord God that you'd be with my sick Mike and Jessica and this food poisoning we pray that you'd strengthen them unable to join us we pray that you'd watch over them and just a strengthen them Lord we know that there are many others struggling with physical ailments with a disease with injury and and with all of these things God do just bless them we think of our sister Bev we do just pray that you'd be with her and many others Lord that are struggling just help them in the midst of physical pain discomfort disability to rejoice in you seeing the praises of their God and we pray that you would watch over them and give them healing we thank you for the news of the birth of a Samantha Fisher we thank you for this great gift given to Dave & Melissa we pray that you'd be with them and with this young one and you just strengthened mother and child and cause parents to rejoice and all those to rejoice in this great gift and we thank you that you continue to bless your people with such gifts of children and we do pray that you'd watch over those who are still pregnant we pray that you would strengthen mothers that you would be with those babies and Lord that in due time these would be brought forth with health and with much rejoicing we do pray God that you'd be with those who govern over us so we bring these things before you and prayer each and every Lord's Day and we're called in the scripture to pray for kings and for those who are in authority and we do pray for them Lord that they would judge and rule righteously and with equity and with the proper justice we pray Lord God that you would cast down those who would seek to uphold wickedness in the land that you would cause those to stumble like drunken men that would seek to pervert the nation's and that you would raise up those who would rule in righteousness and improper justice we pray Lord God throughout the world unto this end that your gospel would be proclaimed that your preachers would preach the true and saving gospel Lord God that your preachers would preach from pulpits that are aflame with righteousness the glories of our God and the truth of his word and we do pray that missionaries would be strengthened to go forth and proclaim likewise and we do pray that by your grace and for your glory and each and every land under heaven God you would bring forth sinners from the deadness and the darkness of sin to life and light in Christ Jesus Our Blessed Savior we do pray God that you'd be with a cell Surrey Bible study we thank you that this continues and that we look forward to a January church plan we pray that you would just continue to guide and to grow this work and that you'd bring them much blessing and pray that you'd strengthen Mike that you'd help him as he looks to to be the pastor at this church as he goes about the work of preaching of counseling of all the work of the pastor at Lord we just pray that you'd strengthen him and that you'd bless that body of believers that they would be united as one man in one spirit striving for the faith of the gospel we do pray Lord God that you would just continue to be with our church we pray that you'd strengthen and invigorate us daily that we would be so united that we would rally around the gospel of Jesus Christ our blessed Savior that God that we would just be marked by those who are rejoicing in the gospel seeking to grow in the Grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord be with us then now Lord God in worship help us we pray that you would receive all honor and praise that your name would be hallowed and we pray Lord God that the preacher would proclaim well the things of your word that the hearers here this morning gather together Saints would be strengthened that sinners would be Lord we pray these things from genuine in earnest hearts seeking with great anticipation that the triune God would bring forth dead sinners to life that he would strengthen his people and Lord God that we would conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Savior we do pray all of these things now in the name of Jesus Christ amen let's stand again and sing them this time we're going to sing hymn 168 let's stand as a church and sing that one six eight [Music] please be seated turn in your Bibles with me to the Gospel of Luke in chapter 5 as we continue to read consecutively through the New Testament that's where we've arrived at Luke 5 at beginning in verse 1 Luke 5 beginning in verse 1 we'll read to verse 16 once again the word of God so it was as the multitude pressed about him to hear the word of God that he stood by the lake of gana sûreté where and saw two boats standing by the lake but the fishermen had gone from them and we're washing their nets then he got into one of the boats which was Simons and asked him to put out a little from the land and he sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat when he had stopped speaking he said to Simon launch out launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch but Simon answered and said to him master we have toiled all night and caught nothing nevertheless at your word I will let down the net and when they had done this they caught a great number of fish and their net was breaking so they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come help them and they came and filled both the boats so that they began to sink when Simon Peter saw it he fell down at Jesus knees saying depart from me for I am a sinful man O Lord for he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken and so also where James and John the sons of Zebedee who were partners with Simon and Jesus said to Simon do not be afraid from now on you will catch men so when they had brought their boats to land they forsook all and followed him and it happened when he was in a certain city that behold a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus and he fell on his face and implored him saying lord if you are willing you can make me clean then he put out his hand and touched him saying I am willing be cleansed immediately the leprosy left him and he charged him to tell no no one but go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for or cleansing as a testimony to them just as Moses commanded however the report went around concerning him all the more and great multitudes came together to hear and to be healed by him of their infirmities so he himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed amen well let us pray God we thank you for this time in the reading of scriptures this element this aspect of worship we rejoice in your word we rejoice in its truth its certainty and we thank you for the Christ to whom your word points and we rejoice in this Savior who performed Miller and miracles who testified to the greatness of our God and to the salvation that he would that he would render the sacrifice the the the blessed atonement that he would give for his people and we rejoice in this Jesus we sing the praises of you our God we rejoice in your revelation to the sons of men and pray that you'd help us as we continue in worship to do so all right to do so with great joy in earnest that you might receive all honor and praise we pray that you'd continue to be with Pastor Butler on his sabbatical Lord we ask that you continue to strengthen him and help him we pray that you give him much refreshing and much strength and return him back to us invigorated ready to go about his office and we just thank you for this time of rest for him and pray that you would bless our brother and we do pray Lord God that you'd be with Emma Jones as she anticipates her baptism we thank you for this and for obedience to your word in the waters of baptism we do pray that it would be a day of rejoicing for her specifically and that we as a church would rejoice a being able to observe this joyful compliance to the commands of our sovereign King Jesus Christ we do pray that you'd be with us now in worship help us to give you honor and praise and might our Savior be exalted upon the praises of this assembly we pray in his name amen well one more him then before the preaching you can stand with me and we'll sing 1:49 together that's 149 [Music] [Applause] [Music] in turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 2 Luke chapter 2 we're going to read from verse 1 to verse 20 Luke 2 beginning in verse 1 and finishing at verse 20 the Word of God and it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered this census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria so all went to be registered everyone to his own City Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea to the City of David which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage of David to be registered with Mary his betrothed wife who was with child so it was that while they were there the days were completed for her to be delivered and she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them at the end in the end now there were in the same country Shepherds living out in the fields keeping watch over their flock by night and behold an angel of the Lord stood before them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were greatly afraid 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 for there is born to you this day in the City of David a savior who is Christ the Lord and this will be the sign to you you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace goodwill toward men so it was when the angels had gone away from them into heaven that the Shepherd's said to one another let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass which the Lord has made known to us and they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger now when they had seen they made widely-known the saying which was told them concerning this child and all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds but Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart then the Shepherd's returned glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen as it was told then amen well let's pray Heavenly Father we thank you for the reading of your scriptures the preaching of your word this element this aspect of worship and we do pray that you would be worshiped in this we pray that your people here would be strengthened that sinners Lord God would be saved by the power of the Holy Spirit working by and with your word we do ask Lord God that you would be honored that you would be glorified and that Lord God again that our Savior Jesus Christ the one spoken of here the one written of here would now be exalted upon the praises of this assembly and we would rejoice in him that we would sing his praises and that we would reflect with great thankfulness great thankfulness upon so great a gospel be with us now Lord God might you be praised in the name of Jesus Christ our Savior amen well two thousand years ago a light shined that's not just a the language of a sappy evangelicalism that's biblical language at in a region that dwelt in darkness the advent of Christ a light shine dawn broke forth and the darkness was permeated pent was penetrated by this glowing light this glorious Christ this Savior age upon age had had rolled on in expectation and in anticipation and you know long lay the world in sin and error pining until this Christ came brought forth this light to a dark place and we have this announcement by the Angels brought to these shepherds concerning the birth of the long-promised Savior we want to reflect on verses 10 to 14 this morning simply under two headings the angelic Word and the angelic song but just notice by way of introduction a few things here first off the historical setting I've said from the but we've said from the pulpit a number of times that with Christianity kids and with Christianity adults and with Christianity everyone who is here we do not have a religion of fairytales the Bible isn't delivered in the in the flavour of old fairy tales while these things did happen once upon a time it is not the once upon a time of fairy tales that our hearts rest upon but rather the stuff of certain truth and Luke Luke isn't afraid to set the birth of the promised Savior to set the birth of Jesus Christ the Lord into a historical context again it's not just this general language of hey you know once upon a time in a land of fairies and pixie dust a cool thing happened it comes with the certainty of divine inspiration of inerrancy of infallibility and Luke places it here in the context of history notice in verse 1 it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered so there's a ruler that's named there is a particular census that's identified here that the world should be registered and in this place that you know or in this context the Roman Empire verse 2 this census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria so again the naming of another ruler Luke's not afraid to set this this tale this truth this story this history this certain fact of course within the context of rulers and regions and all of those sorts of things and we have regions next Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judaea etc Luke places this account this true account within the context of rulers and geography and occasions sanctioned or lawfully given by these rulers in order for census to take place notice as well we have prophetic fulfillment as we read these words here that follow Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea to the City of David which is called Bethlehem we continue reading make no mistake that isn't only Luke writing with respect to historical persons regions but he's also setting forth the fact that this Christ came forth according to prophetic promise according to the Old Covenant promise of a coming one who would come into this world to give his life for guilty sinners this language of in the City of David which is called Bethlehem and because he was the house of the house of the lineage of David etc we are we are to see in this the the blessed threads of 2nd Samuel 7 the the blessed threads of Isaiah 7:14 the blessed threads of Isaiah 9:6 a child that is given a sum that is born the one upon whom he would have the government would be upon his shoulders the one who is wonderful counselor mighty God everlasting father Prince of Peace we are to see Old Testament promise fulfilled in the ink upon these pages written by Luke now I know this wasn't written by Luke this particular page but you know what I mean as Luke writes he's writing concerning the certainty of what took place and he's writing concerning the certainty of prophetic fulfillment that he's showing that those Old Testament promises prophesies plans and purposes of God are being fulfilled in this occasion where this babe is wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger and this message is delivered to shepherds have you ever remarked or have you just read through this or you know not really considered the fact that this divine this divine messenger this angel sent by God to proclaim the birth of the Savior this is given to shepherds the the mean the the meek the weak and the illiterate it's the way God works he uses the base things and the low things to shine forth his glory he sends forth the riches of his gospel the gems of the proclamation of his word in crackpots in earthen vessels he announces this to shepherds Gil makes this remark with regards to the recipients of the angelic word he writes to the Shepherd's the first notice of Christ's birth was given not to the princes and chief priests and learned men Jerusalem but two-week mean and illiterate men whom God is pleased to choose and call and reveal his secrets to when he hides them from the wise and prudent to their confusion and the glory of His grace and this was a presage that just simply means a foretelling or a force signifying this was a presage of what the kingdom of Christ would be and by and to whom the gospel would be preached the angel gives this message of the glorious saviours birth the two shepherds and it's an interesting thing maybe maybe you'll find this interesting maybe you won't but the the depth of the genius of biblical revelation and the majesty of the style with respect to the Shepherd's being the recipients of the angelic message the greater than David Davidic son the great Shepherd of the Sheep who is also the Lamb of God who in due time as a sheep before it's Shearer's is silent will open not his mouth is born in the place where David a shepherd tended his father's sheep in his announce to Shepherds who would become some of the first sheep of the great Shepherd's flock Christianity is unmatched and our God of divine inspiration is unmatched in leaving a story not weaving a story but in revealing the story that was weaved by his own divine wisdom and Providence to bring forth this Jesus this Christ the son of God and Son of Man the only mediator between God and men and it is angels that bring this message perhaps this is Gabriel who had beforehand announced the Mary would conceive a baby being a virgin the whole verse of the Holy Spirit would overshadow her and by creative power would conceive in her womb that nature which Christ Himself would the son of God would take a take upon himself perhaps this is Gabriel bringing the announcement here - to the angels with respect to the giving of this message by angels and and after eight minutes of introduction we will get to the angelic word and the angelic song but hopefully just to build up some of the introductory stuff hopefully it's hopefully it's stuff that helps to set up this account of a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger notice with regards to this announcement by angels concerning Christ the Savior Cyril of Alexandria writes for very many holy prophets had been born from time to time but never had any one of them been glorified by the voice of angels for they were men and according to the same measure as ourselves the true servants of God and bearers of his words but not so was Christ for he is God and Lord and the sender of the holy prophets and as the psalmist says who in the cloud shall be compared unto the Lord and who shall be likened unto the Lord among the sons of God you see that's why we are in a moment to marvel the fact that this one who is the sender of the holy prophets the one whom the angels worship would condescend to be wrapped in swaddling cloths and lie in a feed trough reserved for livestock while getting on to the ain't the angelic word then in verses in verses 10 through 12 we want to notice first off it is an announcement of the greatest significance it's an announcement of the greatest significance look at first here in verse 10 then the angel said to them do not be afraid for behold now that that might not cause you to you know to marvel at the great significance here but give me a moment because it ought to just even this one word behold but notice that this this response in verse 10 by the Angels is to vanquish and dispel the fear of the Shepherd's that's what the gospel does that's what the good tidings of Jesus Christ is designed to do to vanquish fear the fear of sin and sins condemnation the the fear of death the fear of the grave Christ brings cheerful nests to the hearts those who receive his message by grace through faith in Him fear is to be vanquished the angel said to them do not be afraid for behold previously we see the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were greatly afraid you see here with the angelic word fear is vanquished fear is shot away confidence and hope comes in this babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger the angel said to them do not be afraid and this is our point though for behold it's a message of great significance very often when you come across the word behold in your Bibles it's bringing it's going to follow that up with a message of great significance we we come across the the word the word that's translated here behold is very often just the word see sometimes it is the word low and low I am with you always even to the end of the age here it's translated behold and the angels are using this word in order to grab and to grip the Shepherd's attention hopefully you're here this morning by God's grace you're going to be grabbed and gripped not by a bald-headed and weak bearded preacher I'm starting to grow this I think I look like a Nicaraguan teenager but I'm gonna grow it and I might be a man one day but you see this is to grip our hearts this was to grip the Shepherd's hearts behold lo see you know we there's a passage in 1st John Mike we'll get there soon in his preaching through through first John behold what manner of love the father has bestowed on us that we should be called the sons of God the children of God John John writes that and he writes behold not just oh you know hey see what I'm about to write here just sort of like a casual you know cast your eyes upon this and then move on but to grip your attention to grab hold of you the angels here to the Shepherd's say behold because what follows is of the utmost significance and it is the stuff that dashes away and vanquishes the fear of death and and condemnation and the righteous holiness and wholesome severity of God to judge those who violate his law to judge those who oppose his gospel if you believe in Jesus Christ the Savior fear is vanquished behold good tidings are yours so it isn't an announcement of the greatest significance and I think this is a point of application if we can make them hear while we move along do you behold do you look you know are you do you hasten your gaze that's what the language comes with the force up to hasten your gaze upon this truth that the Son of God and the fullness of the times came forth born of a woman born under the law to redeem those who are under its curse in its condemnation do you behold you're here this morning do you behold do you look do you see this Jesus this Christ your savior have you beheld your sin have you beheld the god of infinite eternal and unchangeable holiness and justice have you looked upon have you beheld your transgressions that all of us that you have fallen short of the glory of God and then has your gaze hasten to this babe to this Christ who would grow who would go about the earth always doing good who would die upon Calvary's cross rise again the third day all who look to him in faith will have everlasting life have you beheld this one word behold is not just a casual sea but it is an angelic and a divine and a strong behold to hasten your gaze upon so great a Christ so blessed a Savior secondly it is an announcement of the greatest joy notice do not be afraid for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy it's an announcement of the greatest joy the word translated here in fact this portion of the phrase I bring you good tidings is one word we could say I evangelize to you great joy it's the word the word used there for I bring you good tidings is where we get evangelical or evangelism from I evangelize to you the angels are saying great joy I bring you good tidings of great joy the Angels say they have already said do not be afraid they've already said behold so what they're about to say is the stuff of great joy it's the stuff that is to dash away that wicked fear and it is the stuff that they are to hasten their gaze to that they might rejoice in the Savior and the salvation he affords his people but it is an announcement of the greatest joy and isn't this a isn't this if you've read the Psalms if you've read the Psalms the the word rejoice is repeated I think more than than any other section of Holy Scripture the psalmist reflects upon the glories of God in His Christ there is a constant entreaty for the people of God to rejoice so the angels are the angels are not stepping away from the pattern of biblical revelation the angels are not deviating from some sort of you know from some sort of pattern here they're in lockstep with God's revelation to the sons of men that says rejoice rejoice in me you know let not the wise man glory and his wisdom let not the rich man glory and his wealth let not the strong man glory in his strength but let him who glories glory in this that he understands and knows me rejoice in this God rejoice in this Christ rejoice in this gospel the Angels dispel fear hasten the gaze they say to the Shepherd's so that you might receive this message of good tidings which is characterized by the greatest joy as Christians you know we were to be marked by this brethren by joy you know there is there is an attendant intellectualism that comes with christianity we are to use our minds but make no mistake in the use of our minds and knowing truth and growing in the grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ this is to spring forth in rejoicing this is to spring forth in joy you know we are again our faces are to present that means to smile to move from this Solomon in you know somber sort of straight lip this and to present up with joy at the Savior who came into this world sinners to save we have a we have an order and we have an attendant hopefully a right biblical worship here where it's now the element where we're preaching the Word of God but make no mistake in the course of this element of worship rejoicing is not banned from the time and joy is not to be cast away until some other time you know when you go home and you enjoy ham and cheese or whatever right now rejoice in this Christ rejoice in this one the Angels announced who come in who had who will was born of Mary and Joseph it would be the savior of men rejoice it is also thirdly an announcement for all men notice this language do not be afraid for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people the message of Christianity is not a message confined to a particular demographic it was not confined to the borders of Jerusalem in this day it was not to stay there and not go forth beyond the borders of Jerusalem or Bethlehem in this case where the Savior was born it is a message which will be to all people this Evangel this gospel this message of this saving Christ is to all people you turn with me to the Book of Psalms because again just like the angelic word is not a misstep or it does not deviate from the pattern of biblical revelation to rejoice in God and as Christ well so to this reality that God's message is to all men this this is a light pattern or it's a similar pattern throughout woven throughout biblical revelation notice in Psalm 96 Psalm 9 six if you can turn there with me beginning in verse one Oh sing to the Lord a new song sing to the Lord all the earth sing to the Lord bless his name proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day declare his glory among the nations his wonders among all peoples you see the the wonders of God the glories of his works the the the perfection of the person of Christ and the virtue of his offices mediator and the glories of his salvation are not to be proclaimed within the small confinement of a particular body of people but it is announced to go throughout all the world declare his glory among the nations his wonders among all people we fast forward in revelation to Psalm 117 you're close by if you were with me in 96 you can turn there one of the the smallest songs one of the shortest Psalms but one rich with divine condescension mercy glory notice Psalm 117 praise the Lord all you Gentiles laud him all you peoples for his merciful kindness is great toward us and the truth of the Lord endures forever praise the Lord praise the Lord all you Gentiles you see this message of Christ the glory of our God the proclamation of Father Son and spirit and the wonders of his salvation given to the sons of men this is not only for Jew it is for Jew and it is for Gentile it is is the writer John - in in Revelation writes for all nations peoples and and tongues this Jesus this Redeemer this one who would shed his blood for guilty sinners this is a message this babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger the good tidings that attend that mark that characterize that one that Jesus that Christ it is for all people it is an announcement for all men a couple things on our last two on our last two points here that you know come as applications again doing them along the way here and what is what is your joy you know I think we very often when we attach when we think of joy we sometimes you know land upon earthly things you know what what makes you happy and what makes you joyful no don't get me wrong a nice take a nice cool drink you know a walk in a meadow tiptoeing through the tulips in a in a fine wooded Glen whatever you do those can be things that are that are happy and those can be things that are joyful don't get me wrong we enjoy the blessed things given by God to us we enjoy lawful things because God has given them to us in loving condescension but do those things shadow your joy in Christ what is what you know what is what what do you connect what train do you connect the caboose of your joy to do you hitch the caboose of your happiness and and joy to earthly trains do you hitch them to a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger who would grow who would go about the earth doing good who would die upon a cross who would rise again who would ascend is our King our glorious one in our Savior God's salvation his condescension His grace is mercy what marks or what is the the substance of your joy in this lower world we can enjoy earthly things but if the son of God remains in the shadows of these earthly things we have done wrong good tidings of great joy as Christians we will do well to hitch our joy to the train of divine revelation to the triune God to the Christ of the glorious gospel of the Blessed God and hitch it to that alone because you know we if we will ebb and will flow in our happiness in an inner joy and will be will be a sorrowful lot if we hitch the train of our joy to anything else save God in His Christ in his glorious gospel enjoy steak enjoy a cool drink enjoy a walk through a wooded Glen but hitch the caboose of your joy and happiness to the Train of God in His Christ and you will never be disappointed it's an announcement for all men what do we do with this understanding that it's an announcement for all men we rejoice in the God of of condescension a condescending universality and he doesn't just confine the message of his gospel to one people group but it goes out to the uttermost parts of the earth what can we do with this we ought to pray for the proclamation of God's Word throughout the ends of the earth if this is good tidings if this is a gospel to all peoples then we ought to pray that across the earth ministers of his would proclaim richly the things of Christ that sinners might be saved that our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ might be strengthened and edified we ought to pray for missionary work if you can't go out to the mission field and not everybody can or else there'd be nobody in home churches but if you can't go out on missionary work pray for missionaries support missionaries pay for missionaries there are things that we can do as Christians prayer first and foremost the giving of our good things to support the proclamation of the gospel worldwide so blessed thing why because this angelic word is delivered to these shepherds and it's marked by this reality that the gospel will be to all people and notice fourthly it is an announcement concerning the salvation of men verse 11 so it is an announcement of the greatest significance it's an announcement of the greatest joy it's an announcement for all men and it is an announcement concerning the salvation of men verse 11 for there is born to you this day in the City of David a savior who is Christ the Lord you see that it the the words previously spoken by the angel or building up to this point there quickly spoken do not be afraid for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all peoples and it comes to this the four of verse 11 introduces the glorious reality of the announcement concerning the salvation of men for there is born to you this day in the City of David a savior who is Christ the Lord you ever consider that that collection of words there it's a it's one verse it's just you know a couple handfuls of words there but there's so much in there there's so much mounted upon each other there in this angelic word the first thing we want to observe here is that this salvation is real for there is born to you this day you know this our salvation in Christianity is not salvation from ignorance it's not this this you know Gnostic message that comes to us with no substantial Savior behind the salvation this christ is born our salvation is born to us for there is born to you this day our salvation is real the the Apostles John for example writes concerning this the importance of Christians recognizing that our salvation in our Savior is real we saw him we heard him our hands have handled the word of life who was manifested to us he was born to us our Savior is born the Angels announce this one this salvation and their first words are there is born to you this day our Christ took upon himself the son of God took upon himself man's nature he took on our humanity save for sin that he might save us from our sins our salvation is real it's not this ethereal you know stuff that we can really substantially put our finger on how are we saved perhaps if we just grow in our knowledge with the light you know we've been given then you know maybe one day we'll make it somewhere no it's substantial it's clear it's real our Savior our glorious Savior was born it is a real salvation this salvation is real this salvation secondly is personal there is born to you this day in the City of David a savior who is Christ the Lord we've made this observation many times in different context the personal reality now I'm not saying that it's personal to the exclusion of corporate make no mistake and we'll see that tonight from Hebrews 25 the salvation Christianity it there is a context which is absolute which must be corporate God has given his people his church his church but the salvation is well not but consider as well though that salvation is personal there is born to you this day we've considered many times the reality that language that the Christians speak in in the Bible is language of an intimate reality with regards to their God and their Savior the Lord is my shepherd the psalmist could have written with propriety or the the words could have been you know rendered originally the Lord is a shepherd you see there's a there's an intimacy there's a connection there's a personal reality to our Savior the Lord is my shepherd Thomas on that glorious week after the resurrection when Christ appears to him in loving condescension Thomas after being able to look upon his Christ to even see the print of the nails the Savior bids him to put your fingers here put them there see that it is I Thomas says my Lord and my god would it have been right to say the Lord and the God absolutely but he says my Lord and my God hear the Angels could have announced where there is born to you or for there is born this a savior but they say there is born to you this day in the City of David a savior he's our Savior if you believe on him if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ he's your savior there need not be fear of death fear of sins condemnation for your Victor your champion is this one who was born in the City of David a savior who is Christ the Lord this salvation is personal this salvation thirdly is a fulfillment of promise notice he is born this day in the City of David now that's not the only part that respects a fulfillment of promise but remember the announcements in the Old Testament concerning a son of David who would be born in the City of David brethren when he come to the pages of the New Testament when you come to the pages of the New Testament it's not it's not just you know some language slapped together or a recording of history but it is an accurate and an inspired and an infallible and an inerrant recording of history fulfilling promised beforehand no Micah 5:2 when we read this language in the City of David when we read previously which is called Bethlehem in the beginning of the chapter we are to have our biblical and hopefully our taught and stable minds reflect back upon Micah 5:2 the promise that to you Bethlehem Ephrathah though you are the littlest of the thousands of Judah yet out of you will come forth to me a ruler born in Israel who are the ruler of Israel whose goings forth are are from of old from everlasting you see this language of Luke is calculated - yes encapsulated and enveloped in a historical context but to show forth that God's promises do come true our God is a God of promise our God is a God of executing divine purpose and plan such that according to his own prophets his own promises and his own for signifying 'he's we have this christ coming forth in the David and in fact the language for there is born to you this day that born to you should hearken the Christian heart and mind back to Isaiah 9:6 unto us a child is born unto us a son is given again personal language there as well unto us born to us this Savior this Christ this Lord this salvation is a fulfillment of promise brethren our God execute perfectly his promises that's our God he makes a promise he fulfills it respecting the gospel absolutely respecting everything absolutely respecting judgment absolutely if you forsake this Jesus if you forsake this Christ this Savior if you forsake this babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger who would grow who would go about the earth only doing good die upon Calvary's cross rise again the third day God's promised to judge you and to exercise his wholesome severity upon you who opposed his gospel he will make good on his promise don't leave these two doors this this morning forsaking this Christ this Savior this Lord because God will make good on his promise he makes good his gospel promises he makes good his judgment promises believe on this Christ and you will have everlasting life notice then fourthly this salvation is in Christ it is salvation by a Savior and this Savior is Christ for there is born to you this day in the City of David a savior who is Christ the Lord you see how the this language mounts upon each other a savior who is Christ the Lord this isn't just you know as we'll see in a moment this this announcement where the Angels in verse 12 say and this will be the sign to you you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger it may have been that the temptation or the the natural human response a shepherd we're going to find this this babe announced by the Angels and if the Angels perhaps didn't give this language of the this will be the sign you'll maybe they'll be looking at the inn they'll be looking perhaps at a prominent place a rich man's place for the savior of Israel for the consolation of Israel we need to find this one but when they find this one as the Angels announce wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger that's where people would not look for the Saviour because we think with our human hearts that if the Saviour were to come into the world he would come with the trumpets blast he would come you know air raid and with light beaming down somewhere with you know surrounded by riches and jewels and you know with a train of noblemen and all those sorts of things know this babe wrapped in swaddling cloths is your savior but he is your Savior he is Christ the Lord this language is beautiful this language is glorious and it's not just there is born to you a man this day though Christ is true man he is a savior who is Christ the Lord that's why brethren we we are to be marked by beholding and by joyful hearts we're not just beholding and we're not just attaching our joy to an earthly figure in an earthly figure alone because that is fleeting that is dying that will vanish away but an eternal one who took to himself our nature to save us to redeem us what a glorious thing to behold what a glorious thing to rejoice in this salvation is in Christ there is born to you this day in the City of David a savior who is Christ the Lord it's the only Savior that's why the the preaching entreaties come to you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ because there is only in him salvation not in anything else not in anyone else if you're if you're seeking Redemption and salvation elsewhere it's folly it's madness only in Christ this baby born in the City of David who would grow to be a man who would give his life for guilty sinners only in this Christ only in this Jesus only in this one is there salvation he is alone the Savior and that's just not some thing that the preacher you know puts together in his mind as he's opening up a particular passage from the Gospel of Luke the Bible says that it's one name given under heaven among men by which we might be saved and that's Christ Jesus the Lord blessed Savior and notice lastly this salvation is divine he is Christ the Lord again this we think you know we we think of the the entry of a promised Redeemer would come with the the valiance of trumpet blasts and in all of these sorts of things but the entry the first advent of this son of God is one of meekness it's one of meanness it's one that our human hearts or how human minds would not contrive a champion a savior a victor is never in our minds contrived to be a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a feed trough and yet there's our Christ and there's there's our Jesus this salvation is divine he is Christ the Lord there is born to you this day in the City of David a savior who is Christ the Lord now our our minds move and and this is what Cyril of Alexandria bids us to do as Christians we may be moved back and forth between these two realities in the with respect to the one Christ we see this babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger our hot hearts and our minds are then to mount up and rise up to contemplations of this one being son of God second of the Blessed triune the brightness of his father's glory and the Express image of his person the Cyril writes when therefore thou seest the child wrapped in swaddling clothes stay not thy thoughts solely upon his birth in the flesh but mount up to the contemplation of his godlike glory elevate thy mind aloft ascend to heaven so will thou behold him in the highest exaltation possessed of transcendent glory thou wilt see him set upon a throne high and lifted up thou wilt hear the Seraphim extolling him in hymns and saying that heaven and earth are full of his glory yay even upon earth this has come to pass for the glory of God Shaun upon the shepherds and there was a multitude of the heavenly armies telling Christ's glory and this it was which was proclaimed of old by the voice of Moses rejoice ye heavens with him and let all the sons of God worship Him you know when we sing that hymn hark the herald angels sing glory to the newborn King what's that him saying the hymn is saying that the angel that announced here and the multitude that join in a one Accord voice with that angel are singing praises glory to God in the highest with a directional beholding in a and a hastening of gaze upon a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger hark the herald angels sing glory to the newborn King glory to God in the highest is a word of praise rendered to Father Son and Holy Spirit peculiarly in this occasion this glory to God in the highest is spoken with respect to this babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger God in a feed trough the height of condescension to use an oxymoronic phrase the height of condescension this salvation is divine he is Christ the Lord in the Old Covenant the language our God uses as glorious I even I am the lord who blotted out thine own transgressions for my name's sake this Lord does it himself through the sending of the Son of God who takes upon him our nature for our Redemption and for our recovery brethren hopefully you never you never think that the the repeating of creedal language at Jim and I Mike often used that language he took upon himself our nature with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof here we go again the the reiteration and repeating of this rote credo language that's glorious language rich with our salvation that he took upon himself man's nature our nature we don't have a salvation we don't have a savior who is just a specter and a phantom we have one that took upon him our nature save for sin he went about the earth doing good as a man he went about the earth perfecting law he went about the earth in obedience to the law in every jot and tittle in every step of the way in the place of all who believe in his name as a man truly God and truly man yet one Christ he died upon Calvary's cross as a man truly God and truly man one Christ but nevertheless his death was one as the god man he died upon Calvary's cross as one who was born to us as one who was man giving his life for guilty sinners and this one is Lord this one is glorious this one is divine this one is the Savior this one is the king this one in a feed trough is our Creator our upholder our Redeemer we said a couple Sundays ago there you know the preacher the preacher has a hard task because he can never exhaust the variegated many-sided glory of a triune God and of a blessed Savior you see that that's what we have in our Bible that's why you know that's what you know the Eternity we enter into Emanuel's land on that great day and we sing praises forever even then we will not be able to exhaust the variegated glory Jesus Christ the variegated glory of God's gospel the many-sided gem that is our triune God this salvation is divine and lastly it is an announcement concerning the greatest condescension notice in verse 12 this will be the sign to you you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger that you know hopefully hopefully we haven't read that to Matt so many times and hopefully we haven't heard this preached so many times that it gets old if I were to if I were to preach to you every every Sunday loop - you should probably pull me aside and say you know it's the whole Council of God thing you know there's a 66 books old and new testaments but brethren is often as we do come back to Luke - hopefully it cheers your heart it's a blessed repetition to have our Christian Minds reminded of that occasion where the darkness was cast away where the light came where this Jesus came into this world sinners to save what a condescension that we have here you ever reflected and moved your hearts and minds from the pre-incarnate reality to this incarnate reality you ever contemplated isaiah 6 john tells us that that is a scene respecting this jesus whom he was proclaiming in his gospel isaiah 6 in the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord High and lifted up the Train of his robe filled the temple remember that some people think that to mean that he wasn't there in the temple with his robe filling this in this vision but that it was just the hem of his robe filling the temple because he's so majestic because he's so glorious that only in this vision in this condescension revealing himself to Isaiah and by virtue of that to us he's so glorious that only a hem of his robe can fill the temple the angels are flying covering their eyes for the glory and the majesty of this one this glorious Jesus this God this Christ this Savior if you moved from that scene where the angels are crying out holy holy holy and then your heart lands your mind lands upon this place babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger see our hearts are our hearts are to melt in thankfulness our hearts are to melt and graciousness extended to this God who would come from such a height to such a lowliness a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths limbs rigid wrapped in these clogs used to form baby's growth properly it's probably rubbed in salt if we we read as a kiyul 16 with regards to the proper the the cultural pattern here of rubbing a baby and salt and wrap wrapping him in swaddling bands our God takes upon himself our nature our the Son of God takes upon himself our nature he comes from the praise of angels to this look got four minutes left and we haven't we haven't even haven't even opened the book on the condescension of this Jesus beauty of this Savior the glory of this Lord every Sunday that we'll come back together until Christ comes again we'll never be able to look at the multi-sided Jim that is this gospel it's an announcement concerning the greatest condescension coming from such a pinnacle of glory to our lower ignominy to use the language of Calvin what a thing what a wonder what a thing that we ought to behold lo behold see hasten your gaze upon this Jesus this glorious Christ well let's close with the angelic song by simply noting look what the Angels do look what the announcing angel does and look what the rest of the heavenly hosts do they sing verse 14 or they say the text doesn't say sing I think we are as Christians you know familiar with hymns and hymns like hark the herald angels saying we we co-author singing the Spurgeon says the first Christmas hymn the first hymn of the Incarnation doesn't actually say that the angels sing we can we take a little bit of poetic license and Liberty to say it's the angels song but you do it with propriety notice what the angel and the heavenly hosts say here glory to God in the highest and on earth peace goodwill toward men you know that that language that we spoke about only briefly from Micah 5:2 where the the promise is concerning this coming one who is going forth our from old from everlasting who would be born in Bethlehem a couple verses later it says he himself is your peace where he will be peace to you he brings peace not not a nationalistic peace though that's good not a civil peace though that's good not family peace though that's good you could go on and on but peace between God and men justification salvation bringing us from out of that miry pit the deadness and darkness of sin to life and light in this Christ in this Lord and in this Savior that's the peace for which the angels are singing saying proclaiming this glorious phrase glory to God in the highest I love my love what Spurgeon says here the angels were no our minions they sang glory to God in the highest they suffered no message that placed a measure or a speck or a portion of glory in the sight of man that glory is to God for sending this christ this christ who comes down in sovereign and victorious grace to rip us from out of that miry pit of sin and condemnation glory to God in the highest if you're here this morning brethren behold this Christ preacher fails to again to spin that gem enough to point out the the variegated glories if you here to hold a big diamond with all of its edges you're to look at the various sides of this glorious gem that our Jesus the preacher fails to adequately spin that and to show it enough for any of you but God has revealed in his word this Christ he's revealed himself in his revelation to the sons of men grab that word and behold your Christ you bald and semi bearded preachers might fail to proclaim rightly the glory of this Jesus but grab your word daily and open up and read concerning this God concerning his Jesus in glory in so great a salvation let your fears be vanquished and dispelled and let the light of this Christ come in vanquish those fears believe on Jesus Christ and you will have everlasting life if you're here this this morning and you're outside of Jesus know that there's no better thing to behold and know that there's no better thing to rejoice in than this Jesus then this Christ takes our sins away those who believed in him have everlasting life their sins taken away you can reflect with a morbidity or with with mortality with great sadness and sorrow upon a life in a career of breaking the law of God there is no recovery for you and your own power and in your own strength but there is one who has recovered the sons of men his people from their sins it was this babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger who grew who went about the earth only ever doing good and all that in obedience to his father's command dying upon Calvary's cross so that all who believe in him might have everlasting life will repeat that a preacher will repeat that a thousand six hundred ninety two times every seven years until God takes him home it's always true it's always glorious it's always the message of the gospel that he lived that he died that he rose again so that all who looked to him in faith will have everlasting life behold your Christ rejoice in him sinner hasten your gaze to this one give him laud and find in him your only Savior let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for your word we thank you for this account of our Savior Jesus Christ the Lord we pray Lord God that we would that we would sing and one accord with these angels glory to God in the highest and peace on earth goodwill toward men and we rejoice in our Savior we sing the praises of so great a Christ we pray Lord God that you would receive honor that you would receive praise that the lips of your people would hallow your name not only here but around the world Lord God that you would equip us with that wherewithal to be joyful to rejoice in Jesus Christ to daily sing his praises to behold our Savior and to sing the praises of father son and spirit go with us now help us to enjoy this upcoming week I bring us all back again on the next Lord's Day that we might sing again your praises and worship Our Blessed God we pray in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord amen well let's stand and sing glory to God in the highest by a singing of the doxology if you'll stand with me we'll sing that together as a church it's at Roman numerals 16 if you don't know it by heart [Music] the Lord bless you and keep you the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace amen oh please be seated and we'll have a brief time of Prayer and then you're dismissed you