You can turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 2. Luke 2, we'll read from verse 1 to verse 14. Luke 2, beginning in verse 1, once again, 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 in the inn.
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. Amen.
Well, let's go again to our Lord God in prayer to ask His blessing upon the word preached. Heavenly Father, we ask now that you would help us in this act of worship, the preaching of your word. We do pray that you would help both preacher and hearer, that we might be engaged, that we might be attentive unto your word and spirit, that we might rejoice in the Christ of this passage, and that we might avail of the salvation that is herein offered. that saints would be strengthened in theirs, and that sinners would come to theirs, that you would, by your grace, cause them to be saved unto the praise of your glory, that they would, again, that they would leave this place, God, singing the praises of this Christ, just as the angels did so many years ago. Be with us now, and might this exercise be unto the praise of your Most High Name.
And it's in the name of the Savior, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. Well,
Introduction
Whether people like it or not, and whether or not people attempt each and every year to jettison the name of Christ from contemplations every winter, every December, our thoughts are at this time of year drawn to that babe wrapped in swaddling bands lying in a feed trough. We come to this passage and we find one that is very often quoted and repeated at this time of year, whether in entertainment media, songs, these sorts of things as you walk through Walmart to buy your eggs and parsnips, you might hear a song containing the theology and the language of this passage being played over the speakers. All of that to say, our thoughts are drawn usually this time of year to thoughts of the baby Christ, the nativity, and the narrative concerning the birth of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. With our Protestant freedom unbound by any holy day of observation or any such season, let's examine this wonderful passage and look at a number of things.
Sermon Overview: Three Movements
We're going to look at three things, in fact, if the Lord will allow and if time will allow. Those three things are simply this, the natal exposition, the angelic proclamation, and the doxological exclamation. tion words in there, but we'll talk about what that means as we move along. We find in verses one to 14, the account of the baby Christ as Luke two moves along. And as we arrive at Luke three, we find the account moving from the baby Christ to the child Christ, to the boy Christ.
And then finally time fast forwards, if you will. And we get to a biblical narrative concerning the adulthood of Christ and his earthly ministry. But we're concerned in verses 1 to 14 with the birth of the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. And so
The Natal Exposition
first off, from verses 1 to 7, we want to note the natal exposition. What does that mean? Well, natal simply pertains to birth. And so we want to look at the opening up of the exposition, the disclosure of the facts of the birth narrative.
And
The Period: Historical Veracity and Prophetic Fulfillment
notice first, we find the noting of the period in verses 1 to 3. the period of Christ's birth. Notice in verses 1 to 3 what we find, 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. We talk about noting the period, we're not talking about arguing for December 25th as the date of Christ's birth.
That's not what we need to argue, and I would I would submit that no preacher should ever argue for that, whether in short or at length. We take the advice of Jencks, or we observe his comment. Learned and pious men have trifled egregiously on this subject, the exact month and date of the birth of Christ, making that of importance which the Holy Spirit, by His silence, has plainly informed them, is of none. In other words, as one old Roman historian have noted, there were about 136 opinions as to when the exact date of Christ was born, and some coming from each and every month of the year.
We do know this, though, that Christ was born. That Christ was born 2,000 years ago to Joseph and to Mary, and that this Christ was no earthly child, but that he was the Son of the Most High, who took to himself man's nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin, and saves men to the uttermost, all those who come nigh by his blood." But noting the period, we do want to note, first off, historical veracity. That simply means, guys, that simply means, adults and children, the certain historical truthfulness of the account. Notice, and we've said this before, notice that the writers of Holy Scripture don't deliver the narratives to us.
They don't deliver the biblical record and the history to us in the flavor of once upon a time. The incipit of Luke, that is the beginning of his letter, doesn't come to us in the manner of a dark and stormy night or on a dark and stormy night. Turn to Luke 1 and see. the historical veracity, that is, the certain truthfulness, that these things took place, what Luke discloses to us. Luke 1 verse 1, inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed." You see, it is a good habit of Luke, a good pattern in Luke's writing to bring forth the time in which things took place.
In this case, when Caesar Augustus sent the decree for these to be engaged in a census. Notice as well in Luke 3 at verse 1, the same pattern of Luke introducing and always arguing for the historical veracity, placing things in their proper time period. Now, in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iteria, the regent of Trachonitis, et cetera, et cetera. You get the point.
Luke is a tactician. He is a detailed historian, and he's arguing for the historical veracity. that these things most certainly did take place. But you see, there's more than that in this text, brothers and sisters. Ladies and gentlemen, there's more to this text than simply historical veracity, glorious historical truth and certainty, but there is as well prophetic fulfillment.
I believe what Luke as well wants us to see, and what many commentators have noted, is the fulfillment of, among other passages, Genesis 49. and specifically Genesis 49 and verse 10. What we find in that text, you can turn there if you'd like, if you're quick on the fingers and you want to find yourselves in Genesis 49-10, we have a prophecy there concerning the Messiah, Jesus Christ, in the passage here called Shiloh, who would come. Notice in Genesis 49-10, the scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes and to him shall be the obedience of the people Well, Luke is announcing here that the scepter has departed and a lawgiver from the loins of Judah is no longer in power Shiloh has come in fulfillment of 4910 and this announces the fulfillment of that particular Prophecy now the scepter is in the hand of the Roman Imperial conqueror Now the lawgiver is Rome and its imperial majesty, and so we have now a fulfillment of prophecy. But you see, it's even more than that as well.
Not that there needs to be something more than that, and by more I don't mean higher and more perfect at all, but there's more than just prophetic fulfillment as well. Here Luke is coming up against royal imperial cult worship. He's saying, yes, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus. But you see, it isn't Caesar Augustus who is the one sent by Providence.
He's not the Savior, as the worshipers of him would say. And he is not the Son of God, as he himself would claim. But rather, this Christ, born in Bethlehem, this Christ, born in Bethlehem, wrapped in swaddling bands and laying in a feed trough, is the Savior. He is. the Son of God, an old calendar inscription in 9 BC, that is nine years prior to the Lord Jesus Christ coming.
We find this with regards to Caesar Augustus. The author who inscribed on this calendar writing that Providence sent Caesar Augustus, filled him with virtue as a savior, The inscription goes on to say, since the birthday of the God Augustus was the beginning of the good news for the world. It's nine years before the coming of Christ and this Roman imperial cult of emperor worship is claiming that Caesar Augustus was sent by providence filled with virtue and is a savior and would even say, since the birthday of God, the God Augustus was the beginning of the good news for the world. We ought not to doubt why, not in whole, but in part, why Mark opens up his gospel by saying, the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
You see, the true Son of God, over and against the counterfeit, the Roman imperial leader, was Jesus Christ. You see, and it wasn't just some religious response in the first century to Roman imperial rule, but this one was promised even before Rome came to be. Micah 5, 2, Isaiah 7, 14, Isaiah 9, 6. Jesus Christ is the true son over and against the counterfeit, the Roman emperor.
This is why we have the angel singing, not any good news pertaining to the Roman empire, but rather we bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people. Why? Because there is born to you this day in the city of David, a savior who is Christ the Lord. Caesar Augustus is not your Lord and Savior.
Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
The Lineage of David
Notice as well the lineage in Luke chapter 2. With regards to the natal exposition, that is, the opening up of the birth account, notice the lineage in verse 4. 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. You see, we have the Bible not just setting forth to us, brethren, bare facts.
We have the author Luke, inspired from on high by the superintending power of the divine magistrate, penning things and not just giving to us bare facts, but rather bringing out rich prophetic fulfillment. Hopefully when you read that, hopefully when you read Joseph and to the city of David, and then even more, the house and lineage of David, your minds are drawn back to 2 Samuel 7, the promise of a one who would come, the seed of David, from the lineage of David, who would be a king, who would set up a kingdom that would not perish, that would not fade away, but would endure forever. We know that that is a promise concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, because what do we find in Acts chapter 2? In Acts chapter 2, on this connection, Peter, preaching to the gathered assembly, says, Therefore, being a prophet, speaking of David, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, He foreseeing this spoke concerning the resurrection of Christ, that Peter is bringing together 2 Samuel 7, as well as Psalm 16, and he is preaching Christ as the one who is from the lineage of David.
So when we read in the birth narrative that Joseph of the house and lineage of David comes to Bethlehem with Mary to be registered, we are to see the fulfillment of prophecy. We are to see the connection to the lineage of David, the connection to 2 Samuel 7, and the promise that a greater than David would arise from out of the loins of David, from his lineage, and his kingdom would have no end.
The Place: Bethlehem, House of Bread
Notice as well the place, as well in verse 4, Bethlehem. Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem. Again, brethren, hopefully as you read these things and as your mind is working, as the gears and the wheels are spinning and turning, you can draw connections to other places in Scripture. It's absolutely vital.
Luke is not just, again, setting forth to us bare facts. He knows Micah 5 too. He knows the prophecy in Micah 5 too. Turn there with me.
We have wonderful prophecy there that is being fulfilled as Luke is narrating the greatest story ever told. Micah 5 and verse 2, but you Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to me the one to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from old, from everlasting. What a wonderful thing. David is knitting together this masterpiece of a tapestry of a narrative. in order to disclose to his audience that this truly was the promised Christ.
This isn't just one born in Bethlehem. This isn't just one born in the city of David. This is the one promised to be born in Bethlehem hundreds of years ago. This is the one promised who would come forth to be a ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are not from the time of his birth, but whose goings forth are from everlasting.
What a blessed fulfillment. of prophecy and brethren it's it's no haphazard or lucky thing that Bethlehem is called house of bread. It's its meaning in the Hebrew, house of bread. Rich meaning there. Why?
What would Christ say on that day when he would feed a multitude after he feeds the multitude and he feeds them with fish and bread. He says that I am the bread that came down from heaven. Jesus Christ, the bread from heaven that gives life to the whole world. Believe on me and you will not hunger, he says, because I am the bread of life.
We have the promised one born in Bethlehem, the house of bread. The one who would come and give not physical bread, though he would in his earthly ministry, but to illustrate and to draw out spiritual and glorious truths that he is the bread of life who comes down from heaven. All those who believe in me. shall not hunger. Those who eat the bread and drink the blood, that is, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, all of those will have everlasting life.
This promised one comes in fulfillment of Micah 2, and he's born in the house of bread. Brethren, when we come to the scriptures, hopefully you understand what we have before us in the Holy Bible. Remember, we don't have a book that is slapped together, 66 books that men just thought would be good to, you know, knit together and bind, and, you know, there you go. No real connectivity.
You know, yeah, it talks about God, but, you know, there's stuff all over the place, and no. Inspired, inerrant, infallible. Our confession of faith says at the point of the Holy Scriptures, the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole, which is to give all glory to God, the discovery it makes of the only way of salvation, and many other incomparable excellencies and entire perfections thereof, are all arguments whereby the Bible does testify to its own divine authority. It is inspiring.
And it is the Holy Spirit coming with power and great efficacy to make these things real in our hearts. You're here this morning. Do your eyes land upon the pages of Luke 2, and you think it's just data? You think it's just an author so many years ago that penned some things?
Remember, it doesn't come to us in the manner of once upon a time, but by the inspiration and the authority of God with rich prophetic fulfillment and meaning above all meaning. God giving, sending his son into this world that sinners might be saved.
The Nativity Itself
Lastly, under the natal exposition, notice the noting of the nativity, verses five to seven, the noting of the nativity. To be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child, betrothed is probably a better way to pronounce that, 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. in the end.
Now, it might not seem so just from the bare reading of the language, but let it be known that when we read his betrothed wife, we are to understand there a reference to the weight that this is a divine child. Betrothed wife, remember that with betrothal is that they're not yet married. They're not yet married and not yet falling under the proper divine sanctions for marital and conjugal relations. And yet this one who is betrothed only to Joseph, and their betrothal back in that time was more weighty and more strong than our engagement in the 21st century.
But all of that to come back to this. This stresses the divine origin because they were not yet married. They had not yet known one another. And yet this virgin was with child.
This woman was with child. This speaks to what Luke wrote earlier in Luke chapter 1. The power of the Most High overshadowed Mary. And knit together in the womb of that one was this one who is from everlasting.
This one who is God Most High. This one who would be the Savior of men. We come to marry his betrothed wife. We find that one who was with God in the beginning.
That one who is God. That one who is the second of the blessed triune. Who now has come into time in history to save guilty sinners from their sins. It's interesting language that we have here as well in verse 7.
And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger. in a feed trough. On the point of the swaddling cloths, though, it was practice in the Jewish world to wash a baby, to cut the umbilical cord, to wash the baby, to rub it in salt, and to wrap it in swaddling bands. When we read swaddling cloths, or perhaps a translation out there has swaddling clothes, that's probably not the best meaning. The best meaning would be swaddling bands.
They were pieces of cloth that babies would be wrapped in in order to keep their limbs close to their bodies for better development and those sorts of things. I want you to turn to a passage in Ezekiel 16 for a moment. Ezekiel 16. Because there may very well be more meaning than simply facts again concerning how the baby was wrapped.
Ezekiel chapter 16. Notice what we find there in verse 1. Again, the word of the Lord came to me saying, son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations and say, thus says the Lord God to Jerusalem, your birth and your nativity are from the land of Canaan. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.
As for your nativity, on the day you were born, your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water to cleanse you. You were not rubbed with salt nor wrapped in swaddling cloths. No eye pitied you to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you, but you were thrown out into the open field when you yourself were loathed on the day you were born. We come to the nativity, the birth of Christ, and the opposite is true.
This one is honored. You see, this one is the true Son of God, not an adopted son like Old Covenant Israel, who had to be taken from its low condition and brought to a position of glory. The one laying in the manger, in the feed trough, has glory essential to himself. There is an indication there, though there is, of course, humility, brethren, though there is the reality that the king of kings and lord of lords, well, we should say that's more pertaining to his, uh, the victory of his messianic work.
The second of the blessed triune God is wrapped in swaddling cloths in a manger in a feed trough reserved for animals, yet there is dignity, because unlike Old Covenant Israel, He does have his umbilical cord cut, he's washed, he's rubbed in salt, and he's wrapped in swaddling bands. I believe there may be some weight to the language in Luke 2 to highlight this, that there's something of a reversal at the end of this baby's life, though. Is he, for the sins of his people, and he to bear the wrath of God and divine vengeance for the violation of the Decalogue, he is, at the end of days, naked, at the end of his days, naked, outside of the city, just like that Israel. He bears the curse.
He is the one who takes upon himself the curse of God in the stead of all those who believe. But I commend you to commentators and to your own reading to further develop that and find if there's any weight there. But this is what we find. We find a woman with child.
Hopefully, again, our minds are drawn to the mounting of Old Testament prophecy concerning the Savior when we see A woman with child. When we read in Galatians 4.4, born of a woman, what are we to understand but the glorious weight of time in history leading to this time of Christ being born of a woman. From the first gospel promise, it was a promise concerning a woman who would be with child. Genesis 3.15.
Remember the hero born of woman who would crush the serpent with his heel. Victorious. Champion. Born of woman.
We come to Isaiah 714, and what do we find? That prophecy, the woman will be with child, the virgin will be with child. His name shall be called Emmanuel, God with us. Isaiah 9.6, unto us a child is given, unto us a son is born.
The government will be upon his shoulders, and he's not just human, but his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. The noting of the nativity when we are or if we are to note anything and we should, we are to land our contemplations upon the king of kings and lord of lords wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger. This one who is God and yet for our sakes came down from heaven to redeem guilty sinners. Glorious nativity.
The Angelic Proclamation
Notice secondly and more largely as we move through three things, the angelic proclamation. the angelic proclamation in verses 8 to 12. Verses 8 to 12.
Recipients: Shepherds in the Field
Notice, first off, the recipients of the proclamation in verse 8. Now, there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. The recipients of the angelic proclamation are shepherds. Once again, we come and we need to rehearse this.
It's not just a fact. Oh yeah, the angels came to shepherds. Hopefully the first thing that we would want to note here is the fact that the angels bring a message in such a way that only God would ever plan or purpose. You see, if we were, the Bible brings out this truth, God speaking, my ways are not your ways and my thoughts are not your thoughts.
You see, if we were to pen, Men were trying to launch a false religion in the first century. Would they say that angels came to shepherds to announce? Shepherds were not looked upon as the most favorable folks in the land. They were the tenders of the sheep, outside the city, in the fields, tending to the lambs.
And yet, the record by divine inspiration comes and it tells us in truth that the angels came and they proclaimed the word to shepherds. You see, God's ways are not our ways. We would have this Christ come to the royal courts in, you know, not as a baby. We would have him come in robes of splendor and in great majesty with light shining around him, with divine power and proclaiming a booming message to the religious leaders of the day.
And yet God's ways are not our ways, and his thoughts are not our thoughts. He brings the lowly things to convey high things. He brings to bear the base realities in order to communicate high truths. And we see here that the angels come to shepherds.
A beautiful thing. I think it illustrates the humility of angels. And it's instructive for us, you see, because we find ourselves in our pride and find it sometimes below us to condescend to things that are beneath us. You know, I'm not gonna eat at that place because, you know, they don't serve X, Y, and Z.
I'm worth a ribeye and a more expensive wine. I'm not gonna, you know, oh, you want to take me to that place? You know what? No, I don't want to go there.
Or you're paying for the meal? Can you take me somewhere else? You see, you could multiply the examples, but there are things that we can do in our lives and that we can demonstrate that illustrate that we need to kill our pride and to put on humility. The angels eternally, not eternally, the angels upon their creation and ever and always after sing praises in the courts of heaven before the throne to God most high and yet here they are in a field in, you know, outside Jerusalem, in the fields outside Jerusalem proclaiming to those who tend sheep.
Brethren, learn, be instructed by the angels, put on humility and cast off pride. They bring their message to angels, as Gil notes, to the shepherds. The first notice of Christ's birth was given, not to the princes and chief priests and learned men at Jerusalem, but to weak, 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 of what the kingdom of Christ would be. and by and to whom the gospel would be preached.
Isn't it interesting? 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 its shearers is silent, would open not his mouth, is born in the place where David, a shepherd, tended his father's sheep, and is announced to shepherds who became some of the first sheep of that great shepherd's flock. If you didn't really track with that, I'll email it to you later. But the richness of shepherd and sheep in our Bibles.
The great shepherd, his birth is being proclaimed by angels to shepherds who would become the first sheep of that great shepherd's flock. That great shepherd who is also the Lamb of God, who as a sheep before its shearers is silent, would open not his mouth, as he walked diligently and bore the cross for the salvation of all of his people. Brethren, the Bible is rich. The Bible is glorious, and it's packed with blessed truths concerning the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, and it's delivered to us in such a majesty of style.
The Herald of the Proclamation
Notice as well the herald of the proclamation, and behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. and they were greatly afraid. The Bible tells us the angels were the messengers of the law in Hebrews chapter 1 and 2 and other places. The angels brought the ministration of the law to men. You see, there is a reality here that most certainly is true.
They were greatly afraid. But you see, this angel comes and it delivers not the thunderings and the quakings of a Mount Sinai. He says, do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you tidings of great joy.
This angel who was in the service of God, who would sing to God before his throne, who would cast his eyes, if you will, upon the splendor of God's unapproachable light, singing, holy, holy, holy, comes to these shepherds to bring the message of Jesus Christ the Lord. It was not beneath his station to come to earth and to preach to tenders of sheep. Notice the nature of the proclamation.
The Nature of the Proclamation
Hopefully we can spend much of our time here. Well, we've spent a number of minutes already, but the nature of the proclamation as we find it here in these verses, notice beginning at verse 10, 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. The first thing we should note here in the nature of the proclamation is that it is a message of the highest importance.
It is a message of the highest importance. This is seen, among other things, in the word, behold. Remember, a number of Sundays ago, we spent much time on 1 John 3.1, where John writes, behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called the children of God. We come here and the angels say, behold, you see, it is to bring pause to the occasion.
It is to gather hearts so that they might soberly be paying attention to what follows the behold. It isn't just a simple look. Hey, this is what I want to say. It is a majestic and an authoritative, but a joy filled behold, because the message that follows that word is glorious and of the utmost importance.
The message is of the highest importance and it is a message of joy. Secondly, it's a message of the highest importance and it's a message of joy. Do not be afraid, the angels say, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy. Jenks, and I would say maybe even rightly knowing our understanding of the word, translates that I evangelize to you great joy.
The language translated good tidings there, actually those four words, bring you good tidings, is the word euangelion, which we translate evangelion, where we get the words evangel, evangelical, those sorts of things. The angel is saying, I evangelize to you great joy. In other words, I bring you the gospel. I bring you the gospel of the highest joy.
I evangelize to you high things of great happiness concerning Jesus Christ the Savior. I evangelize to you great joy. You see, again, the angels do not come with the stuff of Mount Sinai, but the stuff of the city of our God, the New Jerusalem. The stuff of light and joy and happiness.
The stuff of gospel. They come and they bring good tidings of great joy. which will be to all people. Does this come to you this morning and there is no joy? I know, I know I've said before that, you know, big smiles from everyone in the pulpit is not an indication that you're rejoicing in your Lord because a straight, a straight mouth can hide and can veil the joy of the saints.
But are you here in that straight mouth? Is hiding or veiling emptiness, void, barrenness of joy and happiness? Do you come to this passage and kind of, you know, rolls around a little bit in your mind, but you're gonna leave and you're gonna go home and eat your ravioli, gnaw on a carrot, and not give any consideration to the things of great joy? the things of our Savior and our God and his Christ. This is a message of great joy.
Understand, understand that things may make you happy in this world. Things may make you, you know, may bring pleasure to you. They could be lawful things or they could be unlawful things. But understand that you do not have true joy unless you have Christ Jesus the Lord.
The angels come with the evangel. to these shepherds, and it is a message, it is a gospel, the highest joy. Why? Because though they are sinners and though they should, by right, incur the just and heavy wrath of God and His wholesome severity for violating His majestic law, nevertheless, Christ is the Savior of men and He's being announced, the Savior, the King of kings. I hope this comes to your heart and you're found with the highest joy. whether your mouth presents or whether behind a straight set of lips is veiled the joy of your heart.
I pray that you would rejoice in such a blessed message that Christ Jesus came into this world, sinners to save. That is a faithful saying, worthy of all acceptation. He came into this world, sinners to save. That is the message of the Bible.
That is the message of Christianity. If you want to, and we should never boil the Bible down to things, But when the dust of Revelation settles, when the glorious proclamation of these words are brought to their own biblical summation, we can find them in places like 1 Timothy 1.15. That is a faithful saying and worthy of acceptation that says, Christ Jesus came into this world, sinners to save. Have joy.
Have happiness. Have the utmost pleasure in the riches and the excellencies of a babe wrapped in swaddling bands, lying in a feed trough, the Savior of men, the one who would go to the cross to give his life for guilty sinners. Notice as well that it is a message for all men. It is a message for all men.
Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people. This is not a gospel and evangel confined to the shepherds. It's not an evangel confined to shepherd folk only, but around the world. It's not an evangel confined to Bethlehem or Jerusalem.
It is a gospel. It is good tidings of great joy to all people. It is a message of universal proclamation that goes to every tribe and tongue and people and nation. We prayed this morning.
We pray for people. We get letters from Arbca, for example, with regards to things to pray for. We pray for saints in Mexico, Honduras, Cuba, the Middle East, France, all over the world. 2,000 years ago, yes, the gospel was confined in its first shining of light, placed in a feed trough in Bethlehem, in these fields where the angels came to shepherds. But you see, the light has spread out, the light has gone out to the uttermost parts of the earth.
And we can pray for saints in Sri Lanka. We can pray for fellow brothers and sisters in the cold of Siberia. We can pray for Christians all around the world. Because this message that first came to shepherds tending their flock by night, this message of great joy is to all people.
And it has gone out after the power of Almighty God by the Spirit for the salvation of man. And notice, lastly, under the nature of proclamation, it is a message of salvation by a divine Savior. It is a message of salvation by a divine Savior. Verse 11, for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.
This is a message of salvation. That's why it is of the utmost importance. And that's why it is of the highest joy. And that's why it goes out to the entirety of the earth, because it is a message coming to men dead in their trespasses and sins.
All have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. And this message comes. And it is a message of salvation. Though you are dead in your trespasses and sins, though you have transgressed the law of Almighty God, be of good cheer if you believe in this one, because He is the Savior of men.
He lived a perfect life of obedience to that law that was broken by you. And He died upon Calvary's tree to save sinners just as you. And so, believe on this glorious Christ, and you will be saved. It is a message of salvation by a divine Savior.
Hopefully, you see the connection here. If you turn with me to Isaiah 52. Isaiah 52. Connection again to the fulfillment of prophecy, and that is throughout this passage.
Throughout the Gospels completely, no doubt. But the fulfillment of prophecy here at the point of Isaiah 52 and verse 7. Notice the same language that we have in Luke 2. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, your God reigns.
I would think and I would hope that you would see The intimate connection between the language there and Luke 2, not just the similarity of language because it is God's word, but the connection because it is a fulfillment of the prophecy. Who brings gospel things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, your God reigns. The language of glory to God and peace closes this particular passage of scripture, glory to God and the highest, and honor of peace, goodwill toward men. The message, the nature of it is such that it is a message of salvation.
And notice, by a divine Savior. A Savior who is Christ the Lord. That's deliberate. And the language Lord there, as applied to Christ, corresponds with Lord as used in verse 9.
And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. And then we have this message of salvation is about a Savior who is Christ the Lord. You see here the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. He's not just a man upon whom divine favor rests, but not divine, truly.
He's not just one uh, who is given or who is enfleshed and animated as the impersonal word that endured since, uh, from all eternity, that now in humanity that somehow the, an impersonal word became an animated and fleshed individual blasphemy of blasphemies. He is the Lord. He is truly God. When the fullness of the times had come, what happened?
The second of the triune God, the exact image of the Father, the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person took to Himself man's nature. He is spoken of here as a Savior who is Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah, and the Lord. He is truly God. He is one who has the same resplendent glory and majesty as we read in verse 9, the angel of the Lord and the glory of the Lord.
This is a message of a divine Savior. This is Cyril of Alexandria on this particular point. He wrote 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 clouds shall be compared unto the Lord, and who shall be likened unto the Lord among the sons of God. Your eyes land upon this page, or the word preached lands upon your ears, and you're confronted with this blessed truth. Jesus Christ is Lord Most High.
He is God of God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in being with the Father, who for our sakes and for our salvation came down from heaven. The blessed truth.
The Attending Instructions
Notice the instructions before we move on to the doxological exclamation. Lastly, under the angelic proclamation, the instructions attending that particular proclamation. Verse 12, and this will be the sign to you. You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.
The kindness of the angels and divine revelation. You see, we don't have a religion that is incoherent mystery. and that is, depends upon, you know, a burning in the bosom. The angels didn't say, you know, get a feeling and find yourselves upon a trail and, you know, when a certain bird, you know, caws, you'll be guided. They speak with clarity and perspicuity, with prophetic fulfillment, that the woman born of child, that the Isaiah 7, 14, 1, that the Isaiah 9, 6, 1, will be a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger.
That should be easy to find. Angels are kind. We gotta find a manger. We gotta find this stable or a cave or just an attached barn or place for livestock attached to a residence.
And there's gonna be a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths in a feed trough. The angels give these attending instructions concerning the fulfillment of the woman who will be with child and the shepherds. and go about their business after that instruction to find this glorious king, born of a woman, born under the law to redeem those who are under the law.
The Doxological Exclamation
Notice finally then the doxological exclamation. The doxological exclamation, what does that mean? Well, exclamation just means something that is spoken perhaps with great reverence and with great weight. There is an emphatic declaration of something, and it's doxological.
That is, it's rich with praise. It is delivered in the manner of praise, and we have that in Luke 2, 13 and 14. Notice, 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.
The Choir of Angels
The first thing that we want to note is the choir that sings. Now some say that this isn't necessarily a song. It doesn't say that they were singing. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, is the text.
But hopefully with a little bit of preaching liberty, as Spurgeon says, this was the first hymn of the incarnation, or it was the first Christmas carol. Glory to God in the highest was the angel's song, he preached. And so we have the choir that sings, the announcing angel, and the multitude of the heavenly host, more angels, those who are not the recipients of the saving work of Christ, being ministers to the ones who do enjoy that salvation, nevertheless sing of him being the savior of men. You see what's going on here again, an example of angelic humility and service unto God.
They're not, the angels are not the recipients of the finished and perfect saving work of Christ. They're elect angels who have never sinned, needing no redemption, needing no blood salvation. They nevertheless come and they deliver the message of atonement to men for the salvation of their sins. And they sing a song to this glorious king.
Glory to God in the highest was the angel's song. In that same sermon, Spurgeon writes, yet angels did not envy men. Though they remember that he took not up angels, that is, he did not take upon himself the nature of angels, yet they did not murmur when he took up the seed of Abraham, that is, taking on the nature of Abraham. And though the blessed master had never condescended to take the angel's form, they did not think it beneath them to express their joy when they found him arrayed in the body of an infant.
Isn't that wonderful? They sing this song when they cast their angelic eyes upon a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger. These are now adding as one man has said to the hymn book of redemptive history. They were present on that August occasion when God fashioned things by his divine power, singing.
It's Job 38, 7. All the sons of God sang glory to God with respect to his creative power. Now at the new creation, these angels are gathered to sing. the hymn of the new creation. It's a blessed thing.
On that again, as we move to a close, this is Spurgeon speaking about this event, and hopefully this brings to bear upon your minds the glory of redemption. You see, our minds can think about creation, and they think rightly when they think this way. What an amazing thing. Out of nothing did God create all things.
By His power, by the Word of His power in the space of six days and all very God did God create all things by His power and for His glory. The heavens declare the righteousness of our God and the firmament shows His handiwork. And yet is not redemption the whole purpose of creation? You know that creation and redemption are not like this.
But they're like this creation and providence serving the divine and glorious redemptive plan to save sinners from their sins. Spurgeon, they had been present, the angels had been, on many August occasions. That doesn't mean the month of August, which by the way is named after Caesar Augustus, but August, reverent, high in value and significance. They had been present on many August occasions, and they had joined in many a solemn chorus to the praise of their almighty creator.
They were present at the creation. The morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy. They had seen many a planet fashioned between the palms of Jehovah and wheeled by his eternal hands through the infinitude of space. As when first created, their first breath was song.
So when they saw God create new worlds, then their song received another note. They rose a little higher in the gamut of adoration. But this time, when they saw God stoop from his throne and become a babe, hanging upon a woman's breast, they lifted their notes higher still, and reaching to the uttermost stretch of angelic music, they gained the highest notes of the divine scale of praise, and they sang, Glory to God in the highest, for higher in goodness they felt God could not go. You see, this is why we have what follows then in verse 14.
We have the choir that sings, those angels who sang at creation and now at redemption, but the song that is sung, glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. Truly a song. that marks the majesty and the glory of God and the fact that he deserves the praises of angels and men. Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. Now, some have seen here, glory to God in the highest, as an exclamation to God the Father, perhaps, for sending the Son into the world.
This babe now wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger, the angels Sing glory to God in the highest with emphasis on the person of the Father. Others might say, generally speaking, this is glory to God in the highest with reference to the triune God as essentially and largely considered. Others have seen that this is singing glory to Christ. Hark the herald angels sing glory to the newborn King. citing Luke 2 14 in our hymnal that is the lyrics to that song and We don't just gain our authority though from the Trinity hymnal in the notation at the top of the page Think of Hebrews 1 6 notice what we find there And I promise as a preacher's promise that I am coming to a close in prayer notice in Hebrews 1 6 Hebrews 1 6 we have this exclamation or this disclosure of the glory of Christ We can back up to verse four.
Speaking of Christ, we read that he purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For to which of the angels did he ever say, you are my son, today I have begotten you. And again, I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son. But when he again brings the firstborn into the world, he says, let all the angels of God worship him.
We have reason to suspect that the angels who had just proclaimed to the shepherd, this savior born in the city of David, wrapped in swaddling bands, lying in a feed trough, are now singing praise to that self-same Christ who is the second of the blessed triune. Cyril, writing, believes thus, and he says, when therefore thou seest the child wrapped in swaddling cloths, stain 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 wilt thou behold him in the highest exaltation, possessed of transcendent glory.
Thou wilt see him set upon a throne and high and lifted up. Thou wilt hear the seraphim extolling him in hymns and saying that heaven and earth are full of his glory. Yea, even upon earth this has come to pass for the glory of God shone around 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." The angels singing praise to the majesty and to the glory of God. And that could be terminating upon the second of the blessed triune who took upon himself man's nature and is found wrapped in swaddling bands, lying in a feed trough.
Peace on Earth and Goodwill toward Men
And lastly, what does this message say? It says, glory to God in the highest, and then there is this parallelism, but on earth, peace, goodwill toward men. Many have noted a threefold parallel here, and perhaps the language might even be better translated, an on earth peace among men of God's good pleasure. But however we interpret it or translate an on earth peace, goodwill toward men, We have glory and peace, we have in the highest and on earth, and we have God and men.
And this last stanza, if you will, of angelic doxology is an on earth peace. What does this mean? It means that in this babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a feed trough, in him only do we have true peace. In him only do we have peace with God.
We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. You know, some people will seek to find peace in all manner of things and leave aside the only one who is peace himself, Jesus Christ the Lord. In Him you have peace. You don't find peace in a bottle.
You don't find peace in a capsule. You don't find peace tying your arm with a surgical tube and injecting a needle. You don't find peace in anything save for Christ Jesus, the Lord, true and lasting peace. You're here, and your face doesn't even want to look up at the preacher.
You're here, and your face is a little bit red because, man, do I ever just want to get out of this place. You're here, and the preacher's gone too long, and can I just go? Mom and Dad, can you just pull me out of here even before the prayer? You perhaps are looking for peace, All manner of things.
You're not going to find it save for in a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger who would be that one left naked and bloody upon a cross for the salvation of sinners. Make no mistake. Make no mistake. A shadow of a cross is cast upon Bethlehem and this manger at the time of his birth because he was born into this world that he might go to that cross.
Go to that Roman gibbet of execution to be put to death for guilty sinners that all who believe in him might have everlasting life. Later on in Revelation, not the book of Revelation, but New Testament scripture, we find in the book of Colossians that Christ makes peace, how? By the blood of his cross. On earth peace, goodwill toward men.
If we were to read further along in that prophecy of Micah, Notice what we would find. Remember Micah 5, 2. Bethlehem, Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to me the one to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from old, from everlasting. Notice verse 5, and this one shall be peace.
This one shall. Again, brothers and sisters, Luke 2, and the angelic song. They don't just say, and peace on earth, willy nilly, and oh, didn't that work out great, because Micah 5, No. They sang that by the decree and by the emphatic majesty and power of God in order to bring to bear the reality of the fulfillment of Micah 5, 2, and this one shall be peace.
If you're here this morning and you're finding peace in everything else, you're looking for peace in all the wrong places. There is peace solely and alone in the Lord Jesus Christ. Believe on him and you will have everlasting life. And brothers and sisters, if you already believe on this one who is peace, the Lord Jesus Christ, praise God.
Praise God. Fill your minds with this word that is inerrant, infallible, inspired, that brings forth glorious truths of historical veracity concerning the prophetic fulfillment of this one promised from the beginning, who would come to be born of a woman, who would bear his people's sins upon Calvary's tree, who would rise again, who would ascend in great victory, who by his ministers would say, believe on me, and you will have everlasting life. Rejoice in that Christ, brothers and sisters, and not just this time of year, but throughout the year. Bring your eyes to the pages of this, contemplate even with closed eyes the glorious riches of the revelation from on high concerning this Christ, and in him, find true peace, day upon day, when all the world rages against us, when we're beset on all sides by unbelief, by apostasy, and by the madness of false religion, realize that this babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a feed trough, brought peace into this world, and you, by belief in him, you by faith in him, are united to that perfect one, and will be brought into everlasting life, where you will sing forever with the angels, glory to God in the highest.
Let us pray.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, we rejoice in our Savior, and we rejoice in this account of His birth, and we rejoice in the fact that He came into this world, sinners to save, and we pray that You would cause us to rejoice in Him each and every day, that we would sing the praises of such a Christ as we have breath in this lower world, and that bringing us into that state of eternity, we do pray that You would help us to rejoice in Christ, that state of everlasting life, that we would forever sing with the angels, glory to God in the highest, We thank you that you have brought peace to us by virtue of this Christ. And we pray that others here this morning who are outside of him would even now by your spirit and word be brought to a knowledge of this blessed Christ that they might believe and rejoice in the King of Kings. We pray that you would go with us now and help us to rejoice in Christ, help us as well to live in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ that we might bring honor to you. And we pray in the name of Christ Jesus the Lord, amen.