Go Tell It

 Sermon Series

The Shepherd’s Tell Their Story

Luke 2:8-20

Introduction

In his 2014 Wall Street Journal bestseller, Talk Like Ted, Carmine Gallo discusses why Ted Talks are so popular, and why some in particular go viral and others do not. And if I were to give you the cliff notes version, it essentially says, when you present information to an audience tell stories, and how presenters should “master the art of storytelling.” Jesus was a master story teller, and he told stories often (the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, The Sower, etc.)

Today the Shepherds will tell us their story from Luke 2, and how God did something amazing in their presence, and used them for something wonderful. We are also going to discover, that like the shepherds and their story, God desires to show you something amazing today and use you and your story to change the world.

God’s Favor Given to Shepherds (vv. 8-14)

“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

The word “And” signifies for us that there was something that came before this passage.  In the preceding verses we see that a census was issued by the Roman emperor, so Mary and Joseph have to travel to their ancestral home, Bethlehem.  And upon arriving can find no place to stay except a barn, Jesus was born and laid in a manger.

While Christ’s birth is drawing to a close, angels are dispatched to tell a group of people about this very special child’s birth.  This is the most important event that had ever or will ever take place on this planet.  The very first people to hear of Christ’s birth were shepherds.

Shepherds did not live in luxurious homes, they did not carry many possessions, and as we find them here often have the few things they can carry and devote themselves to the care of their sheep.  On this night, they are awake, and are living outside, and watching their sheep at night against predators, they were “keeping watch over their flock by night.”[1]

What was it about these shepherds that made them worthy of such honor?  The answer is found in verse 14, there will be “peace among those with whom he is pleased” God did some awesome things that night just because he wanted to favor some shepherds who were sleeping in a field, watching their sheep.  God had it in His heart to favor these men.

There is nothing that indicates they were super-shepherds, or that they had in any way earned or deserved this outpouring of God’s favor – but let’s look at how God favored them.

God Sends A Heavenly Messenger

First God sends them a heavenly messenger, and when they see this messenger Luke tells us that they were very afraid.  It says an “an angel of the Lord appeared to them.” In just about every instance where an angel appears before a person, they are struck with fear.

God Gives A Heavenly Appearing

“and the glory of the Lord shone around them” We see the glory of the Lord in Exodus 16:7,10 where in a cloud the people could look upon His glory and God  provided manna and quail for the Israelites to eat after they had complained.

In Exodus 24:17 God fills the top of Mt. Sinai with smoke and blasts of thunder.  It appeared “as a devouring fire.”  In Exodus 40:34 the Israelites had completed the Tabernacle and God’s presence entered it and appeared as a cloud, and as pillars of smoke and fire.

If you combine an angel and God’s glory shining around them, what you get is some very scared shepherds – why are they afraid?  Because when sinful mankind comes into the presence of a holy God or even His messengers, our sinfulness stands in stark contrast to God’s holiness.

All of our misgivings, flaws, evil deeds – everything is exposed, all of who we truly are is seen by God’s eye, and man’s natural response is to try and hide as best they can, we fall to our face before a consuming fire and close our eyes to try and shut out God’s glory.  But there is no place to go.

The shepherds are scared because they know that they are sinful the fear of a holy God causes them to shutter.   At this moment, when they are scared to death, the messenger speaks.

God Gives A Heavenly Message (vv. 10b-12)

10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

 He begins by saying don’t be afraid – I bring you some good news.  The good news of the gospel, a way is given to them for them to be forgiven of their sin and a way for them to be able to stand before God, not in fear, but in worship and love. The messenger was giving these shepherds the most important news that has ever been told.  Not only was this good news for them, the good news is “for all the people.”

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior” – In the book of 2 Samuel when the prophet Samuel went to anoint a new king for his people God told him to go to Jesse’s house, and it was his youngest son David whose head would be anointed.

David had to be brought in from watching the sheep.  Later when appealing to king Saul to allow him to fight Goliath, David gives examples where he had defended his sheep from bear and lion. Not only does Jesus being born in Bethlehem fulfill prophecy, but it also describes to his people what this Christ will be like.  John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

The Savior would be just like them, except without sin. They were sleeping out in field, Jesus was lying in manger.  They were shepherds of sheep, Jesus was the Good Shepherd.  They had a humble lifestyle, Jesus emptied himself of glory and became a man, a suffering savior, and was described as having “no place to lay his head.”

Bethlehem was a tiny town, the Savior’s lineage would come through a little shepherd boy named David, and the eventual good news would be given first to a group of unknown shepherds.  God delights in pouring His favor on the young, the little, the weak, and the unknown.

“a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” What is a Savior? What are they being saved from?  Jesus who would grow in wisdom and stature, would teach as one who had authority, he would perform miracles to prove what He said was true.  He would die on a Roman cross and He would rise again three days later – he did all these things as a Savior.

The law shows us that all of us have sinned and fall short of God’s requirement to go to heaven.  We have all lied, stolen, dishonored our parents, thought lustful thoughts, been angry with someone – any one of these eternally separates us from God – He is holy and we are sinful.  And we stand before God guilty of committing sin, and we have no way of getting rid of it.

 Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”  Jesus by dying on the cross saved us by taking the punishment that we deserved.

God tells the shepherds in His grace and mercy how to find this child – who is the Savior of the world.  “And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”  This same grace and mercy is held out to us as well, He tells us clearly that this good news is for us as well today – we, like the shepherds, are given clear instructions as to how we can be saved from our sins.

 A Heavenly Host (vv. 13-14)

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

“In heaven God’s glory, on earth God’s peace.”[2] God favors these shepherds by sending a heavenly messenger, shining His glory upon them, giving them the most important message ever given, and then to top it off, a vast number of angels sing a praise and worship song and they have a worship service – right there in the pasture. Good news leads them to praise God.

Mary and Joseph had an angel appear to them on separate occasions, God spoke to Joseph in a dream. But for this unknown group of shepherds, God gives them favor, upon favor, upon favor, upon favor. Blessing, upon blessing.  What do you do when God offers such grace, forgiveness, mercy and love?

They knew that they were a sinful bunch, but they had received the good news of God. This morning you too can meet the Savior of the world, he no longer can be found in a manger, because having defeated death, hell, and the Enemy – he sits at the right hand of the Father and is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Now What? (vv. 15-20)

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Go and See (v. 15b-16)

Many times we try to define faith and we make too complicated.  Faith is simply taking God at His Word. The shepherds had just been given a message – There is a Savior, you can meet Him, Here’s how you will recognize Him. The step of faith for the shepherds was to go to Bethlehem.  “And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.”

The step of faith that God requires us to take is not to run to a nearby barn, but Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” God offers us forgiveness and salvation as a gift – the step we take is to receive or reject this good news as a gift.  (Christmas gift around the tree)

Go and Tell (v. 17-18)

There was something within this group of shepherds that told them that they simply could not go back to the pasture to watch the sheep. They knew they had to tell others the good news – they had a story to tell.  The town was amazed – but what the Bible doesn’t say is how the town responded.  Did they go and see the Christ child?  Did anyone who went offer them a place to stay?

Treasure and Ponder (v. 19)

Mary had just given birth in a very difficult place to deliver a child.  A barn is filthy.  Was there clean water? Did they have blankets? Mary would have been exhausted from labor, pushing and the pain of delivery.  She would have looked a mess.

Sometimes God takes us through things were all we can is just sit there and take it all in.   She had just delivered the Savior of the world.  He was healthy and there weren’t any complications. Animals were nearby, shepherds were arriving, soon townspeople would be getting there. Later magi from the east would be arriving.

But you know what? People weren’t coming to see her or Joseph – they were coming to see Jesus. You cannot dress up the gospel – it is what it is.  Life is messy, the way God dealt with our sin was messy, ministry often times is messy, life many times is messy.  But if we point people to Christ – it really doesn’t matter what we look like.

What if Mary had turned people away – “no you can’t come in right now, Mary is resting.”  “no one come into the barn right now, Mary is putting on her makeup.”  When people came to the door she only had to point to the manger.  Jesus was the main attraction.

Many times we as Christians think it’s all about us, and how we look to the world – as though we must be perfect and put together before the lost, and lonely, and seeking can come in – all we have to do is point to Christ.

Conclusion

This morning I want to invite you to think about your story – he invites all people to enter into a relationship with him.  The Bible says that “He wants none to perish.”  If you would like to meet the Savior of the world, today, you can say a prayer and invite Him into your life – you can say something like this,

“Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins.  I want to turn from my sins, I now invite You to come into my heart and life.  I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior.”  In Jesus’ Name.

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[1] Protecting them from the lion and the bear, 1 Samuel 17:34-35.

[2] Herschel Hobbs, An Exposition of The Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Baker Books, 1972) 53.

Go Tell It

 Sermon Series

“Go and Tell Others How God Has Changed the World”

Matthew 2:13-23

Introduction

There is a battle raging – there is a right and wrong, truth and deception, good and evil. It is a world weary from sin, disease, darkness, and despair. Christmas is remembering when God stepping in to change the world, Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

This gives us insight into another realm beyond what we see and experience. When Jesus was born into this world, and He would grow in wisdom, and stature and in favor with men – at every step there was a very clear and present danger an enemy seeking to stop the change that was to come. Light from darkness, holiness and righteousness from depravity and evil, a broken world could be healed. The sinner could be saved.

We also, whether we know it or even want to be apart of it are, are participants in sharing this great story of a God who left glory, was born into darkness and would bring salvation and hope. This story is the greatest story we could ever tell!

Jesus Will Lead His People on a New Exodus (vv. 13-15)

13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

 (v. 13) “when they had departed,” – The wise men had gone to Herod, seeking he who “was born king of the Jews,” had the exchange with Herod, and then leave to continue to follow the star to the Christ child. They give their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Imagine the excitement of these wise men from far away, arriving to the home, having followed a miraculous star, and then the conversations. But no sooner had they experienced their visit, they were gone (warned in a dream). There is a mixture of excitement, celebration, joy mixed with concern, urgency, and fleeing. God has come into the world but he must be kept safe.

The wise men had traveled approximately two years, a thousand miles to meet the Christ child. What were they looking for? Hope of a Savior, a restored relationship with God, an understanding of truth? They saw a miraculous star, met the promised Messiah and were able to worship Him, and they were given a dream from God that saved their lives.

Then “an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream,” – “A journey of some seventy-five miles southwest, would bring Joseph to the border, towards isthmus, and a hundred miles more would take them into the heart of the country.”[1] Alexander the Great had built the city Alexandria, and assigned a place for Jews. The historian Philo was around twenty to thirty years old at this time, and he records that at this time there were over a million Jews in Egypt. So, the family of Joseph, taking Mary and baby Jesus would have disappeared into the mass of Jewish people migrating into Egypt. Egypt was a well governed Roman province, well beyond Herod’s reach. But the gifts of the Magi would have given them the means to start over in a new country.

When God calls for obedience, He give you the means to do so.

“Matthew is quoting Hosea 11:1 to show that this is fulfilment of God’s purpose to call his Son out of Egypt.”[2] But, this passage is not really a prediction that looks forward, Hosea look backwards, (Hosea 11:1-2) “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. 2 The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols. . .”

In the past when God called His people out of Egypt and rescued them, instead of obedience, there was rebellion and rejection. Now God is calling his son, out of Egypt, he is remain faithful the Father. Israel failed in accomplishing its’ purpose (Genesis 12:3, to bless the nations) and worshipped idols, Jesus would succeed in his mission as the Savior. Jesus is reliving the history of God’s people[3].

 Joseph and his brothers, and their father all escape to Egypt for safety (from the famine). Matthew is showing us that Jesus is the second Israel.[4] Why did Jesus choose 12 disciples?[5] He is reestablishing the 12 tribes who are faithful to him. Why was he tempted for 40 days? He was reliving the 40 years of God’s people being tempted in the wilderness (with food being their temptation). They grumbled and complained, and did not trust God. Jesus was determined to trust God and so He passed the test.

Why did Jesus need to be baptized, since he was sinless? He needed to identify with His people completely as their representative – passing through the waters of the Red Sea. God the Father declared that Jesus would take on Israel’s mission. Matthew 3:17 “This is my beloved Son,4 with whom I am well pleased.”

Jesus Will turn His People’s Mourning Into Joy (vv. 16-18)

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”

The Magi were instructed earlier by Herod to bring information back to him about where the Christ child was located (so that he could also worship him). When the wise men did not return, (because they were warned in a dream) Herod felt tricked and was furious. Herod then orders the execution of all male children in Bethlehem and the surrounding region – to ensure that his throne would not be threatened.

Earlier in Matthew 2:4 he, “assembles all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.” He knew that he was looking for the Christ, the promised Messiah, the true king of the Jews, and in his pride thought he could stop God’s plan. Those same chief priests and scribes show no interest in going to find him or worship him.

Matthew quotes Jeremiah 31:15. It was a time in Israelite history when God’s people were being carried off into captivity by Babylon’s Nebuchadnezzar and his conquest of Judah. The captives had to wait seventy years before God would restore them to the land God promised to their forefathers (Jer. 29:4-14). “God punished Israel and Judah for their apostacy, but he would restore them to himself and to the Davidic dynasty (Jer. 30:8-9; 33”14-15, 17).”[6] Ramah was a city where the Babylonians gathered the Jewish people before taking them all, and was really geographically close to Bethlehem.

In the Jeremiah passage, there is a promise of restoration and they are given assurance that there is hope for the future (for the nation). Rachel is often called the mother of Israel and poetically from her grave she is weeping as God’s people walk past her as they go into exile.

How does this prophecy of promise in Jeremiah 31, that God’s people who are being carried off into captivity and a promise of their restoration connect to this massacre of these children by Herod? As horrific as mother’s weeping over the death of their children, they are given a promise by God that there is some kind of meaning behind their tragedy.

(v. 17) “Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah,” – in both instances there is the threat of destroying the nation’s The exiles being carried off (but they returned), and the threat on Jesus’ life (he escaped and was safe). When there seems to be no hope of a future, God will restore – He will save. God does not cause this horrific act, but in His omniscience he prophesied that it would happen and he will redeem it for some good.

But when the enemy of God knew that the promised Christ child was in the world, he killed the children of an entire village and surrounding area to try and stop it. When the gospel moves into new areas, when the name of Jesus is proclaimed, there is a very real enemy who will fight against its’ expansion. “Those innocent and precious babies of Bethlehem were the first casualties in the now-intensifying warfare between the kingdoms of this world and kingdom of God’s Christ, God’s Anointed.”[7] Their death was the beginning of a terrifying conflict.

Jesus even warns us of this pain when He said in Matthew 10:21, “For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake.”

These are not just ideas and beliefs that people disagree over. Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” This passage goes on to say that you better put your armor on. But when Jesus comes on to the scene, and His name is mentioned, we should anticipate a reaction from these authorities who rule over this present darkness, the spiritual forces of evil.

So do we remain quiet? If we know all hell breaks loose when we say the name of Jesus do we remain quiet? Why cause trouble? Why potentially endure pain? Acts 4:12 “. . . there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Romans 10:14 “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”

Bellevue Baptist Church Exists to Make Disciples of Jesus Christ

Therefore We Cannot and We Will Not Remain Silent.

But also see, Joseph is warned multiple times by angels of a danger and what to do to avoid the danger. When Jesus endured the temptations in the wilderness angels came and tended to him (Matt. 4:11). At Jesus’ arrest Jesus said to Peter who had drawn a sword, Matthew 26:53, “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?” We are not left alone to do God’s work, He is with us every step of the way.

Jesus’ entrance into the world will cause conflict and pain – Yet We Must Tell the World.

Jesus Will Rule Over and Restore God’s People (vv. 19-23)

19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

The angel of the Lord appears again, and warns Joseph again in a dream, giving him instructions on how to keep Jesus safe. God gives Joseph the information as he needs it, he does not get it all at once – only as he needs it.

God has a plan for our lives.

 (v. 20) “for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” – The language indicates that the search for Jesus continued until Herod died. So the whole time they were in Egypt, Herod was sending out assassins trying to find the promised king and to kill him.

(v. 23) “so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene,” – that he would be called a Nazarene is not in the OT. We can’t locate the source that Matthew is quoting here. But, “far from an accident, Jesus’ association with Nazareth was planned by God in order that Jesus would be called a Nazarene, a confirmation of his identity as the prophesied and messianic Davidic branch of Isaiah 11:1.

The root meaning of Nazarene is the word for branch, So the promised branch of David (the messiah) would grow up in Branchtown or BranchMeade, or Branchville. There is also some indication that Branchtown was a despised area, “Jesus of Nazareth” was said with contempt. The Messiah was prophesied to be despised and rejected by His own people.

When we get to chapter three of Matthew, Jesus has grown up into a young man about to be baptized by John the Baptist, go into the wilderness, endure the temptations of Satan, and begin his public ministry – but Joseph is not mentioned again. The plan for Joseph’s life was to trust God (not abandon his pregnant wife), to listen and obey God’s messengers and dreams (warnings to keep Jesus safe), and end up providing for his family until Jesus was able to begin His public ministry.

Part of that plan is listening and obeying God, and part of that plan is fading away. Our calling in this epic battle is to be faithful to what God has called us to do in our lifetime, and then someone else will take up the cause until His return.

 Application Points:

• Joseph was given instructions and he was expected to follow them. By following them he kept his family safe. He also fades from the scene when he has accomplished what God had intended for him. 

• The events surrounding Jesus’ birth were foretold many years before. God knows what is going to happen and He has a plan. (Jesus being born in Bethlehem, living in Egypt for a period of time, etc.)

• Jesus’ entrance into the world will cause disruption. Brace yourself for the impact.

• “When we think of the extraordinary care that God the Father took to preserve the life of His Son, assigning an angelic host to be over Him, remember that the same God and angelic host are assigned to take care of everyone who puts their trust in Christ, because we too are by grace the children of God.”[8]

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[1] John A. Broadus, An American Commentary on the New Testament, Matthew (Valley Forge, Pennsylvania; The Judson Press, 1886) 22.

[2] Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures In The New Testament, Volume 1 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1930) 20.

[3] A typological recapitulation

[4] Paul uses a similar idea of showing Jesus as the second Adam, 1 Cor. 15:20 ff.

[5] Andreas J. Kostenberger & Alexander E. Stewart, The Story of the Incarnation, The First Days of Jesus (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway Publishing, 2015) 81.

[6] David L. Turner, Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, The Gospel of Matthew (Carol Stream, Illinois; Tyndale House Publishers, 2006) 54.

[7] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Matthew 1-7 (Chicago, Illinois; The Moody Bible Institute, 1985) 44.

[8] R. C. Sproul, Matthew: An Expositional Commentary (Sanford, Florida, Ligonier Ministries, 2019)  22.