“Good Tidings of Great Joy” 12/26/2021

First Baptist Church Leominster

Subscribe

Download

Share

00

00:31

Well today Pastor Jason will begin to read, we'll read together a new

00:37

New Testament book and so Galatians, Galatians chapter 1, sets forth of course the glorious biblical teaching of our justification before God through faith alone apart from works.

00:52

And so this is a track against legalism, Galatians chapter 1. Paul, an

01:08

Apostle, not from men nor through man but through Jesus Christ and God the

01:14

Father who raised him from the dead and all the brothers who are with me to the churches of Galatia.

01:21

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age according to the will of our

01:32

God and Father to whom be glory forever and ever amen. I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel.

01:45

Not that there is another one but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

01:52

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preach to you let him be accursed.

02:00

As we have said before so now I say again if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received let him be accursed.

02:11

For am I now seeking the approval of man or of God or am I trying to please man?

02:16

If I were still trying to please man I would not be a servant of Christ. For I would have you know brothers that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel.

02:28

For I did not receive it from any man nor was I taught it but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

02:36

For you have heard of my former life in Judaism how I persecuted the Church of God violently and tried to destroy it.

02:43

And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people so extremely zealous was

02:50

I for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who set me apart before I was born and who called me by his grace was pleased to reveal his son to me in order that I might preach him among the

03:02

Gentiles I did not immediately consult with anyone nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me.

03:10

But I went away to Arabia and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years

03:16

I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him 15 days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the

03:24

Lord's brother. In what I am saying to you before God I do not lie. Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia and I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.

03:37

They were only hearing it said he who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy and they glorified

03:45

God because of me. Let's go to the Lord in prayer.

03:53

Heavenly Father when we read this account we're reminded of our own lives where we once lived completely contrary to you, contrary to your ways.

04:04

We lived according to the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life and yet Lord you have saved us.

04:11

You have done a great work in us and Lord for that we rejoice and we pray Lord that as we continue our worship that you would direct us and guide us to the truth of your word.

04:22

We pray Lord that these words would be made real in our lives by constant application of them.

04:27

So Lord strengthen us in your spirit and guide us in your truth. Thank you in Jesus name amen.

04:43

Well although Christmas was yesterday and supposedly the season's over I thought it appropriate this morning nevertheless to address a passage we've read to this infancy narrative already together in church but I wanted to address some of the details of it and the lessons of it for us and so let's turn to Luke chapter 2 and we'll consider the announcement of the birth of Jesus to some shepherds and what

05:17

God had revealed to them and to us through them regarding the birth of the Savior and so here is

05:24

Luke 2 familiar words beginning with verse 1 and it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.

05:38

This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria so all went to be registered everyone to his own city.

05:48

Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea to the city of David which is called

05:54

Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage of David to be registered with Mary his betrothed wife who was with child and so it was that while they were there the days were completed for her to be delivered and she brought forth her firstborn son wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.

06:22

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

06:30

Lord stood before them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were greatly afraid and the angel said to them do not be afraid for behold

06:41

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

06:50

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

07:06

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 said to one another let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass which the

07:25

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 him 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 and then the shepherds returned glorifying and praising

07:54

God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told them general peaceful conditions existed in the world during those days that Luke refers to the days when our

08:10

Savior was born his birth of course took place in the days of Caesar Augustus who ruled the

08:17

Roman Empire from 30 BC until ad 14 and the

08:22

Lord Jesus was probably born 4 BC to 6 BC thereabouts we read that Serenius was the governor of the

08:30

Roman province of Syria which included the region of Palestine and during these times that Pax Romana which is

08:39

Latin of course for the peace of Rome provided security and a measure of prosperity for Roman citizens but even non

08:47

Roman citizens benefited in a measure from the peace of Rome the

08:53

Emperor had ordered a census the census was a registration with view to taxation each family was to register itself in its ancestral hometown and when we consider this edict we might perceive cruelty on the part of oppressors who require unreasonable demands of their citizens but it was actually probably an accommodation to the

09:16

Jews to do this to be registered in their hometowns to be identified with their ancestors and with the inheritance that was theirs and so actually this reveals a degree of Roman toleration toward the

09:30

Jews to have them registered in this fashion Joseph's ancestral home was

09:37

Bethlehem meaning of course house of bread it was the ancient city of King David from whom

09:44

Joseph's lineage descended this couple traveled a long distance perhaps about 90 miles from their current home in Nazareth up in the region of Galilee Mary traveled with Joseph there's some question as to whether she would have been required to travel to register perhaps not

10:04

Joseph could perhaps have registered without her attendance perhaps it reflects

10:11

Joseph's desire to shield her from the shame and ridicule that some in their hometown had toward her for Joseph and Mary of course had become married after the onset of her pregnancy that would have been well known in the community this was doubtless a difficult journey for Mary but the

10:32

Lord sustained her or of course it was necessary that this baby be born in Bethlehem not

10:38

Nazareth in accordance with the Old Testament prophecy of Micah chapter 5 verse 2 but thou

10:45

Bethlehem Ephrathah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is the root to be the ruler in Israel whose goings forth had been from of old from everlasting we see displayed in these few details of Micah 5 2 and here in Luke chapter 2 that this census was

11:10

God God was in control over his creation and over this census the timing and circumstances betray the providence of God which means of course

11:21

God was working behind the scenes shaping and controlling events in order to fulfill his will

11:27

Caesar thought to tax the world but in reality God had purpose to have his son born in Bethlehem and to have his genealogy to David officially recognized and recorded and therefore the decree of Caesar went out there by accomplishing the decree of God concerning his son as one once wrote princes are but puppets in his hands he removes

11:52

Kings and sets up Kings and so we see the hand of God controlling the events to accomplish his purposes and we might just put an addendum here the same

12:04

God who was controlling events in that day are controlling events in this day there are no accidents in God's providence he's working out his purposes to bring about the salvation of his people in the overthrow of his enemies in verses 6 and 7 we read that the term of Mary's pregnancy was completed and so she gave birth to her firstborn son and having found no better place suitable for him his parents laid him in a manger the feed box of an animal

12:33

Mary wrapped him in swaddling cloth strips of cloth wrapped about the body of the newborn to restrict his movements and keep him warm this was consistent with the manner in which the poor cared for their newborn babies although Joseph must have had relatives in Bethlehem apparently none afforded them a place to stay perhaps the relatives already were occupied with gas and there was no room but could not room be found for this woman in this condition one would think so perhaps they were purposely refused a place because Mary's condition was generally thought due to immorality or perhaps

13:13

Joseph did not feel bold enough to approach his relatives after all she was about to bear a child but she had not had a husband long enough to justify a legitimate birth

13:25

Joseph and Mary were married months before but it was a hasty kind of arrangement it must have been obvious to all that the betrothal period had been shortened due to her pregnancy

13:38

Mary's reputation could not have been a good one in the eyes of Joseph's family and so this was probably a stigma that Mary retained much of her life for later even our

13:50

Lord was subtly accused of being born illegitimately the Pharisees are recorded and so it had to been common belief or assumption recorded in John 8 41 we be not a fornication implying

14:03

Jesus you are the point of verse six is this these few verses strike us with the starkness of the event the poverty of the couple and the loneliness and seeming abandonment of this couple by all others about them

14:18

Jesus is a singular figure singular from his birth now in verses 8 and 9 the scene changes rather abruptly

14:30

Luke shifts from the manger scene to nearby fields where shepherds were grazing their flocks an angel appears to the shepherds resulted in them being terribly frightened but the words out of the angels mouth were a cause of great rejoicing not great fear the shepherds were fearful for they were but mortals and it was believed that a vision of heaven or of angels would bring death to mortals because angels were in the presence of God and to see

15:02

God's face would have meant death or so they thought the angels were from the presence of God no one could see

15:12

God and live but the appearance of the angel was a harbinger of hope to them not a sign of impending death the angel was bearing good news on to them now let me stress to you the importance of the words of verses 8 and 9 first by showing you that this is the emphasis of the entire passage the angels message to the shepherds and then secondly by considering the substance of their meaning the meaning of the words we read this is an entire episode verses 1 through 20 and although we might read the statement about Jesus being born laid in a manger as being the principal point of the passage it really isn't the principal point it's a detail that's leading up to the major thrust of the entire episode in the introduction the episode in verses 1 through 5 we have basic elements of time are given characters identified for us by Luke and there are seven episodes in Luke's infancy narratives and this is one of them again so you have an introduction to the scene to the episode verses 1 through 5 then verses 6 through 9 we have the immediate setting described for the major emphasis of the entire episode and this of course describes the birth of Jesus a new time frame is given in verse 6 the time for the child to be born a new location is identified in the fields new characters are introduced the shepherds the angel who is then joined by a multitude of angels and so in verses 1 through 5 the basic information is provided verses 6 through 9 the stage is set for the announcement of the angel which is the main emphasis of the passage all details of the episode point to the announcement of the angel recorded in verses 10 through 12 and I didn't put it in the notes but you can almost tell it's set forth in quotes it is a quotation of the angels and this stands out within the entire episode here's the point of emphasis we might say the angelic declaration of verses 10 through 14 are the central emphasis of the passage and so although the record of Jesus's birth is in verse 7 the primary emphasis of the entire passage is the meaning of the birth principally to these shepherds and the circumstances to the shepherds in the fields as declared by the angels and so let's consider the message first as to its substance and then as to whom it is given the shepherds the initial message of the angel to the shepherds the angel announced to the frightened shepherds fear not for behold

18:11

I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all people for today in the city of David there has been born for you a

18:20

Savior who is Christ the Lord this will be a sign for you this will you will find a baby wrapped in cloths lying in a manger and so the angel first told these shepherds there was no reason for them to fear

18:34

God why because unto them was born a Savior Christ the

18:39

Lord now let's consider this initial announcement of the angel the shepherds were not to fear for unto them was born first a

18:48

Savior who is Christ the Lord they were fearful for they were sinners and they knew it but it was for this very purpose that the child was born into the world he would be the

19:00

Savior of sinners this baby was born not so that they would be condemned but rather that they might escape condemnation fear not for a

19:11

Savior has been born to you this one was born into the world for the purpose to deliver sinners from their sin and from God's just punishment upon sinners he was a

19:22

Savior do we fear God due to our sin we need not if we humbly come to our

19:32

Savior to pardon and deliver us from that which defiles and condemns us this is a cause for great joy is it not fear not because born unto you is a

19:42

Savior God stooped down that he might pick you up as a sinner he became a

19:50

Savior to do for you what you could not do for yourself and so it's coming into the world was not to condemn man but to save him from a fate that he had brought upon himself secondly the shepherds were not to fear for unto them was born a

20:06

Savior who is Christ the Lord emphasis now on Christ Jesus is a

20:12

Christ meaning of course the Anointed One Old Testament he's a

20:18

Messiah New Testament Christ they're one in the same the Anointed One this means that he was called and equipped by God his father to secure the redemption of his people he was appointed equipped enabled and so the name

20:33

Christ or the word Christ is actually an adjective means anointed it depicts God's calling and equipping of Jesus of Nazareth to accomplish

20:41

God's work of salvation in you if you come to him this indeed is a cause of great joy you of course have no power to make yourself acceptable before God nor does anyone other than this man

20:55

Jesus Christ have this ability he's the Anointed One he is the Christ the one anointed appointed by the

21:02

Father and equipped by the Holy Spirit to obtain the sinner's salvation now more specifically the term

21:11

Christ speaks of our Lord being anointed to his threefold office and by the way it was John Calvin who first identified this down through church history 16th century first we were in need of Christ as a prophet to reveal

21:26

God to us and of our sinful and condemned standing before him

21:31

Christ as a prophet does that second we were in need of a priest to intercede with God on our behalf and make a sacrifice for our sin and third we were in need of a king to subdue sin within us to lead us and preserve us unto his heavenly kingdom and when we speak of Christ being anointed it's being anointed appointed called equipped for this threefold office

21:55

God the Father anointed our Lord Jesus to perform this threefold function on our behalf in him alone were all these duties entrusted and he alone was equipped to execute them our prophet priest and king in the

22:11

Old Testament there were examples of men and dude with two of these three offices we read of kings who were also prophets such as King David the

22:22

Old Testament records of a king who was also a priest Melchizedek back in Genesis 14 there is also a priestly prophet

22:30

Samuel but only our Lord Jesus was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows to possess a threefold office to execute on our behalf and thus he is our priest having sacrificed himself on our behalf and he lives to apply the benefits of his sacrifice to us he is to us our prophet who declares and reveals the will of God to us he's our teacher and he is our king who delivers us leads us and protects us and provides for us and so he is always all we need and I love the little children's catechism

23:05

I've quoted this I don't know how many times over the years but it's simple and it's true to the point the child has asked why do you need

23:13

Christ as a prophet answer because I'm ignorant question why do you need

23:19

Christ as a priest answer because I'm guilty and third why do you need

23:24

Christ as a king because I'm weak and helpless that capsulizes the whole meaning of Jesus as prophet priest in King and so here is a true king who could bring true peace between God and his people he's equipped to do just that to bring peace to one's soul upon the knowledge that he's at peace with God and you can't truly have peace unless you know you have peace with God there's a lot of false peace no earthly king can bring this kind of peace to this degree an ancient writer described he was a

23:59

Roman he described Caesar while the Emperor may give peace from war and land and sea he's unable to give peace from passion from grief and envy he cannot give peace of heart for which man yearns more than even more than outward peace and he was right but Christ Jesus Christ can provide that and so our

24:21

Savior can and does bring peace for all that come unto him in their needy condition and look to him in faith and then thirdly we see the shepherds were not to fear for unto them was born a

24:34

Savior who is Christ the Lord with emphasis on that word Lord this is extremely significant in verse 9 we read of an angel of the

24:46

Lord in verse 15 the shepherds desire to relate the news that the Lord had given them through the angel and then in the angels message we have do not fear

24:55

I have news of great joy for born unto you as a Savior Christ the Lord the

25:01

Lord is a reference to deity to God himself God himself has been born unto us we have described to us by the angel the incarnation the union of God and man which can only bring great benefit for you if you are a believer if you're a sinner who is a believer for unto you this child has been born

25:27

Jesus is one with us his people and so if your child of God you need not fear for God is one with you that gulf that had been so vastly set between the creator and the fallen human race through sin was bridged in the person of Jesus Christ the

25:46

Lord God intends good for you believer but only believers he's become one with you he's become so much in union with his own that God the

25:55

Father regards believers just as he regards his son if you're a

26:01

Christian a true Christian God loves you as much as he loves his son Jesus Christ because he sees you in Jesus Christ we're accepted in the beloved one

26:12

Jesus Christ he's one with us and then therefore we need not fear as one wrote whether Christ living or Christ dead

26:21

Christ buried or Christ risen Christ ascended in Christ enthroned God sees you there with him if you're a true believer in Jesus Christ God doesn't see you in your sin

26:32

God sees you in the Savior you're in union with him when

26:38

Christ was nailed to his cross all the elect of God were nailed with him Paul could write

26:44

I have been crucified with Christ and when Christ lay in the grave his people were with him when

26:50

Jesus came forth from the grave his people came forth with him when

26:55

Jesus Christ ascended and was seated on his father's throne his people were enthroned with him that's what

27:02

Paul wrote in Ephesians we're seated together in Christ in heavenly places we're in Christ and so why should

27:10

I fear if I'm clinging to him why should you fear if you're in him for though we are sinners still we may be bold enough to say that we are now seated on the throne of God in union with our

27:23

Lord Jesus we are co heirs with him heirs of God children of God we do now sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus our

27:33

Lord this should certainly be a cause of great joy for you and for me shouldn't it if we're in Christ well that's the message now let's consider the recipients of the message these were special men now let's see that though the announcement in one sense appears to be quite general and universal in another sense it's quite specific and restricted

28:02

Christmas cards have been circulated by many of those who are not the

28:08

Lord's people with this very passage embossed in golden glitter do not be afraid for behold

28:14

I bring you good tidings of great joy which be would be to all people for there is born to you this day in the city of David a

28:23

Savior who's Christ the Lord and this will be the sign to you you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger but to whom is this promise given to whom do these words apply and we would assert that within the account this episode the message was intended for these shepherds and for all people like them these men were lowly men they were shepherds shepherding was not regarded as a noble profession in biblical times in fact shepherds were under a rabbinic ban the ban of the rabbis not being allowed to participate in the religious observe observances of the temple for shepherds were viewed as a lowly people occupying a lowly occupation in isolation they were regarded as lowly by others and they would have no doubt regarded themselves as lowly this was the lowest strata in the community in society these shepherds shepherds were regarded as socially lowly shepherding was not viewed as a desirable occupation the poorest of people would be shepherds they lived unsettled lives traveling about with their sheep they lived apart from most other segments of society they are regarded as filling an essential role somebody had to do it but it was not an important role anybody could do it because they lived about the local communities they were not involved in the social life of those communities they were viewed with suspicion shepherds were generally regarded as unreliable and thieves socially nobody respected them secondly shepherds were regarded as religiously lowly as well and what we mean by this is that they were excluded from the religious life of the community the nature of the work prevented shepherds from being regarded as ceremonially clean and as a result they were excluded from religious gatherings and temple ceremony they weren't permitted the occupation itself was despised by the populace these shepherds must have regarded themselves as others regarded them lowly both socially and religiously they were on the outside to them how could it be any different nevertheless these shepherds did have a unique religious occupation these shepherds there at Bethlehem although lowly had a unique responsibility for it was in these fields the sheep were raised and kept they were destined to be sacrificial sheep in the temple

31:07

Jerusalem was just seven miles away it was a duty of these shepherds to watch over these flocks destined for sacrifice they were to inspect them continually for their fitness for such a purpose to be offered as sacrifices before God and so here we see these shepherds these inspectors of spotlessness called upon by God to go and inspect this child lying in a manger wrapped in swaddling cloths the point is this these shepherds probably viewed themselves as excluded from the promises of God as Jews they would have known of the promises obviously they knew their history as a nation they knew

31:52

Israel sin as a nation had incurred God's wrath the nation had repeatedly violated

31:57

God's laws the people had disregarded God's rule over them they had forged an existence which was in accordance with their own desires rather than doing the will of God and God had judged the nation severely for doing it and yet even in the nation's rejection of God God held forth a promise to the nation that he would send a

32:17

Savior who would save them from their sins who would bring full pardon for their sins so that the full blessing of God would be upon them and based on the promise of God the nation of course waited in hope but these shepherds must have felt excluded from these promises perhaps they did not feel they had a share in this whole this participation in God's coming salvation because they were a lowly and sinful band of men

32:48

God had promised to send a Savior to their nation Israel the message of the prophets was known the

32:56

Messiah the Savior would be born in Bethlehem the city of David for the Messiah would be a king as was

33:02

David and these shepherds would have been uniquely aware and continually reminded of the promises again they dealt with the sheep that were going to the temple and so as they exercise special oversight and care sending the sacrificial lambs and sheep to their slaughter the awareness of their own sin would have been great

33:21

I suspect and the promise of God must have been vivid to them these shepherds were lowly men in the eyes of others and lowly in their own eyes others regarded them as sinners the shepherds regarded themselves as sinners also they were vividly aware of their sin and the penalty of sin which the temple sacrifice of animals taught the people and so it was to these lowly shepherds specifically and directly and to all kinds of people like them and that's what the the the expression all people means all kinds of people like you shepherds that the message of God's salvation came

34:03

God sent his angel to speak to these men and ones like them this message and I'm paraphrasing do not be afraid for behold

34:10

I bring you good news of a great joy which will be for all the people even the disenfranchised those who had formerly no part the lowly the humble the sinners can rejoice for today in the city of David there's been born for you a

34:24

Savior who is Christ the Lord and this will be a sign for you he's talking to these shepherds you'll find a baby wrapped in cloth lying in a manger you'll find him to be as one of you lowly humble in poverty he is to be a

34:39

Savior for you and such as you glory to God on the highest and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased and so he is the kind of Savior to the humble and needy he signals good things to them so how do you stand are you one on whom the favor or grace of God rest you see your need for a

35:02

Savior and is your faith and hope centered in this one in whom God has entrusted the responsibility to save you you don't save yourself you believe on him to save you because you can't do it yourself and so we may trust that we are sinners and we have seen that we've confessed our lowliest state having placed our faith in this

35:26

Savior of the lowly that's to whom this message was sent well then we can consider the praise and the pronouncement of the multitude of the angels after the angel communicated his message to the shepherds he was joined by a multitude of angelic beings who in a united voice gave great praise to God and a great declaration to this fallen world and so here are verses 13 and 14 suddenly there was with with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising

36:00

God and saying glory to God in the highest and on peace on earth peace and goodwill toward men again these words of the angels are some of the most often repeated during the holiday season these words are heard frequently they're seen frequently the expression is on many of our

36:19

Christmas cards one can read the saying on billboards it's frequently stated in the media usually at the commercial break you see these words come on the screen they're taken from Luke 2 but they have they're conveyed with a different kind of message one which infers the global pieces desire rather than the peace that God made possible and realized with sinners through the life death and work of Jesus and so the original intent of the message designed to announce peace now available between God and guilty sinners who

36:56

Jesus Christ has been perverted and transformed into a politically correct statement about the desire to stop war well let's consider the words in their original context which was the declaration to some shepherds from a host of angels glory to God in the highest and on earth peace goodwill toward men first what the message does not suggest and is not meant to convey first it does not mean that God intended to cause war to cease between nations before Jesus Christ comes it's not a statement about world peace there is no promise in the

37:39

Bible that there will be peace in this world between nations this side of the second coming of Christ in fact the opposite of peace is the rule there will be wars and rumors of wars that characterize this age

37:52

Jesus himself declared that in Matthew 24 Luke 21 I think Mark 13 and it's important we understand this if the message of the angel was to mean that God intended to bring a general state of world peace between nations in this age through the birth of Jesus Christ and God has shown to have been well intentioned but quite incapable capable to bring to pass his intention and that's not the

38:19

God of the Bible is it it must be concluded that God desired the best this is the kind of theology you'd have to conclude

38:29

God hoped for the best gave forth his best effort but his design had been frustrated peace didn't break out in the world the creature check the

38:39

Creator and so one would conclude rightly from that doctrine that God is impotent but it's never been

38:48

God's purpose in the course of history of this fallen world to end all warfare God has never intended that the nation cease to fight between themselves or else they would have done so secondly the message does not mean that God intended that Christians would be at peace with everybody this certainly cannot be so and we know this from at least two solid reasons first the

39:15

Lord Jesus his own words the Lord himself declared that the Christian would never have peace in this world he declared in the world you will have tribulation this entire church age is a period of tribulation oh yes it gets worse at different times and at other times maybe it'll get worse for the second coming

39:39

I don't know also in John 15 we read if the world hate you you know it hated me before it hated you if you were the world the world would love its own but because you are not of the world but I've chosen you out of the world therefore the world hates you doesn't sound like peace there here the

39:57

Lord clearly declared his people will be hated by those who are the world because they belong to him the state of hostility exists between the people of God who are truly living for Christ and those who are opposed to him the state of hostility breaks out frequently in war and of course spiritual warfare even enters the family

40:21

Luke 1251 Jesus said do you suppose I came to give peace on earth that's a rhetorical question implying no of course

40:29

I didn't I tell you not at all but rather division for from now on five and one house will be divided three against two two against three father will be divided against son son against father mother against daughter daughter against mother mother -in -law against her daughter -in -law daughter -in -law against her mother -in -law here we see it was not even the intention or calling of Jesus Christ to bring peace and families in fact he's coming into the world we result in family hostility and division in another place

41:09

Jesus told a church that they were going to suffer greatly the church of Smyrna Revelation chapter 2 do not fear any of those things are that you're about to suffer he was telling them you're going to suffer tribulation indeed the devil is about to throw some of you into prison that you may be tested and you'll have tribulation ten days that may be speed about ten periods of persecution maybe the

41:35

Roman pagan persecution over the next two centuries there were ten periods of persecution intense but Jesus said be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life they weren't promised to have peace in the world and so rather than peace these

41:53

Christians could anticipate things would grow worse than they had previously experienced we don't know what 2022 is bringing we know what at 2021 is brought to many

42:06

Christians throughout the world even now I've read recently that in the last hundred years there's been more

42:12

Christians put to death than at any other hundred year period in the last 2 ,000 years we have been wonderfully spared in this land but as our world decays and deteriorates

42:26

I suspect it'll change and so have you experienced difficulty for being a

42:34

Christian well that shouldn't surprise you are you weary from living for Christ in a hostile environment some do suppose the

42:45

Lord told you he understands your predicament just how hard it is but then he said hold on things are going to become much worse for you that's what he told the church there in Revelation 2 what would your reaction be the

42:59

Christian life is not an assurance of ease or peace in this world that repudiates a whole health and wealth gospel that is so widely popular throughout the world yes thankfully you can have the peace of God while you endure difficulty but you'll not escape difficulty for being a

43:20

Christian Jesus said these words to his disciples these things I've spoken unto you that in me you might have peace in the world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer

43:29

I have overcome the world and so it's a peace in one's soul knowing that the whole world might be against me but God's for me in Christ and then of course the testimony of history and our own lives validates this

43:47

God hasn't promised peace to his people history's borne out the fact there exists a general hostility for Christians this has always been the case it does not mean that because of the birth of Jesus now

44:01

God is at peace with everybody this is a misrepresentation the King James Version translation of these words are quoted most frequently at Christmas they're somewhat misleading it reads glory to God on the highest on peace goodwill toward men it seemed like all mankind it's falsely construed from this translation to mean that God was intending to bring peace to all men without distinction however the

44:29

NIV probably better renders it for our understanding glory to God of the highest on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests it's distinguishing and the

44:42

RSV translates the verse glory to God in the highest on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased and so whereas the

44:52

King James Version may be construed as God's good intentions toward all the NIV and RSV emphasizes

44:58

God's design for some the ones who benefit from Christ's birth are the ones who are the objects of God's saving grace and mercy

45:06

God never promises peace to those who cling to their sins in fact twice in the Old Testament are the words there is no peace as the

45:14

Lord for the wicked and the coming of Christ did not change that except for those who believe on him as the

45:23

Savior Christ the Lord and so what the message does suggest and was meant to convey peace on earth the announcement of the angel peace on earth suggests at least three facts first the angels message suggests that there had been a state of hostility even warfare between God and mankind secondly the angels message suggests that through the birth of this child the hostility could or would come to an end and peace could once again be the norm between God and man this child would secure that and thirdly the angels message declares that this promise is not given to everybody but the promise is for those whose favor on whose favor

46:05

God rests but for them only in short this is a glorious promise that is for many but not all for the many on whom the grace of God rests and so to declare or teach from Luke 2 14 that God is at peace with those on whom his favor does not rest is to proclaim a false message

46:31

I heard it this morning Mary and I on the radio driving down here a well intentioned evangelical pastor promising everybody who heard his voice on the radio

46:41

God was at peace with them that's not what the Bible teaches in the

46:47

Old Testament we have a repeated description of the false prophets they are false messengers because they gave false announcements about the peace of God toward people the

46:56

Old Testament reveals that a false prophet is one who pronounces and assures that the peace of God abides on wicked people

47:03

Jeremiah 6 they the false prophets have healed also the hurt of the daughter my people slightly saying peace peace when there is no peace that's the definition of a false prophet again

47:16

Jeremiah for they false prophets have healed the hurt of my daughter my people slightly saying peace when there's no peace

47:22

Ezekiel the prophets of Israel which prophets I concerning Jerusalem would see visions of peace for her there is no peace says the

47:30

Lord God it's a false message to declare that God is at peace with all people when they're still in their sinful rebellion toward him there's only peace in Jesus Christ he secures that peace through his own life and death on the cross on behalf of those who believe on him as the

47:47

Savior Christ the Lord and so who are the legitimate recipients of the promise of God's peace who are these ones who have legitimate claims to be at peace with God what characterizes them first of all they are believers in Jesus Christ obviously one day

48:06

Jesus declared to a woman who believed on him your faith is saved you go in peace to another woman daughter be of good cheer your faith is made you whole go in peace and then the

48:20

Apostle Paul wrote now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing see it's peace in believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the

48:30

Holy Ghost and then secondly the ones who are the objects of God's promise of peace are ones who are no longer in rebellion toward God and his rule over them

48:39

Paul described believers of the church at Colossae and you who once were estranged and hostile in mind doing evil deeds he's now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death and so the ones who may have the peace of God pronounced as theirs are ones who are no longer estranged and hostile toward the

49:01

Word of God they no longer resist God you're no longer ignore him defy him rebel against him those who truly believe on Jesus Christ as a

49:13

Savior Christ the Lord have an objective peace with God he's at peace with them therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our

49:23

Lord Jesus Christ and it's because we're reconciled with God through Christ but believers in Christ also can enjoy this subjective peace a sense of well -being not all

49:34

Christians enjoy this subjective peace some true Christians are really troubled they doubt themselves they see their sin quite clearly don't they don't see

49:43

Christ as clearly and so they don't have that peace in their soul that's unfortunate they could have that peace in their soul if they would look to Christ and depend upon Christ in him alone that takes the monkey off your shoulders doesn't it the

49:59

Lord Jesus bore our sin over and over and over we read about the peace of God for true believers

50:07

Jesus said peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world gives you the peace of God for the

50:14

Christian is not contingent on whatever is happening in your life day by day that's peace based on happy happenings happiness now we have we have a peace regardless of what happens if we're thinking rightly believing rightly and over and over the pronouncement of blessing grace be unto you and peace from God our

50:38

Father from the Lord Jesus Christ we ought to be a people characterized by a sense of rest and peace that God has given us in Christ nevertheless we recognize that the message of the angel does signal and offer peace to all by a good and gracious God God was very gracious to his people

51:01

Israel and sending them Christ and sending him God was offering them all peace acts 1036 the word which

51:10

God sent unto the children to Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ he is Lord of all it was not that God had ceased to have wrath on them but rather in and through the ministry of Jesus Christ God had inaugurated what we might describe as a temporary cessation of hostility he gives time for people to repent to lay down the weapons of their warfare of course they refused

51:35

Israel did for the most part and later the Lord Jesus would say respecting them if you had known even you especially in this your day the things that make for your peace but now they're hidden from your eyes for the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you surround you close you in on every side level you and your children within you to the ground and they will not leave you leave in you one stone upon another because you did not know the time of your visitation and of course that was realized in 8070 with the

52:09

Roman armies just surrounding and destroyed Jerusalem in the temple but today we close with this

52:15

God of course offers similar terms of peace to all men through the gospel we read of the

52:21

Lord Jesus expressing this same idea to would be followers what King going to encounter another king in war will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with 10 ,000 to meet him who comes against him with 20 ,000 and if not while the other is yet a great way off he sends an embassy and ask terms of peace so therefore whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple if you're outside of Christ God is against you and you might think that you have some strength and some resources maybe 10 ,000 on your side he's got 20 ,000 there's no hope for you you better sue for peace that means you surrender unconditional surrender is the only terms that he accepts as well yes

53:09

Lord I'm a sinner you are the Lord you are the Christ you are the Savior and I humbly surrender myself to you and submit to you wholly without any reservation you're my

53:23

Lord save me from my sin let us be encouraged to use this

53:29

Christmas season to offer to people a gospel of peace we should always be ready always have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace

53:39

Ephesians 6 15 let's use every means let us offer peace to all in the gospel but only in Jesus Christ and help people realize if you're outside of Christ you're on your own and in this fallen world with all that's coming you know that that would be a scary prospect would it not

54:03

I think the shepherds were terribly afraid if unconverted people outside of Jesus Christ saw their true condition the danger therein and what's coming upon them they'd flee to Christ wouldn't they may the

54:20

Holy Spirit help us to make known to our world ourselves the seriousness of the matter and yet the glorious peace that we have in Jesus Christ amen let's pray thank you father for this word that we have in in Luke's gospel and this message that is so beautifully set forth in this

54:41

Christmas season help us our God to be concerned for those that are lost but help us our

54:48

Lord to be concerned for those that the world our society might regard as being the lowliest the farthest away from you and help us our

55:00

God come to them as the angel came to these shepherds our Lord and tell them that born unto them is a

55:07

Savior and this can be demonstrated look at how he was laid in a manger the place of poverty he's one with us our

55:16

God to save us from our sin thank you father for sending forth Jesus Christ the