SERIES: Advent
TEXT: Luke 2:1-20
MESSAGE: “Responding to Jesus’ Birth”
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“None of the children knew who Aslan was any more than you do; but the moment the Beaver had spoken these words everyone felt quite different…At the name of Aslan each one of the children felt something jump in it’s inside. Edmund felt a sensation of mysterious horror. Peter felt suddenly brave and adventurous. Susan felt as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated by her. And Lucy got the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or the beginning of Summer.” ― C.S. Lewis
How can we respond to Jesus’ birth? It starts with…(1. Listening 2. Receiving 3. Experiencing)
1. Listening (v. 8-10)
“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.”
“…shepherds were dishonest & unclean according to the standards of the law. They represent the outcasts and sinners for whom Jesus came. Such outcasts were the first recipients of the good news.” – Robert H. Stein
“We are not saved by theological ideas about Christ; we are saved by Christ himself.” — D.A. Carson
2. Receiving (v. 12-14)
“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!”
“…God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:8
3. Experiencing (v. 15)
“Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
— John 1:14
“Feast, Christians, feast; you have a right to feast… But in your feasting, think of the Man in Bethlehem. Let Him have a place in your hearts, give Him the glory, think of the virgin who conceived Him, but think most of all of the Man born, the Child given. I finish by again saying, A happy Christmas to you all!” — Charles Spurgeon
Are you experiencing the reality of Jesus?
Takeaways: How can we respond to Jesus’ birth?
- See that Christmas is God’s message to you!
- Ask God to awaken your heart to His goodness!