Good News of Great Joy – Luke 2:8-14
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This week we had the first of our Christmas specials and looked at Luke 2:8-14. In Luke 2:10, the angels make a wonderful declaration to the shepherds “Good news of great joy has come in Jesus Christ.” This proclamation is an amazing banner over the whole Christmas story. So, why is Christmas good news and great joy?
Why is Christmas such good news?
- God fulfils the promise of scripture - Genesis 3:15 is the first promise in the Old Testament about the coming of Jesus Christ.
- God coming down to be with mankind – The Old Testament contains many glimpses of God coming down to be with certain people (Jacob, Moses). Jesus is God in human form. Jesus’ birth is also known as the incarnation.
- A Saviour who is Christ the Lord - The good news is the world has a saviour – Jesus Christ. Other world religions say that there is a God but you have to save yourself. Christianity says that God sends a rescuer (His only son – Jesus Christ) to save us.
Why is Christmas such great joy?
Jesus is a lasting joy. Happiness is about circumstances – the things that happen to us. Joy is an inner feeling that does not depend on circumstances.
Joy is the experience of knowing that you are unconditionally loved and that nothing – sickness, failure, emotional distress, oppression, war, or even death – can take that love away
Henri Nouwen
Jesus brings us a lasting joy. There is a challenge here that sometimes when the world looks at Christians it asks “where is the joy?”
Who is the good news for?
In Luke 2:11, the angels announce the good news of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds. The good news was for the shepherds as individuals. The good news is personal and needs a personal response from each of us. The good news is also for everyone – the entire human race. No one is disqualified from the good news – John 3:16.
How are we to know?
In Luke 2:12, the sign to the shepherds was a baby – not a sign of great power, wealth or even royalty. This is not the sign you would expect. The shepherds had a choice (Luke 2:15). They went to see for themselves. God’s sign to us today is the baby coming, growing up, dying on the cross and rising again as our Lord and Saviour. We too have to make a choice – Revelation 3:20.
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Luke 2:8-14
The Shepherds and the Angels
8 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 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,
Footnotes
[1] 2:14 Some manuscripts peace, good will among men
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