This morning, I invite you to turn to Luke chapter two as we carry on with the birth of Christ that we left in Luke chapter two, verse seven last week, where Mary gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in that manger because there was no place for him in the end. Angels, we have heard I mentioned on occasion to take some time through this season and the songs that we sing and see some places where the hymn writers and the carolers may have taken a bit of liberty with the scriptures. I'm not opposed to singing what we just sang, that the angels sing. However, I would invite you to find one place in scripture where we find angels singing. It's not there. praising, saying, speaking, but we never see angels singing. Now, they might have. It's with joy that they came on the occasion that we have this morning amongst the shepherds. And these shepherds were filled with excitement. And you might would expect that perhaps it was in song. However, I would just draw your attention to the fact that nowhere in scripture do we see angels actually singing. They're always saying or speaking. Now, don't quit Christmas because of that. That's just one of those areas that the more that we know the scripture, the more that we can stay true to it and draw things from it. Today, we do look at this glorious occasion of the angel coming to a group of men. We see as we read through the scripture, the angel appearing to Mary and to Zechariah and to Joseph. But this morning is to this group of shepherds. Stephen read earlier from Matthew chapter 2 concerning the wise men. Luke, in his writing, decided not to take up so much about the wise men, but more about these shepherds. I'll begin reading in verse 8, and we will read through verse 20 this morning. In the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 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. 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. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you. You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased. 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. And they went with haste, found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen as it had been told them. Here we have the scene that is often depicted in nativities and church plays and on our Christmas cards most every year. However, I think you would agree with me that our portrayals of this text are often sanitized, if you will, to make them more maybe approachable to those that might not otherwise pay attention. I had the thought as I was preparing this sermon and the introduction this week that what if Jesus had come three or four hundred years ago in Wales and it was not the shepherds, but the miners that were coming out of the mines? Would they have appeared to have been cleansed and bathed before they went to worship Jesus? Or would they go in the true garb that they wore and the blackness of their faces and the darkness of their skin? Even the lowing cattle in Nativities are in their place, if you will. And strikingly, the shepherds appear to be a good group or a good bunch of guys. And that may have been the case. We don't know them by name. We don't know who these shepherds actually were. But from a scene like that, we can kind of not really understand the entire context of what was happening here. You see, shepherds in the first century, in the day of Mary and Joseph, in the day of Jesus' birth, were a much different type of people. In fact, even in the nation of Israel, if we go all the way back to before they even were a nation, to the time of Jacob and Joseph and his sons, you'll remember that in their travelings and wanderings over to Egypt, They encountered that foreign lifestyle, something that was much different to them. And Jacob and Joseph, you'll remember, Joseph was captured while he was out looking for his brothers who were tending to the sheep, or watching over the sheep. And there's some noticeable contrast, even in Genesis chapter 46, in the life of Joseph and his brothers. this whole time frame that we would notice. The Israelites were much different than the Egyptians. The Israelites were a wandering people, and that wasn't the case with Egypt. They were a quite settled people. And even the shepherds. You know, the shepherds, I would suppose, probably didn't smell very good. If they were truly shepherding the sheep, that means that they were amongst the sheep and amongst the things that sheep do. They probably didn't smell very good. Imagine them, then, going into a perhaps very clean Egyptian courtroom to present their cases in that day. Regardless, we're not left to speculate on these things, because Joseph himself spoke in Genesis 46, 34 to his brothers and said, every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians. That's about as low as it can go in the eyes of men. That was also somewhat the case in Jerusalem and Bethlehem when Jesus was born. Shepherds weren't trusted, and they were often the victims of some pretty harsh language. In fact, today we'd probably call it hate language, hate words, hate speech. People would often wonder, if the sheep that a shepherd was watching over were really their own or were they stolen. In fact, it got to a point in the Mishnah, one of the writings in Jewish tradition that contains law after law after law, and one of those laws was you could not buy food or clothing from a shepherd because you didn't know whether the sheep had been stolen for the food and for the clothing. Highly thought of. Perhaps not an abomination like they were to the Egyptians, but they were very low on the social scale. So it seems somewhat astonishing that God would say, you know, the very first people on earth that I'm going to send the message of the birth of my son to. that the very first group of people that are going to hear and see the Savior has been born, that Messiah had come, were one of the most disreputable, disgusting, and despised groups in society. And yet, that's what we see in our text. In fact, that's what we see in the totality of God's Word, that God often works in mysterious ways, His ways are not our ways, our ways are not His ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts. And that God in His grace, and by the way, that is a definition, grace, that God chooses the lowly, not the great, the pauper, not the keen. And not only does He choose such people, but He comes among them, He resides with them, He lives with them in order to proclaim a message to them in order that he might save them. That, friends, I would suggest, is the glory of Christmas. God taking on flesh, dwelling amongst us, the lowly, the ones who are needy, sinners, sick, and in need of a Savior. There are two things that I would have us to consider with the shepherds in this text. First, the shepherds in verses 8 through 14 received good news. We see in verse 20, if you will, kind of a summary of what happened in the lives of the shepherds where they go glorified and praising God for all that they heard and seen. By definition, if they heard it, that means it came to them. It was spoken. It was something that they received. And they received a particular message, which is the second part that we'll consider. Not only did they receive a message, it was an unexpected message. But then we'll notice that they responded to that message. So this morning, let's consider first this reception of the good news, what it is that they heard and saw. The first thing is in verses eight and nine, we see there's this unexpected appearance of the angel. Again, we read in verse eight that they, while in the same region, they were just out doing their work. They were out taking care of their own business. They worked in the middle of the field that night, anticipating that there was going to be an angel come from heaven with a great announcement. They didn't go out that day looking for this to happen. In other words, they weren't looking for an angel or an announcement or a bright star or anything else that happened on that eve, on that morning. And suddenly, and every writer picks up on this, out of nowhere, suddenly glory shone in the darkness. And that glory shone in such a way that they were able to see the angel of the Lord appear to them, the glory of the Lord shone around them. And as we see is almost always the case in the scripture, when this sudden appearance out of nowhere from heaven, the angel appears, there is fear that accompanies. We saw it with Mary. We see it with Joseph. We saw it with Zechariah. All of those passages in which the angel appeared, the response is fear. They were startled. They weren't sure what was going on. This was something that had never happened before, quite likely would never happen again. Many writers pick up on the truth that these sudden appearances of the angel enabling men to see and to hear are really a type of the Holy Spirit and the work that the Holy Spirit does out of nowhere, suddenly in the dead hearts of unbelievers. In John chapter 16, verse 7, we see that the Jesus himself saying, I tell you the truth is to your advantage that I go away, for if I don't go away, the helper will not come to you. But if I go, I'll send him. And here is the one of the ministries, if you will, of the Holy Spirit. Jesus says when he comes in John 16, eight, he will convict the world concerning sin. They're sinners and all that that means and separating them from the Holy God and being justly under his wrath. Those are things that the Holy Spirit would would reveal and convict men of and righteousness. The only way that they might be reconciled to God because they are in sin and under his wrath is through a reconciler, a man who would be truly righteous. And so this speaks to Christ and to the judgment, the judgment that awaits that world if they don't receive that truth, that conviction from the Holy Spirit. And then he describes it concerning sin because they do not believe in me. Concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you will see me no longer. Concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is already judged. In John chapter 3, Jesus, in his dialogue with Nicodemus, makes this statement, which was Billy Graham's favorite. Have you ever heard Billy Graham preach? This verse came in virtually every one of his sermons. The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear it sound. But you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who's born of the Spirit. Just like an angel appearing out of nowhere, not knowing where it came from or where it goes, there's this type of Holy Spirit. Matthew Henry wrote of this, the Spirit in regeneration works arbitrarily and as a free agent, the wind bloweth where it listeth for us. and does not attend our order nor is subject to our command. God directs it. It fulfills His word. The Spirit dispenses His influences where and when, on whom and in what measure and degree He pleases, dividing to every man severally as He will. He works powerfully and with evident effects. Now here's the sound thereof, though its causes are hidden and its effects are manifest. When the soul is brought to mourn for sin, to groan under the burden of corruption, to breathe after Christ, then we hear the sound of the Spirit. We find He is at work, that He works mysteriously and in secret, hidden ways. Thou canst not tell whence it comes or whither it goes. How it gathers and how it spends its strength is a riddle to us. So the manner and methods of the spirits working are a mystery. Now, being a type of spirit is not to suggest that the angels can do the work of regeneration that is given to the Holy Spirit. But you can see where these writers of old would have made a comparison of the suddenness and the mysteriousness concerning these angels. John 16, again, Jesus said, I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears, he will speak and he will declare to you the things that are to come, just like the angels declare on this morning. The spirit of truth comes. declaring, proclaiming a message, which is also true of the angels we see in their unsurpassed message. In verse 10, the angel said to them, fear not, for behold, I bring you gospel. I bring you good news. You and give lose the way is the way of proclaiming that good news in the Greek. It's not just the content, but it's the declaration of that message. The angel came declaring good news, proclaiming gospel. And what was the message? For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. He brought great joy with that message. The response should have been praise and glory to a God who had condescended unto man on this particular occasion, to this particular group of men, proclaiming the truth that Messiah had come. The Savior had been born. He says, great joy that will be for all the people. But that should stop us to cause and question. Was the response of all people joy at the birth of the Savior? We heard earlier that Herod in Matthew chapter 2, I wouldn't say responded with joy. He gave the appearance of being joyful and wanting to know where the child had been born, but his purpose was to have him taken out, to remove, because of the claim that was already being made that the king had been born. What about any other number of people that we see along the way in the birth narrative? There were very few that we could see that really responded with joy. A few shepherds, three wise men, if that be the case, Anna, Simeon, but he would be great joy for all the people. So what could be true here if all the people didn't praise and all the people didn't take joy in this? Well, he says that in verse 10, fear not, behold, I bring good news of great joy that will be for all people, but unto you is born this day a Savior who is Christ. the Lord, Savior and Lord side by side, the work that Jesus came to earth to accomplish alongside his deity, the eternal Son of God. We touched on this or spent more time on it on Wednesday night in looking at Isaiah chapter six. I mean, chapter nine, verse six, where we see similar language, the prophet Isaiah very carefully giving two thoughts concerning Jesus Christ as Lord. He says, to us, a child is born. To us, a son is given. On Wednesday night, we made note of the fact that Jesus, as the son of God, come to earth, taking on flesh. The child is the one that was born. Mary did not carry the deity. as being alongside the eternal son of God. The Holy Spirit came and did that work of overshadowing her. So the child in humanity was born through the festal that God had determined before the foundation of the world through the virgin Mary. But the son, the eternal son of God, was given. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should never perish, but have eternal life. You see the difference? The eternal Son of God, begotten, not born. The child in his humanity, born. And that's what the angel sets forth in the announcement. Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior. And then he defines that Savior. both as the Christ, the anointed one, the one who would come and be king of kings and lord of lords and set their people free from their sins, is humanity alongside the Lord in his deity. The two can never be separated in the nature of Christ. And then Isaiah goes on and defines what will be true of that child who's born and that son who's given, again, a great Christmas passage. The government shall be upon his shoulder. He shall be named, called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. And of the increase of his government and the peace, there will be no end. And on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forevermore, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Who is that for? What kingdom is Isaiah proclaiming years before? It's the kingdom of God. That's who the angel announces great joy will be for all the people, all of those who are truly part and parcel of the kingdom of God. And those that are part of the kingdom of God are only those through whom Jesus Christ rules and reigns in their hearts. Yes, there is an earthly truth to that that will one day come to full fruition as well, where he will be king of kings and lord of lords over all of his creation. And every knee will bow and every tongue will confess on earth and under the earth and above the earth that Jesus Christ is Lord. He is king and all authority has been given to him already. But there's a not yet with that. The same is true with the spiritual aspect. All that will come into this kingdom have not yet. Now, I just will let you know that my eschatology won't allow me to go to the point where I make a statement like many do that the microsecond after the last of the elect comes into the kingdom, Jesus is coming again. I just, I don't know if that can be borne out from scripture, but I can tell you it won't happen before that. Amen? All will be accomplished. and redemption before Jesus comes again. And so all of this takes place. The declaration of the good news, great joy will be for all of the people unto you. A people is born this day, a Savior. And as I asked on Wednesday evening, I'll ask again this morning, can you say that he was born for you, that He came to you as Lord and Savior. But the angel doesn't stop there. He promises this sign in verse 12. This will be a sign for you. The Jews, you know, they were into signs. They wanted to know that they knew that they knew. They weren't wrong to seek a sign on this occasion. In fact, we don't have any evidence the shepherds sought it. The angel just gave it. Here will be a sign for you. You will find it in this way. A baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. He gives the sign. But again, that sign would not have been what they expected. This child was going to be their king. You would have thought that this child would have been born into royalty, into riches, not in poverty poor. You would have thought that the castle would have been the place where their Messiah was going to be born, where he was going to grow up, but not true. His was a cattle stall, a cave if you will. You would have thought that he would have come with robes of splendor, purple majesty if you will, not ripped sheets made to roll up and to swaddle him in that way. It was not what they expected. They expected a crown, not so much a cradle. That's why the angel gives further notification and sign in verse 13. Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude. of the host praising God, saying, Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom he is well pleased. These angels come proclaiming as messengers the good news and the glory of God. The same application ought to be made for all who God calls to the work of the ministry and the proclamation of the word, just like these angels. We've been given one message. We've been given one thing to proclaim. The Apostle Paul put it this way in Romans 10, 13. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How will they call on him if they not believe? How will they believe in him if they've never heard? How will they hear without someone preaching? This is the goal and the purpose of a preacher. To preach Christ crucified. Now, we don't see anything about the crucifixion and the announcement of the angels. Trust me, they knew on this day it pointed to the work, the full work that would make Jesus Christ king over that kingdom. It would be Calvary. It would be his death. Paul went on, how are they to preach unless they're set as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news. But they have not all obeyed the gospel, for Isaiah says, who has believed what he's heard from us? So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ. It's a specific, particular message that not just preachers, but all who come to faith in Jesus Christ are to proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. It's been some years now, and I think it may be somewhat fading by the wayside, but there was this corrupt theology, if you will, at a point in time where it was actually taught that you could receive Jesus as Savior and all of the saving benefits and forgiveness of sins, but then accepting his Lord sometime later. Well, what a cozy, casual Christianity. To be able to have all my sins forgiven, but yet never really bow the knee, to have to be set free from the wrath of God through Christ as Savior, but not really ever serve him as my master. That's a false gospel. In fact, Paul was so clear on this when he mentioned the tragedy of the cross. When it's presented to men, I mentioned to the men at Brother Brian, and I mentioned it here, that it's easy for the worldly person to be drawn to a baby in a manger. But bringing a bloody, gruesome cross, that's offensive to them. They'd rather not have to deal with that. Well, Paul knew that years and years and years ago. He told the church at Corinth that 1 Corinthians 1, the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it's the power of God. He goes on, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, the discernment of the discerning. I will thwart. Where's the one who's wise? Where's the scribe? Where's the debater? Has not God made the foolish the wisdom of this world? In other words, he uses the lowly. He says in 1 Corinthians 1.28, God chose what is low and despised in the world. Shepherds, sinners, prostitutes, thieves, even things that are not to bring nothing, things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God, because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us the wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that it is written, let the one who boasts boast in the Lord. And then he goes on in 1 Corinthians 2. This is why I don't have to dress it up. I don't have to make the gospel more appealing. I don't have to adorn it so that man might accept it for less than it is. He preaches against such thought. The gospel has always been and always will be sinners in need of a Savior. God providing that Savior, sending the Holy Spirit to shatter the hard hearts of darkness so that we're even drawn to a light. That's it. Jesus came to save sinners through the cross. Paul says, I don't have to dress that up. I don't have to make it more appealing. We just preach and pray that the Holy Spirit will do the work. Amen. Second thing, very quickly, and it's shorter. The second part, the shepherds respond to the good news. They received it. They heard it. They've seen the angel. And now on the announcement that here will be the sign, they go seeking. Just like when Mary found out that she would be with child. And by the way, your relative, Elizabeth, is already with child. And that could be the proof for her that all that she had received from the angel in the announcement that she would be the one to bear the price. She could go to Elizabeth and say, you know, the angel said this about you. And Elizabeth said, yes, and blessed are you among women. That was her verification. Now the shepherds go seeking and heard it. They'd seen the angel. And notice in verse 15, 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. Notice, they've already believed. Let us go see this thing that has happened. They believed it. They went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, just like the angels said they'd find. lying, the baby lying in the manger. They didn't hang around. You sense the excitement in their voices. Let's go. Let's go to Bethlehem. Let's go see this thing that has happened. They hurried off and left their sheep. Ever thought about that? How could a good shepherd Leave their sheep. How could they just strike out on a whim, having received all these things, no matter how glorious it might have been, and neglect their duty? That's the way the world would have... How could you leave your sheep? How irresponsible it was of them. Or were they really just trusting that God would take care of the sheep? Jeff Thomas, wrote, God will take care of sheep if shepherds are doing his will. They had seen his messenger, they heard his word, and they obeyed immediately. That is conversion. Believe, or hear, believe, and obey. It's not tested by feeling, but displayed in doing. They went to be with the little Lord Jesus. They were drawn to him. Roman soldiers could not have kept them away. Where Christ was, that's where they wanted to be. They heard the message, immediately desired to come near the Lord, and this movement was encouraged by God. They left their sheep in order to see their Savior. Ironically, some years later, another shepherd would leave his sheep in order to save one. And he did so trusting that his father would take care of the other 99. while he went and rescued the one. That is our great shepherd. That is the shepherd that Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 40. And so they were just trusting God. When they heard the angel and saw all that was going on, it led them to seek Christ and to worship Him. Isn't it interesting that that's often the case when the angel appeared? There's always fear, but we have from the Apostle John himself in writing the revelation in Revelation 22, John, who said, and the one who heard and saw these things. There it is again. I heard and I saw, just like the shepherds. They heard and they saw. John said, I heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship. Now, unfortunately for John, his worship was misguided. Because you remember, on that occasion, he fell down to worship the angel. And listen, who maybe wouldn't at the appearance like this to the shepherds and to John as well? But the angel said to me, don't do that. You must not do that. Stop. The only one worthy of worship is God through Christ. He says, I'm your fellow servant with you and the brothers, the prophets and with those who keep the words of the books. Worship God. And the only way, dear friends, that we're able to worship God is in spirit and in truth, our spirit having been drawn by the spirit of God through all of the truth that the spirit came to proclaim in our lives. And when that's true, we come in adoration. in awe and respect and thanksgiving through Christ to God our Father. Not only did they believe it, but upon believing it, they spread it as part of the response. Verse 17, when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning the child. They took the message. They told everybody what they've seen. They couldn't contain themselves and these truths. What they've been told or what they saw, verses 12 and verses 16. And what was the response? What happened when they spread it? Well, we have two different responses, I think, set in stark contrast. The first response was the wonderers in verse 18. All who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. We have that alongside Mary, who treasured these things in her heart, pondered these things. The wonderers. They expected the Messiah. They even expected that He would be born at Bethlehem because that had been what had prophesied. Yet they did not, perhaps they could not, imagine that he would be born to such lowly parents, appear in such mean circumstances, in such a contemptible place. Again, we sanitize it, but the truth is it was probably a stinky cave. That the shepherds, not princes of Israel, would be the ones that would come and have first notice of it. Yet the account we have These plain-hearted shepherds, they never would have thought that. These shepherds wouldn't have invented such a story. And even if they did, nobody would have listened. Luke 4.22. We'll see this sometime, Lord willing. We see the wanderers again. In Luke 4, 22, all spoke well of him. Now, this is right after Jesus had read from the scrolls in the temple from Isaiah. They all, it says, spoke well of him and marveled or wondered at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And here's what they considered. Is this not Joseph's son? Is this not Joseph's son? We have elsewhere, is this not the one that came from Nazareth? Nothing good can come from Nazareth. Wanderers. You see, wandering really leaves one empty. Wandering leaves one questioning God, questioning His ways. Wanderers seek the things of this earth for proof. And wanderers often seek to please men rather than God. Mary didn't wonder. Mary treasured these things in her heart, pondered them, thought deeply upon them, not questioning God, but asking God, how is this going? to play out. What can I expect? Just like in the announcement of an angel to her, she pondered these things in her heart, not questioning God, but she did ask the question, how can this be? Because I'm a virgin. That never happened before. Would never happen again. She treasured them up. You see, treasuring Him leads to pondering, thinking deeply. It proves where you think your wealth truly is laid up. It fills us with joy. It fills us with peace. It sets our minds on things that are above and not on the things of this earth, where Christ is, above, not below. And it seeks to please Him, to glorify Him, not man itself. Jesus would say in Matthew 6, 19, don't lay up for yourself treasures on earth. for where moth and rust destroy, where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, where thieves do not break in and steal." Now, we know that that's dealing with more material things. But the principle of the entire thing is given in Matthew 6.21. Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Mary treasured these things in her heart. They believed it, they spread it, and then they lived it. Verse 20. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they'd heard and seen as it had been told them. They fulfilled the question and answer of the shorter catechism. What is the chief end of man? The chief end of all men, all men, without exception. from Adam all the way through to the one that was just born during this service. All men are to glorify God and enjoy him forever. And we know the rest of the catechism teaches you are unable to do that unless God in his glory and grace intervenes. But nonetheless, that is the calling of all men. So it's not glorifying him and it's not enjoying him that was really the heart of sin in a person. Immediately when they heard and saw The shepherds glorified, praised God. Glorified Him, enjoyed Him, praised Him. They were different men. Because Jesus, through an angel, was proclaimed to them that night. And even though the Spirit had not been poured out yet, like it would be one day at Pentecost, I rest assured in the truth, that the Holy Spirit took up residence in the hearts of a few shepherds on that night. I close this morning referring to two other narrative passages of his birth very quickly. Two reasons that Jesus took on flesh and dwelt among us. The reason that he came to earth at all. The first is found in Matthew 1, 20, in the announcement of the birth to Joseph from the angel Gabriel. In Matthew 1, verse 20, the purpose is given. As he considered these things, that being Joseph, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son and you will call his name Jesus. Why would they call his name Jesus? For he would save his people, his people, from their sins. Dear friends, that's why Jesus came to die. To save his people from his sins. A child was born. A son was given. Christ was born in Bethlehem, the Savior, who is Christ and the Lord. And then in Luke, in the announcement to Mary, in Luke chapter 1, verse 30, we see a further purpose. Not only did Jesus come to save sinners, but we see in Luke 1, 30 and following, Jesus came to populate a kingdom. In verse 30 says the angel said to Mary, do not be afraid, Mary, for you found favor with God and behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus. He doesn't elaborate here like he did to Joseph because he would save their people from their sins. But Luke's focus is on the kingdom. He will be great. He will be called the son of the most high. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David. You see? The kingdom. A king. He will reign over the house of Jacob and his kingdom. There will be no end. Jesus comes to save sinners. You'll call his name Jesus. Jesus comes to populate a kingdom. You will call his name Jesus. And of that kingdom, there will be no end. Dear friends, that is the church. There will be no end to the church. The only event left on God's calendar when it comes to the redemption of mankind is the Lord returning to receive his bride unto himself, to take us home, to be in that kingdom forever and ever and ever. We're already there. We're just pilgrims passing through, right? Creation's longing for that day. When it comes and everything's reborn, everything's made new. So there's an already aspect. But not yet. Dear friends, on that day, we will see him as we've never seen him. We'll see him in ways that the shepherds did not even see him on that glorious morn. We'll see him in ways that not even those on the Mount of Transfiguration saw him on that day. We'll see Him in ways that Moses could not see Him on the mount on that day because we will have glorified bodies fully fit to be in the presence forever and ever and ever. Amen. That is Christmas. That is what we who truly know Christ as Lord and Savior ought to be celebrating. Yesterday, today, and forever. Let's pray. Father, oh, how grateful we are for the words. Unto you is born a Savior who is Christ the Lord. May we teach our children in word, in prayer, And by example, that we truly believe these things. That we teach our friends and our family in word and in prayer. And by example, that we truly believe that we've heard and seen these things, just like the shepherds. And Father, when we sin, may we let others know by our repentance and our confession that we truly believe these things are true. that in your grace and in your mercy, you came to us. Yes, beginning in a cradle, going through a cross to receive a crown so that we might receive ours one day. It's in the name of Christ we pray. Amen. Well, this is my tradition. every Christmas season, we close the Christmas message with, I think, the greatest of all Christmas hymns. Let's stand together. Hymn number 87, joy to the world, the Lord is come, has, is, and always will. Let's stand and sing together.