Now we read from Luke's Gospel, chapter 2. And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. The census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also wound up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem. because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son and rubbed him in swaddling cloth and let him in the manger because there was no room for them in the inn. 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 Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. The angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a 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 hosts, praising 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 shepherds said to one another, Let us now go to Bethlehem, and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us. And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph in 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, all those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told them. Amen. Thanks be to God for the record of this holy word. Now let's give ourselves to prayer. Blessed Heavenly Father, as we turn to Holy Scripture, it is with a longing that you yourself will speak to us this morning. Speak, Lord, we pray. Speak to our expectant hearts and grant us that blessing you see us in need of. We rejoice in all the provisions you make for us and for the Holy Scriptures. We thank you for them. In Jesus' name, Amen. little doubt that Luke's gospel is one of the richest sources of our knowledge concerning the birth of our Saviour, the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's very interesting, we have four gospels. And it's interesting how distinct they are. They all carry the core of all the events in the life of Christ, but each gives a slightly different emphasis. And Luke, in a sense, in many ways, is a bit of an outsider. He's the gentile. He's the beloved physician. But he's a very, very careful writer. Only his gospel records the events leading regarding the birth of John the Baptist. Only Luke tells us that he was the cousin of Jesus. Only Luke's gospel records the visitation of the angel Gabriel to Mary. And only Luke records the response of Mary in those beautiful words we know from the Latin, the Magnificat. My soul does magnify the Lord. And Luke records that. And last but not least, Luke records the angelic message to the shepherds. It's also true to say that Luke, among the gospel writers, is extremely careful. He sets the birth of Christ in its historical context. He begins this chapter 2 by saying, And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from who? Caesar Augustus. And when did that happen? Well, this census first took place when Quirinius was governor of Syria. As if Luke is thinking, well, if anyone wants to prove this, I'll give them the names of these officials and they will find the record of these men. They were there at this particular time in space-time history when Jesus Christ was born. Enough with all that. this boy for a choice when we come to study this particular event, this birth of Christ. What should we do? What event should we look at? Should it be Mary and Joseph, angels or shepherds, or what? Such a rich source to draw from. Well, I think this morning we will concentrate, we'll give our minds and our thought to that wonderful angelic message delivered to the shepherds. Never before in all the record of the history of the world was there ever such a momentous event, not only in the birth of Christ, but this angelic message. None before the shepherds had ever heard anything like this. Verse 8 Very readily it serves as an introduction to all that follows. A group of shepherds are clustered together on a hillside. They're keeping watch over their flocks at night. A routine they were all very familiar with. And it's interesting that Luke tells us they were out in the fields. And it's quite likely that they had a small camp assembled so that they could have some comfort from a bit of warmth from the fire and from their friendship among themselves in the long cold nights. There they were, routine. They did it often. But then, suddenly, their routine was without any warning, suddenly and dramatically interrupted. Now no doubt an occasional wolf or other wild animal had come to interrupt their long nocturnal vigils. But no interruption was like this one. For it was caused by none other than the angel of the Lord surrounded by the glory of the Lord. What's this? This is the Shekinah glory. The glory of the Lord, this was the Shekinah glory that dwelt in the tabernacle and filled the people with awe. This was God come, the Shekinah glory. It was the same glory that the disciples saw on that Mount of Transfiguration when in that moment the deity of Christ burst out from his earthly body and shone out. That's the Shekinah glory. It's no wonder we're told the shepherds are terrified. This is something beyond their comprehension. No doubt there would have been many, many things running through their minds as they tried to understand what's happening to us. What does all this mean? This angel? The Shekinah Glory? What on earth does it all mean? Fortunately their fears were about to be led to rest. as the angels spoke to them and were told in verse 10. Do not be afraid. I bring you news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you. You will find a baby wrapped in cloth. Lying in a manger. What a message. Incredible. Now, at first glance, it's a strange kind of message. Because this angel urges these hardened men, and they had to be hard men to be out in the wilds and looking after the sheep, guarding them from the wolf and the occasional other wild animal. They were to softies. they were hard men and the angel says don't be afraid because a baby's been born a baby's been born so we ought not to be afraid it's a strange message how can this help us in the moment of our terror we're looking at something we've never seen before probably no one else has ever seen before and the angel comes and says do not be afraid I bring you news of great joy that will be for all the people today. In the town of David, a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord. And then you have this wonderful, almost as it were a contrast, Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign to you. You will find a baby. wrapped in cloths, lying in a manger. That's profound. The Lord of Glory is found, wrapped up, as they did with babies in those days so they could hardly move, and he's lying in a manger. Only God would do such a thing as that. This, of course, as we are discovering already, is no ordinary baby. In this verse, there are two significant facts disclosed about this baby. First, where he was born. That's crucial. And secondly, his identification. Nothing that God does is merely incidental or coincidental. God never works like that. God controls and directs everything. And every little thing and every little event is under God's great control. So we're told where he's born and his identification. The shepherds are told that the baby born is to be found in the city of David. In other words, Bethlehem. That is to say, in the little town of Bethlehem, just as we were thinking about a bit about this this evening, the prophet Micah had declared, out of Bethlehem, a little town. And as far as the world is concerned, a very insignificant little town, Bethlehem. But out of that, Turn a little in the eyes of the world and it isn't insignificant that Jesus is born in Bethlehem. A little insignificant Bethlehem. Because that's often the way God does things. It's great. Wonderful. Last night there was on channel 15 a little film called The Nativity Story. I didn't see all of it, I saw part of it, but the interesting thing about it was it was one of the most biblical presentations ever. At one point Joseph says to Mary, you'll call him Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins. And at one point you see the wise men coming, and they're amazed. The Lord of Glory is in a manger, lead, Not in Jerusalem, the capital city, but in little Bethlehem. Of course, Bethlehem had been the birthplace of Israel's greatest king, King David. There are, of course, numerous significance about David. And though, of course, not the most important one, I don't know if you're aware of it, but there's no other person in all of the Scripture with that name. There's only one David found in Scripture. David. King of Israel. David who was God's choice to be the King of Israel. Of course he wasn't a perfect person. He was just a man. But he was God's choice. And that in itself sets him apart from everyone else. In that sense David is unique. As the one born in his own hometown is unique, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is unique in that in the New Testament there are 58 references to him and there is often a repeated title given to Jesus, son of David and he is great David's what? greater son. David was that great king of Israel and in the Lord Jesus Christ you will find one who is infinitely greater than King David. David, of course, was a man. And he acted like a man. And he sinned as men and women do. But the one born in Bethlehem's manger, though he was in all points tempted like as we are, yet he was without sin. Jesus, so then, he is often referred to as Great David's greater son. He is, of course, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And one day, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess The baby born in the manger wrapped up in these little strips of cloth, that little baby is the one before they will all say he is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Wonderful, isn't it, this beautiful imagery of the Lord of glory who is in his Father's presence from all eternity, enjoying that fellowship no one has ever could experience. And he's born wrapped up in cloths there in a manger bed. So though Bethlehem may be little in size, it's not little in significance. For from it came Israel's greatest king, and from it came the king of kings. And it isn't insignificant, it's Bethlehem, the house of bread. It is the Lord Jesus Christ. From Bethlehem, we'll say, I am the bread of life. Now you see, nothing's insignificant in Scripture. Bethlehem, the house of bread, and out of it comes the Lord Jesus Christ. So we have the place where this baby is born, in Bethlehem, laid in a manger. So there are two points of identification given to the baby born in Bethlehem. One tells us what he will do, and the other tells us who he is. First of all, he is the saviour. In other words, this is the one of whom Matthew tells us his name shall be Jesus. For he shall save his people from their sins. The name Jesus traces its roots. We were having that. Who do you think you are? Well, the name of Jesus takes and goes back and be traced right away back. The Old Testament to the like of Joshua, meaning God is salvation. It's God is the one who will save us. So this baby born in Bethlehem is Jesus. Why? For he shall save his people from their sins. Furthermore, it is always that fact that is kept in front of us time after time after time in the scriptures. When Jesus came, He taught wonderful things. He spoke in such a manner, people were utterly amazed and said, what authority. They thought of his background. Some said, well, you know he's only a carpenter's son, but have you heard how he speaks? When the guards went to arrest Jesus in the garden, he spoke to them and they returned empty-handed. Lord, he said, where is he? And he said, we have never heard any man speak like this. So he was overcome by his words. And then he performed the most incredible miracles. He could speak and things happened. But he was, above all other things, the savior of sinners. And we must never lose fact of that thing. Whatever else may be true of Jesus as the great teacher, the great performer of miracles, this one thing is supremely true of Him. He is the Savior. He is the one who saves us from our sins and thereby meets our greatest need. Thereby He reconciles us. to God and at the same time he brings about peace but he is the savior of sinners something we must never lose sight of in this Christmas time I'm sure we remind you of this every year don't we that behind all the razzmatazz and all the gifts we are never to lose sight of the fact that the one born in the manger the little baby wrapped in cloths, the little baby before whom the shepherds fell and worshipped, the little baby before came the Magi, these men from the East, and fell down and worshipped him. That little baby in the manger was destined for the cross at Calvary. During the 19th century, There was a movement called the Oxford Movement. Some of the Anglicans went over to Rome. And they stressed and said, the most important thing is the incarnation. Of course, that's crucial. But they forgot that the incarnation, the birth of Christ, was for one purpose only, to take him to the cross at Calvary, there to die for our sins. they lost sight of that they majored on his birth nothing wrong with that but they lost sight of the cross where Christ died for us instead of us so there he dies and there he reconciles us to God now let me ask you Is He your Savior? Do you know sin's forgiven and peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ? Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Do you know anything of that? To be made right with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, if not, now is the time to confess your sins and to ask Him to be your Saviour. There could be no more wonderful experience or present, if you like to put it that way, as Christmas than to know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour. So, who is He? He is the Savior. That's what He is. That's what He's come to be. But He is also Christ, the Lord. That's important to remember. That is to say, the one born in Bethlehem is none other than the Messiah. The name Christ and Messiah both mean the Unwanted One. the kings and the priests of the Old Testament, there is a point in their lives when they're anointed with oil to show they're approved and appointed by God. And the one born in Bethlehem's manger is Christ the Lord, the anointed one. So there is that connecting link going back again to the Old Testament. Showing that Christ is the Anointed One. He is the Messiah. The One specifically appointed by God to do His will. And that will is that He should save His people from their sins. And you know the glory of the message of the Gospel is He does save. sinners. He shall save His people from their sins. That's God's plan. That's His purposes to save sinners. And God's plans, God's purposes are never overthrown. They're never undermined. No one has power to thwart God. And so Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. He is Lord. And there is coming a time when all the world will identify Him as Lord. But He is Lord already. So, in all things, we are never permitted in Scripture to lose sight of the fact that a little baby born in Bethlehem's manger is none other than Jesus Christ the Lord. Why was the Shekinah glory revealed? Because the Son of God was born. That's why the angels said to the shepherds, don't be distressed. Don't be alarmed because you see we are here to bring you good news! For there is born in Bethlehem a baby who is Christ the Lord. He was, of course, as we have said, the Great Teacher. He was called the Great Physician. But more than all that, He is the Saviour of sinners. No wonder that the announcement of the birth of Christ, there was this appearance of the angelic host, a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God. There was never an event like that in all the history of Israel before, nor since. and a whole multitude of the angelic host welcomed his birth and brought good news to this little group of rough shepherds out in the hillside caring for the sheep. There's one born in Bethlehem, the city of David. city of the great king and is born as the saviour of the world. But on all this, one thing was always so crucial to make sure we ourselves, we know him as such, not merely theoretically in our minds, but in our hearts. We can believe the facts Because there are proven facts. There was one born in Bethlehem's manger at a specific point of time. But it needs to be more than just an acknowledgement of the facts. It has to be an embracing of the Saviour Himself. Of calling on Him to be our Saviour. Because that's what he came for, to make salvation personal. Let's pray. O Heavenly Father, we thank you for our blessed Saviour, for the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you that the one born in a manger was none other than the Lord of Glory Himself. We pray that all of us here this morning are such as know Him as our own Saviour. Oh, may that be so, Lord. For Christ's sake. Amen. Now, unto Him who is able to keep us from falling and to present us faultless before His glory. To the only wise God, our Father, be glory, majesty, dominion, and power, world without end. Amen.