Glory, Peace, & Goodwill | Sunday, December 24, 2023

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered... So Joseph also went up from Galilee... unto the city of David which is called Bethlehem... 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 wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a 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. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, 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 Savior, who is Christ the Lord..." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 2:1–14)

The angels announced the world's greatest news to its lowliest hearers—and that announcement still brings Mega Joy.

The Beginning of a Prophecy Fulfilled

Tomorrow is Christmas Day, a wonderful time of year, and most Christians throughout the world celebrate the birth of Christ. Not everyone celebrates on December 25th—a segment of the church, the Orthodox Church, celebrates on January 7th. The "twelve days of Christmas" actually speak of the time between the 25th and the 7th of January. Over the next couple of weeks, some 2.4 billion people—about a third of the global population—will celebrate the coming of Christ to this world.

He deserves all glory, honor, and praise, because his birth began the fulfillment of a prophecy spoken by the prophet Habakkuk. In Habakkuk 2:14, God says, "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." That is not entirely fulfilled yet, but it began to be fulfilled when Jesus came into this world 2,000 years ago. I love the prophetic certainty with which God speaks it. That ultimate expectation of every Christian began to come to pass at Bethlehem, and now a third of the world has the knowledge of the glory of the Lord in Jesus Christ.

The Wonders His Coming Brings

We have been talking about this for several weeks here at Cross Connection Church. Because Jesus came into this world, we have a hope that does not disappoint; a joy that is increasing unto abundance for eternity; a peace that surpasses understanding, which guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus; and the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. A third of the world knows this truth—and that is remarkable, because the knowledge of the glory of the Lord was first proclaimed in one of the most humble ways possible.

A Most Humble Birth

It is hard to imagine a more humble birth than the one we discover in Luke 2. Jesus was born to a peasant girl who was betrothed to a laborer. He was born to a young woman whose pregnancy was questioned and whose birth was considered by some to be illegitimate. We recognize that this fulfilled the prophecy spoken some 700 years earlier through Isaiah: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a child, and you shall call His name Immanuel," which means God with us.

But you can be certain that people in her family and Joseph's did not recognize that immediately. The family seems to have kept it under wraps, sending Mary away for a time to stay with her relative Elizabeth, who was also pregnant. In that sending away you sense some shame the family was wrestling with. The Scriptures tell us Joseph was a good and just man—seeking to observe the law of Moses—and he knew the child was not his. He contemplated putting Mary away privately, but after an angelic dream, God changed his mind about how he ought to deal with the situation. To say Jesus came into this world under humble circumstances is an understatement.

The Announcement to Shepherds

The announcement was equally humble. The angel came not to the king in Jerusalem—understandably, since that king would later try to destroy the child—but to shepherds keeping watch in the fields. A shepherd was anything but a highly regarded trade. Israel was, at its founding, a nation of shepherds; Abraham and his descendants kept sheep, and when they lived in Goshen in Egypt, the Egyptians despised shepherds. By Jesus's day, shepherding was common laborer's work, not highly regarded.

These men were likely watching over sheep they didn't own. Because Bethlehem was only about seven miles from Jerusalem, it is very possible they were tending the sheep used in temple services. They were tent-dwelling, sojourning nomads—nobodies, not wealthy, not well-known. And there in the night they saw a great light, and the angel spoke the first birth announcement to them.

Good Tidings of Mega Joy

"I bring you good tidings of great joy." "Good tidings" is the word translated throughout the New Testament as gospel—I bring you good news. And it is good news of great joy. The word for great is the Greek megas: Mega Joy. I was present at the birth of all four of my children, and that was a joyful experience. But the birth of Jesus brings Mega Joy—a joy that, unlike the temporary happiness of this life, increases unto abundance and continues forever and ever.

What His Name and Nature Reveal

Interestingly, the name Jesus has not yet appeared in Luke at this point. But we are told things about his nature, which in one sense is more important than just his name—though his name means "Jehovah is salvation." He doesn't just bring salvation; by his very nature he is Savior.

First, he is of a royal line. Joseph, his adopted father, was of the house and lineage of David, to whom it was prophesied the Messiah would come. And Luke chapter 3 shows that through Mary as well, Jesus was of the family of King David. Second, he is Savior. In Matthew the angel tells Joseph, "You shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins." The people were looking mostly for a political savior, because for nearly 800 years they had been subjugated—by the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Greeks, and then the Romans—always an occupied people, their cities destroyed and rebuilt again and again. They wanted a political rescuer, maybe like some today. But our biggest problem is not who rules from the White House or runs the UN; our biggest problem is our sin, and Jesus came to deal with that.

Third, he is Christ—the anointed one. The Hebrew mashiach described a newly anointed king or priest, but the children of Israel were looking for the Anointed One who would rescue them. And he is Lord, kyrios—the Master, the Ruler, the one who ushers in the kingdom of God, of whose government and peace Isaiah said there would be no end.

Glory to God in the Highest

Then suddenly a multitude of the heavenly host praised God: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men." Gloria in excelsis Deo—glory to God in the highest. The birth of this child brings praise and honor and glory to God in the highest manner possible. And it is not just his birth: his life, ministry, miracles, teaching, right down to his death, burial, and resurrection, all brought glory to God in the highest manner possible.

And that does not finish after his ascension. God continues to glorify himself through Christ's body, the church, and he will glorify himself in his return and in the establishment of his kingdom. So when the angels announced "glory to God in the highest," they were saying everything about this child—everything he has done and will do into eternity—brings God the highest glory. And God's call to you and me, as followers of Jesus, is that whatever we do in word or deed would be to the glory of God, just as Jesus's life was praise to God.

Peace on Earth

The praise continues: "and on earth peace." We are living in a culture desperately desirous for peace, yet unable to find it. At a family gathering last night, one of my relatives asked me what I thought about what's happening with the Israelis and the Palestinians—and that began a 45-minute conversation. At a certain point I told him the bigger issue he was wrestling with was not the conflict itself but the problem of evil, and a deep desire for peace and the removal of evil.

C.S. Lewis said in Mere Christianity that there is no desire resident in any human being for which there is not ultimately something to satisfy it. I told this gentleman his desire for peace is right, but it will never be found in this world apart from the Prince of Peace. When Jesus comes, he makes peace on earth possible. We know it is not yet fulfilled—just look at Ukraine over the last couple years, or Israel over the last few months. But we have the promise, because he is the Prince of Peace, and of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. So the angels sing a praise that is also, in a sense, prophetic.

Goodwill Toward Men

The third phrase is awesome: "and goodwill toward men." This is more challenging, and some English Bibles translate it in a way that seems to imply peace is only given to those of goodwill—which is a problem, because at our core we are not good-willed; we have a broken and fallen will. But I don't think that's the right way to translate it. This word "goodwill" is connected to the idea of pleasure—God's pleasure—and to the word used at Jesus's baptism, where a voice from heaven said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Many of you know the anxiety of wondering whether someone in your life is happy with you—a spouse, a parent, a boss, an employee. Some of you live your entire lives under that. And more than a few people wrestle with it toward God, thinking, "I'm not sure God is pleased with me; maybe he just puts up with me." But here is the awesome thing: because Jesus came into this world, we can now be fully pleasing to God. If you are in Christ by faith, as his son or daughter, God is well pleased with you—just as he is well pleased with his Son. That is euangelion, good news that brings Mega Joy: glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, and goodwill toward men.

Be Like the Shepherds

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, 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... Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen. (Luke 2:15–20)

I wonder if those stinky nomadic shepherds weren't at least a little surprised that God made it known to them. They came with haste, found Mary and Joseph and the Babe, made widely known what they had been told, and returned glorifying and praising God.

Let me finish with a simple encouragement: be like these shepherds. For the next twelve days of Christmas and on into the new year, glorify and praise God, and make known what you have heard and seen concerning this child. He deserves all glory, honor, and praise, and he desires to be honored through you and me. Like the angels, let us proclaim him to others; like the shepherds, let us sound out these great things. It is the only right response to share the good news of this grace that comes in Jesus Christ. His birth brings glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and the reality that you and I can be pleasing to God in him. That is gospel—good news that brings Mega Joy. Amen.

Closing Prayer

Father God, I thank you for your word, and I pray that this simple praise of the angels would encourage us this morning, and the response of these shepherds would challenge us as we gather to celebrate with family and friends tonight and tomorrow. As we exchange gifts, Lord, would you stir our hearts to share the good news of this great joy that is found in you. It is a reality that an increasing group of people in our culture don't know the true story behind this celebration we have every December. Stir our hearts to share the good news; give us opportunities today, tomorrow, and over the next couple of weeks; give us boldness, and guard our hearts from any fear, anxiety, or embarrassment. Guard our minds from concern that some question will be asked we don't know how to answer, and help us to declare that your coming into this world brings glory to God, peace on earth, and goodwill toward men. We rejoice in you, Jesus; we praise you. It's in your name we pray. Amen.