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

You can all be seated. Welcome to Cross Connection Church! As you can tell, if you're visiting, we are probably different from any other church you've ever visited before. We're so glad that you are here. Merry Christmas to all of you!

If you will take out your Bible, we are going to be in the Scriptures this morning. If you don't have a Bible, you can raise your hand. If you don't own a Bible, you can keep the one that we give you as a gift this morning. We are so grateful to have you here with us as we sing "Joy to the World" and worship our Lord together, praising Him this morning.

I do have a shorter message than normal because it is Christmas Eve, and you may be able to count that as a Christmas gift to you—my shorter message. Although I know some of you would tell me, "No, I want you to go on for 50 minutes," you are the oddball out for the most part. Plus, we had the kids in here this morning. How cool was that video of the kids up there? That was so good!

Tomorrow, of course, is Christmas Day, a wonderful time of the year, this is for certain. Most Christians throughout the world do celebrate the birth of Christ, but not everybody celebrates on December 25th. There is actually a segment of the Christian Church, the Orthodox Church, that celebrates on January 7th.

If you've ever heard the phrase or sung the song "The 12 Days of Christmas," the 12 days of Christmas speak of the time between the 25th and the 7th of January. This is an important time of celebration, a time to rejoice in the wonderful things that God has done. It is an awesome thing to consider that over the next couple of weeks, some 2.4 billion people throughout the world will celebrate the birth of Christ, the coming of Christ to this world. That means that about a third of the global population rejoices in the coming of Jesus to this world, and I think that you would agree He deserves all glory, honor, and praise.

We are so grateful that our Lord came to this world. He deserves all glory, honor, and praise because His birth really began the fulfillment of a prophecy of a prophet in the Old Testament by the name of Habakkuk. Habakkuk actually was a word that God spoke to him, and 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. Now, that is not entirely fulfilled yet, but it began to be fulfilled when Jesus came into this world 2,000 years ago. The earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. I love the prophetic anticipation and the certainty with which God speaks to the prophet in that passage. The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. That is the ultimate expectation and anticipation of every Christian.

When Jesus came into the world, He marked the beginning of that coming to pass. Now, here we are, 2,000 years later, and as I said, 2.4 billion people, a third of the global population, recognizes or has the knowledge of the glory of the Lord in Jesus Christ. We are grateful for all the wonders that His coming to this world brings to us.

We've been talking about that for the last several weeks here at Cross Connection Church. We've discussed that because of Jesus' coming to this world, we have a hope that does not disappoint. We have a joy that is increasing unto abundance for eternity. We have a peace that surpasses understanding, which guards our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. We have the love of God, which is greater than any love that has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. A third of the world knows this truth; a third of the world is understanding this, and that is really remarkable.

It's remarkable because the knowledge of the glory of the Lord was first proclaimed in one of the most humble ways possible. We began looking at this a little bit last night if you were with us for our Christmas Eve Eve celebration in the Gospel of Luke. If you would take out your Bibles and open them to the New Testament, that's the last third of your Bible. It begins with the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Luke Chapter 2 is where we are going to read from this morning. The kids on the announcements already read a portion of it for us, and we're going to recap that in a moment.

In Luke 2:1, we read, "And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered." This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, unto Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem.

Because he was of the house in the lineage of King David, he went to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. She brought forth her firstborn son, 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

There was a woman named Elizabeth who was also pregnant and about to have a child. You can sense, just in the act of sending her away to a different town, that there was some shame that the family was wrestling with. There were questions in Joseph's mind and in his heart about how he should deal with this situation. The Scriptures tell us that he was a good and just man, which means he was seeking to observe the law and the commandments of Moses.

In this circumstance, even though he was engaged, or betrothed, to Mary, he was questioning how he should respond. He knew that this child was not his. How would you respond if you were in his sandals? He was a good and just man, and the Scriptures say in the Gospel of Matthew that he contemplated putting her away privately, allowing her to live out her life as an unmarried woman with this child.

However, he had an angelic vision—a dream in which God spoke to him. Because of that angelic encounter, although he would have probably canceled their engagement and betrothal, he ultimately changed his mind about how he ought to deal with the situation. There were those who questioned Mary's pregnancy and Jesus's birth. To say that He came into this world under humble circumstances would be an understatement.

The announcement we have in this passage also reflects this humility. In Luke 2:8, we read, "Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night." An angel of the Lord stood before these shepherds, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, causing them to be greatly afraid. The King James Version says they were "sore afraid," which I find particularly striking.

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." A shepherd was anything but a highly regarded and respected profession. It was not looked down upon or despised in Israel; rather, for the children of Israel, they were essentially a nation of shepherds, or at least that was their identity at their founding.

If you go all the way back to the Book of Exodus, you see that Abraham was a keeper of sheep, and his descendants were as well. When they eventually moved from the land of Canaan down into Egypt at the end of Genesis, they lived in a region there.

Egypt had many lands that were well-watered and perfect grazing land for their sheep. However, among the people in Egypt, shepherds were despised and looked down upon. They didn't like the children of Israel because of their line of work. During the time when Jesus came into this world, being a shepherd was akin to being a common laborer; it was not a highly regarded profession. It is likely that these individuals were watching over sheep that they did not own, probably tending to the sheep of another owner or individual.

Given the location of Bethlehem, which is about seven miles from Jerusalem, it is very possible that they were tending the sheep that would be used in Temple services in Jerusalem. These shepherds were tent-dwelling, sojourning nomads out in the countryside, watching over their sheep. They were the nobodies—neither wealthy nor well-known. They were the menial laborers of the time.

The announcement of Jesus's birth, even though we know that He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace as described in Isaiah 9:6, did not go to the king in Jerusalem. This is understandable, as we discover in the story that this king would see the birth as a threat to his throne. In many ways, he was right about that; he sought to destroy this child.

Thus, the birth announcement did not go out on all the newswires to the greatest people of the time. Instead, it went to the most humble people: the shepherds who were keeping sheep in the countryside. These were men who were not wealthy, not highly regarded, and not well-known—just tent-dwelling, sojourning nomads. There they were in the night when they saw a great light shine, and the angel spoke to them.

The first birth announcement was made to them, which is hard to imagine as a more humble announcement. The angel of the Lord said, "I bring you good tidings of great joy." I love those words. "Good tidings" is translated from the original language as the word for gospel. The angel brought them gospel, good news, and the good news was of great joy.

I was present at the birth of all four of my children, and I can tell you that it was a joyful experience. I think probably most of you would say the same thing: it was a joyful occasion.

The birth of Jesus is a source of great joy. The word for "great" in Greek is "megos," which translates to "mega joy." I like that—mega joy comes with the birth of Jesus. As I have shared many times before, it is a joy that increases unto abundance for eternity. While the happiness we might experience in this life is temporary and fleeting, the joy we find in Christ is ultimately increasing. It increases to total abundance and continues forever and ever. That is what we call mega joy. So, the birth of Jesus brings good tidings of mega joy.

It is interesting to note that in reading the Gospel of Luke, particularly the opening chapters, the name Jesus has not yet been used by the time we reach the birth announcement of the Christ child. We do not see the name Jesus in the Gospel of Luke until after this point. Although we do not know his name at this stage, we are told certain things about his nature, which, in one sense, is almost more important than just his name. His name is powerful and significant, as it alludes to who he is and what he represents. The name Jesus means "Jehovah" or "God is salvation." Therefore, the one that the children of Israel were looking for is salvation itself. He does not just bring salvation; he does not merely save people; he is, by his very nature, the Savior.

In this text, the first thing we discover about his nature is that he is of a royal line. We already read in the passage that Joseph, although not his biological father, was his adopted father. It states that Joseph was of the house and lineage of David, King David, who lived about a thousand years before Jesus. It was prophesied to David that he would be the one through whom the Messiah, the anointed one, would come. Now, a thousand years after David, we have this child coming into the world through a relative of King David.

Moreover, in Luke 3, we find the genealogy of Jesus. These passages of scripture are often skipped over because they consist of one long name after another, making them difficult to pronounce. Many people tend to overlook them, but in Luke chapter 3, we discover that not only through Joseph would Jesus be a child of David, but also through Mary, he was of the line.

One of the first things we discover about Jesus' nature is that he is, in an earthly consideration, a royal lion; he is King. However, Luke also reveals to us, in the words of the angel to the shepherds, that there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior. In the Gospel of Matthew, when Joseph receives the angelic message in a dream that this child conceived in Mary is of the Holy Spirit, the angel says to Joseph, "You shall call his name Jesus because he shall save his people from their sins."

At the time that Jesus came into this world, the people of Israel were looking for a Savior, primarily a political Savior. For most of the last 800 years of history, they had found themselves subjugated by different conquering enemies. During the eighth century BC, it was the Assyrians; during the fifth century BC, it was the Babylonians; during the third and second centuries BC, it was the Greeks. Ever since the first century BC, they had been under the rule of the Romans, always an occupied people. Many times, their land would be the site of great battles, and their cities would be destroyed and then rebuilt, only to be destroyed and rebuilt again. Constantly, they were in this cycle.

By the time Jesus arrived, the people were looking for a political leader to come and rescue them, much like some do today. However, we learn that Jesus is a Savior, but not just an earthly political Savior. He is the one who comes to save us from our sins. That is the biggest problem we all face. We might think our biggest problem is who is ruling from the White House or running the UN, but that is not our biggest issue. We have a much larger problem to deal with, and Jesus came to address that major issue. He has come to save his people from their sins, for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ.

The second thing we learn about his nature here is that he is the Anointed One. That is what the word "Christos" or "Christ" means. It is also what the Hebrew word "mashiach" meant. When a new king would be anointed in Israel or a new priest would be anointed, they would consider that person a messiah—a messiah, but not the Messiah. For centuries, the children of Israel were looking for the Messiah.

The anointed one of God would come to rescue and save them. The angel says to the shepherds, "There is born to you this day a Savior; he is Christ, and he is Lord." "Christ" in Greek means "the Master," "the Ruler," the one who brings in and ushers forth the kingdom of God, which the prophet Isaiah foretold would have no end. "Of the increase of his government and peace, there shall be no end."

Now, here are these sojourning, tent-dwelling nomads out in the countryside, watching over sheep. An angel comes and says, "A Savior who is Christ the Lord has been born this day." The angel continues, "And this will be a sign to you: you will find the baby wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." Suddenly, there was with this angel, who was giving the message, a multitude of angels, a heavenly host praising God. Here is their praise: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men."

Three important things here in this praise of the angels, and I'll wrap up. First, I'm sure you've heard those words or sung them before. We've sung them here at Cross Connection within the last 24 hours: "Gloria in excelsis Deo." That means "Glory to God in the highest." It is the Latin for "Glory to God in the highest." When the angels began to sing there in the presence of these shepherds in the field, they began by saying, "Glory to God in the highest."

What does that mean? It means that the birth of this child, who is a Savior, Christ the Lord, brings praise, honor, and glory to God in the highest manner possible. But here's the awesome thing: it's not just his birth that does that. His birth, his life, his ministry, his miracles, his teaching—everything that Jesus does throughout the Gospels, as we read of it—everything that he did in his life was as praise to God in the highest manner possible. This includes right down to his death, his burial, and his resurrection, which we will celebrate and remember together in just a few months at the end of March. All of these things brought glory to God in the highest manner possible.

The thing that does not finish after His Ascension into heaven is that God continues to glorify Himself in the highest manner possible through Christ's body, His church. That's His aim, and He will glorify Himself in His return and in the establishment of His kingdom as well.

When the angels announced at the birth of Jesus, "Glory to God in the highest," they were saying everything about this child—everything He has done and will do into eternity—brings glory to God in the highest manner possible. Do you realize that God's call to you, as well as to me, as followers of Jesus, is that we also would do everything, whatever we do in word or deed, ultimately to the glory of God? He wants your life and mine to be praise to God in the same way that Jesus's life was praise to God.

The angelic praise begins with "Glory to God in the highest," but it continues with "and on earth peace." We've been talking about this peace here at Cross Connection Church for the last several weeks, and many times before. It's something that I return to quite frequently because I have seen, and probably you have noticed as well, that we are living in a culture that is desperately desirous of peace. It seems to be something that we just can't seem to find in this world.

I had an interesting conversation last night during a family Christmas gathering with my wife's family. I can almost expect that at our family Christmas gathering, at a certain point, one of my family members is going to come to me and ask some deeper questions—not just questions like, "Hey, how are things going? What's been happening with the family?" but deeper questions. His leading question last night was, "So, what do you think about what's happening in Israel with the Palestinians?"

And what are we told to not do at Christmas time? Let's not talk about politics and religion. Except my job is religion and worldview issues, so that's my bread and butter. He came to me and asked, "What do you think about what's happening with the Israelis and the Palestinians?" That started at least a 45-minute conversation—a very interesting conversation. At a certain point, it became clear that we were not going to totally agree on political and geopolitical issues. It's hard to find someone you totally agree with.

I have internal fights with myself. I'm not sure if I agree with myself most of the time. However, at a certain point, I said to him, "The bigger issue that you're wrestling with here is not how the Israelis are responding to Hamas and Gaza. The bigger issue that you're wrestling with is the problem of evil, and the deeper desire that you're wrestling with is that you have a deep desire for peace and the removal of evil."

I referenced C.S. Lewis in his book, Mere Christianity. He said there is not a desire resident in any human being that there is not ultimately something to satisfy that desire. I told this gentleman that the desire he has for peace is right, but it will never be found in this world apart from the Prince of Peace. When Jesus comes, He makes it possible for there to be peace on Earth.

We know that this is not yet fulfilled. How do we know that this is not yet fulfilled? Just looking at what has been happening in Ukraine over the last couple of years or what has been happening in Israel over the last few months tells us that this is not yet fulfilled. However, we have the promise and the hope of it coming to pass because ultimately, He is the Prince of Peace. He will come, return, and establish His kingdom, and of the increase of His government and peace, there will be no end.

The angels sing this praise to God, which is also prophetic in a sense. They say, "Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace." The third phrase is also significant: "Good will toward men." This third phrase is a little more challenging. If you look at various English versions of the Bible, you'll see that translators translate this in different ways. In some English Bibles, it seems to imply that peace is only given to those who are of good will, which is a problem for me and for you because, at our core, we are not good-willed. We have a broken and fallen will.

If this peace is only for those of good will, then we are probably up a creek. However, I actually don't think that this is the right way to translate it. The word "goodwill" is interesting; it's connected to the idea of God's pleasure. It's also connected to the word that is used at Jesus's baptism. You can go read it in the Gospel of Matthew.

In chapter 3, as Jesus was baptized, I believe it's in verse 17, there was a voice that was heard from Heaven. The voice said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Some of you know that this idea of goodwill is connected to that word.

This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. You don't have to raise your hand, but I'm assuming many of you have experienced the anxiety, the worry, and the concern that somebody in your life is not happy with you. I'm sure no spouses in here have ever experienced that. No children have ever wondered that with their parents, and no employees have ever wondered that with their bosses. No bosses have ever wondered that with their employees.

Have you ever had that feeling of anxiety, wondering if this person is upset with you? You find yourself in a place where it's very hard to focus or think because you're concerned about whether this person is pleased with you. Some of you live your entire lives under that pressure, and many of you have probably found yourselves wrestling with that as it relates to God.

I think there are more than a few people, probably even some here today, who sometimes think, "I'm not really sure God is pleased with me." In fact, I kind of feel like maybe He just puts up with me. But here's the awesome thing that we discover in this passage: because Jesus came into this world, we can now be fully pleasing to God.

I want to encourage you today. If you are in Christ, if you're a Christian today, God is well pleased with you. He is well pleased with His Son, and if you are in Christ by faith, as His son or daughter, God is well pleased with you. That is accessible to us because Jesus came into this world.

That's what the angels were praising God for at His birth. It brings glory to God in the highest, it brings the opportunity of a peace that surpasses understanding, and it makes it possible for you and me to be fully pleasing to God. That is euangelion, the good news gospel that brings mega joy: glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace, goodwill toward men.

So it was, in Luke 2:15, when the angels had gone away from them, that the shepherds said to one another...

Another, let's go to Bethlehem to see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us. I wonder if they were not at least a little bit surprised that God made known to a bunch of stinky nomadic shepherds in the fields that the Christ, the Lord, the Savior, has been born. They came with haste, very quickly, and they found Mary and Joseph and the Babe lying in a manger.

Now, note this in verse 17: when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told to them concerning this child. Those who heard it marveled at the things which they were told by the shepherds. 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 to them.

Let me finish this morning with a simple encouragement: be like these shepherds. They returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen. I want to encourage you this holiday season, for the next twelve days of Christmas, if you will, and on into twenty-four, to be like these shepherds, glorifying and praising God and making known what they had seen.

When they had seen these things, they made widely known the saying that was told to them concerning this child. I want to encourage you to be just like these shepherds because He deserves all glory, honor, and praise. He desires that through you and me, He would be honored and glorified in praise. Like the angels, we should proclaim Him to others, and like the shepherds, we should share all these great things with others.

I think that it is the only right response for us to share the good news of this grace that comes in Jesus Christ. His birth brings glory to God in the highest and peace on Earth, and the fact that you and I can be pleasing to God in Jesus Christ is the Gospel. That is good news that I think brings mega joy. Amen.

Let's stand together and close in prayer. Father God, I thank You for Your word, and I pray that this simple praise of the angels here in this passage would...

Encourage us this morning, and the response of these shepherds would challenge us as we gather together to celebrate with family members and friends tonight or 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 there is an increasing group of people in our culture who don't know the true story behind this celebration that we have every single year in December. I pray, God, that You would stir our hearts to share the good news of this great joy with others. Give us opportunities today, tomorrow, and in the next couple of weeks to share this good news.

Give us the boldness, Lord. Guard our hearts from any fear, anxiety, or embarrassment in sharing these things. Guard our minds from any concern that some question will be asked that we don't know how to answer. Help us, Lord, to declare the good news that Your coming into this world brings glory to God, peace on Earth, and goodwill towards men.

We rejoice in You, Jesus. We praise You. It's in Your name we pray. Amen.