The Song of the Angels

This is Song #4 in the Five Songs of the Nativity Series called The Song of the Angels.   How good it is to remember that the armies of Heaven appeared to lowly shepherds and sang gloriously to the God of Heaven in celebration of the birth of our savior.

John Fonville’s new book is called Hope and Holiness: How the Gospel Enables and Empowers Sexual Purity.  It comes out this Fall and was based on the current series. We hope you will take the time to pre-order and invest in your spiritual growth library.  

Hope and Holiness: How the Gospel Enables and Empowers Sexual Purity

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About John

John Fonville is Pastor of Paramount Church in Jacksonville, Florida. Paramount Church is part of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). 

The Him We Proclaim Podcast features the preaching and teaching ministry of Dr. John Fonville at Paramount Church. This resource aims to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people. The gospel cannot be assumed. An assumed gospel will, in time, become a denied gospel. Thus, each generation must rediscover the paramount truths of the gospel and apply the gospel's implications to their own day and age. Him we proclaim (Col. 1:28)!

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Transcript

Luke chapter two. We're going to look today at verses eight through 14. So Luke chapter two verses eight through 14. So let's read this passage together.

In the same region, there were some shepherds stayin out in the fields, and keeping watch over their flock by night.

And then the angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all the people.

For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be assigned for you, you will find a baby wrapped and claws in line and a manger.

And suddenly there appeared with an angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased.

So what we've been looking at for the season of Advent is this as we have been looking at the five songs and then tivity, the five songs that cluster around the Nativity stories in the Gospels. And the songs that we've looked at so far is the first one was the song of Elizabeth. That was a hymn of blessing. The next we looked at was the song of Mary the Magnificat that is a hymn of praise the hymn of faith.

And last week we looked at the song was Zachariah, the Benedictus, that is the hymn of hope.

This week, we're coming to the fourth song that clusters around the nativity, and these opening chapters of loose gospel. And this song is the song of angels. And it is a hymn of praise to God.

Now what is interesting about this, and Luke's Gospel is that the first three songs and Luke's Gospel are all sung by humans, and it is Earth addressing heaven.

And off three of those first songs where the humans are singing the songs, they are all waiting and hopeful expectation for the coming offspring of the woman who will come to crush the serpent's head and give victory to God's people.

And so we hear in these three songs, Earth addressing heaven, and Tinus, about the significance of the coming birth of Christ, and the significance of his miraculous conception.

But now in Luke chapter two, everything changes.

Because what we have in Luke chapter two is a rare glimpse and to the praise of heaven. We have the song of Angels we have the language of the inhabitants of Heaven itself. And so in Luke chapter two,

heaven is now addressing Earth.

And heaven is addressing earth through the praise of angels, concerning the significance of Jesus's birth, which is the fulfillment of this long awaited hopes of God's people, for centuries and centuries and centuries.

And so the song of angels is the first hymn of praise to God that is uttered for God and manifest in human flesh.

The song is very simple, the song is in verse 14 is very short.

And the angel song can be really divided up into two stanzas two parts. The first part of the song is that angels are praising God for him that he has an outworking of salvation,

for his outworking of salvation through the birth of Jesus.

But then second, the second stanza. The second part of this hymn is that the angels are praising God for the saving benefits that he gives to his people. So let's look at the first part of this hymn.

This is in verses 13 through 14 Actually, it's an introduction in verse 13. The hymn is actually verse 14, but the angels are first of all praising God for His

outworking of salvation through the birth of Jesus. Let's listen to how the song begins. Verse 13. This is kind of like the introduction, verse 13. It says suddenly, unexpectedly, that's what that word means. Unexpectedly, suddenly, the shepherds are out in the fields. Now remember, this was 2000 years ago. So there weren't light posts, right? It was dark.

Maybe there were some stars or something, maybe we don't know. But it was dark.

And so the shepherds, these common folk, they're out in their fields, watching their sheep. And unexpectedly they're appeared with the angel, the Lord, a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest.

Now, I don't know about you, but I think I would be like the shepherds who are terribly frightened.

It was daylight in the middle of the night, all of a sudden, that just doesn't happen.

So the first thing that we note is that the birth of Jesus is first announced by angels.

This long awaited promise of the offspring of Eve, Genesis 315, of the offspring of Abraham, Genesis chapter 12, of the offspring of David, Second Samuel, chapter seven, has arrived, and he's been announced by the angels from heaven.

Now what are angels, angels are set forth in Scripture is simply this they're created beings,

who are zealous obedient servants, who surround God in great glory in heaven.

And let me just give you one example besides this, and Daniel chapter seven, where you have the vision of the Ancient of Days, its Messiah, Christ.

God is seated on his throne in a heavenly courtroom and Daniel's having this vision of God reigning as judge over the whole world.

And as God sits on his throne, Daniel reveals, listen how he is surrounded, quote, he surrounded Daniel seven, verse 10. He's surrounded by myriads, upon myriads of angelic servants.

God as He sits upon his throne, is surrounded by 1000s upon 1000s of these glorious, zealous, obedient servants, ready to do his bidding, when he gives the command as the great king,

many 10s of 1000s standing ready to serve Him, and His throne room in heaven. And so we come to Luke chapter two, verse 13. And look at verse 13. Look what the Gospel of Luke says. It says, suddenly, there are there appeared a multitude look of the heavenly host.

Now, the word host is a very interesting term because it is a military term.

It was common in ancient Greek, used to denote a group of soldiers.

God's heavenly army of angels, His heavenly army of soldiers of his servants, his zealous and obedient soldiers suddenly appear to these shepherds.

John Calvin says this, he says that the Lord's hosts around him, They adorn his majesty and they render His Majesty conspicuous, that is eye catching.

He says they're like soldiers that are ever intent upon their leader standard, and thus are ready and able to carry out his commands.

So the first thing we know about this angel, the song of the angels is that the birth of Jesus waited for for millennia, are announced by the army of heaven. Soldiers, God's zealous obedient servants. The second thing that I want you to note about the song of angels is that it is a divine message originating from heaven. Look with this liquid, the hem says, Look at chapter two, verse 14,

says Glory to God in the highest.

Glory here means praise to God. It is a hymn of praise directly to God. And it is in the highest. This phrase means the highest place it means the sphere of Heaven.

The angel song is literally the ascription of praise to God that has been offered in

Heaven, and you now are being addressed on earth to hear it.

And so we have this rare glimpse into the praise of heaven we hear the language of the inhabitants of heaven, praising God for coming to earth and assuming human flesh.

And so the song of angels originates from heaven. And it is praising God for His outworking of salvation through the birth of Jesus. Now, listen carefully. The good news of Christ the gospel is a doctrine which is not in us by nature.

What is in us by nature, the law.

Every single culture in the world knows you don't kill somebody, you don't steal from somebody. I've never taught my little toddler not to take a toy, or somebody takes a toy from him, he immediately knew that that was wrong. Come to my house, and you can watch it.

That is in him by nature. God has created all of us with His law called a conscience, the moral law you can't escape it.

But the gospel is not innocent by nature.

It is revealed from heaven.

This announcement this praise to God is coming from heaven. This is heaven addressing Earth. In response to Peter's confession, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answers Peter and Matthew chapter 16, verse 17, and listen to what Jesus says to Peter. He says, You are blessed Simon, son of Jonah,

because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven.

The Gospel totally surpasses natural knowledge.

The gospel is clear and understandable, and it is so clear and understandable that a child can grasp it. Yet it is so unsearchable and deep that the greatest mind who has ever lived will never plumb its depths for an eternity.

The gospel is so deep. Paul says in Ephesians, chapter three, verse eight, it is incomprehensible. It is the unsearchable riches of Christ.

And so therefore, listen, the gospel is mysterious, because God is mystery.

God in human flesh is a mystery to nature's and one person and a baby who soils his diapers. If Jesus was born today, he would wear Pampers, he would suck a pacifier and drink from his mother's breast, he would be a human.

He would burped and he would throw up on you. I'll never forget it.

I was at my graduation and Ligonier Academy and we're all taking pictures down front. And Stuart was about what six months or six months old? So I'm holding him and all of a sudden.

And we got the picture. You can see everybody's face going.

And Catherine, you know, in her own way, she's very calm. She's just laughing as just Dukes all over Catherine, you know, and just thank goodness it didn't hit me right.

That's why I couldn't laugh.

Jesus was like that.

He would drink too much and get us upset tummy.

He was a human.

God inhuman flashes of mystery.

First Timothy chapter three, verse 16. When Paul speaks of God's entire plan of salvation, revealed in the Gospel, the apostle Paul says by common confession, great is the mystery of godliness. What is this mystery of godliness, he who was revealed in the flesh.

The Word became flesh. His deity was not converted into our humanity and the incarnation, the eternal Son of God,

who has forever existed, not subordinate to the Father but equal to the Father and the Holy Spirit as we confess in our Nicene Creed.

And the incarnation the eternal Son assumed our human nature

can't explain it. It's what happen.

great is the mystery of godliness. You know, I don't want to worship a god I can fully understand

I want mystery. I want wonder. I want to be amazed and you're going to see in a moment that these folks when this happened,

they were amazed.

The incarnation is the most amazing event in all of history they internal, omnipotent, omnipresent, infinitely Holy Son of God assuming human nature, living among us as the God man and one person who wants to explain that today.

Even the religious pluralist John Hick who didn't believe anything in the Bible, wrote this, if Jesus was indeed God incarnate. Christianity is the only religion founded by God in person, and must as such be uniquely superior to all other religions.

I think he's exactly right.

Here's the third thing I don't want you to note about the sound of the angels and the sound of the angels is in keeping with the humility of God in the incarnation.

The birth of a king son was typically made an occasion of public reveling in rejoicing, right? The kings had a son, that's a big deal.

But the announcement of the birth of Jesus, the great prince of peace was made privately at midnight without any worldly pop and no ostentation whatsoever. It came to a bunch of common shepherds in the middle of a field.

And so when we consider the condescension of the eternal Son of God, he did not come in glory and splendor riding on the great white horse. Oh, he will.

Don't forget.

But not this time.

He was born in a stable and he was laid the loop says in a manger, do you know what the word manger really means? We need to get rid of the word manger

because it doesn't give you the punch. He was laid in an animal feeding truss. Have you ever who has a dog who has a cat? Have you ever smelled your dog or casserole if you haven't cleaned out for two or three weeks, maybe a month

where he eats from left to clean, it doesn't smell too good.

Jesus was laid in an animal feeding trough

the great king.

He came to common people shepherds he didn't come to rulers into the mighty he came to an obscure Jewish virgin. In her humble state. She was the ordinary wife of a village carpenter unheard of.

One an amazing condescension by the Lord of Glory, to stoop to such a low and poor thing state for our sake.

This is amazing.

Now, look again, because

the amazing thing to note about this song of angels is that instead of assembling his his heavenly army to fight and destroy his enemies, God sends His heavenly army to announce terms of peace on the battlefield.

Look at verse 14. Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased

that angels revealed to the shepherds through their praise what the result of Jesus's coming means for God's people. So this brings us to the second part of the hymn of praise the second stanza, here it is, they're praising God for the saving benefits he gives to his people through the birth of his son. What are the two benefits that the angels praise God for? It's very clear, peace on earth.

The angels praise God for the peace that he brings. Christ's birth brings peace.

And they're praising God for this benefit of peace. The song continues, Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, peace.

Now, last week, if you go back to Luke chapter one verse 79, Zacharias song of hope, his hymn of hope, sets up and anticipates the angel song here. Because in verse 79, Zachariah, he ends with this about he's prophesied that what Jesus will bring to sinful man, he says, that when Jesus is born, Man will come to have peace with God. Listen, because the tender mercy of our God, who was revealed in the sunrise from on high, will visit us and guide us into the way of peace.

And what Zach?

Araya and hope was prophesying through his song, the angels are announcing in their song fulfillments from heaven. Here's the piece right in front of your eyes.

And so the angels announced that the great king has been pleased to announce peace to his enemies with whom he was formerly in deadly opposition. Do you know what the word peace means?

It means the harmonious relationship that exists between God and humans.

It's the Old Testament concept of the word that you've heard Shalom.

Listen to the rotting blessing from Numbers chapter six, verses 24 through 26. The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you shalom, give you peace.

Listen to Psalm 29, verse 11, where David declares this, the Lord your way, will bless His people with peace.

He will bless His people with peace.

Look at Luke chapter two verses eight and nine. Luke says that the shepherds are greatly terrified by the glory of the Lord was shown around them like an overpowering light, all of a sudden it was daylight at midnight.

And so he says in the same region, there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them in the glory of the Lord shown around them, and they were terribly frightened.

Listen, sinful man should be terribly frightened by the glory of the Lord.

They were rightly frightened. In other words, they were scared spitless.

Listen to Revelation chapter one, verse 17, where the Apostle John who was called the beloved disciple of Jesus, he was the closest man who has ever been the closest with Jesus.

But listen to what happens to the beloved disciple when he encounters the glorious risen Son of God.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.

If Jesus at that point doesn't say to John, as you'll hear in a minute, Fear not. John had every reason to remain on the ground, and to be terribly frightened.

The good news, however, is that because Jesus died and rose again, he has the keys of death and hell in his hands, and he gives those keys to his people.

And so John doesn't have to fear so listen to the whole passage, Revelation 117 and 18. He placed his right hand on me saying, Do not be afraid.

I am the First and the Last and the living one, and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. And I have the keys of death in hell.

If, in the same way, when the angel the Lord analysis to the shepherds, fear not, they had every reason to fear.

These are God's soldiers coming from heaven,

and perfectly obey the king's commands.

But note this well the king through His ambassadors from heaven, have come to the battlefield announcing peace, not war.

God is coming to his enemies announcing peace.

They are announcing good news of great joy this war is over.

Article Two in the 39 articles says this.

It says that the word or the Son of God became truly man he truly suffered he was crucified, died and was buried. Why? To reconcile the Father to us? Did you know that's the only reform confession of all the reformed confessions that uses that phrase to reconcile the Father to us. Most talked about us being reconciled to the Father which is true.

But Jesus became a man suffered crucified, died and was buried to reconcile the Father to us. Why?

What does reconciliation assume?

It assumes a previous state of alienation and hostility caused by the offensive actions of another.

And listen in this case our

alienation from the father is due entirely to our sinful rebellion. And this estrangement is solely our fault.

Psalm chapter five, verse five, you hate all who do wrong?

Have you ever thought about that?

And our sinful fallen state we are enemies of God the Father

and He is hostile towards us.

His wrath is against us. His judgment stands over us. God's hatred is not to be thought of as some terms of sinful human murderous hatred where God is just like this overbearing ogre.

His hatred is simply his just unholy revulsion against sin and all that is holy. Your eyes are to pure Habakkuk. He says, to look upon evil.

And so reconciliation, this estrangement, this, we are enemies of God and we need the father reconciled to us.

But despite their estrangement from God, the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 14, verses one through two, analysis, comfort to the people of God who were estranged from him in exile in Babylon, and listen to what the Prophet says to these people who are alienated in exile from God.

Comfort,

comfort, my people says you're done. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and cry to her that her warfare is ended.

Because her iniquity is pardoned.

We are no longer enemies at war with God, we are now at peace since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We have keys because of Romans 510. Listen carefully. While we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his son, peace on earth through this time.

This is good news.

This is the reason the angel's announcement of peace is so amazing. The king servants unexpectedly appear, announcing from Heaven we're not here to destroy you. We're here to announce the reconciliation back to the Father through the Jesus this child born to you today.

This child is not a cause for fear. It is good news of great joy.

It's exactly what every terrified heart longs for. If your heart is terrified of God, if your heart is terrified of judgment, listen to Martin Luther, a troubled and sorrowful heart craves nothing more than peace and comfort to know that it has a gracious God.

This is what the angels are announcing you've got a gracious God.

He's brought peace through His Son. Luther goes on to say, You must not imagine the Christ is angry with you.

For he did not come to earth and become man for that reason that he might shove you into hell.

Much less was he crucified and died for that purpose. Instead, he came that you might have great joy in him. That was his Christmas Eve sermon over 500 years ago to his church.

The war is over the alienation the divine displeasure toward us from the Father because of our sin has been removed. We're not enemies of God, were at peace with God.

And so notice who the angels announced this announce who are the recipients of God's peace at the end of this hymn? Look at the end of the hymn Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased

to Psalm right. God's peace extends to men with whom he is pleased. The words not only over and you're not only not God's enemies, who's in grave danger, you are the delight of his eyes.

He's pleased with you.

And so this brings us to the second benefit that the angels praise God for not only his sovereign peace but his sovereign favour.

Christ's birth brings peace, which then brings us into the favor and delight of God.

This phrase men with whom he is pleased that was a technical phrase and first century Judaism

that stood for God's elect.

You know, election in the church gets a bad rap. But election in the church is always tied to the goodwill of the father.

It's love before time it's affection before time.

Those listen peace to those on whom God has poured out His delight and favor upon.

Who Who are these people in the world in this context, God's the lack those whom God has poured out His favor is Mary.

Look back at Luke chapter one, verse 28.

The angel Gabriel says to Mary greetings, favorite one.

The Lord is with you look again, verse chapter one, verse 30. Gabriel says to Mary, do not be afraid, there it is again.

Do not be afraid, Mary, For you have found favor with God.

We have already seen from the song of Elizabeth Hello Elizabeth, Mary's cousin says that Mary is the object of the Lord's divine favor delight. She's the object of grace.

The angel Gabriel Mary, you're the Blessed One. You're the favorite one. This is passive. This is all reception. Mary hasn't done anything.

It's God's election and grace that have singled her out among all women. All mothers of Israel, as we've learned from all these songs, we're living in 1000s of years of anticipation, who will be the mother to be the Offspring of a woman. It's Mary. Why? Just because God favored her. That's why

you have found favor with God. This again is a common Hebrew expression announcing Gaza unmerited favor, you haven't done anything for this favor. God's favor is not only different from worthy, it's the very opposite.

Mary even acknowledges her own unworthiness and her own song.

And so Paul in Ephesians, chapter one, verse six, uses the exact same verb that he uses for Mary Mary, you found favor with God, he uses the exact same verb in chapter one, verse six of Ephesians, to speak to us.

He has made us accepted, he has made us favored the object of God's sovereign delight in the Beloved.

In Christ, God's great favor with which he favored us through his dearly love, son. And so it is not in judgment, but in grace that God has sent his army of heaven with this good news. So let me ask you a question this morning, as we think about Christmas. If someone were to ask you today,

is God pleased with you?

What would you answer?

How would you respond? Do you believe this morning that you are the object of God's sovereign delight?

You see, the joyful astounding truth of the angels announcement is that God is pleased with his people.

Peace on Earth, to those with whom he is well pleased.

The pleasure the object of God's pleasure in the light.

So how can you be pleasing to God if you're in your sinful, rebellious state and not pleasing to Him? Right?

Well, verses nine through 12. The angels tell us Luke tells us the angel analysis good news of salvation, I bring you good news of great joy to the shepherds. After centuries and centuries of waiting. The Lord's promise in the Davidic Covenant has been fulfilled in Mary's womb and she has birth the son of David who will reign forever and ever and bless His people.

And so look at verse 11, the angel announces to the shepherds, why their message is good news. Look at verse 11.

Again, this is why God can be pleased with you.

For unto you is born this day, and the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Now, just note, a couple of quick observations about this as we wrap this up. First of all, the angels say, Christ is born this day. Galatians four, four and God in the fullness of time, God the Father sent forth his Son,

just as been foretold and traumas 800 years before Christ was born.

The prophet Micah and Micah chapter five verse two foretold that Messiah shoved the shepherd king would be born in Bethlehem in the ancestral home of King David.

And that's exactly what these

Angels are announcing what was promised has been fulfilled.

But second, look at this, don't miss the angels words unto you. For unto you is born this day.

A lot of babies were born on the day Jesus was born right?

But they weren't born unto you.

This because the words of Isaiah nine six for to us, for, to us a child is born to us a son is given.

Many babies were born but Jesus was born unto you, Jesus was given to us as a gift from the Father.

And so you have, you have not believed the gospel until you can say in faith, the son was born and gifted by the father to me, to us. On this day, he's been born unto you, given to you by the Father.

And then third note this. Look at this threefold description of this baby who's laying in the animal feeding trough.

He is Savior, Christ the Lord.

All three titles appear over and over throughout the Old Testament. And so Mary's son who was laying in an animal feeding trough is the Savior. That is a significant term in the Old Testament applied to God himself.

This term savior in the Old Testament, it speaks of the God who delivers from various types of peril.

Let me just give you one example. Isaiah chapter 43, verses 1311 your way the Lord declares, for I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

I, even I am the Lord and there is no savior besides me. That is exactly what Peter says. When he says there's there's been given no other name under heaven and earth by which a man may be saved

than Jesus.

Matthew chapter one, verse 21, the angel the Lord appears to Joseph and injure him and he says, Mary, she will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. Our sins are our greatest peril that we need deliverance and salvation from.

And this is the child born under you he Savior, He is y'all are the Old Testament.

Second, look at this Mary son is Christ. He is the Messiah, He is the Anointed One. He is the Anointed Son of David. Look back at Luke chapter one verses 31 through 33.

This baby in the animal feeding trough. Listen, behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, He will be great. It will be called the Son of the Most High that's a descriptive title of deity. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and his kingdom will have known when

he is anointed son, Messiah of David he is Savior God for the Old Testament, He is the Savior King because finally He's Lord,

Savior, Christ and Lord this, this word, Lord, if you look at the Septuagint, and the Greek translation in the Old Testament, that is a translation of the name Yahweh. And that is a covenant name that God gave himself

and revere revealed himself.

These two descriptive titles Christ and Lord Yahweh further describe savior. Listen to what these angels are announcing. They're describing Mary's newborn son in the highest possible terms that the Bible has. He is Savior, he is anointed Messiah, Son of David, he is Yahweh incarnate.

He's God of the Old Testament and a baby's body.

This baby was born above everything else to be a Savior, God incarnate, so that all who are terribly on pleasing to God can become exceedingly pleasing to Him.

What greater joy is there to know that you are now God the object of God's sovereign favor?

Why are you that?

Listen, because the Father's good pleasure comes to us in no other way than through Christ alone.

Remember, Ephesians chapter one verse six I quoted a second ago it says that we have been favored. graced in the Bible and the beloved capital being in Christ. Listen carefully.

Through the gift of faith, the Holy Spirit unites us to the Beloved. And when were you not?

Add to the beloved you know we receive from that the same commendation that he receives from his father, because over and over the New Testament describes God's people as the beloved of the Father as the beloved of God. You have the exact same name as the Son himself.

And so the apostle Paul in Romans chapter nine, verse 25, he close Hosea, chapter two, verse 23, and he says that the Christian, those who are not my people, I will call my people and those who are not beloved, they were not desirable. There were not an object of anything but but but but enemies to Me. Those who are not Beloved, I will call Beloved.

We who are in the Beloved, become the beloved of the Father through Him.

And so we we must believe this, this good news.

We must believe this good news.

The good news announced by the angel in this him Is it because there's been boring for you this day in the city of David, a Savior, who has Christ the Lord, a holy and righteous God brings you peace, where you are an enemy, and brings you favor makes you the beloved, where you were not before.

Do you begin to see why the angels are rejoicing about this.

This is something to sing about. We should sing this. This is something to sing about, isn't it?

That you're not God's enemy, that you are his object of favor forever, because you're in the beloved son who was born for you this day?

That's something to sing about. What should be our response? Let me give you three suggestions. Okay. First amazement, look at verse 18, of Luke chapter two.

All who heard it, were amazed

at what the shepherds told them. This word translated amaze, it means to be to wonder, Marvel, when the shepherds came to the place of Jesus's birth, and, and they shared with all who are present and Joseph and Mary and all the animals, right. The response to the things that they had just seen and heard these people were in utter Marvel amazing it.

You gotta be kidding. Right now. I mean, we were just sitting here. I mean, there was daylight,

and this angel and then the whole army of Heaven came.

And they said, good news. Don't be afraid. This is good news. A great joy. And so we came and now we're telling you, here he is, I mean, this is amazing. That's what it would have been like. These people were flabbergasted.

This surprising appearance of a whole army from heaven.

Darkness turn to immediate light, blinding light of the glory of the Lord, dispersing the darkness bright as day.

Good news of great joy, the long awaited promise for over 2000 years

fulfilled in an obscure Jewish Virgin's womb

Wow, let's let's get away from the sentimental, ridiculous song away in the manger. Just throw that song away.

No crying he makes really.

He assumed all humanity. So as Gregory Nazianzus said, and what he did not assume he did not heal.

He assumed not only body but a human soul. He was 100% me to save me.

Let's be amazed over the mystery of God assuming human flesh. Second, let's give very careful consideration. Look at verse 19.

Mary treasured up all these things pondering them and her heart.

She treasured. She stored up for careful consideration in her memory, the gospel.

I mean, the Gospel just came out of her.

years thought about that.

Come on. Listen. She had a miraculous conception. She had an ordinary birth.

The birth wasn't miraculous, because God had to be human.

She was giving careful thought to God just came out of me.

This is my Savior.

This is my king. This is Christ. The Lord. Hey, y'all play and carnate holy moly, right?

I mean, good night.

Just go home and give, as best you can careful consideration like marry, to this unsearchable, incomprehensible mystery called the God man and just chew on it for a while.

And then third, and finally, this is very simple praise.

Look at verse 20. And the shepherd's returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

God's peace in favor, revealed in the sending of the his son to be a savior for centers, producing the shepherd's heart, a heart of glorifying and praising God. This was not the shepherds returning with a bogey clap.

This was the shepherds at the last hole up in Augusta, where it's a tide match. Listen with the worst player who's ever played in the history of golf. And he's not even on a tour. He was what do you call it? When they just get a card to get to play special? What do you call that?

Yeah, he got an exemption. He's about to win the Masters and he has a hole in one from a par five.

This is better than that. And you just hear a master roar like whoa, you know,

this is the most stupendous event in the history of the world.

And the shepherds are glorifying and praising God rejoicing.

Christ was born to unto unto us by the goodwill of our father.

All of the benefits of our salvation are owing to the Father's goodwill towards us. The sun brings us peace, the sun brings us into favor. He has the blessed offspring of Veep, who is going to be born to crush the serpent's head. He has the blessed offspring of Abraham, and whom all the nations will be blessed, and he has the offspring of David, listen, and he will reign for ever and ever and his kingdom will no no in and he will reign not listen in judgment, but in blessing to his people

that he's born to you this day. So the good news leads us to echo the language of the inhabitants of heaven, and to sing the language of Heaven. Listen, Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace among men with whom he is well pleased. Praise be and thanks be to God. Amen.

Let's pray. Father, we thank You. We thank you for this amazing announcement of good news in the battlefield, the war is over.

You don't have enemies but you have Beloved.

Thank you for the peace and favor that you have brought to us through the birth of your son. Forgive us forever, being here haughty and prideful, when the eternal Sun condescended in such humility and stoop so low,

to be placed in a human body and put in an animal feeding trust for our salvation.

Help us to give careful consideration to the

mystery of godliness he who was revealed in the flesh

and give our hearts wonder and amazement. And let us now as an act of praise and faith worship, like the shepherds, glorifying and praising God for all that we have seen and heard here today. We pray this in the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thanks again for listening to the him we proclaim podcast. Please subscribe if you haven't already for all our new episodes. And if this message was just what you needed to hear, please let us know in the comments and share it with a friend

Transcribed by https://otter.ai