Sermon - Ryan McCoy - What Now? [Luke 2:20]

Christmas is the culmination of a long season of waiting.  After Advent, the world settles down and we ask, “what’s next?”In Luke chapter two, we hear again the story of the shepherds- ordinary, lowly, workers that we don’t know a lot about - but what we do know is that the night the angels appeared to them was the most memorable night they had ever had. Their response to the angelic chorus was to go and see.  After they saw, their response was to go and to tell.  What if our shouts on the mountainside created an avalanche of good news?  The shepherds go back to the fields, but they’re not the same. 

Jesus changes everything. 

When we encounter Jesus, nothing will ever be the same.  After you meet Him, you are a person changed by and beholden to Jesus Christ- not by obligation but by desire. 

Christmas has come.  What now?  It’s discipleship.  We learn, we gather, we worship, we study, we take up our crosses, we put away sin and put on the armor of God, we are known as God’s people. 

In Matthew 19:16, we see the contrast of the rich young ruler v. the shepherds.  The rich young ruler goes away sad because he had great wealth.  The shepherds go rejoicing and praising God.  Jesus’ message is to put to death everything that stands between you and Jesus.  But we have to choose to change.  Jesus doesn’t force it, but extends an invitation.  All we have to do is reach out and take it.  It doesn’t matter where we meet Jesus- wherever we meet Him, we have the chance to go away changed.  Now that Christ has come, will you go away like the shepherds, rejoicing and praising God?  Or will you go away like the rich young ruler, going away sad, because you have met your savior and found him wanting?  How will we return?