The very first Christmas sermon was delivered by an angel to some shepherds on a dark night outside of Bethlehem in the open air. Their message was one of good news of great joy. May it still have the same effect in our lives today!
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The First Christmas Sermon
Luke 2:1-12
The other day I found myself wondering how many Christmas sermons have every been preached. It’s mind boggling just to try to estimate how many Christmas sermons are preached every year throughout the world. Surely there must be many millions of Christmas sermons preached since Jesus Christ was born. However, today I want to go way, way back to the very first Christmas sermon ever preached. My goal today, is to simply re-preach that very first Christmas sermon.
The Preacher is an unnamed angel. He is called “an angel of the Lord.” Although his name is not given to us here, I’ve got a hunch I know who he is. I think he is Gabriel. I say that because it seems that he is the angel God has assigned to the details concerning bringing His Son into the world. 500 years before this, it was Gabriel who appeared to Daniel and told him how long it would be until Messiah the Prince would come (Daniel 9:20-27). Later it was Gabriel who appeared to Zacharias to announce that he would have a son who would be the Messiah’s forerunner (Luke 1:8-20). He then appeared to Mary and told her that she would bear a son who would be called the Son of the Most High (Luke 1:26-38). All along, he has been put in charge of the details concerning the birth of Jesus Christ. So, it is very likely that he is the one who has now appeared to these shepherds.
The Congregation is comprised of “some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.”
The Location for the sermon was not the Temple, or a synagogue, but out in the open fields surrounding Bethlehem. Truly, this angel was going to preach an open-air sermon.
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, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened (2:8-9). I can just imagine old Gabriel. He is so excited. He has completed his assignment. The Son of God has been born into the world at the right time, and the right place, safe and sound in Bethlehem. But, he’s got to tell somebody. He’s just going to burst if he doesn’t. But, who is he going to tell? It’s the middle of the night, and nobody is awake! Except, for some shepherds out on the hills watching over their flock. So, in he cruises to where the shepherds are, and suddenly stands before them in the glory of the Lord. To these astonished shepherds it must have looked like a prolonged lightning bolt, lighting up the sky. No wonder it says that they were terribly frightened! It’s interesting to me, that every time in Luke 1 and 2 that an angel appears to someone, they are frightened, and he tells them, “Do not fear.” Well, having appeared to these angels, he is ready to give his sermon, his announcement of what has taken place. The entire “sermon” is two sentences long, and would take less than 20 seconds to speak! But, oh, what profound wonderful truth was uttered in those 20 seconds! Men have been pondering the truth revealed in those 20 seconds for the last 2,000 years we will be pondering that truth for all eternity, and never reach the bottom of it.
This morning I want to look at this first Christmas sermon from 4 different angles: The Characteristics, Content, and Comprehensiveness of the Message.
1. The Characteristics of the Message
It Was Gospel-Centered. The word for “good news” in verse 10 is the same Greek word used throughout the New Testament for gospel. The first Christmas sermon was a gospel message. The gospel is the good news about what God has done to save sinners through Jesus Christ. This message was all about Jesus – how He is Savior, Christ, and Lord. Actually, Jesus is the gospel. This was a gospel-centered message because it was a Christ-centered message.
If all we do is proclaim the Law, and man’s guilt and depravity, we haven’t preached the gospel at all. All of that is just a warm-up, a lead in to the greatest message the world has ever heard – the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ!
It Was Joy-Producing. Notice the words of the angel in verse 10, “for behold I bring you good news of great joy.” This angel didn’t just bring a message which might produce a little lift, a temporary warm feeling which would quickly fade away. This angel brought a message which would produce Great Joy! In fact this message is so joy-producing that it has the ability to transform someone’s life permanently. This message has the ability to create within the heart of a sinner a permanent joy which he will carry within him fore the rest of his life. It is a powerful message.
The preaching of the Law and guilt doesn’t produce joy. It produces fear, anxiety and dread. And, frankly, every sinner needs to go through a period in which he honestly faces his guilt for having broken God’s holy Law, and come to the place where he is undone, and feels absolutely doomed. However, once a sinner has been convicted of sin, it’s time to pour in the gospel medicine. And this gospel produces joy – joy unspeakable and full of glory! Has the preaching of the gospel ever filled you with joy? I pray that it will fill and re-fill you every time you hear its joyful sound! May the gospel produce joy in your heart this morning.
2. The Content of the Message
A Savior Has Been Born
The message of the gospel will never fill someone with great joy, unless they first realize their desperate need. If I was standing in a long line in a bank, and you rushed in, grabbed me by the arm, tore my shirt, and dragged me out of the bank, I would be mad! “What do you think you’re doing?!” If you replied, “I’m saving you from the bank”, I would probably say, “Thank you very much, but I don’t need saving. Now, please let go of my arm, so I can go back in to the bank and conduct my business!” You tore my shirt, hurt my arm, made me lose my place in line, and embarrassed me in front of all the other customers. However, if when I was in line at the bank, a group of bank robbers burst into the bank, and held all of us hostage at gunpoint, and then you rushed in, rescued me from their hands and pulled me out of the bank, things would be very different, wouldn’t they?! I would be so grateful and filled with joy. I wouldn’t mind it a bit that you tore my shirt, and hurt my arm. So, what’s the difference? In the first situation, I didn’t see myself in any danger, but in the second situation I knew I was doomed unless help came from the outside.
If you have ever known that you are guilty, condemned and under the wrath of God, and then heard the gospel preached, it then brings great joy! But if you hear the gospel preached, but think you’re a good person, and don’t really need it, you tend to ignore it as irrelevant, or you tend to become irritated with those who preach it.
My friends, boys and girls, if you are not in Christ, you are in the greatest imaginable danger. You are in danger of perishing eternally. Heaven is real, and Hell is just as real! Once a man dies in his sins, there is never any chance that he can ever escape Hell. After death, it’s too late to repent.
You might remember the mining accident that took place in Chile in 2010. 33 people were trapped 2,300 feet under the surface. There was nothing they could do to save themselves. If they would be saved from certain death, help had to come from the outside. And, that’s exactly what happened. The entire world watched with breathless anticipation as after 69 days, every one of those 33 people were rescued from the collapsed mine. Now, if you are not in Christ, you are in the exact same situation those 33 people were in. You are in danger of perishing, and you can’t save yourself. If you will ever be saved, Someone from the outside is going to have to have mercy on you, and make the heroic effort to save you. And that is what God has done when He sent Jesus Christ!
Do you really believe what the Bible says about you? It says you are helpless, blind, deaf, depraved and dead. God’s wrath abides on you. Once your eyes are opened to really see that truth, you will turn in faith to Christ and drink deeply of His gospel and it will be joy-producing in your life!
The Christ Has Been Born
The word “Christ” is the Greek version of the word “Messiah.” It means “Anointed One.” There were three kinds of people anointed in the Old Testament – Prophets, Priests and Kings.
Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, who has come as the Anointed One. He is our Prophet to speak God’s Word to us. He is our Priest to offer Himself up as our atoning sacrifice for sin. He is our King to wisely and graciously rule over us.
He is the One that all of the Scriptures point out.
- He is the Seed of the Woman who would crush the Serpent’s head.
- He is the Seed of Abraham through whom all the families of the earth would be blessed.
- He is the Son of David who will reign on his throne forever.
- He is the son of the Virgin who would be called Emmanuel.
- He is the Priest after the order of Melchizedek.
- He is the Mysterious Man who wrestled with Jacob.
- He is the fairest of 10,000
- He is the Lily of the Valley
- He is the Bright and Morning Star
- He is the Friend that Sticks closer than a Brother
- He is the Sun of Righteousness
- He is the Branch
- He is the Wonderful Counsel, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace
- He is the Servant of Jehovah
Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s prophecies, and the angel was announcing, “He is here!”
The Lord Has Been Born
The word “Lord” means that He is God. He is Master over all. He is the Lord God Jehovah. True, Jesus came into the world as a helpless infant, but at the same time He was the Lord of glory.
Graham Kendrick tried to put this great truth into a contemporary hymn called “Meekness And Majesty”.
Meekness and majesty, manhood and Deity, in perfect harmony, the Man who is God
Lord of eternity, dwells in humanity, knees in humility and washes our feet
Father’s pure radiance, perfect in innocence, yet learns obedience to death on a cross
Suffering to give us life, conquering through sacrifice, and as they crucify prays Father forgive
Wisdom unsearchable, God the Invisible, love indestructible in frailty appears
Lord of infinity, stooping so tenderly, lifts our humanity to the heights of His throne
O what a mystery, meekness and majesty, bow down and worship, for this is your God!
Folks, the angel was telling these shepherds that God has come down. God has visited His people. The Lord of heaven and earth has appeared this day!
3. The Comprehensiveness of the Message
All the People
When the shepherds first heard this message, they would have understood it as “all the people of Israel.” However, over time, God’s light broke through revealing that this Savior came into the world for a far greater range of people. Why is the gospel good news of great joy for all the people?
Because Jesus is a Suitable Savior for All People. What Jesus did perfectly fits their situation and need. He died for sins. All sin deserves death. He died. He paid the penalty that all sinners deserve. All people on the planet are sinners deserving death. Well Jesus came into the world and died as payment for sin. What Christ did is suitable to the desperate problem of all sinners.
Because Jesus is a Sufficient Savior for All People. What Christ accomplished in His atoning work was sufficient. It was enough for all people. No other sacrifice is needed. 1 Timothy 4:10 says that “He is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.” He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn.1:29). That is not to say that all men will be saved by His death. It is to say that if they comply with the conditions God has laid down (repentance and faith), His death will avail for them.
The Dutch theologians in the early 1600’s who wrote the Canons of the Synod of Dort put it this way: “The death of the Son of God is the only and most perfect sacrifice and satisfaction for sin, and is of infinite worth and value, abundantly sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole world…and whereas many who are called by the gospel do not repent nor believe in Christ, but perish in unbelief, this is not owing to any defect or insufficiency in the sacrifice offered by Christ upon the cross, but is wholly to be imputed to themselves.”
Because Jesus is a Savior We Offer to All People. God has commanded His people to indiscriminately offer Christ to all people, regardless of sex, age, or race. We are called to offer, invite and command all people everywhere to repent and trust in Jesus Christ for eternal salvation. We should not make the choice of who we offer Christ to. We are commanded to preach the gospel to all creation.
For You
“There has been born FOR YOU a Savior…” Who was the angel speaking to? Shepherds. That may not seem very significant to you, but it is very significant. Let me tell you a little about shepherds.
- Shepherds were social outcasts
- Shepherds were on the lowest rung of the social ladder.
- Shepherds were considered ceremonially unclean because they were constantly coming in contact with unclean animals and carcasses of animals.
- Shepherds could not attend worship at the temple
- Shepherds were considered to be dishonest, and were not permitted to give their testimony in a court of law.
Do you find it a little odd that when God that when God wanted to announce to someone that Jesus had been born, He went to the outcasts to do it? Wouldn’t you have thought He would go to the Sanhedrin, to the people of power, and wealth, and influence to announce the birth of the Messiah? God delights to hide these things from the wise and intelligent and reveal them to babes (Lk 10:21). Not many wise, mighty or noble are called. Instead God delights to call the foolish, weak, base, and despised. Why? So that no many may boast before God! He has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom. No one is so poor, sinful or rejected that God’s grace can not reach them and transform them!
Conclusion
A sergeant was once explaining to a group of soldiers about to make their first parachute jump what to do if their main chute did not open. He said, “pull the rip cord of your reserve chute, and it will bring you safely to the ground.” A private nervously raised his hand, “What’s your question, soldier?” “Sergeant, if my main parachute doesn’t open, how long do I have to pull my reserve?” The sergeant looked him directly in the eyes and replied earnestly, “The rest of your life, soldier. The rest of your life.”
How long do you have to respond in faith to the gospel? The rest of your life. The problem is that none of us knows how long that is going to be. In 2008, my 40 year old brother went for a ride on his motorcycle, never dreaming he would never come home. He was in an accident and was killed. We don’t have tomorrow guaranteed to us.
Only a madman would sit on top of a box of explosives after the timer has been triggered. He could say, “Hey, for all I know, it could be another 3 weeks before this thing goes off. I think I’ll just sit down and have a bite to eat.” We would say that guy is crazy and we would be right. But sin makes us insane. It tells us we can continue to indulge the lusts of our flesh, and ignore the offer of mercy in Christ, because we’ve got a long time to live. You don’t know that. Make your peace with God today. Come to Jesus Christ. Trust Him. Turn from sin and begin a life of following Him as Lord, Savior and Messiah!
And those of you who have already because Christ followers, let the Good News bring you Great Joy this Christmas Season. You have a Savior, Messiah and Lord! Rejoice in that and tell everyone you can about Him!
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