Luke chapter 2. And here it says in verse 15, And it came to pass, as the angels
were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one
to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this
thing which is come to pass, Now this is what I want you to
see, which the Lord hath made known unto us. The Lord hath
made known unto us. If you know anything about Christ
and the scriptures, only the Lord can make it known to you.
And that's what I want to talk about today. Christ, Christ,
God's revelation. God revealed himself in the Lord
Jesus Christ. And I read these verses to you,
and I'm going to try to go through all 18 of them, say a few words
about them. But what we have here is the
birth of a child, the birth of a firstborn son. And the birth
of any child is wonderful. Everybody knows that when you
have a, especially a firstborn. I mean, it's something new, some
new experience. A new soul is brought into existence,
someone to take home, care for and love, meet all of its needs. But the birth of this child,
this child right here, is the most blessed birth of any child
that's ever been born on the top side of God's earth. It was
a supernatural birth. It was a predestinated birth.
It was the birth of God Himself. Clothed in flesh. I was talking
to a dear preacher friend of mine last night, and he read
something to me that Mr. Spurgeon had said. It said, God
unrobed himself for a space of time. Unrobed himself in flesh. Greatest mystery known. Unrobed
himself of his glory and came here and robed himself in flesh.
Robed himself in the womb of a virgin. And all beloved, this
birth of our blessed Lord Jesus, supernatural, miraculous, because
it was God come down, Emmanuel come to be with us. And the blessings
to men through this birth, until the last person that will ever
be born on the topside of this earth when he comes again, the
blessings that have come through the birth of this child, is untold. You cannot begin to tell the
blessings. I mean, just take us as individuals here today.
When this child was born, this Savior was born, when this Lord
Jesus Christ was born, can you begin to tell the blessings that
come to you through His birth? Just because He was born, because
He lived, and because He died, can you measure the blessings
that you have received through this man coming into this world. And I'll tell you what's why
it says the Lord has made it come to pass what the Lord has
made known unto us. And so that's what I want to
talk about, Christ, God's revelation. First of all, our Lord Jesus
Christ, born of a woman. Let's look at the time. Look
here in verse 1. And it came to pass, and it always
does come to pass, in those days that I went out of decree. from
Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. And this
taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria, and they
all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city. Now, see,
this is a time to be accomplished. Augustus Caesar was the first
Roman emperor. He was the first Caesar, and
he had all the world, and he ruled the world, a known world
at that particular time. ruled over the Jews, and he said,
I want everybody to be taxed. And for you to be taxed, you
had to go to the city that you lived in, where you was born
in, and you had to go there. And that's the way they enrolled
you, kept a census, and everybody knew where you was. But they
went there to be taxed. And it says here that the time
was, decree went out. Well, at the time that Augustus
Caesar sent this decree, God already had a decree. You know why Augustus made this
decree? Because God made a decree. There
was a woman and a man that was supposed to be in Bethlehem at
a certain time, at a certain day, at a certain hour. And all
the wisdom and beauty, and it says, when it came to pass, and
everyone went to his city, and when the fullness of time was
come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman. and all the
wisdom of God in planning all events to bring to pass His will.
You think that Caesar just got up one day and said, I'm going
to tax everybody, and I'll go. And I want everybody to go where
they're supposed to be, and I want to get my money from them. Yes,
that's what he thought he was doing. But he was just carrying
out God's will. He was just doing what God intended
him to do. And God's decree went out before
this. And when we talk about decrees, When we talk about God,
there's just one decree. Now, a man has to make a lot
of decrees, but God, His will is done by one decree. He decreed
the end from the very beginning. And known under God are all His
works from the creation. And everything, and I love this
about God, I love this about His Word, everything happens
exactly at God's time. And they say, we're watching,
you know, God's time clock down to about the last few seconds.
God don't have a time clock. He don't need a time clock. God
don't measure time. We're the ones that measure time.
That's why the scriptures is full of us being told by my times
are in by hands. Lord, make me know the end of
my days. Make me to know how frail I am.
Make me to understand by the end. And the reason he gave us
time is for you and I to understand that there's a time that you
and I will be no more. And so God gives us a time in
which to hear the gospel, in which to believe, in which to
come to Christ. And there will come a time when
time will cease to be. But right now, time's for us.
It's not for God. I mean, we're just a blip like
that, as far as God's concerned, as far as talent goes. But everything
happens at God's time. Right down to the minutest detail. God put all these things in motion
for one reason. If you're not going to look at
the time, the decree went out. God said, I decree. I decreed
that on I don't know what day of the week it was, or don't
know what time of year it was, but I know this, and God said,
I'm going to put some words in this man. Now he's going to say
just exactly what I want him to say, going to do what I want
him to do. And that's what happens. Now look what else happens. Look
not only at the time, but look at the place. In verse 4, And
Joseph also went up out from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth,
unto Judea, unto the city of David. which is called Bethlehem
because he was the lineage of David. Now, the place that our
Lord Jesus Christ was born, where he had to be, it wasn't at Nazareth. It wasn't at Jerusalem. It wasn't
at Galilee, though they called him a Galilean. They called him
Jesus of Nazareth. He wasn't born at Jerusalem.
He wasn't born in Rome. Though he's going to be the king,
he is the king. But he must go to a little village
called Bethlehem, the city of David. And you know why he has
to go there? Because that's where David was born, and that's where
God said he would be born, and God said who would come out of
that. Now you keep Luke 2 and turn to Micah, chapter 5. Micah,
chapter 5. Micah is right after the book
of Jonah. Look in Micah, chapter 5. See what God says about this.
This is told hundreds and hundreds of years before our Savior came
into this world. He must be born in Bethlehem. He must be. Look what it says
here in Micah chapter 5 and verse 2. But thou Bethlehem, Ephrathah,
Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah." I mean all
the thousands of Judah. I mean Judah's the royal tribe, the kings come out of
it, and all the thousands that's in Judah. He said, you're just
a little bitty place. "...Yet out of thee shall come
forth unto me that is going to be ruler in Israel, whose going
forth hath been from of old, from everlasting." He's not going
to just start in Bethlehem. He's coming to Bethlehem, but
he's been from everlasting. But he's going to be born in
Bethlehem. Therefore will he give them up, until the time
that which she hath brought us forth, that the remnant of his
brethren shall return unto Israel. And he shall stand and feed in
the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of his
God. And they shall abide. For now
shall he be great unto the ends of the earth." Oh, he's there because you know
what? God said this is the time, this is the place he's going
to be born. And God ordered all things. He ordered all of this
to bring Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem for his son to be born. And this
haughty king, a Zgustus, was in the hand of the Lord, just
like the rivers of water, and he can turn it with us to wherever
he will. He's only an instrument in the hand of God. But the king
of kings was coming into this world. A king of kings who has
a kingdom that's without end. And let me tell you something,
beloved, Bethlehem was 70 miles from Nazareth. So they had to
go 70 miles, and this woman was pregnant. I mean, she was ready
to have a baby. But look what else it says back
over in our text here in verse 4. They went up to Nazareth, they
left out of Nazareth, went down to Bethlehem, called the city
of David. Why did they call it the city
of David? Because this is where David was born. This is where David
was raised. This is where David sat on those
hillsides as shepherds. And since he's the son of David,
He's of the house, and ain't that what it says? Because he
was of the house and lineage of David. We know that David's
son is to come into this world. And so David's son is coming.
We're at Bethlehem, the same place David was born. The city
of David. And all he was made of the seed
of David. Look over now, in fact, verse 5 with me. Let's look at
this. When Augustus made a decree,
when God made a decree, the place, Bethlehem. Look at the circumstances
now. Look in chapter 5. And they went
to be taxed, Joseph did, in the Bethlehem, to be taxed. That
means to be enrolled, to be polled. With Mary, his espoused wife.
You see how they said that? Espoused wife. They had never
got married yet. They were espoused. They had
never ever had this marriage consummated yet. And so there
they went. Here he went with his spouse's
wife. Now watch what it says, being great with child. Great with child. And so it was
that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she
should be delivered. You know, Oh, the days were accomplished. She was graved with child. I
mean, beloved, she was, you all, well, I don't know how to say
it, but I mean, she was ready to have a baby just like that.
And she walked 70 miles, or rode a donkey, I don't know why she
done, but she went 70 miles in that condition. But she's not
going to have that baby until exactly when God says for her
to have that child. And while she was there, look
what it says, while they were there, the days were accomplished.
Days were accomplished. Look with me over here in Luke
9. Everything that God, this word accomplished is the same
word of it is finished. Look in Luke chapter 9 verse
30 with me for just a moment. Just look at this, talking about
accomplished. Her days were accomplished. Days, you know, God's times. All things are on time. Look
what he said here in verse 30. This is where our Lord Jesus
is upon the mount, and Elijah and Moses come to talk with him.
And it says here in verse 30, And behold, there talked with
him two men, which were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory,
and spake of his decease or his death, which he should accomplish
at Jerusalem. They was talking about His death
and what His death would accomplish. And they was talking about this.
This is actually His body, but everything's going to be accomplished.
It's going to be done. It's going to be finished. When
it's time for Him to be born, it'll be done. It'll be finished.
Look in John 19 with me just a moment. Talking about accomplished. All things going to be accomplished.
And I pray that God will be pleased to make what our Lord Jesus Christ
His birth, His life, and His death would be a special to you. Look here in verse 28. John chapter
19, verse 28. Talking about while there the
days were accomplished. And look what it says. And after
this, now Lord Jesus is on His cross. After this, Jesus knowing
that all things were now what? Accomplished. Accomplished. It started out accomplished here. They talk everything about Him.
He told His disciples, He said, I must go up to Jerusalem and
all the things written concerning Me must be accomplished. Must be accomplished. And back
over in our text here, look what it says. And while they were
there, the days were accomplished that she should be birthed. Now,
His birth, it wasn't at home. You was born at your grandmother's
house, wasn't you? Cost you a fortune getting her.
Twenty dollars. Homey Hubbard came over and delivered
her. But twenty dollars was a lot of money, wasn't it? But she was born in her grandmother's
house. How many of you was ever born
at home? Most of us was born in a hospital.
laid in a cradle, laid in a crib. But our Lord Jesus Christ, He
wasn't born at home. He wasn't born in a king's palace,
though He's the King of kings. He wasn't born in a beautiful
home with a great big cradle to lay Him in. He wasn't put
in a place where folks would just fawn over Him and people
could come and look at Him and just, oh, what a pretty baby,
what a pretty baby. No, no. It wasn't at all. He was born in a strange place.
They went to this inn. And an inn was the same thing
as a public house over in England and Ireland, where you go in
there and they have a public pub. You know, they call them
the pub. But they all got inns and rooms above them and around
them. And so they'd come there to this inn. And when they got
there, it was full. It was full. And beloved, when
our Lord Jesus Christ was born, look what it says in verse 7,
she should be delivered and she brought forth, brought forth
her firstborn son. Brought him forth, firstborn,
and oh my, he wasn't laid in a carefully prepared table, he
wasn't what they done, beloved, they laid him in a manger. Laid
him in a manger. A place where they put the hay
for the cattle, The hay for the doltish. And they laid him in
a manger. And then what did they do? Did
they have beautiful blankets to wrap him up in? You think
they had one of those little toboggans that they put you on
in the hospital to cover up your head? Did the doctor there, you
know, to take him and turn him over and measure him and look
at him and check his eyes and check his ears and make sure
all of his fingers and toes were there? You think they went through
all that? No, that little fellow was born. Our Lord Jesus Christ
was born and they took some rags, and they began to wipe him off
and wash him off. They began to wash all that afterbirth
and all that off of him. They got to cleaning him up,
and then they got some clothes. And they wrapped him up real,
real tight, like the way they do babies. And they wrapped him
and swaddled him because they swaddled him. And I'm sure his
mother held him up there real, real close. And they were in
this inn, and lots of people were coming and going and coming
and going. And how many do you reckon? Stockton
said, can I help you? You need any help? Please come up here and take
my bed. Come into my room. No. No. People treated God the
same way everywhere He's been. When He was born, when He lived,
and when He died. Never had anything good to Him.
Never did care for Him. Never did want to do anything
for Him. Then look here what God makes known. Look in verse
eight. Look at how God reveals Himself.
And there were in the same country shepherds, a body in the field,
keeping watch over their flock by night. And the angel, and
this is who the Lord reveals it to, shepherds and angels.
And the angel of the Lord came upon them, them shepherds, and
the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore
afraid. And beloved, the angel said unto them, Fear not, for
behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be
to all people. For unto you is born this day
in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto
you. You shall find the babe wrapped
in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." Now look what he says. First of all, it says, Thou were
in that same country, around Bethlehem. Shepherds. Let me make two comments about
that. This is exactly the same place where David was a shepherd
boy. Out on these hills outside of
Bethlehem. That's where he was when Samuel
came and anointed him king. That's what he was. He was a
shepherd out there. And here's the good shepherd. Our Lord Jesus
Christ who laid down his life for the sheep. You know the first
people he made to know about himself was shepherds. He's the
Good Shepherd that gives His life for His sheep. He's the Chief Shepherd that
shall appear, and He is that Shepherd from which we shall
never want. The Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd.
And so He made Himself known to shepherds. David was a shepherd. Our Lord was a shepherd. He said,
I'm the Good Shepherd. I'm the good shepherd. He's that
great shepherd that was brought again from the dead. And then
He showed it to angels and shepherds and angels. And look what time
it was. It says, And they were watching over their flock by
night. Our Lord made Himself known to these people, and God
made Christ known to these people at night. It was dark. It was darkness of ignorance,
darkness of sin, darkness of death, religious darkness. The
Pharisees and the Sadducees rule at this time, and here comes
light shining right in that darkness. About who? About some shepherds
out there that night, this light. And that's what God does, beloved.
He chooses the foolish. Why didn't they go to the priest
and say, He, that's the Christ, is being born. You fellas need
to get over there and worship Him. This is the one that's been
promised. This is the one that's been prophesied.
This is the one, beloved, this is that Melchizedek, the great
high priest. This is our great high priest.
This is the Lord of glory that's come down. This is the Son of
David that's come. Get over there right quick and
worship Him. Well, they didn't go to the Pharisees. They didn't
go up to the temple and say, oh, listen, everybody, I tell
you, over in Bethlehem, that's the Lord's been born over there.
And let everybody worship, let everybody praise God, let everybody
rejoice in Him. No, no, no, no. No, no. God passed by everything and
everybody and went to some ignorant shepherds on a hillside. He uses
the foolish to confound the wise. He didn't go to the priest, he
didn't go to the rabbis, he didn't go to the schools, he didn't
go to the temple. And the angel came to shepherds.
Come to people like us. Working men, working women. And
the angel, look what it says, and lo, the angel of the Lord,
in verse 9, the angel of the Lord came upon them. And look
at this now. And the glory of the Lord shone
round about them. You know, when do you reckon
the last time the glory of the Lord was ever seen in Israel?
You know, the glory of the Lord was what Moses saw on the mountain,
had to cover his face. The glory of the Lord came down
at the tabernacle. And everybody stood and shook.
And the glory of the Lord followed Israel when they come up out
of Egypt. And by night, there was a fire on the backside of
them. By day, there was a cloud in front of them. But how many
centuries had went by, nobody had ever seen the Shekinah glory
of God. That glorious light that came down. The only other time
it was manifested was when our Lord Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration,
and He was changed, and His light, His brightness, His raven was
bright as lightning as the sun in His brain. And here the glory
of God, this great light came down. This great cloud of Shekinah
glory came down. And how many ages had it passed? That's why Moses said, Lord,
show me your glory. I want to see your glory. Millennia
had passed since the glory of God had been seen. But who was
the first one to see it? The little shepherd boys. Oh, my. And this is the Shekinah
glory, that cloud that descended. And watch what happens now. They
jumped up and started shouting, Hallelujah. They jumped up and went to dancing
in the Spirit. They jumped up and went to give
Jesus a big hand clap. They all got in a sleigh ride
and going to go to Bethlehem. They all made them up. Great
big Christmas tree of humans began to sing away in the manger.
Silent night. No, no. Everywhere where God's
glory has ever appeared, it puts people on their faces. It puts
people on their faces. And that's why I said they were
so afraid. And I tell you what, when the glory of God comes down,
I've been in a few services in my life, I can remember about
very few services I've been in where it was as if God Himself
came down And I was afraid to move. I remember Jack Shanks
bringing a message one time. And when it was over, I just
sat there and everybody else sat there. And I remember Brother
Henry in a service years and years ago. And I wasn't probably
20 people there. But I tell you what, it was almost
like God was there. And if you moved, I mean, you
just sat there in wonder. You sat there in awe. You sat
there in fear. This is God. God's glory is shining around
us. We don't move a hair's breadth. We ain't going to raise our hands.
Our hearts is bowed down. Our hearts is humiliated and
we're down here in God's presence and God's manifest is glory and
we're not going to do nothing but sit here and just ramble
and rest and afraid to say or do anything to spoil the glory
of God and make it leave. John, John, this very one who
leaned on our Savior's breath. Every time they mention that
disciple whom Jesus loved, and when John saw him, very revelations
chapter one, the scripture says, when he saw the Lord and he was
in the Spirit on the Lord's day, he saw Christ and he fell as
a madman after he had leaned on our Savior's breath. And when
the God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he dwelt
in Mesopotamia, he said, go out. He didn't argue with him. He
didn't say, hallelujah, I've seen God. He didn't say, God
spoke to me. He just said, I'm going. And
oh, beloved, if you ever see the glory of God. Isaiah saw
the glory of the Lord, and what did he say? What did he say? He said, woe
is me. And if God ever gives you a glimpse
of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, that's what you'll say. I'm afraid for my sin. I'm afraid
for my guilt. I'm afraid for my shame. And
if I see the glory of the Lord, you'll say, woe is me. I'm undone. And if God don't do something
for me. But I'll tell you what he done for Isaiah. I'm going
to tell you what he done. He take the Lord changed out
and got him a coat off of that altar. He went out by Isaiah and passed
it over his lips. And he says, now Lord, and I
tell you, you got to have the effects of that altar off of
you. And Lord beloved, then look what
a message. Look what a message they gave. Here in verse 10.
This is what they said. And the angel said unto them,
don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. You know why
don't you be afraid? Because listen, I've got you
some good, good, good, good, good, good, good news. And not only good news, but it's
great joy. It'll bring you great joy. Oh,
what a message. Good tidings. Good tidings. Oh, don't you like to hear good
news? Don't you like to hear good news? We hear so much bad
news. You know, you turn on and tell
bad news, bad news, bad news. Bad news from the cops, Tommy.
Bad news from the world. Bad news everywhere. And that's
what's so wonderful about the gospel. We come in here and hear
some good news. Tell me some good news. Tell
me something good. And that's what they come to.
We come to tell you some good things. We come to bring you
some of the best news that you'll ever hear. Good news from a far
country is like cold water to a thirsty soul. And, oh beloved,
it came with good tidings. Oh, what is these good tidings?
From you! Who's you? He says, joy, great
joy, which shall be to all people. All people, Jew and Gentile,
bond and free, male and female, everywhere where the gospel goes.
And, oh, it will bring great joy when it comes, as it brought
great joy to you, and it's to all people. Now, I've told you this before.
Folks say, well, you think you're all the only ones that's saved.
You know, you're the only ones in God's hands, you know, that
God ain't done nobody for nothing but you. But I tell you what,
I know he's done it for all people, and I'm going to do it for all
people. You ever look at that word all? Huh? That's three alls and three worlds,
excuse me, three worlds in John chapter one, just alone in one
verse. And here when he says all people, all people came out
to see him. But he's talking about all people.
Gentiles, Jews, bond and thing, rich and poor, ignorant, none.
It don't make no difference. The only difference is, was Christ
born, was Christ lived, did Christ die for you? And the only person
that can answer that is you. Ain't that right? The only person that can answer
that is you. I can't answer it for you. I
can only answer it for myself. And then look what he says, and
oh, you're talking about causing great joy. For unto you is born
this day in the city of David, over in Bethlehem. Everybody
knew where that was. A Savior. A Savior. A Savior. Will He save? If He's
called a Savior, will He save? If he's called a Savior, does
that mean, beloved, that he can't save unless you let him? If he's
called a Savior, then he's got to be the one who does the saving.
Thou shalt call his name Jesus, and he shall save his people
from their sins. This is Christ, he says. And
this is the Lord. This is Jehovah. This is the
One Son of God. Look down here in chapter...
We're in chapter 2. Look down here in verse 25 with
me just a moment. Oh my, people talk about, they
talk about Jesus as Savior. He'll be your personal Savior.
Well, I tell you what, just the very fact that He's called the
Savior means that He's going to save. It don't say He's going
to save if you let Him. He's going to save if you open
your heart. He's going to save if you come
to the front. He's going to save if you'll
stand up and tell it. He's going to save if you make
a decision. It says He is born a Savior. And He will save. He has, He
is, and He will. Oh, listen to me. Christ is not
born somebody who's trying to save. He is a Savior. And bless His holy name that
He is. Because if anybody could have resisted Him, and refused
Him, and turn him away, he would have been me. I would have done
it. But he wouldn't let me. He said,
you're gone! Oh, look here at verse 25. Look what he says. And behold, there was a man in
Simeon. They bring the Lord Jesus in. Offer Him to the Lord. And there was a man in Jerusalem
whose name was Simeon. The same man was a just man and
a devout man. He believed God, waiting for
the consolation of Israel. The Holy Ghost come upon him.
And it was revealed, that's what we're talking about, the revelation,
Christ's revelation of God. And it was revealed unto him
by the Holy Ghost that he would not see death. He would have
to leave this world before he had seen the Lord Christ. And
he came by the Spirit. You see how that's capitalized?
The Spirit of God led him. And the Spirit of God always
leads men to Christ. Don't cause you to get wild-eyed
and dance and speak in a thousand different things that you don't
know what you're talking about. And he came to see the Lord's
dead. He came by the Spirit in the
temple, and the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for
him after the custom of the law. Now, look what happens now. Then
he took that baby. The child's 40 days old now.
They give him to the Lord and it's 40 days. The firstborn child
is offered to the Lord. And so he took him up in his
arms, blessed him, and said, Lord, now let us thy servant
depart in peace according to your word. Now listen to this.
For my eyes have seen thy salvation. He didn't say, by and large,
it's somebody who wants to save me, who'd like to save me. But I've seen it now. You told
me that's what you'd do. Let me go. Just let me go. Oh,
let's go back over to our texture just a minute. And then look
right here. This message that they gave.
Oh, there's born a Savior. And then look what he says there
in verse 12. shall be a sign unto you. This
is the way you'll know who we're talking about and where he's
at. You'll find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in
a manger. When you go to Jerusalem, you'll find him wrapped in swaddling
clothes lying in a manger. And suddenly, suddenly, suddenly,
suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host praising God. praising God. Oh, my. Something
to praise God about. And they said, Glory to God in
the highest. But, oh, beloved, they went there
to that place, and they found our Lord Jesus Christ in that
stable, lying in a manger, and didn't look at the results of
it. And there suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude
of the heavenly host. I'll tell you what, God's got
a host I don't know how many a multitude was, but there was
certainly probably thousands upon thousands of them. And they
was praising God. And they all were saying, glory
to God in the highest. God's the highest. God's the
most glorious. God's the most... God exalts
you to the highest. Oh, magnify the Lord with me.
And then he says, oh, because he's come, there's going to be
on earth, there's going to be peace. Not peace among men, peace in
a man's heart. Because God has goodwill toward
man. And oh, what goodwill God has.
What goodwill God has when He sent His Son into this world.
Huh? In such a manner to be a Savior. And then let me show you how
these shepherds reacted. Look in verse 15. Look how they
reacted. I'll tell you what, God's good will, oh, the good
will of God toward man. God could have come here with
a will and said, I'm going to destroy this after, but instead
he sent a savior. He sent a redeemer. He sent his
son. He sent the Christ. He sent the
Messiah. He sent a substitute. He sent
a sacrifice. He sent a sinner. He sent a high priest. He sent
what we needed desperately. And all beloved, look what happens
now. And in verse 5, look how they reacted. And it came to
pass, as the angels went away into heaven, and all that heavenly
host went with them, the shepherds began to talk among themselves.
They said one to another, said, did you see that? Did you hear
that? Let's go. Let's go right now. What about
a sheep? Let's go right now. Let's go right now. Could you go right now? Would
you go right now? Look what it says. Let us go now, even unto Bethlehem,
and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath
made known unto us. Oh, you see, first thing, they
believe the message that the Lord made known unto them. That's
the first thing. They believe the message. And
they made haste. They were interested. I want
to go now. And guess what they found? They found exactly what
the Lord told them they'd find. They found that baby lying in
a manger just like they'd been told. And I tell you, beloved,
let me tell you something. This is the thing about the Gospel.
They went and told what they seen, what they heard. And look
what they did down there. They went there and they, in
verse 16, and they came with haste. Let's go now. And I'm
telling you what, they got in a hurry about this thing. You
need to get in the herd about your relationship with Christ.
Don't keep putting it off. Don't keep putting it off. Don't
keep putting it off. Make haste. Make haste. You may not have
tomorrow. You may not have another month. You may not have six more
months. Make haste. And they found Mary and Joseph
in the bay blind in a manger. They just told it. Everything
that God said would happen, that's exactly what happened. And that's
why I'm telling you what God says is that it always comes
to pass. And look what happens now. And
when they had seen it, they made known abroad the thing
which was told them concerning this child. And, O beloved, all they that
heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
Now let me tell you something, beloved. The angels know nothing
of redemption. They all went back to glory.
The angels know nothing about needing salvation, and yet they
were faithful messengers of our Lord Jesus Christ. The shepherds
were out working that night when God revealed to them the birth
of His Son. And let me tell you something,
God breaks in on men at the most unusual times. These fellows
were out working, and God broke in on them. And God's going to
have to come and break in on you and reveal the birth of His
Son. And may God break in on your soul and my soul at the
most unlikely time. Now let me tell you what they
did. They went off and they made known abroad what they had heard.
You got to hear something. They heard. They went and told
what they had made known abroad what was heard. They said the
things that they've heard and the things that they've seen.
Ain't that what he says there in verse 14? I mean, excuse me,
verse 18, and they, oh, they just heard it. They come and
told him a message. And they heard it. You've got to hear. And then when you hear, with
the hearing, come see. And then look what happens. I'll
be done in just a minute. But Mary kept all these things
and pondered in her heart. She didn't fully understand yet
what was going on. And the shepherds returned, verse
20, glorifying and praising God. That's something to glorify and
praise God about when God makes known Christ to you. For all the things that they
had heard, like I said, you got to hear them. You got to hear
them. And all the things that they
had heard and seen, like it was told to them. And I've told you.
I've told you. Have you heard? Have you seen? Same thing got to happen to you,
having them shepherds. And you got to see the same person. But
you don't see a baby. Simeon didn't see a baby. He
saw salvation. Them shepherds saw the Lord.
Them shepherds saw a Savior. That's what they went to see.
They said, they went to see a Savior. They went to see the Lord. That's
what he told them they was going to go see. And Simeon, when he
picked him up, he said, my eyes have seen your salvation. They
didn't talk about nothing about a baby. They talked about seeing
the Lord. They talked about seeing the
Savior. Oh, Father, Father, our blessed,
blessed Savior. Oh, Lord Jesus. Lord Jesus, Lord
Jesus, Master, Lord, Savior, our Redeemer. Lord, we bless
you for your gospel. Bless you for the truth concerning
yourself. And I pray that you'd be pleased to use the words that's
been said today. Use them effectually. Lord, you told
us in your word that your word would go out and it would do
that which you sent it to, and it would accomplish what you
sent it to do, and it would return unto your void. And I pray this
would go out as the voice of salvation, the word of salvation. Sinners would be saved. Saints
would be edified. Saints would be strengthened
and encouraged. And Lord, we do praise You, and
we glorify You, because You made it known to us. We heard the
Gospel one day, and we saw the Lord Jesus Christ one day, just
like someone told us. So bring glory to Yourself in
saving Your people. In Christ's holy name, Amen. Amen.