If you'd like to follow along,
I'm gonna be in the book of Luke, chapter two. The book of Luke,
chapter two. And I wanna read verses nine
through 14. And lo, the angel of the Lord
came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about
them, and they were sore afraid. And 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. Ye shall find a babe wrapped
in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there
was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising
God and saying, glory to God in the highest and on earth peace,
goodwill toward men. I'm just gonna stop right there.
Because folks, that is a mouthful. That is a mouthful. But, before
I get started, I got a couple things I'm tired of. Okay? I'm tired of two things this
year. Happy birthday, Jesus, is one thing. I'm tired to death
of that. The other one is, Jesus is the
reason for the season. Don't blame Jesus for crass commercialism,
folks. Please don't do that. I'm afraid
that season of commercialism came from another source. Pretty
much convinced of it. But here, in Luke chapter two,
we have the announcement of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ
into this world. Right here, this world. Especially with the distractions
of the season this time of year. This is more than most people
ever realize. There's more to this. No, let me just go ahead and
get started. I'm trying not to keep you too long. The angel said
to these shepherds, that's who these people were, it says in
verse eight, and they were in the same country, shepherds abiding
in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. These were
shepherds. And the angel said, fear not.
You know why? Because they were afraid. They
were sore afraid. You know why? Because an angel
appeared to them. That's more glory than they ever
knew anything about. That's scarier than most people
know about. You understand there's still
They're still out there. I try not to pay any attention
to them. In gift stores and drug stores, little bitty guardian
angel figurines and all that. They're all nice and cute and
some of them look like little kids. That's not what an angel
is. An angel is a herald from the
Lord with an announcement. They don't show up for just nothing.
They don't show up for just nothing. They're there. They're there
on purpose. But this angel said, fear not. There's no reason to fear. And
there's reason, there's no reason to fear is here's this. There is, right now, today, at
this moment, good news. Good news, folks. Good tidings. Good tidings of great joy. Good tidings. Good news. Here's the thing, don't fear
the good news. Oh, there are a lot of people,
I'm gonna tell you something, folks. When you tell them the gospel, the
way it's done here and in other places, well, if I believed that,
I'd go out and sin as much as I like. You can't tell people
that. They'll go out and sin as much
as they like. I'm gonna tell you something, folks. People
sin as much as they like now. And they're gonna continue to
do so. What we like for them to do, what I'd like to do, is
for them not to like it so much. And that's a work of God. Oh, my. These angels said there's
good news. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. There's good news. And I'm here
to tell you today, there's good news. Jesus was born in a manger,
wrapped in swaddling clothes. Oh, but there's so much more
to it than that. Oh my, there is. Now listen, I know the angel
said don't fear, but if you'll read in the scriptures in other
places, you'll see the fear of the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom. That's true, and it's a good
thing. The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of knowledge. And that's true. That's good
news. But it is the fear of the Lord.
You understand? Don't fear the good news. Don't
fear the good tidings. Fear the Lord, yes. But when
he gives you good tidings, folks, they're good. It's good. It's good. Oh my. And here's the other thing. I
just wanna put this in here for now. There's always been good
news. There's always been the gospel.
You understand? Who this child is that's born
here this day was prophesied in Genesis chapter three, I believe
it is. The seed of the woman. The seed
of the woman. that seed of the woman is gonna
bruise the head of the serpent. Now the serpent's gonna bruise
his heel. But you understand, this child had to be born for
that serpent's head to be bruised. And God prophesied it to Adam
and Eve himself. You understand, the first gospel
was preached by God himself. Bring it up next time somebody
asks you, where you get this gospel from? God preached it
to Adam and Eve. These angels are proclaiming
it here now. Oh my, there's always been good
news. The law and the prophets have
spoken of these tidings, saying the Messiah is coming. Who's
the Messiah? The Christ, the Christ. The Messiah
is coming. And understand, and this is one
of the things I remember somebody preaching, I think it was Henry
Mann some years ago, decades ago probably now. You understand,
this angel didn't appear in Jerusalem. This angel didn't appear to Herod,
Herod's court, or to Pilate, or to any Jewish high priest. or the regular priests, or the
Pharisees or the scribes, he appears to these shepherds in
the field. You wanna know why? Because I'm gonna tell you something,
folks, right here, born in the city of David, was the good shepherd. And he told these shepherds here
on the field, don't be afraid, I've got good tidings, good tidings. Oh, the good shepherd is here
right now. Right now. And now the good tidings
of great joy is here. Right now, right now. For unto
you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ
the Lord. That's my title, Paul. The Savior,
Christ the Lord. Born this day. That's what the
angel said. Born this day. Just as it was prophesied in
Isaiah. Chapter nine and verse six says
this. For unto us, a child is born. Unto us, a son is given. and the government shall be upon
his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor,
the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Peace, oh, I like that. Oh, that's good news. That's good
news. Oh, here in the city of David
is born a savior, a savior. A child was born. That child
is the savior, the savior. Oh my. But he's also the Christ,
the anointed one, the Messiah. This is the thing. Even before
he was born, his name was given. His name was given to Joseph,
I believe it's Matthew 121. He said, call his name Jesus. Why? Well, that name is Yeshua,
Jehoshua, Savior. That's what it translates as,
Savior. Call his name Jesus, why? For
he shall shall save his people from their sins. Oh my, oh. Now look, just back up a page
if you want and look at Luke one and verse 30. This is where an angel is speaking
to Mary before all this. And the angel said unto her,
guess what? Fear not. You know why? Because
there's some good titans here, too. Fear not, Mary, for thou
hast found favor with God, and behold, thou shalt conceive in
thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son, and shalt call his name
Jesus, Savior. He shall be great, and shall
be called the Son of the Highest. the son of the highest, and the
Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David,
and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever and ever, and
of his kingdom there shall be no end. Excuse me. He shall be great. I looked up
that word, and I like what I found. You understand what that word
great, he shall be great, He shall be large, loud, mighty,
and strong. That's what that word means.
I like that. Large, loud, mighty, and strong. Oh my. Understand, there is none
greater. There is none greater. He shall
be called the Son of the Supreme, the only begotten well-beloved
Son. the throne of David, given the throne of David. You know
what that means? The throne is his. The throne
is his. And you know what that means?
That means he's born king. Where is he that's born king?
He's right here. He's right here in Luke chapter
two. Where is he that's born king? And here's the thing, and
as king what? He shall reign. A lot of people
have problems with that. He shall reign. He rules. He rules. He rules, reign over
the house of, and I like this part, reign over the house of
Jacob. Not Israel, Jacob. You know why? Because I can fit
in with Jacob. Jacob was a conniver, a sneaky
man, he lied, he hid, he ran, that's my life, folks. And it's
yours, too, if you admit it. But he shall reign over the house
of Jacob forever, forever. We've got an everlasting king. Oh, I like that. And of his kingdom. Because you can't be a king without
a kingdom. I don't care what anybody says. You can't be a
king without a kingdom. If you don't have a kingdom,
that makes you a tourist. His kingdom, there shall be no end. Oh. And here, these angels told these
shepherds, for unto you, this day in the city of David, a savior
is born. A savior. Oh, I like that. And I don't know about yours,
but in my King James Version, that word savior there is capitalized. And it should be. Oh, I like
that. It should be. Because here's
the thing. Not only is this child born,
this is the son that is given. from Isaiah chapter nine. A child
is born, yes, but a son is given. And guess what? He's the Savior. The Savior. Oh my. What's that mean? I'm gonna tell you something,
folks. He has saved, he is saving, and he shall save. Let me show
you one more thing about this prophesied Savior. This is in
Isaiah 45. Isaiah 45. Well first let me read verse
17. But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting
salvation. Ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded. World without end. World without
end. Now drop down to verse 20. Assemble
yourselves and come, draw near together, ye that are escaped
of the nations. Now I'm gonna tell you something,
folks. Here's a description of the world we live in right now. They
have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image
and pray to a God that cannot save. And I'm gonna tell you
something, folks. There are supposedly Christian
churches all around us that pray to a God whom they preach can't
save. You better do something, because
God can't save you all by himself. That's not what this book says.
They pray to a God that cannot save. would say, tell ye, verse
21, and bring them near. Yea, let them take counsel together. Who hath declared this from ancient
times? Who hath told it from that time?
Have not I the Lord? And there is no God else beside
me. And here's the description he
gives of himself. A just God and a savior. There is none beside me. Look unto me and be saved all
the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else. I have sworn by myself the word
has gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return that unto
me every knee shall bow. Every tongue shall swear. Surely shall one say, in the
Lord have I righteousness and strength, even to him shall men
come, and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.
In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall
glory. Look unto me and be ye saved,
all the ends of the earth, for I am God, there is none else. under this, on this day. Born
this day in the city of David is God. Because he's Savior. The Savior. And God is the only Savior. And if you want to, I'll say
it in the Old Testament way. The capital L, capital O, capital
R, capital D. The Lord saves. What does he say here? This day
is in the city of David born a savior, which is Christ the
Lord. Christ the Lord. Oh my, I like
that. You understand, there are many
out there right now that are praying to a God that can't save.
Christ told us about that. He called it a broad way that
leadeth to destruction. And where are they? How many?
Many are on it and don't know it. Don't know it. Many are on it. Oh, and here's
the thing from Isaiah. This Savior we have right here
is not only our Savior, he's a just God and a Savior. Oh, I like that, I do. The Lord
is a just God, and period, if you won't stop right there, because
that's the truth. The Lord will by no means clear
the guilty. The soul that sinneth, it shall
die. All of that's true. You better
not be guilty. You better not be guilty. Thank
God by his grace in Christ, The Savior, I am not guilty. He's my salvation. He's your
salvation. That's the good news of what? Great joy. Glad tidings, good
tidings of great joy. Oh, I'm telling you, you know
who was born here? The one who could satisfy a holy God. and the one who would save his
people from their sins. You know what it said? He shall
save his people from their sins. There's no doubt in that. There's
no doubt in Christ. There's no doubt in his salvation.
There's no doubt in his power, in his glory, and in his work. Or in any of his promises. They're
all yay and amen. the one who could satisfy just
God, and the one who would save his people from their sins, came
into the world this day, announced by angels to shepherds outside
of Bethlehem, who were doing what? Keeping watch over their
flock by night. You know why? Because that's
what shepherds do. That's what shepherds do. The
good shepherd was born, the Savior, who is Christ the Lord. The Lord, supreme, controller,
master, he's here. He's here, folks. Rejoice, rejoice. I wish I could say this the way
it needs to be said, and I wish you could hear it the way it
needs to be heard. You understand, one of the reasons why I sang
this song is I really do like this. Come thou almighty king,
help us, thy name to sing. Then this next thing, help us
to praise. We can't even praise right. We
need help praising God. As wonderful and beautiful and
as holy as he is, we don't have the words to say it, I don't
have the ears to hear it. I need his help to praise, I
need his help to pray. I need his help to walk. We all
need his help to walk. and to pray and to praise. Matter
of fact, folks, we need his help to believe him. We believe by
the working of his almighty power. Who? The Savior, who is Christ
the Lord. Oh my. Jesus, this Jesus, is
both Lord and Christ. Messiah. Lord. Born in Bethlehem, born in a
manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. Oh my. This Christ, this child
that was born, he came to give his life a ransom for many. Not for all, for many. That's what it means. That's
what it says. That's what it means. This Christ came to give
his life a ransom for many, to satisfy a just God. Oh, a holy God. The Christ who
came, he took in his body our sins on the tree for us, for
us, a just God. And this is the Christ that obtained
eternal redemption for us. For us. There you are folks,
a just God and a savior. A just God and a savior. Oh my,
he's the redeemer, the justifier, the reconciler, the sanctifier. He's the very voice of God Almighty. Understand, this babe in a manger
is the same one who said in Genesis 1, let there be light. It's just amazing to me. This
same babe in a manger, the one who died on a tree, shed his
blood willingly. His body was broken and his blood
was shed. Why? So that he shall save his
people from their sins. He took in his own body our sins. And yet here he is, wrapped in
swaddling clothes, Now some people might say that's a contradiction
or a paradox or whatever you want to call it. I'm going to
tell you this, what this is, is a fact. He's the one that
said, let there be light. And he's laying here in a manger
at this time, but he's no longer there, folks. He's no longer
there. Oh my. You understand, this was amazing.
I remember Walter pointed this out a while back. Just a little while later, an
old man named Simeon held that infant in his hands. And he looked
at that infant, and somehow, God gave him the eyes to see. And he said, let thy servant
depart in peace now, Lord, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. You know what he knew he had
in his hands? Just a little, it's just a little child. A savior
who is Christ the Lord. He is our salvation. Oh my. Jesus is our great salvation. Worthy of our best esteem. He hath saved his favorite nation,
Christ the Lord, Christ alone could us redeem. Peter spoke at Pentecost to praise
Jesus Christ. You know, if you turn there,
it's Acts 2.36, it said, therefore, let all the house of Israel know
assuredly that God has made that same Jesus, this one here, grown
up, that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. What the angels say, for unto
you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ
the Lord. And Peter preached it at Pentecost.
You understand, the Lord sent himself to us. He came in the form of a servant. Right here. Right here. And yet,
still, in that manger, this is the part that amazes people,
they don't get it. In that manger, that babe is both Lord and Christ. How do you explain that? Can't. Not gonna try. But I believe
it. You know why? I believe him. I mentioned this
to Walter. Deb and I went out for a drive
Friday evening. I left out the good part, though,
Walter. And we were just getting out of the house. But I confess
that we also went to look at Christmas lights, because we
like that, you know? And it was good to get Debbie
out of the house and didn't have anywhere to go, no doctor's appointments
or anything like that. But we had the fortune It was
good fortune and bad fortune to pass by the Methodist Church
in Princeton. And it says Friday night, and
I did not know, you know, they had a living manger scene there.
Okay? I was depressed when I saw it,
because I always get depressed from that kind of stuff. Because
I'm going to tell you something, folks. I love this part and all
this, but you understand, our Lord is not a babe anymore. He's
not a baby anymore. I'd been more happy if they'd
been there on the corner preaching the truth of the gospel. But
it did make Deb happy to see the donkey because it was a real
live donkey. And all these people are standing
around in costume and that donkey's just down there eating that hay.
It made me happy too. I like donkeys. That's the best
part of their whole manger scene is a live donkey eating hay. but I wondered what would be
preached there today. Yeah. But here's what I want
to tell you, and here's what I want you to remember. If possible,
lay a hold of it as best as you can. Jesus was born into this
world. God manifests in the flesh. He was born Savior. He was born Christ, he was born
the Messiah, the anointed one, and he is born Lord of all, Lord
of all. Oh my. You understand, and that's
the whole thing. Whether you know it or not, Jesus
Christ is Lord. Jesus Christ was born King, born
Lord, born Christ, born Savior. And he was Savior, Lord, and
Christ before he came. And he's Savior, Lord, and Christ
right now. Why? Because I am God and I change
not. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday
and today and forever. Oh my. One day around 2,000 years
ago, probably not on December 25th, our Lord did come into
this world. And the salvation of God was
born into this world. Folks, that's a miracle of grace.
I'm gonna tell you something else. That's good tidings of
great joy. That's what it is. Oh my, a just
God And a savior came to save his people from their sins. And he's doing it. What? Whosoever calleth on the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ, thou shalt be saved. Thou shalt be
saved. And that's still true today.
And it's still gonna be true tomorrow. It's always true. The Savior, which is Christ the
Lord. Our Heavenly Father, we are thankful
again for this time and this place. Lord, be with Walter and
Paul as they come to preach your message. Help us, Lord, to listen,
to hear, and to understand your word as it is preached today.
Lay it on upon our hearts, lay it in our minds, remind us of
it. We are so forgetful, Lord. We
get distracted easily. Help us. Be with your people
wherever they are, and we'll give you all the honor and the
praise and the glory, because it is yours, now and forever. Amen.