Sovereign Grace Chapel, located at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. 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 realized. 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, in 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 believe that, I 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 of 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 one, 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 say. 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, period, if you wanna 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. and 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.