Merry Christmas!

In our text for today, God’s angel proclaimed His special blessed message to all the people through the shepherds. This evening I want us to think about why the birth of Jesus is the Good News of Great Joy for all.

The author of Luke started with the circumstances in the days before the birth of Christ. Augustus was one of the most potent Roman Emperors. Under his decree, everyone in Palestine had to go to their original hometown to register. Joseph travelled from Nazareth to Bethlehem with even Mary, who was expecting a child. It seemed that Caesar Augustus was in control, but that is not true. Around BC 700, the prophet Micah had foretold that the Saviour would be born in Bethlehem. Would Mary and Joseph have recognized God’s hand in all of this? They did not know what was going on. They just thought they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. From God’s point of view, Augustus was simply a method to establish the right conditions for our salvation. God used the emperor’s power to fulfill His prophecy. God is the absolute ruler of the world.

When Joseph and Mary had Baby Jesus in a manger, the angel said to the shepherd: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-12). This is the central message of our Christian faith.

While meditating on this scripture, I have found three critical lessons. First of all, the Saviour has been born to you and me. This is a very personal message. Is there any news that is good for everyone? It is hard to find great news for everybody in this world. Many news media have recently listed the top 10 stories of 2022. Most of the reports are bad: Severe natural disasters, such as heatwaves, hurricanes, droughts, and flooding, the historically worst inflation and economic turmoil, the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, some mass shootings in the States, terrible human stampedes and so on have occurred in the past 12 months. We have recently watched the final game of the World Cup. The fans of Argentina were joyful about their victory; however, the France viewers were disappointed with the result of the penalty shootout. Good news for a person or a group can be the opposite one for others. But the angel said that the birth of Jesus Christ was good tidings for all people.

Jesus has also been born to our church. When we, as a church, look back on our previous paths this year, we find many meaningful moments in our congregation. Some were joyful experiences. Some were complex events. One of the sad things was that we had to witness God’s beautiful church named Knox Glenarm become closed. There was no doubt that we all were saddened to hear that. At the same time, we all believed that God had an excellent plan for us as a church to keep moving forward in His bright direction. We have lost some of our friends. They had been with us for a long time. They were vital parts of our church family. We still miss them and their influence as we continue our faith journey. But we need to remember that they are spending their first Christmas with Jesus Christ this year. Think about the protection and provision the Immanuel Lord has provided during these challenging times. God has blessed us, our family, our church, and the people around us.

This good news is not only for our church but also for our community and our country since this is a universal message. This joyful message is for the people of all nations. It is for the people of every generation. It is for all the people – the righteous or the unrighteous, healthy or sick, rich or poor, young or old, and all human beings with various backgrounds. The Saviour is for everyone, both the religious and the secular. The purpose of the church is to bring the marvelous news of Jesus to all people. I am reminded of the great commission of Jesus Christ. “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). We are to start being observers to those around us. Our lives and words should be a testimony to those with whom we are in a relationship, from family members, friends, and neighbours. People all around us need to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are also to support missionaries who minister overseas, help them in prayers, and assist them with things they need.

Thirdly, this good news comes to us today. This is a present message. In the statement of God’s angel, the word for “today” means right here and now. The Bible says, “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). God wants us to accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour, who has been born to us, today anew and again. In our world, many people are struggling with different problems. Some have suffered a lot of pain. Some have gone through financial difficulties. Some have had relational challenges. Some have struggled with the issue of past bitterness. Some have regretted what they had done previously. Some have been trapped in destructive habits. In general, everybody has their own problems in their lives. This is why we all need a Saviour no matter who we are. Meaninglessness, depression, and fear come from the power of death. No one can defeat these enemies on their own strength. But in His tender mercy, God sent Jesus as our Messiah. No matter what kind of challenge we may go through, our Saviour, Jesus, understands because of His suffering on the cross. Jesus is the answer to the influence of sin and the impact of death. When we repent of our sins before Christ and put our trust in the Lord, God forgives us of all our wrongdoings and gives us eternal life. Our Immanuel Jesus has been with us under all circumstances. This is the main point of the angel’s message.

After the declaration of the birth of Jesus, a great company of the heavenly host suddenly appeared with the angel and praised God: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.” The baby Jesus is the glory of God and the peace upon God’s people.

This evening we are celebrating the birth of the Saviour in the town of David, Jesus Christ. This story happened not only to the shepherds 2022 years ago but also to all of the people today. The baby has been born to us, you and me, tonight! This day – each day – Jesus the Messiah is born to lead us from darkness into brightness. He is Christ the Lord! Let us examine our hearts, repent of our sinful nature, and decide again to walk our journey of faith before God. Let us accept Jesus as our Saviour and experience the Good News for all this Christmas and throughout this New Year, 2023.

* In this sermon, I have used thoughts from various addresses based on Luke 2:1-14.