WEBVTT 00:00:00.140 --> 00:00:07.040 Well, like I said, we're wrapping up today where we began last week in this episode with 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:08.380 angels and shepherds. 00:00:08.900 --> 00:00:14.960 Of course, in the first installment last week in verses 8 to 14, some shepherds were the 00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:22.420 surprising recipients of an angelic announcement that a child had been born in Bethlehem, was 00:00:22.420 --> 00:00:29.800 a message of salvation because the newborn baby was the long-awaited Savior, Christ, 00:00:30.160 --> 00:00:30.700 and Lord. 00:00:30.880 --> 00:00:32.560 That's actually what the angel said. 00:00:32.740 --> 00:00:38.780 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord, which 00:00:38.780 --> 00:00:43.900 means that this good news of great joy, as they called it, that would be for all people, 00:00:44.439 --> 00:00:51.219 was good news because it related to their salvation, the forgiveness of their sins, eternal life 00:00:51.219 --> 00:00:53.000 and peace with God. 00:00:53.659 --> 00:00:57.359 In other words, this was a gospel message. 00:00:58.240 --> 00:01:06.299 And what made it gospel or good news was the baby, Jesus, whom the announcement was all about. 00:01:07.099 --> 00:01:11.140 And we were reminded last week that Jesus is the good news. 00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:14.620 Jesus brings great joy. 00:01:14.620 --> 00:01:21.579 And salvation is for all people who will trust him alone for it. 00:01:22.359 --> 00:01:24.460 And this is the real Christmas message. 00:01:24.460 --> 00:01:29.620 When we think about it, and we remarked on that some last week, the Christmas message is 00:01:29.620 --> 00:01:32.740 not a message of peace in the sense of peace with one another. 00:01:32.739 --> 00:01:36.039 It's not a message of Christmas spirit. 00:01:36.039 --> 00:01:41.659 That is, that along this time of year, because Jesus was a good guy, that we're all good guys 00:01:41.659 --> 00:01:44.959 this time of year too, and that we do nice things for one another. 00:01:45.219 --> 00:01:47.019 That's not what Christmas is about. 00:01:47.299 --> 00:01:54.659 The Christmas message, the gospel message, the only saving message, is Jesus himself, God 00:01:54.659 --> 00:01:57.759 in the flesh, come to take away our sins. 00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:04.900 It says Kent Hughes, the Holy Spirit included this story in the scriptures so we would not 00:02:04.900 --> 00:02:11.840 miss the point, which is the real savior of the world was not Caesar Augustus, nor will 00:02:11.840 --> 00:02:13.800 it be any great world leader. 00:02:14.319 --> 00:02:21.920 The savior of the world is Jesus, the son of God who came to earth veiled in Mary's flesh, 00:02:21.919 --> 00:02:30.759 was born in human flesh, lived in the flesh, died in the flesh, was resurrected in that flesh, 00:02:30.759 --> 00:02:35.979 and now lives in the same glorified flesh at the right hand of the Father. 00:02:36.619 --> 00:02:42.219 This message of salvation, this message of Christmas and of the gospel has everything to do 00:02:42.219 --> 00:02:44.399 with Jesus as God. 00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:51.079 This is an incarnation message, and we need not forget that as we get into 00:02:51.080 --> 00:02:59.160 so many of these really unique elements of the nativity story, we might begin to lose 00:02:59.160 --> 00:03:04.520 sight of the fact that what this is all about, what all of this is pointing toward, is incarnation. 00:03:05.220 --> 00:03:06.560 God is with us. 00:03:06.960 --> 00:03:09.600 God has taken on humanity. 00:03:11.040 --> 00:03:15.580 And so we've thought a lot about, over the last few weeks, about what the gospel is. 00:03:15.580 --> 00:03:22.220 But in today's text, as we wrap up this story with the shepherds, I want us to focus in particularly 00:03:22.220 --> 00:03:25.380 on what the gospel does. 00:03:25.880 --> 00:03:27.340 We've talked about what it is. 00:03:27.560 --> 00:03:30.540 Now we want to see what it does. 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:39.480 Because the birth of Jesus is not just a tale on which we muse, think about, or ponder. 00:03:39.479 --> 00:03:48.679 It's a divine message to which we must respond, to which the people that we take this message 00:03:48.679 --> 00:03:50.079 must respond. 00:03:50.739 --> 00:03:52.620 And it doesn't allow for indifference. 00:03:53.560 --> 00:03:59.539 People, I think, honestly, I think people that don't really understand the gospel and 00:03:59.539 --> 00:04:06.179 they don't really understand the word of God, even though they may identify as Christian, 00:04:06.180 --> 00:04:11.900 and culturally speaking, I think one of the big things that they miss here is that you can't, 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:14.140 there is no allowance for indifference. 00:04:15.780 --> 00:04:19.259 In fact, indifference itself is a denial. 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:24.639 You either come to the message of Christ and you see the person in the work of Christ, 00:04:24.879 --> 00:04:28.840 and that either drives you to fall before Him as Lord and Savior, 00:04:29.319 --> 00:04:34.480 or it drives you away in rejection of Him, or at least in what the Bible says about Him. 00:04:34.480 --> 00:04:40.819 There's no place in there for us to just kind of read the story or hear the message 00:04:40.819 --> 00:04:44.100 and kind of move on with our lives not thinking anything about it. 00:04:44.180 --> 00:04:46.680 That's not actually possible in this situation, 00:04:46.680 --> 00:04:50.939 because the gospel isn't just something that we study and understand intellectually. 00:04:51.180 --> 00:04:54.520 The gospel is actually something to which we must respond. 00:04:55.620 --> 00:05:01.120 And so let's consider for a few moments this morning, using this story of the shepherds, 00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:05.120 let's consider what the gospel does and how we must respond, 00:05:05.379 --> 00:05:09.280 and how we're looking for people to respond when we share the truth with them. 00:05:09.399 --> 00:05:11.340 Okay? Four things. The first one is this. 00:05:11.780 --> 00:05:15.420 The gospel beckons us to come and see. 00:05:15.920 --> 00:05:19.879 The gospel beckons us to come and see. 00:05:20.540 --> 00:05:21.800 Now look with me at verse 15. 00:05:21.800 --> 00:05:26.060 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 00:05:26.500 --> 00:05:31.379 Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, 00:05:32.100 --> 00:05:33.759 which the Lord has made known to us. 00:05:33.780 --> 00:05:40.180 And they went with haste, and they found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in a manger. 00:05:41.300 --> 00:05:42.720 And so it's very simple. 00:05:42.920 --> 00:05:46.080 The angel appears to the men, he scares them to death, 00:05:46.100 --> 00:05:48.879 and then he clarifies, he calms them down, he clarifies the message. 00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:52.259 I have good news for all people. It will bring great joy. 00:05:52.420 --> 00:05:53.519 It's about a baby. 00:05:54.019 --> 00:05:57.480 This baby's in Bethlehem, just down the road from where you are now. 00:05:57.800 --> 00:06:01.759 And what will distinguish this baby from every other baby that's in Bethlehem 00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:05.459 is this baby is lying in a feeding trough for animals. 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:06.259 It's in a manger. 00:06:06.899 --> 00:06:09.240 And so the implication being, 00:06:09.439 --> 00:06:12.839 if you go there to see if this is true, 00:06:13.079 --> 00:06:14.759 that this Messiah has come, 00:06:14.759 --> 00:06:18.980 it will be the one that you find in this stable in the manger. 00:06:19.399 --> 00:06:20.839 That's the sense of what happens. 00:06:21.099 --> 00:06:22.300 The angels go away, 00:06:22.819 --> 00:06:24.959 and then the men look at one another and they say, 00:06:25.039 --> 00:06:26.019 Well, what are we doing here? 00:06:26.439 --> 00:06:28.539 We must go and see this thing. 00:06:28.920 --> 00:06:33.399 Let's go see if what the angel says is actually true. 00:06:33.740 --> 00:06:35.019 And they make haste, 00:06:35.139 --> 00:06:35.980 and they run, 00:06:36.199 --> 00:06:37.620 and they go to Bethlehem, 00:06:37.620 --> 00:06:43.519 and they found Jesus exactly as the angel said that he was. 00:06:44.540 --> 00:06:47.660 And whenever a piece of news is conveyed to us, 00:06:48.439 --> 00:06:53.780 we process that on the basis of its direct impact on our lives. 00:06:54.860 --> 00:06:57.240 Now think about all of the headlines you read in a day. 00:06:58.060 --> 00:07:00.160 Whether you get your news from social media, 00:07:00.420 --> 00:07:01.560 or if you like the newspaper, 00:07:01.759 --> 00:07:02.860 or maybe it comes through an email, 00:07:03.079 --> 00:07:05.160 or you watch it on the television, 00:07:05.240 --> 00:07:06.120 or whatever it is you do. 00:07:06.120 --> 00:07:07.699 Whenever you see the headlines, 00:07:07.819 --> 00:07:09.579 and whenever you hear the news briefings, 00:07:10.019 --> 00:07:14.000 you process each story based on its value to you personally. 00:07:15.259 --> 00:07:18.459 Now you may be moved in a particular way by a story, 00:07:18.600 --> 00:07:21.160 but if it's not really directly affecting you, 00:07:21.199 --> 00:07:22.720 or our world in general, 00:07:23.079 --> 00:07:25.420 it's pretty easy to acknowledge it, 00:07:25.660 --> 00:07:26.920 even give some sympathy, 00:07:27.259 --> 00:07:28.840 and then kind of move on from it, right? 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:31.480 But there is a type of news 00:07:31.480 --> 00:07:33.879 that comes to us from time to time 00:07:33.879 --> 00:07:38.180 that so grips us that we cannot help but pursue it further. 00:07:38.339 --> 00:07:41.579 Or maybe it takes some type of emotional hold on us 00:07:41.579 --> 00:07:44.240 to where we can't easily get it out of our minds. 00:07:44.339 --> 00:07:45.319 We're pursuing it. 00:07:45.379 --> 00:07:46.639 We are thinking on it. 00:07:46.699 --> 00:07:48.100 We are trying to figure it out. 00:07:48.180 --> 00:07:50.659 We're trying to learn more. 00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:55.040 And such was this news that the angel brought to the shepherds. 00:07:55.040 --> 00:07:57.700 Can you imagine? 00:07:57.960 --> 00:07:59.900 This supernatural thing, 00:07:59.980 --> 00:08:02.560 this angel appears to you suddenly in the middle of the night, 00:08:02.680 --> 00:08:05.480 is something on its own that you're going to want to share. 00:08:05.980 --> 00:08:07.140 But even after that, 00:08:07.260 --> 00:08:10.360 the dynamic of this message that the angel brings, 00:08:11.460 --> 00:08:12.879 that salvation has come, 00:08:13.640 --> 00:08:15.060 and it's coming a baby, 00:08:15.060 --> 00:08:18.839 and this news so grips the shepherds 00:08:18.839 --> 00:08:23.060 that they could not quickly process and move on. 00:08:23.939 --> 00:08:25.699 They immediately took action. 00:08:26.240 --> 00:08:27.480 They pursued it. 00:08:27.939 --> 00:08:29.139 They went to see. 00:08:29.480 --> 00:08:30.579 If this was true, 00:08:30.680 --> 00:08:32.340 let us go and see this thing, 00:08:32.519 --> 00:08:34.120 they said to one another. 00:08:35.019 --> 00:08:36.580 And Luke says they make haste. 00:08:37.220 --> 00:08:38.019 Now think about that. 00:08:38.340 --> 00:08:39.500 This is the middle of the night. 00:08:40.200 --> 00:08:41.080 We've already been told 00:08:41.080 --> 00:08:44.020 that the angel appeared to them at night 00:08:44.020 --> 00:08:46.580 while they were in the fields with their sheep by night. 00:08:47.220 --> 00:08:48.220 It's just the middle of the night. 00:08:48.379 --> 00:08:50.020 We don't know how many of them there were. 00:08:50.280 --> 00:08:52.200 We don't know how big their herds were. 00:08:52.700 --> 00:08:55.639 But we know they made haste to go to Bethlehem. 00:08:56.620 --> 00:08:58.660 Maybe a couple of miles they had to go 00:08:58.660 --> 00:09:01.160 to actually get to where the proper village was. 00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:02.080 Now think about that. 00:09:02.440 --> 00:09:04.320 You can't take a herd of sheep with you 00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:06.980 if you're making haste in the middle of the night. 00:09:07.280 --> 00:09:08.200 It doesn't make sense. 00:09:08.200 --> 00:09:11.120 So one of two things had to happen. 00:09:11.640 --> 00:09:13.500 Either they looked at each other and they said, 00:09:13.620 --> 00:09:15.820 all right, you guys are the lowest on the totem pole. 00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:17.259 You got to stay here. 00:09:17.520 --> 00:09:19.740 We're going to go see the thing that the angel said. 00:09:20.300 --> 00:09:23.580 Or they collectively look at each other and they say, 00:09:23.980 --> 00:09:27.500 this is too big for us to care about these sheep right now. 00:09:28.280 --> 00:09:29.240 We're going to leave the sheep 00:09:29.240 --> 00:09:31.600 and we're going to go see this child. 00:09:31.700 --> 00:09:32.840 We're going to go see this baby. 00:09:33.360 --> 00:09:35.379 And I think that's probably what they did. 00:09:35.379 --> 00:09:38.320 Maybe they had a makeshift pen for them. 00:09:38.639 --> 00:09:39.200 I don't know. 00:09:39.419 --> 00:09:41.500 We don't know what they did or how they did it. 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:43.580 But the implication, I think, of the scripture 00:09:43.580 --> 00:09:46.320 is that they are so impacted by this news 00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:52.200 that they are so enamored by this idea of salvation 00:09:52.200 --> 00:09:55.439 and Messiah that they leave everything behind 00:09:55.439 --> 00:09:57.659 to go to Jesus. 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:01.080 And the gospel is that kind of news, isn't it? 00:10:01.080 --> 00:10:05.000 You can't just simply acknowledge it and dismiss it. 00:10:05.300 --> 00:10:08.040 It beckons us to come and see, 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:10.600 to come and see if these things are true. 00:10:11.340 --> 00:10:14.840 And if you leave your herd, whatever that may be, 00:10:16.120 --> 00:10:19.360 and you will have to leave something to come to Christ. 00:10:20.200 --> 00:10:21.240 You'll leave your sin. 00:10:21.520 --> 00:10:23.920 It may require you to leave a career. 00:10:24.280 --> 00:10:26.980 It may require you to leave social standing. 00:10:26.980 --> 00:10:30.620 It may require you to even sever certain relationships 00:10:30.620 --> 00:10:32.240 that you have in order to do this. 00:10:32.320 --> 00:10:34.560 But whatever it is that your herd is, 00:10:34.680 --> 00:10:37.840 if you will leave that herd and pursue this Christ, 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:40.039 you will find him as the shepherds did 00:10:40.039 --> 00:10:43.500 to be exactly as God has said, 00:10:43.899 --> 00:10:47.019 exactly what the message claims him to be. 00:10:48.620 --> 00:10:50.680 You see, though faith in Christ 00:10:50.680 --> 00:10:52.960 is necessary for salvation, 00:10:53.620 --> 00:10:55.759 it is not a blind faith. 00:10:55.759 --> 00:10:59.179 And this is something for which I'm thankful 00:10:59.179 --> 00:11:02.399 because some of you more naturally 00:11:02.399 --> 00:11:06.620 are given to be trusting by nature. 00:11:07.639 --> 00:11:11.539 And then there are natural cynics like me 00:11:11.539 --> 00:11:13.360 who want to blow a hole 00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:15.559 in everything that any type of information 00:11:15.559 --> 00:11:17.639 is actually conveyed to you. 00:11:18.220 --> 00:11:21.939 And what's so helpful about the call of faith 00:11:21.939 --> 00:11:22.740 in the gospel 00:11:22.740 --> 00:11:25.679 is that God does not say with this gospel, 00:11:26.159 --> 00:11:26.939 close your eyes, 00:11:27.299 --> 00:11:28.279 shut off your brains, 00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:29.879 and just do what I say. 00:11:30.679 --> 00:11:31.799 He could do that, but he doesn't. 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:32.879 He doesn't do that. 00:11:33.779 --> 00:11:35.080 With the gospel, he says, 00:11:35.179 --> 00:11:37.200 no, here's my message. 00:11:37.620 --> 00:11:38.340 Come and see. 00:11:38.980 --> 00:11:39.759 Come and see. 00:11:42.460 --> 00:11:44.019 There's a lot of people that 00:11:44.019 --> 00:11:47.879 they just simply don't come and see. 00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:50.919 It was Chesterton, I think, 00:11:50.919 --> 00:11:52.639 that said that it's not that people 00:11:52.639 --> 00:11:56.379 have read the gospels or the scriptures 00:11:56.379 --> 00:11:58.419 and found them wanting or lacking. 00:11:58.980 --> 00:12:00.899 It's that they have never actually come 00:12:00.899 --> 00:12:02.620 to the scriptures to actually see 00:12:02.620 --> 00:12:05.259 if there is verifiable data there. 00:12:06.100 --> 00:12:08.980 And the fact is that there is. 00:12:09.759 --> 00:12:11.059 And the question is, 00:12:11.399 --> 00:12:12.860 will you come and see it? 00:12:13.779 --> 00:12:15.539 The question we must ask the people 00:12:15.539 --> 00:12:17.039 to which we take the gospel 00:12:17.039 --> 00:12:18.659 is, will you come and see? 00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:21.019 And you may say, 00:12:21.139 --> 00:12:23.419 well, am I supposed to go to Bethlehem? 00:12:23.460 --> 00:12:24.419 Is that what this is about? 00:12:24.539 --> 00:12:26.320 Like, is this some kind of pilgrimage? 00:12:26.580 --> 00:12:27.320 Of course not. 00:12:27.919 --> 00:12:29.519 There's no manger for us to see. 00:12:30.600 --> 00:12:31.580 God's given us something 00:12:31.580 --> 00:12:33.019 actually far better than that. 00:12:33.800 --> 00:12:35.580 He's given us his own revelation. 00:12:36.460 --> 00:12:38.100 He's given us everything we need 00:12:38.100 --> 00:12:39.300 in the pages of the Bible. 00:12:40.040 --> 00:12:42.200 And we can come and see right here. 00:12:42.780 --> 00:12:44.400 We can see that the Bible 00:12:44.400 --> 00:12:46.840 is not only historically reliable 00:12:46.840 --> 00:12:48.420 as a historical document. 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:50.360 Even secular historians 00:12:50.360 --> 00:12:53.360 will at least agree to that. 00:12:54.139 --> 00:12:56.000 It's reliable because it is 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:57.160 the very word of God. 00:12:58.680 --> 00:13:00.420 He has sent his messengers 00:13:00.420 --> 00:13:01.460 with his revelation. 00:13:01.940 --> 00:13:03.280 That's what we have in the Bible. 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:06.339 And he beckons us to come and see. 00:13:07.480 --> 00:13:08.799 And so we read the Bible. 00:13:09.559 --> 00:13:10.679 We study it. 00:13:11.240 --> 00:13:12.500 We study it to see 00:13:12.500 --> 00:13:13.579 if these things are true. 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:14.699 And what you will find 00:13:14.699 --> 00:13:15.539 as you do that 00:13:15.539 --> 00:13:17.779 is that Jesus is exactly 00:13:17.779 --> 00:13:19.939 as we say he is. 00:13:20.980 --> 00:13:22.319 He's a wonderful Savior. 00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:24.839 He's the only Savior. 00:13:25.559 --> 00:13:27.059 You just need only come and see. 00:13:27.939 --> 00:13:28.459 Well, that brings us 00:13:28.459 --> 00:13:29.439 to the second thing here. 00:13:29.959 --> 00:13:31.379 And that is that the gospel 00:13:31.379 --> 00:13:34.720 invites us to hear and believe. 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:37.159 It invites us or beckons us 00:13:37.159 --> 00:13:37.820 to come and see. 00:13:38.019 --> 00:13:40.820 It invites us to hear and believe. 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:42.919 Now, it would be one thing 00:13:42.919 --> 00:13:44.480 for the shepherds to act out of 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:45.879 just sheer intrigue 00:13:45.879 --> 00:13:47.580 to see what was going on with this. 00:13:47.659 --> 00:13:49.200 But I do think that Luke 00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:50.820 intends to communicate here 00:13:50.820 --> 00:13:53.080 that they were fully convinced. 00:13:54.059 --> 00:13:55.559 They believed that Jesus 00:13:55.559 --> 00:13:57.379 was indeed this Messiah 00:13:57.379 --> 00:13:58.340 and Son of God. 00:13:58.340 --> 00:13:59.740 And their faith, I think, 00:13:59.800 --> 00:14:01.500 is demonstrated in the fact 00:14:01.500 --> 00:14:02.600 that they immediately 00:14:02.600 --> 00:14:03.920 began to share the news 00:14:03.920 --> 00:14:05.639 and they went back 00:14:05.639 --> 00:14:06.780 to their sheepfolds 00:14:06.780 --> 00:14:08.300 worshiping the Lord. 00:14:09.320 --> 00:14:12.519 This was a life-transforming event 00:14:12.519 --> 00:14:14.000 because they believed 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:15.820 the gospel message. 00:14:17.080 --> 00:14:18.040 And again, Kent Hughes 00:14:18.040 --> 00:14:18.759 is helpful here. 00:14:19.019 --> 00:14:20.460 He says it is not enough 00:14:20.460 --> 00:14:21.820 to hear about Jesus. 00:14:22.580 --> 00:14:23.800 It's not enough 00:14:23.800 --> 00:14:25.560 to peek in the manger 00:14:25.559 --> 00:14:26.119 and say, 00:14:26.259 --> 00:14:27.500 oh, how nice. 00:14:27.799 --> 00:14:28.939 What a lovely scene. 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:30.879 It gives me such good feelings. 00:14:32.579 --> 00:14:34.059 The Christ who was born 00:14:34.059 --> 00:14:34.819 into the world 00:14:34.819 --> 00:14:37.379 must be born into your heart. 00:14:38.659 --> 00:14:39.739 Religious sentiment, 00:14:40.279 --> 00:14:41.259 even at Christmas, 00:14:41.899 --> 00:14:43.259 without the living Christ, 00:14:43.339 --> 00:14:43.879 he says, 00:14:44.219 --> 00:14:45.619 is a yellow brick road 00:14:45.619 --> 00:14:46.739 to darkness. 00:14:48.779 --> 00:14:50.219 And there's a clear distinction 00:14:50.219 --> 00:14:51.559 as we think about these things. 00:14:51.699 --> 00:14:53.099 There's a clear distinction 00:14:53.100 --> 00:14:54.980 between those who are intrigued 00:14:54.980 --> 00:14:56.840 by the stories of Jesus 00:14:56.840 --> 00:14:58.180 and those who actually 00:14:58.180 --> 00:14:59.779 acknowledge him as Lord 00:14:59.779 --> 00:15:01.659 and receive him as Savior. 00:15:03.320 --> 00:15:04.960 Those who are merely intrigued 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:08.360 are gripped by religious sentiment, 00:15:08.700 --> 00:15:08.820 maybe. 00:15:08.920 --> 00:15:10.120 Maybe it's just the, 00:15:10.540 --> 00:15:13.000 there's something attracted to them 00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:14.080 about the story 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:14.740 or the narrative 00:15:14.740 --> 00:15:17.220 or the romance, perhaps, 00:15:17.480 --> 00:15:18.759 of what unfolds here. 00:15:18.759 --> 00:15:21.840 But those who actually receive him 00:15:21.840 --> 00:15:23.279 are true disciples. 00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:26.379 And the gospel message 00:15:26.379 --> 00:15:27.539 not only beckons us 00:15:27.539 --> 00:15:28.299 to come and see, 00:15:28.919 --> 00:15:31.039 it invites us to hear this truth 00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:33.039 and believe it for salvation. 00:15:33.740 --> 00:15:35.460 In fact, invitation 00:15:35.460 --> 00:15:38.480 is the best possible word for it 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:41.819 because it is a divine invitation 00:15:41.819 --> 00:15:44.279 from God to believe. 00:15:45.460 --> 00:15:46.799 Now think about this, kids. 00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:48.000 Remember what Jesus said 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:48.819 in Matthew 11. 00:15:49.159 --> 00:15:49.979 Remember he says, 00:15:50.659 --> 00:15:51.359 come to me, 00:15:52.079 --> 00:15:53.559 all who labor 00:15:53.559 --> 00:15:55.079 and are heavy laden 00:15:55.079 --> 00:15:56.959 and I will give you rest. 00:15:57.959 --> 00:15:59.939 It's an invitation from Christ. 00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:01.839 He says, come to me. 00:16:02.779 --> 00:16:03.679 You're labored. 00:16:04.039 --> 00:16:05.979 You're heavy laden in your sins. 00:16:06.299 --> 00:16:07.359 You're laboring 00:16:07.359 --> 00:16:10.000 in your efforts at goodness 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:11.620 to try to be as good as you can 00:16:11.620 --> 00:16:13.919 and to try to earn maybe salvation 00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:15.639 or earn God's blessing 00:16:15.639 --> 00:16:16.899 in the best way that you can 00:16:16.899 --> 00:16:17.479 and I mean, 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:18.639 you even go to church 00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:19.419 on Christmas morning 00:16:19.419 --> 00:16:20.279 for goodness sake. 00:16:21.939 --> 00:16:22.779 And Jesus says 00:16:22.779 --> 00:16:23.759 to all of those people, 00:16:23.839 --> 00:16:24.759 the religious people 00:16:24.759 --> 00:16:25.639 and the people 00:16:25.639 --> 00:16:27.199 who are working so hard 00:16:27.199 --> 00:16:28.599 to gain some kind of favor 00:16:28.599 --> 00:16:29.099 with God 00:16:29.099 --> 00:16:29.959 and Jesus says, 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:31.620 no, you need to come to me. 00:16:32.019 --> 00:16:32.959 You're laboring. 00:16:33.139 --> 00:16:33.839 You're heavy laden. 00:16:33.939 --> 00:16:34.479 Come to me 00:16:34.479 --> 00:16:35.399 and from me, 00:16:35.479 --> 00:16:37.240 you'll actually find true rest. 00:16:38.039 --> 00:16:40.459 True spiritual rest, 00:16:40.539 --> 00:16:41.179 he says. 00:16:41.179 --> 00:16:44.239 Because the story of the Bible 00:16:44.239 --> 00:16:46.859 is about God making a way 00:16:46.859 --> 00:16:47.479 for sinners 00:16:47.479 --> 00:16:50.079 to be reconciled to him 00:16:50.079 --> 00:16:52.359 with everlasting peace. 00:16:53.599 --> 00:16:55.599 And this story of Jesus' birth 00:16:55.599 --> 00:16:56.419 is just the beginning 00:16:56.419 --> 00:16:58.259 of how God brought his plan 00:16:58.259 --> 00:16:59.179 to fruition. 00:17:00.179 --> 00:17:02.059 Jesus, God's sinless son, 00:17:02.659 --> 00:17:03.939 came to pay the penalty 00:17:03.939 --> 00:17:04.899 for our sins 00:17:04.899 --> 00:17:06.899 by dying on the cross. 00:17:07.700 --> 00:17:09.599 Then God raised him from the dead. 00:17:09.659 --> 00:17:11.079 We just sang about that, right? 00:17:11.500 --> 00:17:12.380 We just sang about it. 00:17:12.539 --> 00:17:13.880 God raised him from the dead, 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:15.740 showing that Christ's sacrifice 00:17:15.740 --> 00:17:16.680 was effective, 00:17:17.580 --> 00:17:19.560 that it did what it was supposed to do. 00:17:19.700 --> 00:17:21.620 It satisfied God's wrath 00:17:21.620 --> 00:17:22.880 against our sin. 00:17:23.500 --> 00:17:24.920 And this is the only way 00:17:24.920 --> 00:17:26.900 for our sins to be forgiven. 00:17:27.840 --> 00:17:28.980 It's the only way 00:17:28.980 --> 00:17:30.940 for us to be at peace with God. 00:17:32.279 --> 00:17:33.460 And what's so wonderful 00:17:33.460 --> 00:17:34.480 about the whole thing 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:36.600 is not only that God does it, 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:37.799 but then God extends 00:17:37.799 --> 00:17:38.700 this invitation, 00:17:38.900 --> 00:17:39.940 just like you may get 00:17:39.940 --> 00:17:41.680 an invitation to a birthday party, 00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:42.980 or just like you may give 00:17:42.980 --> 00:17:44.900 an invitation to go on a date 00:17:44.900 --> 00:17:45.759 one of these days, 00:17:45.799 --> 00:17:46.860 or whatever it is, 00:17:46.900 --> 00:17:47.860 just like you may get 00:17:47.860 --> 00:17:49.759 an invitation to go 00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:50.820 and visit with someone 00:17:50.820 --> 00:17:52.200 this Christmas day. 00:17:52.340 --> 00:17:54.000 So God extends an invitation, 00:17:54.500 --> 00:17:55.059 and he says, 00:17:55.140 --> 00:17:56.440 all who will come to me, 00:17:56.640 --> 00:17:57.700 all who will come 00:17:57.700 --> 00:17:59.519 and trust in Christ alone, 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:01.220 will receive rest. 00:18:01.220 --> 00:18:05.279 I sung a song with the girls 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:06.079 earlier this week. 00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:07.500 I don't know if they knew it. 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:08.799 It was one that we came across 00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:09.860 looking for a different song, 00:18:09.960 --> 00:18:10.200 actually, 00:18:10.279 --> 00:18:11.240 but it's an old hymn 00:18:11.240 --> 00:18:12.160 that I remember singing 00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:12.740 growing up. 00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:13.660 And at the end of it, 00:18:13.700 --> 00:18:14.000 it says, 00:18:14.140 --> 00:18:15.740 oh, come to the Father 00:18:15.740 --> 00:18:17.299 through Jesus the Son. 00:18:17.380 --> 00:18:19.319 You remember the Fanny Crosby song, 00:18:19.460 --> 00:18:20.620 to God be the glory? 00:18:21.319 --> 00:18:22.620 Oh, come to the Father 00:18:22.620 --> 00:18:24.140 through Jesus the Son 00:18:24.140 --> 00:18:26.059 and give him the glory. 00:18:26.700 --> 00:18:28.000 Great things he has done. 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:30.440 Because you can only come to God 00:18:30.440 --> 00:18:31.099 through his Son. 00:18:31.980 --> 00:18:33.200 You can come no other way, 00:18:33.700 --> 00:18:34.759 only through him. 00:18:35.460 --> 00:18:36.599 So the gospel says, 00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:37.400 come and see. 00:18:38.220 --> 00:18:39.279 And then it says, 00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:40.799 hear and believe. 00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:42.160 Receive it. 00:18:42.819 --> 00:18:43.339 Thirdly, 00:18:43.779 --> 00:18:45.359 the gospel motivates us 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:46.900 to go and tell. 00:18:47.220 --> 00:18:48.180 So there's come and see. 00:18:48.660 --> 00:18:50.440 There's hear and believe. 00:18:50.839 --> 00:18:52.700 Now there's go and tell. 00:18:52.859 --> 00:18:53.819 Look at verse 17. 00:18:54.220 --> 00:18:55.220 And when they saw it, 00:18:55.240 --> 00:18:56.119 that is the shepherds, 00:18:56.380 --> 00:18:57.500 when they saw it, 00:18:57.500 --> 00:18:59.140 they made known the saying 00:18:59.140 --> 00:19:00.299 that had been told them 00:19:00.299 --> 00:19:03.220 concerning this child. 00:19:04.619 --> 00:19:05.700 So they hear the call 00:19:05.700 --> 00:19:06.380 to come and see. 00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:07.180 They go to Bethlehem. 00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:07.940 They see the child. 00:19:08.039 --> 00:19:09.599 They receive the invitation 00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:10.559 to hear and believe. 00:19:10.700 --> 00:19:11.500 That's the implication 00:19:11.500 --> 00:19:12.099 of the text. 00:19:12.160 --> 00:19:12.980 And then they immediately 00:19:12.980 --> 00:19:15.440 go and start telling everybody 00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:16.700 they can possibly tell. 00:19:18.140 --> 00:19:19.380 Thus, MacArthur says, 00:19:19.460 --> 00:19:21.119 they become the very first 00:19:21.119 --> 00:19:23.220 New Testament evangelist. 00:19:23.859 --> 00:19:24.519 Now, I don't know 00:19:24.519 --> 00:19:25.420 how they did this. 00:19:26.039 --> 00:19:27.359 This is the middle of the night. 00:19:27.500 --> 00:19:28.819 We already have established 00:19:28.819 --> 00:19:29.380 that fact. 00:19:29.559 --> 00:19:30.619 I don't know if they just go 00:19:30.619 --> 00:19:31.900 and start waking people up. 00:19:32.500 --> 00:19:34.240 I don't know if they stick around 00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:34.839 for the night 00:19:34.839 --> 00:19:36.160 and once the sun comes up 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:37.500 and before they go back out 00:19:37.500 --> 00:19:38.119 to the fields 00:19:38.119 --> 00:19:39.619 to check on the sheep, 00:19:39.940 --> 00:19:41.900 they find whoever is out 00:19:41.900 --> 00:19:43.279 and about in Bethlehem 00:19:43.279 --> 00:19:44.200 or whoever's on the road 00:19:44.200 --> 00:19:45.319 as they're making their way back. 00:19:45.460 --> 00:19:47.359 All we know is that everyone, 00:19:47.900 --> 00:19:49.079 they began to come across, 00:19:49.200 --> 00:19:50.140 they began to share 00:19:50.140 --> 00:19:51.920 this good news of great joy 00:19:51.920 --> 00:19:53.819 that had been delivered to them. 00:19:53.819 --> 00:19:56.159 And for those who would 00:19:56.159 --> 00:19:57.659 think of Luke's gospel 00:19:57.659 --> 00:19:59.179 as some kind of fabrication 00:19:59.179 --> 00:20:01.539 or invention in Luke's mind, 00:20:02.019 --> 00:20:03.299 special note I think 00:20:03.299 --> 00:20:04.179 should be taken 00:20:04.179 --> 00:20:05.859 of the shepherds 00:20:05.859 --> 00:20:06.720 being responsible 00:20:06.720 --> 00:20:08.159 for sharing this good news. 00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:10.059 Remember last week, 00:20:10.059 --> 00:20:10.779 we talked about this 00:20:10.779 --> 00:20:11.500 with shepherds. 00:20:11.939 --> 00:20:14.000 They had a necessary occupation 00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:16.039 for a flourishing life in Israel, 00:20:16.259 --> 00:20:18.599 but they were not respected people. 00:20:18.599 --> 00:20:21.439 They were religiously, 00:20:21.740 --> 00:20:23.019 the religious people 00:20:23.019 --> 00:20:24.079 according to the Mishnah 00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:25.459 had actually banned them. 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:27.379 They were considered 00:20:27.379 --> 00:20:29.039 perpetually unclean, 00:20:29.159 --> 00:20:29.699 which meant that 00:20:29.699 --> 00:20:30.799 they couldn't participate 00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:32.559 in the ceremonial things 00:20:32.559 --> 00:20:34.199 of Jewish life. 00:20:34.279 --> 00:20:35.159 They weren't allowed to do that. 00:20:35.419 --> 00:20:36.659 Most people considered them 00:20:36.659 --> 00:20:37.839 as if they just assumed 00:20:37.839 --> 00:20:39.379 that they were thieves, 00:20:39.980 --> 00:20:42.319 that they were the lowest part 00:20:42.319 --> 00:20:42.879 of society. 00:20:43.399 --> 00:20:44.359 They weren't even allowed 00:20:44.359 --> 00:20:45.659 to testify in court 00:20:45.659 --> 00:20:46.779 and in legal proceedings. 00:20:47.240 --> 00:20:47.839 Their testimony 00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:48.919 would not be accepted 00:20:48.919 --> 00:20:50.539 because of the way 00:20:50.539 --> 00:20:51.119 that the culture 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:52.779 viewed them as shepherds. 00:20:53.379 --> 00:20:54.459 And yet God chooses 00:20:54.459 --> 00:20:55.439 these people 00:20:55.439 --> 00:20:57.519 as the people 00:20:57.519 --> 00:20:58.599 that are going to be 00:20:58.599 --> 00:20:59.980 the first evangelists 00:20:59.980 --> 00:21:01.579 to share this news 00:21:01.579 --> 00:21:03.339 that the Messiah has come. 00:21:04.500 --> 00:21:05.220 And there are people 00:21:05.220 --> 00:21:05.740 that would say, 00:21:05.879 --> 00:21:06.919 well, these gospels 00:21:06.919 --> 00:21:08.059 are just the work of man. 00:21:08.259 --> 00:21:09.000 It's fabrication. 00:21:09.480 --> 00:21:10.119 It's mythology. 00:21:10.359 --> 00:21:10.879 It's fiction. 00:21:11.019 --> 00:21:11.720 It's not real. 00:21:12.919 --> 00:21:13.859 Well, if Luke was trying 00:21:13.859 --> 00:21:14.559 to do that, 00:21:15.099 --> 00:21:16.799 why did he pick shepherds? 00:21:17.839 --> 00:21:19.419 Why did he say shepherds 00:21:19.419 --> 00:21:19.879 were the ones? 00:21:20.039 --> 00:21:22.399 He would get no historic 00:21:22.399 --> 00:21:23.859 reliability whatsoever 00:21:23.859 --> 00:21:26.579 from that on its own. 00:21:26.859 --> 00:21:28.059 This is not a work of fiction. 00:21:28.659 --> 00:21:29.799 This has the marks 00:21:29.799 --> 00:21:31.559 of history on it. 00:21:33.139 --> 00:21:34.619 Now, Ashlyn is the one 00:21:34.619 --> 00:21:35.259 in our family 00:21:35.259 --> 00:21:36.939 that loves to share news 00:21:36.939 --> 00:21:37.419 with people, 00:21:37.500 --> 00:21:38.059 aren't you, sweetheart? 00:21:39.119 --> 00:21:40.119 The better the news 00:21:40.119 --> 00:21:41.759 or the more exciting the news 00:21:41.759 --> 00:21:43.240 or the more dramatic the news, 00:21:43.319 --> 00:21:44.039 maybe we would say, 00:21:44.039 --> 00:21:44.659 right, Ashlyn? 00:21:44.799 --> 00:21:46.639 The more eager she is 00:21:46.639 --> 00:21:48.920 to share it with someone else. 00:21:48.920 --> 00:21:50.059 And she comes about it honest. 00:21:50.139 --> 00:21:51.379 Her dad's really the same way. 00:21:52.359 --> 00:21:53.619 Whenever something's going on, 00:21:53.879 --> 00:21:54.899 she just can't wait 00:21:54.899 --> 00:21:56.240 to tell somebody. 00:21:56.619 --> 00:21:58.019 In fact, there are many times 00:21:58.019 --> 00:21:59.359 that driving down the road, 00:21:59.720 --> 00:22:01.839 we might have to look at Ashlyn 00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:03.339 and she's heard this many times 00:22:03.339 --> 00:22:04.839 and me and Julie would say, 00:22:04.940 --> 00:22:05.480 now Ashlyn, 00:22:05.819 --> 00:22:08.000 this is not your story to tell. 00:22:08.279 --> 00:22:09.619 You got to let them tell it. 00:22:09.659 --> 00:22:10.539 Let Harper say 00:22:10.539 --> 00:22:11.659 what's going on with her. 00:22:11.660 --> 00:22:13.600 Let Chelsea say what's going on 00:22:13.600 --> 00:22:14.860 with her or whatever it is. 00:22:15.140 --> 00:22:16.120 And her favorite way 00:22:16.120 --> 00:22:17.220 to lead off a conversation 00:22:17.220 --> 00:22:18.140 is with what? 00:22:18.200 --> 00:22:18.600 Two words. 00:22:19.500 --> 00:22:20.580 Guess what, right? 00:22:20.680 --> 00:22:21.460 That's how she leads 00:22:21.460 --> 00:22:22.620 every conversation. 00:22:22.860 --> 00:22:24.080 We're alike in that way. 00:22:24.980 --> 00:22:26.100 I think that's really 00:22:26.100 --> 00:22:26.740 what's happening 00:22:26.740 --> 00:22:27.960 with the shepherds here. 00:22:28.980 --> 00:22:30.240 This is such awesome news. 00:22:30.360 --> 00:22:31.279 It's dramatic news. 00:22:31.380 --> 00:22:32.000 It's good news. 00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:33.060 It's wonderful. 00:22:33.220 --> 00:22:34.080 Everything about it 00:22:34.080 --> 00:22:35.100 is fantastic 00:22:35.100 --> 00:22:37.100 that they are motivated 00:22:37.100 --> 00:22:39.200 by the gospel message itself 00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:40.700 to actually go 00:22:40.700 --> 00:22:41.460 and share it 00:22:41.460 --> 00:22:43.019 and to say to everybody 00:22:43.019 --> 00:22:43.680 that come across, 00:22:43.980 --> 00:22:44.940 guess what? 00:22:45.580 --> 00:22:46.960 You're not going to believe it. 00:22:47.880 --> 00:22:49.360 The Messiah has come. 00:22:49.700 --> 00:22:50.700 The Savior is here. 00:22:50.759 --> 00:22:51.799 We saw him 00:22:51.799 --> 00:22:52.759 and we know it's him 00:22:52.759 --> 00:22:54.539 because this angel appeared to us 00:22:54.539 --> 00:22:54.840 and then we saw 00:22:54.840 --> 00:22:55.940 a whole bunch of angels 00:22:55.940 --> 00:22:57.220 and then it was exactly 00:22:57.220 --> 00:22:58.259 as they said 00:22:58.259 --> 00:22:59.740 and his mom's a virgin. 00:23:00.480 --> 00:23:01.100 I don't even know 00:23:01.100 --> 00:23:01.799 how it's possible 00:23:01.799 --> 00:23:02.360 but it is 00:23:02.360 --> 00:23:02.980 and he's got to be 00:23:02.980 --> 00:23:03.620 the son of God. 00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:05.059 He's come to save us 00:23:05.059 --> 00:23:05.880 from our sins. 00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:07.680 That's what they begin to do. 00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:12.940 The truth is 00:23:12.940 --> 00:23:14.100 we don't need someone 00:23:14.100 --> 00:23:15.259 twisting our arms 00:23:15.259 --> 00:23:17.120 to go and share the gospel. 00:23:18.460 --> 00:23:19.940 If you find yourself 00:23:19.940 --> 00:23:21.400 in a particular funk 00:23:21.400 --> 00:23:23.560 as far as evangelism is concerned, 00:23:23.640 --> 00:23:24.759 your personal evangelism, 00:23:25.259 --> 00:23:27.000 the solution for that 00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:28.779 is not to just try harder 00:23:28.779 --> 00:23:32.360 because it just doesn't work. 00:23:32.680 --> 00:23:33.980 The solution for that 00:23:33.980 --> 00:23:35.279 is to immerse yourself 00:23:35.279 --> 00:23:36.099 all over again 00:23:36.099 --> 00:23:36.720 in the gospel 00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:38.839 because the gospel itself 00:23:38.839 --> 00:23:39.619 is what actually 00:23:39.619 --> 00:23:40.700 motivates us 00:23:40.700 --> 00:23:41.680 to do this. 00:23:41.879 --> 00:23:43.000 The gospel itself, 00:23:43.160 --> 00:23:44.680 the message of Christ itself 00:23:44.680 --> 00:23:46.420 is what pushed these men 00:23:46.420 --> 00:23:47.920 to share this news 00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:49.339 and there were two responses 00:23:49.339 --> 00:23:50.180 to their news 00:23:50.180 --> 00:23:51.339 that I want to point out to you. 00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:53.059 Look at verse 18 first. 00:23:54.119 --> 00:23:55.039 All who heard it 00:23:55.039 --> 00:23:56.119 wondered 00:23:56.119 --> 00:23:57.839 at what the shepherds 00:23:57.839 --> 00:23:58.420 told them. 00:23:58.960 --> 00:23:59.359 They wondered. 00:24:00.420 --> 00:24:01.359 This word for wondered, 00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:02.559 falmazo. 00:24:02.680 --> 00:24:03.519 Say that with me kids. 00:24:03.619 --> 00:24:03.740 Ready? 00:24:03.740 --> 00:24:05.099 Thaumatso. 00:24:05.500 --> 00:24:07.779 That's the Greek word here. 00:24:08.140 --> 00:24:08.900 You know what it means? 00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:10.819 It means to be amazed. 00:24:11.980 --> 00:24:12.779 Now when we think 00:24:12.779 --> 00:24:14.039 to be in wonder, 00:24:14.519 --> 00:24:15.620 the way we typically 00:24:15.620 --> 00:24:16.440 use that in English 00:24:16.440 --> 00:24:17.740 is we are conveying 00:24:17.740 --> 00:24:19.539 the idea of being perplexed. 00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:21.319 Like this is a unique thing. 00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:23.660 This is an unusual thing. 00:24:23.839 --> 00:24:24.940 And I'm kind of curious 00:24:24.940 --> 00:24:26.460 and maybe even a little bit 00:24:26.460 --> 00:24:28.339 confused about it. 00:24:28.599 --> 00:24:29.620 But that's not exactly, 00:24:29.779 --> 00:24:29.980 kiddos, 00:24:30.059 --> 00:24:30.839 that's not exactly 00:24:30.839 --> 00:24:31.819 how Luke intended 00:24:31.819 --> 00:24:32.879 this word to be used. 00:24:33.319 --> 00:24:34.519 It's one of his favorites. 00:24:34.879 --> 00:24:35.839 He uses it over 00:24:35.839 --> 00:24:36.819 and over and over 00:24:36.819 --> 00:24:38.139 in his gospel. 00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:40.859 Because this was the response 00:24:40.859 --> 00:24:42.659 that people most often 00:24:42.659 --> 00:24:43.399 had to Jesus. 00:24:44.359 --> 00:24:45.419 When Jesus would come 00:24:45.419 --> 00:24:46.139 into these villages 00:24:46.139 --> 00:24:46.720 and these towns 00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:47.419 and he would teach 00:24:47.419 --> 00:24:48.099 and he would perform 00:24:48.099 --> 00:24:48.700 these miracles, 00:24:49.139 --> 00:24:49.659 Luke would say 00:24:49.659 --> 00:24:50.319 their response 00:24:50.319 --> 00:24:51.639 would be falmazo. 00:24:51.839 --> 00:24:53.419 They would be amazed 00:24:53.419 --> 00:24:54.899 at what they saw. 00:24:55.679 --> 00:24:56.980 Perhaps perplexity 00:24:56.980 --> 00:24:58.059 is a minor note here. 00:24:58.059 --> 00:24:59.259 But the bigger note here 00:24:59.259 --> 00:24:59.980 is amazement. 00:25:00.119 --> 00:25:01.019 Like wow! 00:25:03.099 --> 00:25:04.139 That's amazing! 00:25:05.639 --> 00:25:06.659 And then he says here 00:25:06.659 --> 00:25:07.799 that as the shepherds 00:25:07.799 --> 00:25:08.679 went and shared this news 00:25:08.679 --> 00:25:10.119 that most of the people 00:25:10.119 --> 00:25:10.819 they wondered, 00:25:11.179 --> 00:25:12.319 they falmazo'd, 00:25:12.399 --> 00:25:13.779 they were amazed 00:25:13.779 --> 00:25:15.000 at what the shepherds 00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:15.619 were saying. 00:25:16.039 --> 00:25:16.799 But here's the thing 00:25:16.799 --> 00:25:17.599 that we need to remember 00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:18.279 about this. 00:25:19.859 --> 00:25:21.019 Most of the people 00:25:21.019 --> 00:25:22.539 that were so amazed 00:25:22.539 --> 00:25:23.940 by Jesus in his ministry 00:25:23.940 --> 00:25:24.700 through his teaching 00:25:24.700 --> 00:25:25.539 and through his miracles 00:25:25.539 --> 00:25:27.539 never ended up following 00:25:27.539 --> 00:25:28.359 him as Savior 00:25:28.359 --> 00:25:30.859 because he didn't match 00:25:30.859 --> 00:25:32.379 what they wanted him to be. 00:25:34.039 --> 00:25:36.659 He wasn't a wealthy, 00:25:37.299 --> 00:25:38.960 strong military leader. 00:25:39.059 --> 00:25:39.799 That's what they wanted, 00:25:39.859 --> 00:25:40.279 wasn't it? 00:25:40.779 --> 00:25:41.299 They were amazed 00:25:41.299 --> 00:25:41.980 at what he could do 00:25:41.980 --> 00:25:43.319 but they weren't very impressed 00:25:43.319 --> 00:25:44.259 by who he was. 00:25:45.839 --> 00:25:46.899 And especially when he starts 00:25:46.899 --> 00:25:48.319 talking about things like 00:25:48.319 --> 00:25:48.899 if you're going to come 00:25:48.899 --> 00:25:49.319 after me, 00:25:49.399 --> 00:25:49.639 you're going to have 00:25:49.639 --> 00:25:50.559 to deny yourself 00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:51.500 and take up your cross 00:25:51.500 --> 00:25:52.240 and follow me. 00:25:53.039 --> 00:25:53.639 Well, they didn't like 00:25:53.639 --> 00:25:54.799 that stuff very much either. 00:25:55.539 --> 00:25:56.399 And then when he comes 00:25:56.399 --> 00:25:57.019 into the temple 00:25:57.019 --> 00:25:58.019 and he starts to cleanse 00:25:58.019 --> 00:25:58.559 the temple 00:25:58.559 --> 00:26:00.039 and then when he goes 00:26:00.039 --> 00:26:01.559 so far as he's put 00:26:01.559 --> 00:26:02.200 under trial 00:26:02.200 --> 00:26:02.920 and he's crucified 00:26:02.920 --> 00:26:03.500 on a cross, 00:26:03.579 --> 00:26:04.139 that's the point 00:26:04.139 --> 00:26:05.039 that most of them said, 00:26:05.359 --> 00:26:06.079 no way, 00:26:06.159 --> 00:26:07.119 there's no way. 00:26:07.879 --> 00:26:09.559 It's amazing what he can do 00:26:09.559 --> 00:26:11.119 but there's no way 00:26:11.119 --> 00:26:11.839 he's the Messiah. 00:26:12.659 --> 00:26:13.720 And they walked away 00:26:13.720 --> 00:26:14.440 unbelieving. 00:26:15.740 --> 00:26:16.579 That's what's happening 00:26:16.579 --> 00:26:17.099 I think here 00:26:17.099 --> 00:26:17.920 with the shepherds. 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:19.079 They're running 00:26:19.079 --> 00:26:20.079 and they're telling people 00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:21.220 and they're thalmazo'd. 00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:22.559 They're amazed 00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:24.379 that something like this, 00:26:24.440 --> 00:26:25.339 if it happened, 00:26:25.539 --> 00:26:26.279 that it would happen 00:26:26.279 --> 00:26:26.980 to shepherds. 00:26:27.180 --> 00:26:28.379 They're so amazed 00:26:28.379 --> 00:26:29.460 at the story of it 00:26:29.460 --> 00:26:30.200 but that doesn't 00:26:30.200 --> 00:26:31.700 actually mean 00:26:31.700 --> 00:26:34.279 that they believed. 00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:36.819 Many people are intrigued 00:26:36.819 --> 00:26:37.579 by the stories 00:26:37.579 --> 00:26:38.639 of Jesus at Christmas. 00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:40.440 There's actually 00:26:40.440 --> 00:26:40.940 very few 00:26:40.940 --> 00:26:42.920 who actually trust him. 00:26:43.579 --> 00:26:44.700 Now I know that's true 00:26:44.700 --> 00:26:45.879 because Jesus said 00:26:45.879 --> 00:26:46.379 it was true. 00:26:47.420 --> 00:26:48.019 Remember in the 00:26:48.019 --> 00:26:48.759 Sermon on the Mount, 00:26:49.500 --> 00:26:50.559 enter by the narrow gate, 00:26:50.619 --> 00:26:51.099 he says, 00:26:51.099 --> 00:26:53.219 for the gate is wide 00:26:53.219 --> 00:26:54.459 and the way is easy 00:26:54.459 --> 00:26:55.799 that leads to destruction 00:26:55.799 --> 00:26:58.559 and those who enter by it 00:26:58.559 --> 00:26:59.159 are many. 00:27:00.159 --> 00:27:00.899 But he says, 00:27:01.019 --> 00:27:02.159 for the gate is narrow 00:27:02.159 --> 00:27:04.099 and the way is hard 00:27:04.099 --> 00:27:05.839 that leads to life 00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:07.919 and those who find it 00:27:07.919 --> 00:27:08.659 are few. 00:27:09.659 --> 00:27:10.500 And the evidence 00:27:10.500 --> 00:27:11.019 that we have 00:27:11.019 --> 00:27:11.639 in the Gospels 00:27:11.639 --> 00:27:12.579 is that lots of people 00:27:12.579 --> 00:27:13.599 were intrigued by Jesus. 00:27:13.799 --> 00:27:14.779 Not too many people 00:27:14.779 --> 00:27:15.759 followed Jesus 00:27:15.759 --> 00:27:17.519 and wondered. 00:27:17.519 --> 00:27:18.900 But that brings us 00:27:18.900 --> 00:27:19.700 to the second response. 00:27:19.779 --> 00:27:20.639 That's in verse 19. 00:27:21.000 --> 00:27:21.740 Look, but Mary 00:27:21.740 --> 00:27:23.180 treasured up 00:27:23.180 --> 00:27:24.139 all these things 00:27:24.139 --> 00:27:25.819 pondering them 00:27:25.819 --> 00:27:26.460 in her heart. 00:27:26.639 --> 00:27:27.379 She treasured 00:27:27.379 --> 00:27:28.059 these things. 00:27:29.259 --> 00:27:29.960 Her response 00:27:29.960 --> 00:27:30.759 is a bit different. 00:27:31.779 --> 00:27:32.379 We've seen 00:27:32.379 --> 00:27:33.359 in earlier passages 00:27:33.359 --> 00:27:34.839 that Mary was full of faith. 00:27:34.980 --> 00:27:35.559 She embraced 00:27:35.559 --> 00:27:36.440 the Gospel message 00:27:36.440 --> 00:27:37.480 but here we see 00:27:37.480 --> 00:27:38.599 she treasured. 00:27:39.019 --> 00:27:39.859 She didn't wonder 00:27:39.859 --> 00:27:40.440 at the truths. 00:27:40.660 --> 00:27:42.139 She treasured them. 00:27:42.200 --> 00:27:42.920 There's a difference. 00:27:45.420 --> 00:27:46.379 Says MacArthur, 00:27:46.380 --> 00:27:48.200 Mary's deep meditation 00:27:48.200 --> 00:27:49.020 on the Savior 00:27:49.020 --> 00:27:51.340 illustrates another aspect 00:27:51.340 --> 00:27:52.380 of what it means 00:27:52.380 --> 00:27:53.540 to embrace Christ. 00:27:54.700 --> 00:27:56.640 Salvation's initial euphoria 00:27:56.640 --> 00:27:58.080 and excitement 00:27:58.080 --> 00:27:59.440 deepens. 00:28:00.100 --> 00:28:01.700 It deepens into richer, 00:28:02.200 --> 00:28:02.900 fuller, 00:28:03.220 --> 00:28:04.260 more profound 00:28:04.260 --> 00:28:05.480 understanding 00:28:05.480 --> 00:28:06.220 of the person 00:28:06.220 --> 00:28:07.220 and work of Christ. 00:28:08.560 --> 00:28:09.720 The truth is 00:28:09.720 --> 00:28:10.520 that the nature 00:28:10.520 --> 00:28:11.700 of God's work 00:28:11.700 --> 00:28:12.440 through the Gospel 00:28:12.440 --> 00:28:13.880 means that one 00:28:13.880 --> 00:28:15.180 who truly believes it 00:28:15.180 --> 00:28:17.500 will grow 00:28:17.500 --> 00:28:18.820 in faith. 00:28:19.340 --> 00:28:20.360 They will grow 00:28:20.360 --> 00:28:21.140 in love. 00:28:21.560 --> 00:28:22.240 They will grow 00:28:22.240 --> 00:28:22.960 in obedience 00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:23.700 to Jesus. 00:28:24.500 --> 00:28:25.480 The Bible says 00:28:25.480 --> 00:28:26.440 that's what happens. 00:28:27.560 --> 00:28:28.880 That may be slow growth. 00:28:30.360 --> 00:28:30.980 Some of us, 00:28:31.140 --> 00:28:31.860 it was, 00:28:32.140 --> 00:28:32.700 I think I was 00:28:32.700 --> 00:28:33.440 in the eighth grade 00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:34.640 before I broke 00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:35.600 four feet tall 00:28:35.600 --> 00:28:36.680 and a hundred pounds 00:28:36.680 --> 00:28:37.539 or something like that. 00:28:37.660 --> 00:28:38.180 Some of us 00:28:38.180 --> 00:28:39.420 grow slower than others. 00:28:39.620 --> 00:28:40.360 That's the same thing 00:28:40.360 --> 00:28:40.660 that's true 00:28:40.660 --> 00:28:41.360 in the Christian life. 00:28:41.519 --> 00:28:41.940 Some of us 00:28:41.940 --> 00:28:42.880 grow slower than others. 00:28:42.880 --> 00:28:43.740 We mature 00:28:43.740 --> 00:28:45.080 at different rates 00:28:45.080 --> 00:28:46.420 and that's God's work. 00:28:46.520 --> 00:28:47.280 That's God's business 00:28:47.280 --> 00:28:48.040 to do in us. 00:28:48.240 --> 00:28:49.200 But growth will be there 00:28:49.200 --> 00:28:49.560 nonetheless. 00:28:51.060 --> 00:28:51.840 A wanderer 00:28:51.840 --> 00:28:54.040 is intrigued by Jesus 00:28:54.040 --> 00:28:55.180 but the Gospel 00:28:55.180 --> 00:28:56.740 ultimately has no real effect 00:28:56.740 --> 00:28:57.340 on their lives. 00:28:58.460 --> 00:28:59.480 There's no real transformation 00:28:59.480 --> 00:29:00.140 of worship. 00:29:01.180 --> 00:29:02.220 There's no real transformation 00:29:02.220 --> 00:29:03.280 of devotion. 00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:05.260 There's no real transformation 00:29:05.260 --> 00:29:06.820 of love for God 00:29:06.820 --> 00:29:07.880 and love for Christ. 00:29:07.880 --> 00:29:10.320 There's no real transformation 00:29:10.320 --> 00:29:12.940 to continually repent 00:29:12.940 --> 00:29:13.620 from sin 00:29:13.620 --> 00:29:15.040 and press on. 00:29:15.460 --> 00:29:16.320 They're just intrigued. 00:29:16.460 --> 00:29:17.320 They're just religious. 00:29:18.720 --> 00:29:19.800 But the one who truly 00:29:19.800 --> 00:29:21.120 comes to Christ in faith 00:29:21.120 --> 00:29:23.700 will inevitably demonstrate 00:29:23.700 --> 00:29:25.680 the life transforming power 00:29:25.680 --> 00:29:27.220 of the Gospel. 00:29:28.540 --> 00:29:29.360 And the question is 00:29:29.360 --> 00:29:31.060 when it comes to the Gospel, 00:29:31.180 --> 00:29:32.140 when it comes to Jesus, 00:29:32.680 --> 00:29:33.880 are you a wanderer 00:29:34.440 --> 00:29:36.800 or are you a treasurer? 00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:36.960 Remember. 00:29:40.099 --> 00:29:40.919 Number four, 00:29:41.000 --> 00:29:41.960 this would be the final thing. 00:29:42.599 --> 00:29:43.899 The Gospel prompts us 00:29:43.899 --> 00:29:45.839 to return and worship. 00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:47.639 So we've got come and see, 00:29:48.299 --> 00:29:49.599 hear and believe, 00:29:50.259 --> 00:29:51.079 go and tell, 00:29:51.359 --> 00:29:52.480 and here's this fourth point 00:29:52.480 --> 00:29:53.680 which is so good. 00:29:53.799 --> 00:29:54.599 It's so helpful. 00:29:55.079 --> 00:29:56.099 Return and worship. 00:29:56.460 --> 00:29:56.940 Verse 20, 00:29:57.359 --> 00:29:58.599 and the shepherds returned, 00:29:59.599 --> 00:30:01.299 glorifying and praising God 00:30:01.299 --> 00:30:02.720 for all they had heard and seen 00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:05.299 as it had been told them. 00:30:06.799 --> 00:30:07.539 They couldn't stay 00:30:07.539 --> 00:30:08.399 in Bethlehem forever. 00:30:10.659 --> 00:30:11.379 Joseph and Mary 00:30:11.379 --> 00:30:12.200 would have found it weird 00:30:12.200 --> 00:30:13.039 for these shepherds 00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:14.919 just to camp out for a while. 00:30:16.319 --> 00:30:17.379 That's not what they did. 00:30:18.299 --> 00:30:19.119 What did they have to do? 00:30:19.159 --> 00:30:19.639 They had to get back 00:30:19.639 --> 00:30:20.379 to their lives. 00:30:21.159 --> 00:30:21.639 They had to go back 00:30:21.639 --> 00:30:22.159 to the sheep. 00:30:23.460 --> 00:30:24.599 They had to get back 00:30:24.599 --> 00:30:26.720 and do all the things 00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:28.180 that they were supposed to do. 00:30:28.279 --> 00:30:29.319 They had to probably 00:30:29.319 --> 00:30:30.200 eventually get back 00:30:30.200 --> 00:30:30.839 to their families, 00:30:30.899 --> 00:30:31.440 all those things. 00:30:31.659 --> 00:30:32.799 And what's the difference? 00:30:32.799 --> 00:30:34.940 When they returned, 00:30:35.159 --> 00:30:36.659 how did they return? 00:30:37.879 --> 00:30:38.639 Luke says that 00:30:38.639 --> 00:30:39.319 when they returned, 00:30:39.419 --> 00:30:40.799 they were glorifying 00:30:40.799 --> 00:30:42.879 and praising God 00:30:42.879 --> 00:30:45.839 because the gospel prompts us 00:30:45.839 --> 00:30:46.619 to do just that. 00:30:47.519 --> 00:30:48.819 We go about our lives. 00:30:49.220 --> 00:30:50.379 We can't camp out 00:30:50.379 --> 00:30:52.539 at the church gathering 00:30:52.539 --> 00:30:53.299 all week long 00:30:53.299 --> 00:30:54.259 as much as some of us 00:30:54.259 --> 00:30:55.139 would love to do that. 00:30:55.299 --> 00:30:56.180 We can't do that. 00:30:56.279 --> 00:30:56.859 We got to get back 00:30:56.859 --> 00:30:57.339 to our lives. 00:30:57.419 --> 00:30:58.139 We have to go to school. 00:30:58.240 --> 00:30:59.159 We have to go to work. 00:30:59.259 --> 00:31:00.680 We have to do the things 00:31:00.680 --> 00:31:01.440 that we do. 00:31:02.120 --> 00:31:03.160 And what's the difference 00:31:03.160 --> 00:31:05.259 for us versus those 00:31:05.259 --> 00:31:06.360 who are merely intrigued 00:31:06.360 --> 00:31:07.420 by the things of Jesus 00:31:07.420 --> 00:31:09.360 and merely pay lip service 00:31:09.360 --> 00:31:10.680 to a religious practice 00:31:10.680 --> 00:31:11.580 on a Sunday morning? 00:31:12.460 --> 00:31:13.220 Well, the difference is 00:31:13.220 --> 00:31:14.039 as we return, 00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:15.700 we return glorifying, 00:31:16.500 --> 00:31:17.299 praising God, 00:31:17.720 --> 00:31:18.720 produces worship, 00:31:19.160 --> 00:31:21.039 genuine worship. 00:31:22.320 --> 00:31:23.779 And it's the gospel message 00:31:23.779 --> 00:31:24.680 that does this. 00:31:26.019 --> 00:31:27.140 When a person realizes 00:31:27.140 --> 00:31:28.500 they're lost in sin 00:31:28.500 --> 00:31:30.560 and destined for eternal hell, 00:31:30.680 --> 00:31:31.779 and then they hear 00:31:31.779 --> 00:31:33.180 the message of salvation, 00:31:33.180 --> 00:31:35.100 it radically transforms 00:31:35.100 --> 00:31:35.779 their worship. 00:31:36.160 --> 00:31:37.560 It transforms our prayers. 00:31:37.900 --> 00:31:39.480 It transforms our songs. 00:31:40.900 --> 00:31:43.100 Psalm 1 or Psalm 86 says, 00:31:43.200 --> 00:31:44.039 I give thanks to you, 00:31:44.120 --> 00:31:44.880 O Lord my God, 00:31:44.980 --> 00:31:46.500 with my whole heart. 00:31:47.039 --> 00:31:49.100 I will glorify your name forever. 00:31:49.640 --> 00:31:49.980 Why? 00:31:50.640 --> 00:31:52.860 For great is your steadfast love. 00:31:53.100 --> 00:31:54.799 You have delivered my soul 00:31:54.799 --> 00:31:56.620 from the depths of death, 00:31:56.620 --> 00:31:58.920 from the depths of hell. 00:31:58.920 --> 00:32:01.600 It's radical transformation 00:32:01.600 --> 00:32:02.320 of worship. 00:32:04.120 --> 00:32:05.860 And if worship is missing 00:32:05.860 --> 00:32:06.640 in your life, 00:32:07.220 --> 00:32:08.820 or if corporate worship 00:32:08.820 --> 00:32:09.820 in the context 00:32:09.820 --> 00:32:11.000 of the Sunday gathering 00:32:11.000 --> 00:32:13.039 feels forced, 00:32:13.759 --> 00:32:15.360 almost like you have to fake it, 00:32:16.420 --> 00:32:18.120 it might be that you haven't 00:32:18.120 --> 00:32:18.800 really understood 00:32:18.800 --> 00:32:20.200 the gospel message yet. 00:32:20.980 --> 00:32:22.460 Or it could just be 00:32:22.460 --> 00:32:23.880 that it's been a long time 00:32:23.880 --> 00:32:24.960 since you let yourself 00:32:24.960 --> 00:32:26.240 really ruminate 00:32:26.240 --> 00:32:27.880 on the wonder of the gospel. 00:32:29.740 --> 00:32:31.220 And the solution for that 00:32:31.220 --> 00:32:32.519 is the same as the solution 00:32:32.519 --> 00:32:33.900 for a lack of evangelism. 00:32:34.579 --> 00:32:35.720 It's not to come 00:32:35.720 --> 00:32:37.039 a little earlier on a Sunday 00:32:37.039 --> 00:32:38.779 and really just try to 00:32:38.779 --> 00:32:40.180 work really hard 00:32:40.180 --> 00:32:41.059 at meaning the things 00:32:41.059 --> 00:32:41.620 that you sing. 00:32:42.480 --> 00:32:43.980 That won't last very long. 00:32:44.759 --> 00:32:45.960 The solution is 00:32:45.960 --> 00:32:47.420 immerse yourself 00:32:47.420 --> 00:32:48.019 in the gospel. 00:32:49.059 --> 00:32:50.559 Use this Christmas day 00:32:50.559 --> 00:32:52.140 to immerse yourself 00:32:52.140 --> 00:32:52.660 in the wonder 00:32:52.660 --> 00:32:53.620 of the incarnation. 00:32:53.619 --> 00:32:57.019 Christian Getty wrote, 00:32:57.259 --> 00:32:58.619 The peace of Christ 00:32:58.619 --> 00:33:01.099 makes fresh my heart, 00:33:01.659 --> 00:33:03.639 a fountain ever springing. 00:33:04.059 --> 00:33:05.619 All things are mine 00:33:05.619 --> 00:33:07.239 since I am His. 00:33:08.079 --> 00:33:10.039 How can I keep from singing? 00:33:11.199 --> 00:33:12.739 That's what Christmas time 00:33:12.739 --> 00:33:13.419 should produce. 00:33:14.439 --> 00:33:14.839 Worship. 00:33:15.839 --> 00:33:17.359 That's what the incarnation 00:33:17.359 --> 00:33:18.339 should produce. 00:33:19.259 --> 00:33:19.939 Worship. 00:33:19.940 --> 00:33:23.039 So this Christmas morning, 00:33:23.680 --> 00:33:24.580 will you hear 00:33:24.580 --> 00:33:25.600 the call of the gospel? 00:33:27.259 --> 00:33:28.200 Don't just look 00:33:28.200 --> 00:33:29.259 at the baby in the manger. 00:33:29.600 --> 00:33:30.900 Accept God's invitation 00:33:30.900 --> 00:33:32.620 to receive salvation 00:33:32.620 --> 00:33:33.680 in the name of Christ. 00:33:35.660 --> 00:33:36.779 He sent His Son 00:33:36.779 --> 00:33:37.759 to save you 00:33:37.759 --> 00:33:38.580 from your sins. 00:33:40.080 --> 00:33:41.160 So don't wait. 00:33:41.980 --> 00:33:42.320 Believe. 00:33:43.640 --> 00:33:44.460 Follow Him. 00:33:44.460 --> 00:33:47.600 He invites you to come. 00:33:49.160 --> 00:33:50.240 And Jesus said, 00:33:50.400 --> 00:33:51.120 Not a single one 00:33:51.120 --> 00:33:52.059 who comes to Him 00:33:52.059 --> 00:33:52.519 in faith 00:33:52.519 --> 00:33:54.019 will He ever cast away. 00:33:55.620 --> 00:33:56.920 And if you're a believer, 00:33:58.880 --> 00:34:00.299 if evangelism or worship 00:34:00.299 --> 00:34:01.259 has grown cold 00:34:01.259 --> 00:34:01.940 or callous, 00:34:02.980 --> 00:34:04.360 look to Jesus afresh. 00:34:04.700 --> 00:34:05.980 Just gaze at the gospel. 00:34:06.960 --> 00:34:08.179 Think of the wonder of it. 00:34:09.220 --> 00:34:10.780 But move on from wonder. 00:34:11.579 --> 00:34:13.380 And begin to treasure it again. 00:34:13.380 --> 00:34:15.660 Treasure it again.