Holy Wear

December 24, 2006

Read Luke 2:7-20

V7-14

• Christmas is a day where food, fun and gifts are being enjoyed, but if one is not careful you could easily miss what the real meaning of Christmas should be. The first Christmas started out like any other day - a baby is born, people are returning from travel, and shepherds are out in the field; all is normal except when the Angel appears. Normality turns into fear, but the Angel says don’t fear as I bring good news that is cause for great joy. And we see in verses…
  1. Verse 11 - a Savior
  2. Verse 12 - a sign
  3. Verse 13 - a song
• Although we don’t see Jesus physically, our faith in Him causes us to rejoice with a joy in expressible (1 Peter 1:8). Notice at the end of the verse the phrase, “Full of glory.” This means it’s pure joy, not a fabricated, self-induced joy brought about by favorable circumstances that can be taken away. It’s permanent.
• Notice the song that the heavenly choir breaks out in, how it doesn’t seem rehearsed. Also, 3 things expressed about the gift:
  1. It brings glory to God
  2. Peace on earth
  3. Goodwill toward man (good will meaning satisfaction)
• And notice that it’s not just for Israel, not merely for evangelicals, not even republicans, but for all people, collectively. What this is saying is that satisfaction is available; you simply need to accept the gift.
• I don’t think it was mere coincidence that these shepherds, who were very ordinary people, busy doing ordinary tasks, were the first to lay eyes upon the Savior. Of all the people to see the glory of the coming of the Lord, why Shepherds? Three reasons:
  1. 1. Shepherds were known to be humble men
  2. 2. Their place of duty, no matter how humble, becomes the place of vision
  3. 3. A simple life keeps a child’s heart that allows the Savior to enter in

V15-20

• This caused them to go and see if what the Angels said was true (Acts 17:10-11). In verse 16, they ran to see the gift that satisfies. This is important, as many will say they want peace but will take their own sweet time in doing that which will gain them peace. Once they see Emmanuel (God with us) wrapped in cloths, lying in a manger, they do what people who have a real encounter with Christ do - tell others.
• The swaddling cloths. This type of cloth was typically used to bury people. So the first clothing Jesus received was grave clothes. Its fitting because Jesus came to die. Death interrupted every teacher, philosopher, and thinker there ever was - Socrates, Plato, Gandhi. But death did not interrupt the ministry of Jesus, rather death fulfilled Jesus ministry because He came to die.
• Lying in a manger. John 6:35 declares Jesus is the bread of life, and we see here that He’s born in a feeding trough. The first Christmas was never about what we have to give, but what has been given to us.
• The news of a Savior being born caused great excitement to the Shepherds, who not only heard the message but sought it out to see if it was true. Verse 20 also says their joy remained, as they continued to glorify and praise God for all He had done in sharing and showing them His great love.
• This holiday season we should also be found glorifying and praising God, so that wherever you are in your place of duty it will become a place of vision.