Question

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1. Read verses 8-12. To whom did an angel of the Lord appear? How did they respond to the angel’s appearing? What was the angel’s message? Think about its meaning. What would be the confirmation of the angel’s message? 2. Read verses 13-14. Who appeared and praised God with the angel? What was the theme of the heavenly chorus? 3. Read verses 15-20. What did the shepherds do after the angels’ departure? How did Mary respond to what the shepherds had said to them? How did the shepherds return?

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Message

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In the lesson we studied about Caesar Augustus on the throne and the baby Jesus in a manger. Because of Caesar’s decree Jesus was born in Bethlehem. And on account of the social situation Jesus was placed in a manger. Yet, in truth these were the very works of God. God was in control in history; he let his Son be laid in a manger. We learned that the humble birth of Jesus is the basis of Christianity and the foundation of Christian life. Today’s passage is about what happened in the fields at the time Jesus was born in Bethlehem and laid in a manger. The scene was changed into the fields of Bethlehem; shepherds were present and an angel of the Lord appeared. And the very Christmas message was proclaimed and heard, “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” This is the most significant message given from above to the humans on the earth. Let’s study this first Christmas message. First, the birth of a Saviour (8-12). Look at verse 8. “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.” At that time shepherds were blue color people doing a menial job. Now they were doing their night shift. They could have been sluggard and dozing. But it says they were keeping watch over their flocks at night. In their faithful watching sleep fled from their eyes. At this moment something spectacular happened. Look at verse 9. “An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.” So far an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah in the temple in Jerusalem, and then to Mary in her home in Nazareth. Now an angel of the Lord appeared to the poor and humble shepherds in the fields nearby Bethlehem. This time the glory of Lord shone around them in the dark night. At this sudden and terrific sight they were terrified. There was not only visual presentation but also audio presentation by the angel. The angel said to them, “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.” Let’s think about this angel’s message. First of all, the message is good news plus great joy and its extent is for all people of the world. There has been no such news in history. In this sorrowful and troublesome world it is hard to hear any good news, not to mention good news of great joy. The news of depression and half a million job cuts in 5 years frightens many people, especially in Ontario. The result of final exams makes some students joyful and others, anxious and fearful. Then what is the good news of great joy that will be for all the people? Let’s read verse 11 together, “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” The birth of a Saviour is good news of great joy for all people. It is because all are sinners and need a Saviour. There are various kinds of miserable people in the Bible: the blind, the deaf and mute, the paralytic, the lame, the leper, the orphans and the widows. They are pitiful and pathetic. In a society Jobless people feel miserable and some commit suicide out of despair. There are homeless people. They are also people with disabilities. In the world there are many hungry people and they are sorrowful. According to WHO report, in North Korea a million people are expected to die of hunger in the coming June. Starving people are desperate. But in God’s eyes the most miserable and pathetic people are sinners. “Sinner” is the most despicable title in the Bible. However beautiful and handsome and smart they are, sinners are sinners before God. Once Jesus said, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell…” (Mk 9:43-47). According to Jesus, not human conditions but sin plunges a man into hell. Hell is real. The word “hell” is written 14 times in the Bible and all are in the New Testament (Mt 5:22,29,30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15; 23:33; Mk 9:43,45,47; Lk 12;5; 16:23; Ja 3:6; 2 Pe 2:4). It is almost by Jesus. Jesus is the first one who spoke the word, “hell,” and in a real sense he is the only one who said of hell. No one wants to tell about hell, and in truth no human being can tell, for nobody has even seen hell and no one knows what hell is like. But Jesus knew the reality of hell and unambiguously testified it. According to Jesus, hell is the place where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched (Mk 9:47). It is the place where people are in torment and in agony in fire (Lk 16:23-24). And in the last book of the Bible, Revelation, hell is depicted as the fiery lake of burning sulfer (Rev 21:8). Bible clearly testifies that the final destiny of a sinner is hell. The greatest tragedy of mankind is that before the holy and righteous God all are sinners; all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Ro 3:23). To the holy God breaking one small law is breaking the whole law (Ja 2:10). One time of lying, lustful act or even a thought, hatred, cowardly act, disobedience or rebelliousness is breaking God’s whole law and the very person is condemned as a sinner in God’s sight. There is no part-time sinner; all are full-time and life-time sinners before God. As a result all are standing on the line to be thrown into hell one by one. This is the inevitable situation of mankind. Until now God himself could not do anything practically to change this destiny of man because of his absolute holiness and righteousness. Then what news it is that “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you”! Till now sinners have been born and gone. And sinners could not save others sinners. It is like drowning men not being able to save other drowning men in the vast sea. They all have the same destiny into the place beyond a great chasm (Lk 16:26). A Saviour had to be born, and he was born. This is truly good news of great joy for all sinners. It is also good news of great joy to God. God could finally make it possible to save his perishing children from eternal hell through a Saviour. “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you.” This is the most truthful message that came from above, authentic and reliable. Here are the 5 W’s and 1 H. And this is the message all erroneous and condemned human beings must hear. While on earth, Jesus made every effort to change the destiny of perishing mankind. From the beginning of his messianic ministry he said, “The time has come. The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” He said to Nicodemus, “Unless is born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Even on the cross in his extreme pain, he said to a robber crucified beside him, “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” Salvation from eternal punishment of hell through the Saviour is the most important and urgent to all men. One father prayed, “Lord, if you save my children from the eternal condemnation, I will do whatever you want me to do.” He did so because salvation of human souls is beyond human power and strength. It is unthinkable for any parents to see their children being thrown in the fiery lake of hell. This is the heart of God who does not want anyone to perish, but everyone to be saved through repentance and faith in the Saviour (2 Pe 3:9). The story of salvation or liberation is the most beautiful in a person’s life or in a nation. The Israelites were slaves in Egypt for 430 years. No human power could set them free from the bondage of Pharaoh. However, God let his people go and be free. The people of Israelites rejoiced and have kept the Passover feast according to God’s command throughout her history. In Genesis God judged the world with the flood. All mankind was wiped out from the earth. But God saved Noah from the destruction. What saving grace! We believe that God’s saving work and grace upon each of us is that big of an event to God. One man was born in a Buddhist family. He was often beaten by his father, when the father came home drunk at night. So he was afraid of dark night. But he suffered most because of his sin. In his elementary school he was a straight “F” student. But in 1996, in the first year of his university he was invited to Bible study. Through the year’s Summer Bible Conference he accepted Jesus as his Saviour, confessing, “You are the Christ” and was saved. 2004, he had a very difficult time in his life because his father was found to have a terminal cancer. Then in the course of treatment, later it was found that the father took a poison out of his unbearable pain and agony from the cancer. The son was seized with fear because his father was unbelieving and would suffer eternally in hell. He prayed earnestly for the salvation of his father. God gave him one word, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” He made a vow to God: “Lord, if you save my father from eternal punishment, I will be a missionary.” Then a miracle happened. The dying father heard the gospel of salvation that the son preached and accepted it with the reply, “Amen” just before breathing his last. What a salvation work! Now the son is a U of T Ph.D. student missionary for the saving of many perishing young souls in the campus and in this country. We thank and praise God for the good news of great joy that will be for all people: “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you: he is Christ the Lord.” He is Christ the Lord. Christ, Messiah in Hebrew, is the one all people of the world desired and waited for. As the Christ, the Saviour Jesus would die on the cross for our sins and rise again from the dead. And he is the Lord, the Lord of all, the Creator and Owner of our lives and the universe, and the Sovereign Ruler of history. No one but Saviour Jesus is Christ the Lord. He is both our Saviour and Christ the Lord. When Christ the Lord rules our hearts and lives, we are sanctified and glorified. We will be restored more and more into the image of Christ. And the kingdom of this world will be the kingdom of Christ. He will rule over his kingdom with grace and truth forever and ever. Look at verse 12. “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” The sign of Christ the Lord is a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. How could it be? This is none other than the sign of God. Second, glory to God and peace to men (13-20). Look at verse 13. “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.’” At the birth of the Saviour the heaven couldn’t be quiet. There was a heavenly celebration of the first Christmas. A great company of the heavenly host was moved and could not but praise God singing a chorus, “Glory to God…” The birth of the Saviour was glory to God in the highest. It was because the unfathomable love of God and saving grace was finally revealed through the Saviour’s birth. It was the most glorious day in history that divides B.C. and A.D. It is true in one’s life. The birth of Saviour Jesus is peace to men on whom his favour rests. Before, the relationship between God and men was that of enemies. But through the birth and then death of the Saviour men would be reconciled to God and finally have peace with God. Then men would have peace with themselves and with others. The world would become the peaceful world, where the wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and at little child will lead them” (Isa 11:6) “Glory to God; peace to men,” this is the paradise restored, the glorious kingdom of love and peace, where the Christ is the Everlasting King. The angels had left the shepherds and gone into heaven. Then the shepherds went to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. This was the sign they heard of from the angel. They confirmed what they had seen and heard was true. They spread the word concerning what had been told them about the child. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for the marvelous work of God. In this way they celebrated the first Christmas. Let’s remember the angel’s message at the first Christmas: “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you: he is Christ the Lord.” May we be forever grateful for the Saviour Jesus’ birth and keep the Christmas message as unchanging and absolute and live for it in this ever-changing and turbulent world.

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