I invite you to turn with me to Luke chapter 2. Luke chapter 2, the familiar story of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We read together the first 20 verses a little bit later. We'll consider verses 15 through 20 as a text for the message this morning. But this time we read the first 20 verses of Luke chapter 2. Hear now the Word of God. In those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in claws and placed him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, And the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But 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 Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you. You will find a baby wrapped in claws and lying in a manger. 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 favor rests. When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was lying in the manger. When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child. And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured of all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Let's bow together in prayer. Our great God and Heavenly Father, as we come before You in the morning hour of this day, this Christmas day, we thank You and praise You that You, O Lord, have given to us the greatest reason, the only reason to worship and praise Your Holy Name. For indeed, You are great and greatly to be praised. Father, You have shown us, O Lord, the way of salvation through Jesus Christ. You have called us to have a living faith in Him. You have granted that faith to Your people by the power of Your Holy Spirit. And Father, in this morning hour, as we come together to celebrate in a particular way the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we confess, O Lord, that this is something that we celebrate each and every day of our lives. Maybe we don't speak of it as such. Maybe we don't talk about Christ's birth as such, but yet we celebrate the incarnation of Your Son for our salvation. And Father, each and every day You give to us great reason to rejoice, to be glad, and to sing, because this One who has come indeed is our Savior. He has accomplished that work on the cross so long ago. He lives and reigns today. And Father, even at this moment, we praise Your name as our Lord and Savior prepares a place in heaven for each and every one of Your people. It may be that we too would look forward to that day when You bring us to our home in heaven that we might praise and glorify Your name with the angels in glory. Oh Father, we thank You and praise You too that in this season of the year You give to us opportunity as families to come together. We thank You for traveling safety for so many who have come this direction. We pray for those of our congregation who have traveled in another direction to be with family. We pray for Your blessing upon each and every one of them too. Father, in this morning hour too, as we celebrate the birth of our Lord with our families, we think of those too who are lonely at this time of year. Those who do not have their spouse with them or children with them anymore, whether it's because they were not able to get together or because they were separated because of death. And Father, we pray that You would be with those who are lonely, that they might find comfort and strength in You and You alone, and that they would know that in You, O Lord, there is no loneliness. You are the one who satisfies Your people perfectly. And Father, we do pray for those who are busy and active in this day, those who care for us, police officers and firefighters and many others who are on active duty today. And we think of those who are serving our country overseas even at this time. We pray, Father, that even as the world cries out for peace on earth, goodwill toward men, that the message of salvation, of true peace might go forth to every tribe, every tongue, every nation. And that indeed many would come to know You and serve You and that the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ would spread throughout this world so that there would even be peace among men. We thank You, O Lord, for the peace that You have given us with You. That we might know that You are our Father. That Jesus Christ is our Savior. That indeed we have that salvation so rich, so full, and so free. Father, we pray for Your blessing too upon Your Word this morning that has been read, that we'll be preached. We pray that You would open our hearts and lives, that You would illumine us by Your Holy Spirit, that we would no longer be empty vessels, Father, but fill us with Your Holy Spirit. Fill us with Your truth, O Lord. Remove from any one of us that which would hinder our worship in this day. And indeed, may we rejoice, give thanks, and sing in this day and in all the days of our lives. Father, we pray that You would hear our prayer. not because we deserve that You should hear us, but for the sake of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In His name alone we pray these things. Amen. Well, this morning, as I said a moment ago, of the portion of Scripture that we read together, I'd like to draw your attention to the last five verses. Verses 15 through 20. Allow me to read those again. After the shepherds had been given that good news of great joy from the angel, we read, beginning in verse 15, When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child. And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned to glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Beloved in Christ the Lord, what is the focus of your celebration today? You might say, are you serious? Are you really asking us that question? Really? What is the focus of your celebration today? We all know what the pious answer is, right? It's Jesus Christ. But over the last weeks, throughout the Christmas rush, has this been true of you? Or maybe have you found yourself a little bit more in line with the world where Santa is worshipped and not the Savior? Where pilgrims travel to the mall and not to the manger? And where it is a feast of indulgence and not a feast of the Incarnation. May it be, beloved, that we would find ourselves in line with and in company with that very first audience. And that we would imitate them, the shepherds, as the shepherds faithfully responded to the good news of great joy. We see in this text, beloved, that they responded with immediate attention. They responded with a powerful testimony. And they responded with sincere worship. First of all, with immediate attention. Beginning at verse 15 again, When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was lying in the manger. They wasted no time. They responded immediately, believing the message, a message that had been delivered by an unbelievable messenger, an angel of the Lord of all things. Imagine that. An angel of the Lord from heaven as they witnessed the glory of the Lord and they heard the heavenly choir sing and all of this to shepherds of all people. Those who were considered to be low class. Those who were not respected in society. Those of whom people would say, well, that wouldn't happen to them in a million years. This unbelievable messenger. And he brings an unbelievable message. Verse 11 says again, Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord. And indeed, that was good news. Such good news. And if the shepherds listened closely to that short message, And if they knew their Old Testament history well, they would have heard many hints that pointed to the fulfillment of prophecy that this is the one they've been waiting for. The angel says in the town of David, David was their king. David was one who was remembered throughout the ages and David was the one who received the promise of God that his sons would sit on the throne forever. The angel speaks of Christ. Well, that was the Messiah. The very one that they had waited for for so long. And the angel speaks of a baby born. One who was born a baby. And that would have reminded them of the child that Isaiah spoke of who would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. And also, remember, Isaiah had spoken of Emmanuel, God with us. And the angel uses the word, the title, Savior. He is the one that they needed. In other words, in this short message from the angel, the shepherds heard that the time has indeed come. But along with this unbelievable message came a strange sign. Verse 12, this will be a sign to you. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Now this doesn't seem to faze us because I dare to say most of us, if not all of us from very young childhood, we've sung away in a manger. No crib for a bed. We've sung Silent Night, Holy Night. We've sung all of those precious Christmas carols that speak of this baby and to adore this child. And we don't even think twice about this strange sign. But for these shepherds, indeed, it was different. Because normally it was expected that a king would be born in a palace. He would be surrounded by servants who would care for him and watch over him. He would be dressed in baby royal robes. He would be surrounded by prominent visitors who would come to bring rich, rich treasures and gifts. And all of this would take place, you see, in the capital city, in the royal city of Jerusalem, with trumpets sounding throughout the region to announce His birth to everyone. But this child, The news comes again to these lowly shepherds out on these country hills. And what a strange sign. This child dressed in cloth, strips of cloth, swaddling clothes we call them, placed in a manger, unexpected, unnoticed, unwanted. But notice, the shepherds did not question the sign. And the shepherds did not rush off just to go and see because it was hard to believe. You know how that is. Sometimes curiosity gets the best of us and I just have to go see this, whatever it is, because I won't believe it unless I see it. And I might not even believe it if I see it. They went. They were not hindered. They did not doubt because this sign seemed to be unfitting with the angel's message. They believed because it was the Word of God. They said, the Lord has told us about this. God opened the hearts of the shepherds by the power of the Holy Spirit to believe the good news which had meaning for them and indeed for all who would believe. And this message too implied action. Notice that. The angel told them. It didn't tell them so much to go and look, but in the message, it's implied that the angel told them where this child could be found. In the town of David. Oh, you need even more information? Look in a manger. They acted immediately, believing the message, but also encouraging each other to respond. Let's go. Without a doubt, let's go and see this thing that has happened. Not that might happen, not that will happen, but this thing that has happened. They trusted the Lord. He has told us. Such a treasure. They knew that they had been given good news of the greatest treasure and it was not to be ignored. It was not to be neglected. They were to take action. They were to go and to see. They believed the message hurrying off to search with urgency, with desire, and with excitement. They hurried off and they left their sheep. They left their sheep. They were not like the guests invited to the great banquet but in our Lord's parable who came up with excuses of why they could not come. The first said, I've just bought a field. I must go and see it. The second one said, I've just bought five yoke of oxen and I'm on my way to try them out. And the third one said, I just got married, so I cannot come. They gave every excuse they could think of to not go see the Lord. These shepherds were not like those men. These shepherds were more in line with the man in another parable who found the treasure in the field or the man who found the pearl of great price. And what did he do? What did they do? They went and sold everything they had to buy it. The shepherds hurry off to find the search for the supreme treasure. They knew that to delay would only mean to cheat and to deprive themselves. Like the treasure in the field and like the pearl of great price, Jesus Christ is worth all. He's worth everything. There's nothing more valuable than Him. Boys and girls, maybe some of you opened some Christmas gifts already. Maybe you will today. But you need to understand that whatever you might receive now or in any given year is not worth anything compared to the greatest gift of Jesus Christ. There is nothing we need more. than Jesus Christ and His saving love. You and I can have all that this world has to offer. Riches and power and fame. But without Jesus Christ and salvation that comes only in Him, we have nothing. We are empty. But on the other side of the coin, we can have nothing that this world has to offer. But if you have true faith in Him, if you have the saving grace of God, if you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ by faith, you have all the eternal riches that God has to give. The shepherds hurried off to search for the supreme treasure, not to be disappointed. The text says they found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was lying in the manger and therefore they received the fulfillment of their desires. Now think about this again. we have this image in our mind, again, so much of what it was like on that day, it doesn't even faze us. The manger, whether it was a stable or whether it was a cave with a feeding trough of an animal in it, whatever it might have been to us, it doesn't faze us because we've grown up with this stuff. But again, to these shepherds who had received this awesome message, they get there and this reality, this reality that they see very much to the human eye could have been a revolting sight. Think about that. It could have been a revolting sight. I mean, how in the world does this fit with that heavenly introduction, that awesome introduction, the most awesome one that anyone has ever had, none before, none since? And how does this sight fit with that heavenly introduction? There's no room in a palace. There's no room even in one of the homes in the town of David. There's no room in an inn. They had to borrow the living quarters of animals. Such poverty. Hardly fit for a king. And we can't help but ask, this is the kind of situation that one can't help but ask as they see it in kind of a statement question sort of form. This is to be the Savior of the world? Really? Seriously? This is the kind of situation that could produce disgust. It could turn one off. In fact, for so many, when God does not act as they think He should, when God does not act as they want Him to, when they want Him to, whatever it might be, if He doesn't heal them or their loved ones as they pray for, when He doesn't provide financial relief when they're in times of trouble, whatever it might be, they deny the truth of Him. And they deny His love. Because certainly, a loving God would never do this to His creation. So many are disgusted, turned off by the cross. Because it's foolishness to those who don't believe. For so many, if they need saving, and that's a big if for some people, If they need saving, they certainly deserve to be saved in a much more spectacular way than through the crucifixion on a cross. And we too, as God's people, beloved, we too run the risk of turning the world off, of making them disgusted when God's people sin publicly or fail to deal with sin that has affected the public in some way. That casts shame on the name of Christ and it brings scorn upon the church of Jesus Christ. These shepherds received the fulfillment of their desires. They were unhindered. They looked past the poverty. They looked past the place where Jesus lay and they saw the truth of the Christ child by faith. Not first of all by sight, but by faith. As they looked into the manger, they saw the very One who was promised already in the Garden of Eden, the One who was to be the hope and the heart's desire of all who would believe in Him. And seeing the Christ child confirmed what the shepherds already believed. Remember, they did not believe once they saw the Christ child. They believed the Word of the Lord that was spoken by the angel. And when they saw the Christ child, that was the confirmation of what the Lord had said. And they responded to the good news of great joy with immediate attention. And this is a call to you and me, beloved, as well, not to question whether the Word of God is true. It is. But it is a call to you and me to receive it, to believe it, to act and to live according to it in obedience, in immediate obedience. It's a call to you and me to encourage one another in our Christian walk. Anything that would keep us away from Jesus and His Word will only hurt us and destroy us. But our comfort is that the transforming work of the Holy Spirit is instantaneous as He brings one to faith in Jesus Christ. He gives us the assurance that all of our sins are forgiven. He gives us the assurance that this world is not our home, that we are citizens of that heavenly kingdom. He gives us the assurance that we have peace with God right now and forever. And He gives us the assurance that His Word is true. And those who come to Him by faith, those who find Him to be their only comfort in body and soul, in life and in death, those who commit their lives to Him, receive what He came to bring. Jesus said, seek and you will find. And you will not be disappointed. The treasure of salvation and eternal life will be yours. And like the shepherds, beloved, we are to respond in the second place with a powerful testimony. Notice verses 17-19. When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child. And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. They had a powerful testimony that was too wonderful to hide. It was such exciting news. Now, boys and girls, you know what that's like. Maybe you've had such exciting news that you just couldn't keep it in. You had to tell someone. Maybe you have a new brother or sister, a baby brother or sister. Maybe your birthday's coming up. Maybe you can't wait to tell what your Christmas gifts are going to be. But it's such exciting news. You can't keep it inside. You've got to tell it. That was the situation with the shepherds. They could not keep quiet. They told everything. And what a story. They told them about the angel's message. These angels came to us from heaven. It wouldn't have been such a surprise to Mary and Joseph, we know, because they had been visited too. But what a story. They told them about the heavenly and the glorious light. They told them about the angel choir. And if that wasn't enough to convince them yet, they told them how the angel told them where to find the baby. Instead of searching all over the countryside, go to the town of David, Bethlehem. Oh, you need more? Look in a manger. And I find it striking that no matter how wild the story sounded, and indeed it must have sounded somewhat wild, these shepherds did not worry about how the hearers would respond. They just told them. They just told them. They could not keep such a great message to themselves. And that too is our call, beloved. To tell. To tell the story of Jesus and His saving love. To tell it. And don't worry about how the message will be received. The truth is so often, we heard this yesterday morning and last night again, so often we are scared, aren't we? We are scared of being laughed at. We are scared of being picked on. And we are scared of being persecuted for talking about Jesus. For talking about what He means to us. For talking about what He did for us. So often, we're scared. Yet, the glory of the message of Jesus Christ and His saving love ought to remove any worry. Because our God is indeed strong to save. And our Lord Jesus Christ simply says to confess Him. In Matthew 10, verse 32, He says, Whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father who is in heaven. But He also said, right after that, Whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. The shepherds had such a powerful testimony, too wonderful to hide, but too unbelievable to ignore. The text says, all were amazed. A word is also translated that all wondered, all marveled. Now that doesn't mean that all of them had necessarily believed. It doesn't mean that they all had true faith. They were amazed. They marveled. It's a little bit, I believe, like King Agrippa in Acts 26. King Agrippa said to Paul, Paul, you almost persuade me to be a Christian. I believe we could say that Agrippa too marveled. He was amazed. But it does mean that they couldn't help but think about it. It was quite a story. The story of Jesus is. They couldn't help but think about it, but at the same time, they could not claim ignorance. They had no excuse for not believing because they had heard the Gospel. If you're here this morning and you have not yet believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, you have no excuse. You have heard the Gospel, which is too awesome to forget. Mary. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Mary is to be an example for us to take God's Word to heart even when it doesn't totally make sense to us, even when we don't totally understand it, even when it seems too good to be true. To take it to heart. See, Mary was a sinner too. Mary also needed a Savior. She says so in her song in chapter 1. My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior. Mary too needed salvation. She pondered all that had happened, all that had been said to Joseph, her husband, to her by the angel, and now to the shepherds. She meditated on the truth of the Word of God. And she was blessed by God as she too became a worshiper of the one to whom she was used by God to give His human nature. She too, boys and girls, needed to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, her Son in the flesh, for salvation. She meditated on the truth of the Word of God. Psalm 119, verse 11, the psalmist says, I have hidden Your Word in my heart. That Word which teaches us of God's holiness and majesty and that Word which teaches us of our sin and our deepest need and that Word which also teaches us about that need taken care of, Jesus Christ and His sacrifice. Thy Word I have hidden in my heart for a purpose that I might not sin against You, the psalmist says. The Word of God is to transform our hearts and lives that we might give ourselves as a living sacrifice of gratitude for such a great salvation. Beloved, we have been given the greatest story ever told, even more than the shepherds. We have facts that they could only speculate about. We have been given the accomplishment of what Jesus Christ came to do. The rescue, not first of all, from physical and earthly enemies, but a rescue from the greatest danger, the wrath of God, and from the worst enemy, Satan, and sin. And indeed, that is the Word of God that we are to keep in our hearts, to meditate upon over and over again that we might not sin against God, but not to simply keep it there hidden. You see, to keep it inside and not ever speak about it is evidence of not truly understanding the greatness of the undeserved gift. It means that that news really isn't all that exciting for you. We are to desire, beloved, that all may know of Jesus Christ and His saving love. Again, it's not our responsibility how they respond. God will take care of that. But Jesus says, go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every nation. The shepherds did not worry about their low status, which I believe is proof that it's not the messenger who is to be exalted, but the message. And they responded with immediate attention, with powerful testimony, but also with sincere worship. Verse 20, the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. They responded with sincere worship in the context of daily life. They returned. Remember their sheep they left behind? They returned. They did not abandon their call in this life to be shepherds and to care for the sheep, but they returned to those sheep as new men with a new perspective. They were no longer just shepherds, but they were shepherds with true faith. And they shepherded as unto the Lord. Beloved, when we are saved, we leave the old life of sin with its dishonesty, with its cheating and its lying, and we engage upon that new life of holiness and righteousness as we considered with Zechariah yesterday morning. Holiness and righteousness before God all the days of our life. Indeed, it's in the context of the same world and the same tasks and the same home. Yet, all these things are seen differently through the lenses of God's grace. They responded with sincere worship in the context of daily life, but also because the truth had been confirmed to them again, just as they had been told. Everything was just as they had been told. God proved His Word true. And there's only one response we can make to that, and that is to glorify and to praise God, to worship only Him. In public life or in private life, in corporate worship or in our work, God is to be our focus because He has proved His Word is true. He has accomplished that which Jesus Christ came to do. And the assurance of that is given to all who turn to Him in repentance and faith that it's true for me too. Not only others, but I too have had my sins forgiven, have been made forever right with God, and have been given eternal life. In a sense, the shepherds put us to shame, don't they? Because these shepherds responded to this baby in a manger cradle in this way, glorifying and praising God. But we have been given so much more. We have been given the glory of the cross and the empty tomb. We have been given the word of our Lord that He has gone to prepare a place for us and will come again to take us where He is. He has given to us His Holy Spirit as a down payment that He will come back. How much more should we glorify and praise God, beloved, for the things that we have heard through His Word and seen by faith and because of the assurance that God gives to our hearts that it's all true. It's not about Santa and malls and indulging in food and goodies and lots of presents. Those things only serve to leave one empty and hopeless. But this day and every day is about our Savior Jesus Christ who has come, who has accomplished His Word. And because of it, we have life and we have it abundantly. There's a familiar chorus to a song that says, Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. That's what happened to the shepherds. As the shepherds looked upon the Savior, they did not notice the manger. They did not notice the clothes He was wearing. They did not notice His poverty. But they saw the truth of the Word of God. They saw the Lord of glory. He is the good news of great joy. And therefore, brothers and sisters, may we respond to Him with true faith. May we respond with lives dedicated to His service. May we respond with a desire to tell this true story to many. And may we respond with the goal to worship Him with the praise and the glory that He alone deserves. Because hallelujah, what a Savior. Amen. Let's pray together. our great God and Heavenly Father may that indeed be the chorus that rings from our hearts off our lips every day of our lives alleluia what a Savior we can't help oh Lord but to praise your name for doing for us that which we needed the most when you could have cast us away forever and ever oh Lord You chose a people for Yourself to rescue out of darkness and bring into Your marvelous light and to accomplish that through Your Son, our Savior. Father, may it be that we would respond to Your Word throughout our whole life long, that indeed we would desire to tell of the good news of Jesus Christ, that many may hear that Your church would be full, the Bride of Christ may be complete, continue to complete her, O Lord, and prepare each one of us for the day of Christ Jesus. Bless us, we pray, this day and every day. In a special way today, Father, may it be a good day, a day of joy and laughter and celebration in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.