Old Llantrisant Hill
Introduction
- Church attendance is declining
- Where is the next generation?
- There are encouraging signs
- The Church of Jesus Christ can never decrease - an absolute truth
- Those who are saved can never be lost
- The Church will only increase
- Christ will rule forever
- This should spur us to evangelism
- The critical questions - who do I become a follower of Jesus Christ?
- Not to do with family - having family members who are Christians
- Though this is a blessing - Example of Timothy
- There are many brought up in Christian homes who do not come to faith
- Not to do with a strong Christian culture - Example of Brazil
- Not to do with baptism or confirmation
- These do not make you Christian
- They can create outward conformity to religious ideas
- External things do not bring salvation
- Jesus said the true Jew is internal - i.e. faith
- Considering the shepherds
- To see them as a pattern of what it means to follow Jesus Christ
- The steps of them coming to faith
- Their experience is not normative - we do not see angels
- There are many parallels for us
God's Choice
- The first to hear of the God-man (Jesus Christ)
- Not rich people or not religious people
- Instead the rough and ready, the lowly, those considered untrustworthy, those looked down upon
- God announces the birth of the Saviour of the World - to the most unlikely candidates
- But God is not a respecter of persons
- God has chosen the poor to faith
- God's choice of the shepherds should encourage us
- They were brought good tidings (v10)
- The birth is not just for Mary and Joseph, but to the shepherds and to all people
God's Glory
- The angel appeared to Zacharias in the temple - no mention of glory (though this was likely present)
- Likewise with Mary and Joseph
- With the shepherds - the glory of God shone around them (v9)
- The shepherds were working a 'night shift'
- Suddenly an angel appears
- Something of God's glory is manifested to them
- There reaction is tremendous fear
- Some people saw manifestations of God: Example of Isaiah and John
- How does this relate to people coming to God?
- We do not see angels (only in extra-ordinary circumstances)
- There is always a wakened conscience - our spirit is troubled as God's word penetrates our heart
- People begin to fear God and see the need of a Saviour
God's Message
- The angel brings a revelation
- "Do not be afraid" (v10)
- Are you afraid of the name Jesus?
- Does this trouble you?
- Do you feel hostile to this?
- Not just good tidings
- Good tidings of great joy (v10)
- The best message you can ever hear
- A gospel of peace
- A Saviour who is born (v11)
- A deliverer, a rescuer, a Saviour
- One who provides atonement for our sin
- One who restores our relationship with God
- Christ the Lord (v11)
- The anointed one - the Messiah
- The gospel first to the Jew and then the Gentile
- A sign (v12)
- God's graciousness to help their unbelief
- God's kindness - a manger perfect for shepherd
- God is taking away obstacles - the obstacles are in our hearts
- We are to come as we are (as the shepherds did)
- The shepherds needed to embrace this message personally - to go to Bethlehem
- There are only two reactions to the message: accept or reject
- The shepherds went to Bethlehem with haste (v15)
- They went directly with desire
- "Today is the day of salvation" (2 Cor 6:2) - not tomorrow
- After seeing Jesus, they testified of Him to the people (v17-18)
- The people marvelled - but it did not necessarily alter their hearts
- Yet the shepherds could not hold back
- They passed on the message
- We should be passing on the message of Jesus Christ
- There was no command to do so
- They did this spontaneously
- When we first become a Christian - we want to tell others
- They glorified and praised God (v20)
- They knew great joy
- Their desire was to praise God
- Let this be our desire too
- Let us not stay away from Church or God's people
- Ponder these things in your heart (v19)