Episode Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:03.759
If you're able to remain standing,
please do as we turn to the gospel
2
00:00:03.799 --> 00:00:11.109
of Luke, Chapter Two, and
here of the announcement of Jesus's birth in
3
00:00:11.189 --> 00:00:22.539
Luke, to beginning in verse eight, are many are very wonderful important things
4
00:00:22.620 --> 00:00:29.339
to consider here. Will be focusing
particularly on the announcement of the angels in
5
00:00:29.500 --> 00:00:37.090
verses Thirteen and fourteen, the herald
angels. And in the same region,
6
00:00:37.130 --> 00:00:41.409
there were shepherds out in the field
keeping watch over their flock by night,
7
00:00:43.210 --> 00:00:47.329
and an angel of the Lord appeared
to them, and the glory of the
8
00:00:47.450 --> 00:00:54.920
Lord shone around them, and they
were filled with fear, and the Angel
9
00:00:55.039 --> 00:01:00.640
said to them, fear not,
for behold, I bring you good news
10
00:01:00.039 --> 00:01:06.909
of great joy that will be for
all the people, for unto you is
11
00:01:07.030 --> 00:01:14.390
born this day in the city of
David, a savior who is Christ the
12
00:01:14.549 --> 00:01:18.549
Lord, and this will be a
sign for you. You will find a
13
00:01:18.700 --> 00:01:23.540
baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying
in a manger. And suddenly there was
14
00:01:23.659 --> 00:01:30.900
with the angel a multitude of the
heavenly host, praising God and saying glory
15
00:01:30.060 --> 00:01:36.489
to God in the highest and on
earth peace among those with whom he is
16
00:01:36.609 --> 00:01:42.769
pleased. When the angel went away
from them into heaven. The shepherd said
17
00:01:42.810 --> 00:01:47.200
to one another, let us go
over to Bethlehem and see this thing that
18
00:01:47.239 --> 00:01:51.280
has happened which the Lord has made
known to us, and they went with
19
00:01:51.560 --> 00:01:57.640
haste and found Mary and Joseph and
the baby lying in a manger. When
20
00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:01.670
they saw it, they made known
the saying that had been told them concerning
21
00:02:01.750 --> 00:02:07.629
this child, and all who heard
it wondered at what the shepherds had told
22
00:02:07.709 --> 00:02:12.389
them. But Mary treasured up all
these things, pondering them in her heart.
23
00:02:13.229 --> 00:02:17.659
And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising
God for all they had heard and
24
00:02:17.819 --> 00:02:23.900
seen, as it had been told
to them. You may be seated.
25
00:02:30.810 --> 00:02:35.849
What we have here in Luke to
chapter eight or to Luke two, verse
26
00:02:35.969 --> 00:02:44.289
eight through Verse Twenty, is this
amazing account of something wonderful created wondering.
27
00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:52.280
I was wonderful that God did in
announcing the birth of our Savior. Indeed,
28
00:02:53.080 --> 00:02:55.960
it's no surprise that we find it
a wonderful the people that were there
29
00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:02.030
found it wonderful. The shepherds did
those that they told. Everyone was amazed
30
00:03:02.069 --> 00:03:08.949
at this thing God had done.
If you have ever worked a night shift
31
00:03:09.150 --> 00:03:15.379
before, you know that the night
is a strange time. Perhaps you haven't
32
00:03:15.379 --> 00:03:20.340
worked a formal night shift, but
maybe you've been up at night nursing a
33
00:03:20.500 --> 00:03:27.770
baby, dealing with an injury,
any number of things. The night is
34
00:03:27.810 --> 00:03:34.490
a weird time and things happen at
night and then again nothing happens at night.
35
00:03:35.409 --> 00:03:38.969
It can be a boring time,
a night, that time that drags
36
00:03:38.090 --> 00:03:42.599
on and on. You sleep,
you try not to sleep as you sit
37
00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:49.439
there at the front desk or on
your shift or in a field watching the
38
00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:53.599
sheep. You wake for emergencies that
turn out not to be emergencies. Your
39
00:03:53.639 --> 00:03:58.030
adrenaline is kind of a false sweet
sleep. It's quiet, it's dark,
40
00:03:58.870 --> 00:04:06.949
it's it's disruptive in an apt way. It, I think it describes our
41
00:04:08.030 --> 00:04:12.060
life in general, as hard as
we try to, even those who of
42
00:04:12.180 --> 00:04:15.819
us who are a fortunate enough to
live and work during the daytime, we
43
00:04:15.980 --> 00:04:25.649
never fully Um to become these kinds
of things, the continually being knocked off
44
00:04:25.769 --> 00:04:30.410
our heels, never quite knowing where
things are, how things are going.
45
00:04:30.730 --> 00:04:36.490
We face dangers, we find ourselves
a limited, confused, sleepy, unable
46
00:04:36.569 --> 00:04:43.879
to see things as we we like. Well, here the shepherds are in
47
00:04:44.040 --> 00:04:50.839
the night, both the figurative night
of sin that we all find ourselves in
48
00:04:50.959 --> 00:04:58.189
after Adam and eve fell, but
very but most immediately, literally bear nighttime
49
00:04:58.389 --> 00:05:01.910
in the dark watching their sheep.
And it's in both of these moments.
50
00:05:02.670 --> 00:05:09.860
But something really wonderful happens and angel
appears, the Angel of the Lord.
51
00:05:09.860 --> 00:05:17.139
Luke describes the event as the shepherds
described it, as the glory of God
52
00:05:17.699 --> 00:05:26.009
shining around them. No doubt there
was light involved here. Shining is the
53
00:05:26.089 --> 00:05:30.649
verb that's used whenever we read of
the shining of the glory of God.
54
00:05:30.970 --> 00:05:34.129
This is the impression that's given.
You might remember Jesus coming off of the
55
00:05:34.250 --> 00:05:41.560
mountain where he was a transfigured and
he shone, or Moses Rather, coming
56
00:05:41.639 --> 00:05:46.560
off Jesus at the amount of transfiguration, Moses coming down after seeing the Lord
57
00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:50.550
Shining With glory of God's so bright
that people asked him to put a literal
58
00:05:50.670 --> 00:05:58.829
veil over his face. Here this
Angel Shining, not with its own glory
59
00:05:58.990 --> 00:06:02.310
but the glory of the Lord,
Reflecting the glory of the Lord Shining around
60
00:06:02.310 --> 00:06:06.540
them. That so that they were
filled with fear. Now notice at this
61
00:06:06.620 --> 00:06:14.819
point it's just one angel, just
one and they're terrified. But then Angel
62
00:06:14.939 --> 00:06:19.490
says, fear not behold, I
bring you good news of great joy,
63
00:06:20.410 --> 00:06:24.689
and then he tells them that that
day in the city of David, Jesus
64
00:06:24.850 --> 00:06:28.610
was to be born, and he
tells them how they will find him.
65
00:06:29.810 --> 00:06:32.319
Now, at that moment, you
would think that this would certainly be enough
66
00:06:32.759 --> 00:06:38.680
to announce the coming of the king, right and Angel Coming, the glory
67
00:06:38.759 --> 00:06:42.839
of the Lord Shining around them,
a sign given. And then it says
68
00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:49.389
suddenly there was, with this single
angel, a multitude of the heavenly host,
69
00:06:51.069 --> 00:06:56.149
and they're not just standing there,
they're not just sort of hovering or
70
00:06:56.310 --> 00:07:03.300
whatever it was that they saw,
but they are praising God. These shepherds
71
00:07:03.459 --> 00:07:11.220
can hear the angels of God,
a multitude of the heavenly host, saying
72
00:07:12.019 --> 00:07:17.329
glory to God in the highest and
peace on earth among those with whom he
73
00:07:17.529 --> 00:07:29.529
is pleased. Can you imagine that, to hear the angels sing, to
74
00:07:29.689 --> 00:07:34.040
shine with this glory, to watch
this happen? No wonder they said,
75
00:07:34.040 --> 00:07:40.519
let us go over to Bethlehem,
let's see this thing that has happened.
76
00:07:40.639 --> 00:07:43.519
Of course you would. You wouldn't
want to do anything else, at least
77
00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:47.189
I would hope not. It's,
of course, sad though, that this
78
00:07:47.389 --> 00:07:54.949
is exactly what we do do.
God Sends Messengers all the time. I'm
79
00:07:55.069 --> 00:08:00.699
no angel, but I am a
messenger and I'm among a whole host of
80
00:08:00.860 --> 00:08:03.459
messengers, not just at this moment
in time, but throughout the history of
81
00:08:03.540 --> 00:08:09.019
the world and many other people in
your lives, that come again and again
82
00:08:09.220 --> 00:08:13.970
saying this very thing, glory to
God in the highest and peace on earth.
83
00:08:16.250 --> 00:08:22.569
Two men. This great thing,
however, is often ignored. Instead
84
00:08:22.610 --> 00:08:28.040
of saying let's go see, let's
follow the Star, let's respond to the
85
00:08:28.160 --> 00:08:33.679
sign, we say, I'm busy, I've got better things to do.
86
00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:41.549
These sheep aren't going to watch themselves, but this is what's going on here.
87
00:08:43.190 --> 00:08:48.789
It's wonderful, glorious thing, and
the shepherd's respond rightly and they're blessed
88
00:08:48.870 --> 00:08:52.389
by it. They go to see
the child and when they see him,
89
00:08:52.429 --> 00:08:58.100
they tell everyone what had happened there. And what happens in verse twenty,
90
00:08:58.139 --> 00:09:03.299
we read that they return glorifying and
praising God. Now they've joined their voices
91
00:09:03.419 --> 00:09:09.450
with the angels, praising the king
for all that they had seen and what
92
00:09:09.610 --> 00:09:15.490
it had been told to them.
On this night, God comes into the
93
00:09:15.649 --> 00:09:20.649
world and there is this great fanfare. I want to think more about this
94
00:09:20.809 --> 00:09:28.080
angelic message with you by considering a
him. We're going to sing after the
95
00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:31.759
sermon, Hark the Harold Angels Sing. You can find it in your hymnals
96
00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:35.559
on page two, hundred and three, if you like. This is part
97
00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:41.950
of a little project I'm doing in
helping us to understand these hymns and carols
98
00:09:43.029 --> 00:09:48.789
that we sing. These are our
prayers, they are our confessions of faith.
99
00:09:48.470 --> 00:09:52.429
They're the things that were speaking to
God. What do we mean by
100
00:09:52.549 --> 00:09:58.100
them? Are they biblical? Are
they true? Well, this Hark the
101
00:09:58.259 --> 00:10:05.019
Harold Angels Sing comes to us from
these verses. They are a way in
102
00:10:05.100 --> 00:10:11.649
which we, like the shepherds,
join our voices in praise God. Want
103
00:10:11.690 --> 00:10:20.570
to begin with just a little note. It says Hark the Harold Angels Sing.
104
00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:26.840
This isn't about our brother Harold Sam
Rock. Hark the Harold. I
105
00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:31.360
say this partly as a joke.
You know I don't tell jokes very much,
106
00:10:31.360 --> 00:10:35.990
but it is important because in a
number of these hymns is me giving
107
00:10:35.029 --> 00:10:39.389
you a side note. In a
number of our hymns, if you're not
108
00:10:39.590 --> 00:10:43.110
careful about the commas, if you're
not careful about the meaning of the words.
109
00:10:43.470 --> 00:10:48.870
You can kind of collapse them together. Kids, this is a specially
110
00:10:48.029 --> 00:10:52.139
for you. I'm trying to help
you to understand what some of these words
111
00:10:52.220 --> 00:10:58.860
mean. It's not saying Hark,
it's Harold. It's saying Hark the Harold
112
00:10:58.899 --> 00:11:03.809
Angels, saying it's it's an adjective. It's describing the angels. So what
113
00:11:03.970 --> 00:11:09.929
are these Harold Angels? Well,
Harold is a word that means announce,
114
00:11:09.809 --> 00:11:16.490
just it is. It's a harold
is something that announces something great. And
115
00:11:16.649 --> 00:11:20.200
so it says, pay attention,
look, look up in the sky,
116
00:11:20.440 --> 00:11:24.279
Hark the Harold Angels Sing. And
then it quotes them. Glory to the
117
00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:30.840
new born king, peace on earth
and mercy, Mild God and sinners reconciled.
118
00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:35.389
So that's all quotes there. That's
a way of paraphrasing what he is
119
00:11:35.470 --> 00:11:39.870
they say in scripture. So that
what do they say? What are they
120
00:11:41.070 --> 00:11:46.340
heralding? What is the fanfare about? Well, they are announcing these three
121
00:11:46.419 --> 00:11:54.139
things. Peace on Earth, mercy, Mild God and sinner reconciled. Let's
122
00:11:54.220 --> 00:12:00.059
think through each of these briefly.
First, peace on earth. When Adam
123
00:12:00.100 --> 00:12:05.330
and Eve were placed in the garden
of Eden, there was peace on earth.
124
00:12:05.370 --> 00:12:11.409
Adam and Eve were happy together,
they were happy with God, they
125
00:12:11.450 --> 00:12:16.320
were happy in nature, but sin
destroyed all of that. It broke the
126
00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:22.240
peace. It broke the peace between
Adam and a eve. She did it,
127
00:12:22.440 --> 00:12:26.600
he did it, the serpent did
it. It broke the peace between
128
00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:31.269
mankind and nature. It broke the
peace between mankind and God. Everything was
129
00:12:31.350 --> 00:12:39.549
now broken. Man broke it,
but man couldn't fix it. The effects
130
00:12:39.669 --> 00:12:46.419
of this fall into sin are felt
and seen immediately in the blaming, in
131
00:12:46.580 --> 00:12:52.179
the hiding, in the shame,
in the guilt. You see it in
132
00:12:52.259 --> 00:12:54.899
the curse that God puts on mankind. You see it in the way that
133
00:12:54.940 --> 00:13:03.289
ane or cane, killed his brother
Abel. You see it in the coming
134
00:13:03.370 --> 00:13:07.730
chapters of Gen assist is the history
of the world unfolds. It's one tragedy
135
00:13:07.809 --> 00:13:13.519
after another, tragedy after another,
and every generation, every new generation,
136
00:13:13.720 --> 00:13:18.840
promises to fix the peace, to
bring the peace, will build faster and
137
00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:24.440
higher and stronger, will do things
better, will make things more beautiful,
138
00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:28.429
will optimize them, will make them
more lasting, will elect better leaders,
139
00:13:28.950 --> 00:13:35.350
will find the right people. But
all of the world and in the history
140
00:13:35.389 --> 00:13:43.220
of the world, we keep failing
and failing and failing. Everywhere you look
141
00:13:43.340 --> 00:13:52.779
you will find the markers of failed
peace. Once Great Kingdoms that no longer
142
00:13:52.860 --> 00:14:01.490
exist, monuments and testimonies to a
earlier time with nothing but a torso left,
143
00:14:03.570 --> 00:14:11.840
graves filled with the bodies of genocides, prisons filled with people that dissented,
144
00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:18.519
and more and more and more in
our own homes, in our own
145
00:14:18.600 --> 00:14:26.149
lives, we find disunity, does
vision, long term, family conflicts,
146
00:14:26.950 --> 00:14:37.269
strife between husbands and wives, brothers
and sisters, friends, and we keep
147
00:14:37.350 --> 00:14:43.580
hoping, we keep trying as a
human race, as the human race,
148
00:14:43.700 --> 00:14:50.419
to find a way to fix the
problem. But we can't, but God
149
00:14:50.539 --> 00:14:58.409
can. He is one who can
bring lasting peace to the world, and
150
00:15:00.889 --> 00:15:09.120
that's who this newborn king was and
is God, if you go back to
151
00:15:09.480 --> 00:15:15.080
the book of Isaiah and you remember
Isaiah Nine, for us, to us
152
00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:18.759
a child is born, to us, a son is given, and the
153
00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:24.909
government shall be upon his shoulder and
his name shall be called wonderful counselor mighty
154
00:15:26.190 --> 00:15:35.590
God, everlasting father, Prince of
peace. Later on, this piece that
155
00:15:35.669 --> 00:15:41.259
he brings is described in terms of
the world and even of nature. I
156
00:15:41.340 --> 00:15:46.940
want to read to you from Isail
Eleven now, about ten verses here.
157
00:15:46.820 --> 00:15:52.129
I want you to listen to WHO
this coming child was foretold to be and
158
00:15:52.490 --> 00:15:58.169
and who he who he is.
There shall come forth a shoot from the
159
00:15:58.210 --> 00:16:03.360
stump of Jessie, and a branch
from his roots shall bear fruit, and
160
00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:07.919
the spirit of the Lord shall rest
upon him, the spirit of wisdom and
161
00:16:07.039 --> 00:16:11.480
understanding, the spirit of counsel and
might, the spirit of knowledge and the
162
00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:15.200
fear of the Lord. Pause.
This sounds like a leader. You would
163
00:16:15.240 --> 00:16:21.509
want to have the spirit of the
Lord, of God Resting Upon Him,
164
00:16:21.789 --> 00:16:25.549
with all of these things. Wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge,
165
00:16:25.629 --> 00:16:29.509
fear of the Lord. Here is
someone who can bring peace, and
166
00:16:29.669 --> 00:16:33.580
indeed he does. We read on
our description of our savior. His Delight,
167
00:16:33.700 --> 00:16:36.539
verse three, shall be in the
fear of the Lord. He shall
168
00:16:36.620 --> 00:16:40.860
not judge by what his eyes see
or decide dispute by what his ears here,
169
00:16:41.299 --> 00:16:45.100
but with righteousness he shall judge the
poor and decide with equity for the
170
00:16:45.220 --> 00:16:48.809
meek of the Earth, and he
shall strike the Earth with the rod of
171
00:16:48.889 --> 00:16:52.289
his mouth and with the breath of
his lips. He shall kill the wicked.
172
00:16:53.289 --> 00:16:57.330
Righteousness shall be the belt of his
Waiste and faithfulness the belt of his
173
00:16:57.490 --> 00:17:03.759
loins. This is not one of
our rulers, and even one of ourselves,
174
00:17:03.960 --> 00:17:10.759
that often sees things poorly. Here's
things poorly and misjudges it. Jesus
175
00:17:10.839 --> 00:17:15.680
judges everything perfectly, and he upholds
the cause, not of the wicked but
176
00:17:15.829 --> 00:17:18.990
of the righteous. In every moment, the weak, the failing, he
177
00:17:19.150 --> 00:17:25.750
lifts up the meek of the earth. He gives equity. For now,
178
00:17:25.869 --> 00:17:32.900
listen to this, this description of
peace. The Wolf shall dwell with the
179
00:17:32.980 --> 00:17:38.299
lamb, the Leopard shall lie down
with the young goat and the calf and
180
00:17:38.420 --> 00:17:44.529
the lion and the fatted calf together, and a little child shall lead them.
181
00:17:44.609 --> 00:17:49.569
The cow and the bear shall graze
there. Young shall lie down together
182
00:17:49.849 --> 00:17:56.609
and the lion shall eat straw like
the OX. The nursing child shall play
183
00:17:56.609 --> 00:18:02.039
over the whole of the Cobra and
the weaned child shall put his hand on
184
00:18:02.119 --> 00:18:07.240
the adder's den. They shall not
hurt or destroy in all my Holy Mountain,
185
00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:11.680
for the Earth shall be full of
the knowledge of the Lord, as
186
00:18:11.799 --> 00:18:17.309
the waters cover the sea. In
that day, the root of Jesse,
187
00:18:17.789 --> 00:18:22.349
who shall stand as a signal for
all the peoples. Of Him, shall
188
00:18:22.390 --> 00:18:30.339
the nations inquire, and his resting
place shall be glorious. You see the
189
00:18:30.460 --> 00:18:36.140
peace that comes with the new born
king. This promised child is not a
190
00:18:36.420 --> 00:18:41.130
temporary fix, it's not a bandaid
solution. It's not a legislative victory that
191
00:18:41.210 --> 00:18:48.809
will be fixed up on the next
term. It is final, lasting and
192
00:18:49.089 --> 00:18:56.640
glorious. Is Glorious or more glorious
than the angels that sang in the heavenly
193
00:18:56.720 --> 00:19:03.799
places the praises of God? This
is the peace that the angels are singing
194
00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:08.920
about, this is the peace that
they are announcing at Jesus's birth. Will
195
00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:19.029
you hear them? Will you respond
in praise with them? The hymn goes
196
00:19:19.069 --> 00:19:25.539
on to say it says a glory
to the newborn king, peace on earth
197
00:19:25.579 --> 00:19:30.299
and mercy mild. These words,
I think, refer to the way in
198
00:19:30.380 --> 00:19:37.700
which peace comes. Peace can come
different ways. Suppose someone breaks into your
199
00:19:37.819 --> 00:19:41.210
house and you find them in your
child's bedroom. You pull a gun on
200
00:19:41.450 --> 00:19:47.769
them and they leave. Well,
you have restored the peace, right,
201
00:19:48.009 --> 00:19:53.759
but that's not what Jesus does.
The way he restores the peace is by
202
00:19:53.839 --> 00:20:02.200
dying. He restores the peace he
conquers the world. He creates peace where
203
00:20:02.240 --> 00:20:07.589
there was no peace. He eliminates
war where there's always been war, by
204
00:20:07.710 --> 00:20:19.950
dying by dying for our sins.
Jesus is powerful, but that power comes
205
00:20:21.390 --> 00:20:27.819
as he humbles himself of all of
his glory, becoming weak, taking on
206
00:20:27.900 --> 00:20:33.299
the form of a servant, dying
on a cross and even being buried in
207
00:20:33.420 --> 00:20:41.690
the grave. His power is demonstrated
is he overcomes weakness by taking weakness on
208
00:20:41.809 --> 00:20:49.400
himself, and then the little literally
rising above it. He defeats sin and
209
00:20:49.640 --> 00:21:00.920
death and war in mercy. Mild
peace gets attached to love. In the
210
00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:06.269
Isaiah a nine passage, I read
the passage. Oh, I'm sorry,
211
00:21:06.349 --> 00:21:11.069
and I meant Isaiah Eleven. N
Isaiah Eleven passage I read. There is
212
00:21:11.309 --> 00:21:21.259
a note of of righteous a strength
that is that comes out he, this
213
00:21:21.539 --> 00:21:27.740
great king to come, is strong
and he will not tolerate the wicked.
214
00:21:29.500 --> 00:21:32.740
Remember this language. He shall strike
the Earth with the rod of his mouth,
215
00:21:32.779 --> 00:21:37.089
with the breath of the of his
lips. He shall kill the wicked.
216
00:21:37.809 --> 00:21:44.410
If Jesus came without any mercy,
this would be all that we would
217
00:21:44.410 --> 00:21:51.720
have and we would all be dead. The shepherds had a good sense of
218
00:21:51.880 --> 00:21:56.680
fear when the angels arrived and started
announcing that the king was coming. You
219
00:21:57.039 --> 00:22:02.710
ought to be afraid if you don't
know, this is good news. If
220
00:22:02.910 --> 00:22:07.190
all that you know, for example, is Isaiah Eleven, verse four,
221
00:22:07.190 --> 00:22:11.109
then there should be nothing but fear, knowing that the king is coming,
222
00:22:11.549 --> 00:22:15.900
that in his Glorious and his righteousness, he's coming to strike the wicked.
223
00:22:17.259 --> 00:22:21.940
But of course there's much more than
Isaiah Eleven, for God has promised over
224
00:22:22.059 --> 00:22:25.700
and over again that though he will
come in strength and though he will set
225
00:22:25.779 --> 00:22:32.210
all things right, he does this
by giving himself, by reconciling, as
226
00:22:32.289 --> 00:22:37.130
the next clause says in the hymn, by reconciling us to himself through his
227
00:22:37.289 --> 00:22:42.730
own death. Let me consider,
let me put this before you just one
228
00:22:42.769 --> 00:22:48.920
more way, from the passage we
read earlier, from Colossians. From Colossians,
229
00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:55.519
we read there that we are brought
under him, he is a we
230
00:22:55.920 --> 00:23:00.390
in verse twenty, that he reconciled
to himself all things, whether on earth
231
00:23:00.430 --> 00:23:07.230
or in heaven, making peace not
by the sword but by the blood of
232
00:23:07.349 --> 00:23:14.140
the Cross. This was no weak
peace, because if you go on to
233
00:23:14.220 --> 00:23:18.259
read in Colossians too, ah,
we read that by this he canceled the
234
00:23:18.339 --> 00:23:22.779
record of death, as is verse
fourteen, that stood against us with its
235
00:23:22.819 --> 00:23:26.099
legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He
236
00:23:26.250 --> 00:23:32.690
disarmed the rulers and authorities and put
them to open shame by triumphing over them.
237
00:23:33.609 --> 00:23:37.769
In him you hear those words of
strength, of victory, of conquering.
238
00:23:37.849 --> 00:23:42.440
There again, how does it happen? It happens through the cross.
239
00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:56.990
With this knowledge, then we'd be
in hymn. We join our voices with
240
00:23:56.069 --> 00:24:00.950
the angels. We say hey,
Hark, pay attention, behold the angels
241
00:24:00.029 --> 00:24:04.710
Sing Glory to the new born king, peace on earth and mercy, Mild
242
00:24:06.150 --> 00:24:12.539
God and sinners reconciled. Then,
having noticed the angels, we call out
243
00:24:12.579 --> 00:24:18.180
to all the world, joyful,
all ye nations rise, join the triumph
244
00:24:18.380 --> 00:24:26.890
of the skies with angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem. You hear
245
00:24:26.970 --> 00:24:30.849
what's going on there. We're seeing, we're hearing the message, and were
246
00:24:30.970 --> 00:24:37.210
responding by confessing that message to the
whole world and calling the world to join
247
00:24:37.250 --> 00:24:45.799
us in praising him. Amazing thing. It's what we do every single Sunday.
248
00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:53.190
Now let's move quickly through verses two
and three of the hymn. Having
249
00:24:53.269 --> 00:24:57.630
noticed the angels and having decided to
lift up our voices with them, having
250
00:24:57.670 --> 00:25:03.309
heard God's words and Luke Chapter two
and residing to respond to it. We
251
00:25:03.509 --> 00:25:10.140
now fill the world with praise of
his name and of his works. Christ
252
00:25:10.259 --> 00:25:15.180
by highest heaven, adored, reminds
us that he alone is praised by the
253
00:25:15.220 --> 00:25:21.809
angelic beings whom he made. This
is because he is everlasting Lord. As
254
00:25:22.049 --> 00:25:26.410
with us, he is the creator
of the angels. He created US and
255
00:25:26.529 --> 00:25:30.450
he created them too. As we
read in Colossians and as we read in
256
00:25:30.529 --> 00:25:37.839
Genesis One, God made heaven and
earth, visible and invisible. These angels,
257
00:25:37.880 --> 00:25:42.279
as mighty and as glorious as they
are, are creatures just like you.
258
00:25:45.640 --> 00:25:49.869
So when we join our voices with
them, we are all of creation
259
00:25:51.069 --> 00:25:56.269
joining together to praise our great and
everlasting Lord, who made heaven and earth
260
00:25:56.390 --> 00:26:02.789
and was from the beginning and before
the beginning of the world. He became
261
00:26:02.789 --> 00:26:07.099
a human king, our human representative
to God, but he had always been
262
00:26:07.180 --> 00:26:14.220
king ruling in all time. I'm
the hymn says, late in time.
263
00:26:14.420 --> 00:26:18.650
Behold he comes, because he is
coming at the end of times. We
264
00:26:18.890 --> 00:26:22.410
live in a time, as we
have seen in other places, but recently,
265
00:26:23.009 --> 00:26:29.569
that is at the end and at
this time he is coming to bring
266
00:26:29.650 --> 00:26:33.119
about the things that have been promised
a long time ago and Isaiah and many
267
00:26:33.160 --> 00:26:38.960
other places. He's coming is miraculous. He is born of a virgin.
268
00:26:40.119 --> 00:26:45.640
It speaks to his unique nature as
both God and man, veiled in Flesh,
269
00:26:45.799 --> 00:26:53.029
the Godhead Sea. Shall we see
God? Yes, in the face
270
00:26:53.150 --> 00:27:00.230
of Jesus Christ. We have God
in the flesh, Emmanuel, God with
271
00:27:00.430 --> 00:27:07.380
us, pleased as man with men
to dwell. Jesus is our Emmanuel.
272
00:27:10.259 --> 00:27:15.769
God brings about the reconciling he promised, the peace he promised by coming to
273
00:27:15.930 --> 00:27:26.130
be with us. This is mercy
and grace. Verse Three continues and repeats
274
00:27:26.210 --> 00:27:30.920
the theme of Peace. It connects
it with his divinity. He is the
275
00:27:30.119 --> 00:27:34.279
prince, the son of God,
the father born from all eternity. He
276
00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:41.079
is the son of righteousness, as
we've seen from Isaiah Elevens we've seen from
277
00:27:41.160 --> 00:27:47.589
Colossians, as it was told in
Luke to the son of righteousness, the
278
00:27:47.670 --> 00:27:52.309
priests. The peace he brings is
a holy peace. It's not a totalitarian
279
00:27:52.549 --> 00:27:57.349
rule in which he commands people against
their will, in which he hates them
280
00:27:57.470 --> 00:28:03.740
and they hate him, and which
he forces and threatens and coerces and manipulates
281
00:28:03.819 --> 00:28:08.940
them into obedience. This is not
our king our king, Jesus, rules
282
00:28:10.019 --> 00:28:15.250
in righteousness. The for the brighteousness
that he brings in part comes by the
283
00:28:15.369 --> 00:28:21.490
spirit that he gives to us,
the dwells in us, that makes more
284
00:28:21.690 --> 00:28:25.490
war with our flesh, that brings
our wills to life, so that we
285
00:28:25.970 --> 00:28:32.839
desire to praise him, desire to
love him. This can be compared to
286
00:28:32.960 --> 00:28:38.240
a son that rises in the morning
and come and overcomes the darkness, The
287
00:28:38.440 --> 00:28:45.309
Sun of righteousness that comes and fills
the dark and righteous world with light.
288
00:28:45.789 --> 00:28:51.750
On the wings of the morning,
he lifts us up out of darkness,
289
00:28:52.630 --> 00:29:03.700
out of sadness. He brings a
worldwide power of change. Mild he lays
290
00:29:03.740 --> 00:29:12.369
his glory by born, that man
no more may die, born to raise
291
00:29:12.529 --> 00:29:26.480
the sons of earth, born to
give them second birth. Hark the Herald
292
00:29:26.599 --> 00:29:34.759
Angels Sing Glory to the new born
King. This is the message that the
293
00:29:34.920 --> 00:29:40.829
angels are proclaiming, and that's why
we say all, just as the shepherds
294
00:29:40.869 --> 00:29:48.069
did, hey, everyone pay attention. God sent his angels into the world
295
00:29:48.230 --> 00:29:56.779
to announce an amazing thing. We
pay attention to the angels, but only
296
00:29:56.019 --> 00:30:02.099
for a moment, so that we
might go to the king, the king
297
00:30:02.299 --> 00:30:08.250
that is born, that we might
not die. Do you hear their message?
298
00:30:08.289 --> 00:30:22.640
Are you desperate for help? Do
you see brokenness and elusive peace in
299
00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:30.839
your life, in the world?
Maybe you need to rehear the message that
300
00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:37.710
God sends about the son. Maybe
your ears have grown dull and it's almost
301
00:30:37.750 --> 00:30:44.190
as if you hear it but don't
really hear it. See The glory of
302
00:30:44.269 --> 00:30:48.670
God but don't really see it.
But as you hear it again this morning,
303
00:30:49.900 --> 00:30:55.740
as you hear the message proclaimed to
you of who Jesus is and what
304
00:30:55.980 --> 00:31:04.730
God has done, then hear a
fresh be reminded of how amazing God's amazing
305
00:31:04.809 --> 00:31:14.930
grace really is. And, as
you hear the message, believe, because
306
00:31:15.049 --> 00:31:22.000
it is us that believe in Jesus
Christ who find peace. If you remain
307
00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:26.680
separated from him, if you don't
trust him, if you don't care about
308
00:31:26.680 --> 00:31:30.960
him, if you don't go to
him and find your life in him,
309
00:31:32.359 --> 00:31:37.829
then you will find your death in
his judgment. He Will Come To Vindicate
310
00:31:37.990 --> 00:31:48.500
Righteousness, but receive him now will
his mercies extended to all the world's message
311
00:31:48.579 --> 00:31:56.019
is proclaimed freely so that you may
have peace. Praise God for this good
312
00:31:56.099 --> 00:31:59.140
news. Let us pray
