Christmas 7

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Passage: Luke 2:8-16

Theme: Awe, Wonder and Response

As we prepare for Sunday read through Luke 2:8-16, as you do this notice:

• The joy of the angel and angels as they proclaimed the good news of the birth of Jesus
• The response of the shepherds to the proclamation
• What the shepherd did after seeing Jesus
• How the people responded

As we seek to live our faith in the world how can we apply these to our lives?

Engage

Awe, Wonder & Response

The Announcement – God doing something new

• Shepherds v8
  • among the least of society 
• Angel v9
  • closest to God 
• The Glory of God v9
  • outside the temple
• Heavenly host praising God v13
  • Excitement of heaven bursting out

The message v10-12

• No fear 
  • comfort and encouragement, this is a joyful thing

• Behold – Good news – Great joy – For all the people 

• Town of David
  • Is 11:1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
  • Is 9:7 He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom,

• Saviour born
  • Is 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,

• Christ the Lord

• Sign
  • Wrapped in cloths and laying in a manger
  • A welcome was waiting in a house like theirs
  • Humility

The angels response v13-14

• Praise and Proclamation of Truth
  • Glory to God
  • Peace

The Shepherd response v15-20

• Saw and Heard
• Went with haste
  • didn’t they didn’t put it off, they experienced Jesus 
• Told the people they met 
  • didn’t keep it to themselves
• People were amazed
• Glorified and Praised God

Transformed – Transforming 

Our Response

• See and Hear – about Jesus
  • Good news, Great joy, For all people, Saviour, Christ the Lord 

• Go – find out more and experience
  • Don’t delay

• Tell – others
  • Don’t keep it to ourselves

• People amazed
  • if people don’t hear us how can this happen
  • the people will hear others ways

• Glorify and Praise God 

Transformed – Transforming 

Extend

We see in this passage that God was doing something new, announcing the birth of Jesus to shepherds was a powerful reversal of how things were done in that society. Read what Jesus said in Luke 4:16-21, how does this challenge us individuals and a church as we seek to become more like Jesus?

We were challenged on Sunday to be like the shepherds, to see and hear the message of Jesus, to go and experience Jesus and to tell others about Jesus. Another challenge was to not put it off and to not keep it to ourselves, why do we often do these and how can we stop ourselves falling into these traps and how can we help each other to avoid these traps?

Difficult questions to ask ourselves:

• Are the people we meet amazed by our message of the good news of Jesus?
• Are we really living lives that glorify and praise God?

How can we help each other to be transformed like the shepherds and join Jesus in transforming the world.