SERMON TITLE: The Savior is Born
SCRIPTURE: Luke 2:1-21 (ESV)
SPEAKER: Josh Hanson
DATE: 12-24-24
Takes notes here
Merry Christmas! It’s good to be with all of you this Christmas Eve at Gateway Church. And — if you’re here with us for the first time or are joining us at our North Main Campus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.
For the past few weeks we’ve been looking at the Christmas story as recorded by Luke in his gospel. We began by seeing God’s promise to a childless couple who was well along in years — that they would have a son who would have a special role to play in God’s plan of salvation.
Then — just a few days ago — Pastor Ben — pointed us to the faith of Mary — the mother of Jesus. A young woman who also found herself with a special role to play in God’s plan of salvation.
And now — as no surprise to anyone — we come to the birth of the One who — doesn’t just have a special role to play — but is God’s plan of salvation. Of course I’m talking about the birth of Jesus.
Here’s how Luke records Jesus’ birth.
Luke 2:1–7 (NLT)
1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
What kind of expectations do you have for either later this evening — if you’ll be celebrating Christmas with family today — or tomorrow morning if you celebrate tomorrow?
Students — what are you expecting? A huge Lego set? Some sort of new tech? Socks and underwear? “Please no socks and underwear!” You know you’re getting socks and underwear.
Adults — what are you expecting? Joy on the faces of the kids? Bickering between adult siblings? Maybe you’re expecting a ring — or for her to say yes?
Maybe your expectation is that you’ll be alone tomorrow. Or for your dad not to call. Or for your siblings to not show up.
What kind of expectations do you have for Christmas this year?
If we went back nine months — Mary and Joseph — were not expecting all that we just read to be in their near future.
So many events are happening in their lives and none of it was meeting their expectations.
That’s the thing about Jesus’ birth — it didn’t really meet the expectations of anyone. Think about it: God’s promised Messiah — the Savior of the world — a baby who — also not meeting anyone’s expectations — is also God — is born into the world with an incredibly humble beginning. He’s placed in a feeding trough. Some animal probably just finished up its dinner a few minutes prior and now the Savior of the world is snuggled up and sleeping in its trough.
Talk about not meeting anyone’s expectations.
I wonder if there are ways that God hasn’t met your expectations?
But — have you ever wondered if you haven’t met God’s expectation? Now that’s an uncomfortable question to ask, isn’t it?
Back to expectations. The birth of Jesus didn’t meet anyone’s expectations. And not only does Jesus’ birth not meet our expectations — it also brings disruption to those who hear about it. We’re in verse eight.
Luke 2:8–14 (NLT)
8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior — yes, the Messiah, the Lord — has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others — the armies of heaven — praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
So these shepherds are out doing what shepherds do: guarding their flocks of sheep. And — all of a sudden — an angel appears and brings disruption to their lives. Who expects an angel to suddenly show up and tell you that the Savior of the world has been born? Not these shepherds. That’s why they’re told to not be afraid — they weren’t expecting any of this to happen.
Sometimes a disruption in our lives can cause us to fear, can’t it?
Disruptions to our lives can lead to lots of uncertainty — which can cause us to fear what’s before us.
For these shepherds the disruption of their angelic encounter first caused them to fear — but what an unexpected message they’re told. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.” Well this seems like a message worth hearing — a message that’ll bring great joy to all people — I’ll take that. I’ll even take two — because joy is something I find to be lacking these days.
So what’s this news that will give joy to people? “The Savior — yes, the Messiah, the Lord — has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” The Savior is born. Unexpected news that’s meant to stir great joy in all people.
Does this news stir joy in you — even right now?
We’re here to celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world — Jesus — and in hearing this news we’re meant to be filled with great joy.
But that’s not for me to answer — that’s a question for you — not to ignore or dismiss — but to allow it to disrupt your life. “Why doesn’t the news of Jesus’ birth stir in me joy?” Ponder the question and wrestle with your answer. And don’t stop until you find yourself filled with great joy.
And — after telling the shepherds where to find the newly born Savior of the world — the angels burst forth in song. And…
Luke 2:15–21 (NLT)
15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them. 21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.
The angelic disruption to these shepherds’ evening led to a change in their lives for the better. They decide to go to Bethlehem — surely a change in whatever plans that had. They’re curious about the news they’ve just heard — “Let’s see this thing that’s happened.” And so they hurry off to Bethlehem — you can feel their excitement — and they find Mary and Joseph. And there — before them — in a feeding trough — is the Savior of the world.
And — after seeing him — for now they know that everything the angel told them was true — they went out and told everyone what had happened. And everyone who heard their story was astonished — shocked — another way to describe the disruption to their lives as — whatever expectations they did or didn’t have about the Messiah — are met with the news of his birth.
And the shepherds go back to their flocks. Glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen that night. For everything was just as the angel had told them it would be. And — what I love most about their story — is how these shepherds end up being some of the first to fulfill the angel’s words — for they are filled with great joy because of the news of Jesus’ birth.
I asked you earlier — but I’ll ask you again — how’s your joy? The news you’ve heard today about the birth of Jesus — is news that not only requires a response from you — but is news you can’t help but respond to. Will you share in the joy being offered to you or will you reject the sweetest joy you could ever experience?
I have no idea what expectations you came here with today.
But I do hope you’ve experienced a disruption.
May God — in his sweet mercy — disrupt you so that you leave here changed for the better. Where — like the shepherds — something you didn’t expect to happen — causes you to leave here glorifying and praising God because of all that you’ve heard today. That the Savior — yes, the Messiah, the Lord — has been born. Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father, what wonderful, joy-giving news we’ve heard today. Your Messiah — your Savior — has come.
Holy Spirit, you are the messenger — the one who takes the news of Jesus’ birth — and uses it to awaken our hearts to the joy being offered to us. Awaken hearts — even now — to the joy that’s found only through faith in Jesus.
And — Jesus — to you the Savior — yes — the Messiah — our Lord — whose birth did not meet anyone’s expectations — we praise you for coming to bring a beautiful disruption to all of our lives. For — through faith in you — we are changed — and not just for the better — we’re changed for the eternally better.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — may the news we’ve all heard today stir in each of us a sense of great joy. For the Savior has come. Amen.
May the news you’ve heard today — that the Savior has come — be the reason for your joy. Amen.
God loves you. I love you. Merry Christmas! And you are sent.
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