What Should I Do With The Good News?
Dr. George Bannister
Christmas Questions that Deserve an Answer • Sermon • Submitted
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What Should I Do With The Good News?
Luke 2:8 – 20
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.”
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.
INTRODUCTION:
A-
I- EXPERIENCE IT PERSONALLY (LUKE 2:8 – 15).
I- EXPERIENCE IT PERSONALLY (LUKE 2:8 – 15).
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.”
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.”
A- It is for the common man to experience. (Luke 2:8)
A- It is for the common man to experience. (Luke 2:8)
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.
1- It was to the “common” shepherds that Jesus’s birth was first announced.
2- It was to common people that Jesus ministered in his life.
Fishermen
the widow of Nain
Lazarus and his sisters
3- it was a “common” thief that Jesus saved while on the cross.
B- It is for all men to experience. (Luke 2:9 – 10).
B- It is for all men to experience. (Luke 2:9 – 10).
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.
1- The angel announced that the good news is for all people.
2- Jesus commanded that the good news be carried all people. (Mark 16:15).
And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.
C- It is a life changing experience. (Luke 2:11 – 14)
C- It is a life changing experience. (Luke 2:11 – 14)
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.”
1- The shepherds could never be the same after an experience like this one.
a- it was an “since around” experience! (Luke 2:9)
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified,
b- it was a “close encounter” of the supernatural variety. (Luke 2:10 – 11)
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!
2- no one can experience Christ and remain the same. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
Saul of Tarsus became a new person after meeting Christ.
D- It is a personal experience. (Luke 2:15)
D- It is a personal experience. (Luke 2:15)
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.”
1- Notice that the shepherds had to experience meeting Jesus first hand.
2- Each person must experience the new birth personally. (John 3:7)
So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’
Being born in a hospital does not make you a doctor.
II- SHARE IT PERSONALLY (LUKE 2:16 – 18, 20)
II- SHARE IT PERSONALLY (LUKE 2:16 – 18, 20)
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,
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.
A- Share what you have experienced personally (Luke 2:16 – 18). (Acts 1:8)
A- Share what you have experienced personally (Luke 2:16 – 18). (Acts 1:8)
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,
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
1- The shepherds shared with others about the things they had seen and heard (Luke 2:18)
All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished,
2- witnessing simply means sharing what is happened to you!
3- Unless you share with those who have not heard the good days, they may never hear! (Romans 10:14)
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?
B- Share with others who know him (Luke 2:20).
B- Share with others who know him (Luke 2:20).
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.
1- The shepherds shared the good news of God’s works with each other.
a- This was the first New Testament testimony service!
b- It is a good practice to share with other believers about what God is doing in your life!
2- The shepherds use their experiences as a springboard for praise.
a- This began a praise – worship service that glorified God.
b- Sharing about God’s goodness with fellow believers can result in energized services.
III- MEDITATE ON IT PERSONALLY. (LUKE 2:19)
III- MEDITATE ON IT PERSONALLY. (LUKE 2:19)
but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.
A- Meditate on the good news and what it really means to your life.
A- Meditate on the good news and what it really means to your life.
1- Give deep thought about where you were headed before meeting Christ. (Ephesians 2:1 – 6, 11 – 12)
1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,
5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
11 Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts.
12 In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.
2- Give deep thought about where you are headed now. (Ephesians 2:13 – 18)
13 But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.
14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.
15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups.
16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.
17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near.
18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.
B- Meditate on what has happened as you shared the good news and others believed.
B- Meditate on what has happened as you shared the good news and others believed.
1- Think deeply about the work that God used you for.
a. You have helped to keep a soul from eternal death and find forgiveness for their sins! (James 5:20)
you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.
b. You have helped a person establish a life-transforming, hope-giving relationship with Christ!
c. You have made an eternal difference!
C- Meditate deeply upon the timeless truths that God has given, that are bound up in Christ. (Luke 2:10-12)
C- Meditate deeply upon the timeless truths that God has given, that are bound up in Christ. (Luke 2:10-12)
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.”
1- Meditate upon the timeless truth of God’s love for all people.
a. That God loved mankind so much that he sent the savior to be born into this world, to live among us, and to suffer and die for us!
b. This is good news, indeed!
2- Meditate upon the timeless truth of God’s amazing grace toward people. (Ephesians 2:8-10).
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
CONCLUSION: