Shepherds Still Worship Him
Notes
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Introduction
What do we do with the Christmas stories?
Are they just informative (giving us information on what happened 2,000 year ago, or do they give us principles that can be applied to our life today?
Text: Luke 2:8-20
The Shepherds’ story:
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.
17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.
18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Hear the Word of the Lord
Hear the Word of the Lord
8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Respect for Revelatory Authority .
Hunger for God’s Revelation (Are we hungry for God’s Word or are we afraid of God’s Word or are we indifferent to God’s Word).
Position of Receptivity.
Obey the Word of the Lord
Obey the Word of the Lord
The fork in the road: Obey or Reject (ignore).
Obedience is work (it may not come naturally).
23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
Obedience is love (doing is the overflow of loving God)—if we obey without love, it is legalism—devoid of worship.
Experience the Word of the Lord
Experience the Word of the Lord
Knowledge + Wisdom + obedience + opportunity = experience.
God intends for you to experience the promise of His Word.
Experiencing the Blessing of God’s Word leads you to worship.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
Conclusion
The Word of God is essential for the believer in Christ.
To not read, study, and apply God’s Word is like starving to death.
Without the Word, you are susceptible to disobedience and false teaching.
Questions
Why do you think many Christians do not read or study God’s Word?
How should someone study God’s Word?
How do you obey God’s Word without it becoming legalism (doing to earn God’s favor)?
What is the value of God’s Word to the believer?