Big Idea - The birth of Jesus is good news of the greatest joy. It is the abundance of God's joy that He wants to share with us. The world offers the promise of joy, and we are easily tempted by what the world offers because we all want a life full of joy. But the Bible teaches that true and lasting joy comes through the good news. If you want to find joy, you need to find Jesus. This story is about the journey of a band of unsuspecting sheep herders who heard the good news, found Jesus, and went home full of joy! Luke recorded their story with the belief that we can all find this joy by traveling down the same path!
The shepherds' journey begins when God broke into their world by sending a messenger to proclaim the good news to them. They were in the dark until the glory of the lord came to them, a vivid picture of God's revelation coming to those walking in darkness, pointing the way to find Jesus. The messenger comes bearing good news that is the source of the greatest and truest joy. God intends this joy for all people, but it is also personal. It is for you. The messenger and the host of angels explain the good news, giving the heart of what the good news is, namely, it is the good news that God has sent to you a Savior in a stable. The stark contrast between who Jesus is and the place where He is born points to Jesus' ultimate mission and the way that He will rescue those who are held captive. He will save by suffering and death, not by conquest and military power. He will triumph over sin and death, but it will be by suffering and death, by a crown of thorns and the cross of a criminal, not by a crown of gold and a throne of power. The host of angels proclaims the ultimate consequence of what Jesus will do. He will bring glory to the most high God by making peace between God and those who find God's favor or grace. It is this peace that makes joy possible. Without peace, there can be no true and lasting joy. It is good news for all people, but there will only be peace between God and those who fall under His grace. How do you find God's favor? The Shepherds came into God's favor by responding to the good news in faith. They acted on what they heard by seeking Jesus until they found Him. Once they found Him, they became witnesses, proclaiming the good news to those who were there. The message was credible not because of who they were but because of the fulfillment of what was told them. Now, a whole new group of people are confronted with the good news and are invited to meet Jesus. Even Mary must come to meet Jesus, that is, to know and understand who He truly is - the Son of God and the savior of the world. It is a message and a story that needs pondering and requires a great deal of reflection if we are to come to understand it fully, completely, and in the depth of all its riches. Mary is a good example of how it may take a lifetime to fully grasp who Jesus is and all that He has done for us. The Shepherds return home praising and glorifying God. Their joy was evident in their rejoicing. Joy is having something to celebrate. What were they celebrating? They were celebrating Jesus and the goodness of God that made it possible for them to find Him and know Him. They were celebrating the good news which they came to know was true!
