Christmas – 2020
Subject – Glory, Peace, and Goodwill
By Rick Welborne
Luke 2:8‑14 (NKJV)
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, 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, goodwill toward men!"
–The message to the shepherds--"Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
–Whatever you are facing - do not be afraid - the message was to all people...you and me. We all face adversity and many of us are facing it right now...different areas but all of us are facing problems and challenges.
–Christmas, Thanksgiving, and other holidays have a way of bringing out a pain, our family dysfunction, or wounds that have been there for years.
–Verse 14 gives us a goal, a vision, and even a plan for our lives all because Jesus has come...Because He is Immanuel - God with us.
–The point of this message is to hopefully show us that when Jesus comes...He makes a difference in our vertical relationship and our horizontal relationships.
Luke 2:14 (NKJV)
14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
–Today let’s look at this verse and see what God is saying to us:
1. Goodwill toward men.
–In other words we should be desiring good toward those we are around the most. Our family...our friends...our church.
–It is easy for us as ministers (all of us) to want goodwill for those in the universal church, the community, and even in the world but it can become difficult for us to want good for those closest to us. Jesus said we are to go!
Mark 16:15-16 (NKJV)
15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
--Go to the world. Across the street, in our city, county, state, country, and around the world. Missions!
--Yes, we are to go but how we go and the attitude we go in is so important. We must show Jesus to the world but it also matters how we relate to each other. Goodwill toward men and women.
--Jesus said we are to love one another! That would be goodwill.
John 13:34-35 (NKJV)
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
--Just going is not enough to convince a lost world that they need Jesus, we must show them that we truly love each other. All believers.
--Do you just suppose the lost will never be convinced we care about them, if we don’t care about each other. By this all will know…love each other. Jesus said, He actually prayed, we would be in perfect unity.
--Notice how many times it says “that the world may know.” Unity is so important!
John 17:21-23 (NLT2)
21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.
23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.
--Going is important, sending over 200 missionaries is important, giving to send missionaries is important but showing them (modeling for them) what it means to love each other and to be in perfect unity (best).
--My point – It matters how we treat each other and how we care for each other. Souls are in the balances2. Peace on earth.
Luke 2:14 (NKJV)
14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
–Our goal should be peace for Israel and the middle east but also for our own families and our church.
Philippians 4:4‑7 (NIV)
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
–Let your gentleness be evident to all...the Lord is near...He is watching. The fruit of the Spirit:
Galatians 5:22‑23 (NIV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self‑control. Against such things there is no law.
–Look how all this fruit could help our marriages and families and our church. Don’t say you are Spirit filled and you do not exemplify this fruit of the Spirit.
–Jesus...Immanuel...came to bring peace on earth but also peace to our families, friends, and churches.
Philippians 4:7 (NIV)
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
–Verse 8 gives us the “how to” in our families...we think about these things and we say this:
Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable‑‑if anything is excellent or praiseworthy‑‑think about such things.
–Jesus came to bring goodwill toward men and women but He also came to bring peace on earth. There is nothing more powerful on earth than a church that is led by Jesus. Our world needs peace!
--Also, powerful whose families are committed to Him and to one another...what goodwill and peace we can offer to a lost world...We can help put the Merry back in Christmas!
3. Glory to God!
1 Corinthians 10:31‑33 (NLT)
31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
32 Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God.
33 I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.
–Do everything for the glory of God...how you love your spouse, your families, your church, the world!
Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles...be gentle with your families. Don’t live in an offensive manner.
–Some of us need to stop being ourselves and start living as though Christ is in us...the hope of...listen to it...the hope of glory! Do it so others “may be saved.”
–What an event for these shepherds...the appearance of the angels and the announcement of Christ...wow! How awesome it would have been to be there...
Luke 2:8‑9 (NKJV)
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
–These shepherds were able to see and experience the awesome glory of God and they could not wait to go and share what they had experienced.
Luke 2:15‑18 (NIV)
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
–They spread the word about the glory of God (Jesus Christ). Shouldn’t we do the same.
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