Wednesday
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
- Luke 2:10-14
I think the entire gospel message can be summarized in the announcement of the angels to the shepherds outside of Bethlehem; Do not be afraid – Good news of great joy –A Savior has been born to you – Christ the Lord - Glory to God in the highest – Peace on earth!
If we were honest, most of us would have to admit that we human beings are pretty fearful people. We are afraid of dying. We are afraid of failure (and sometimes of success). We are afraid of rejection. We are afraid of losing. We are afraid of making the wrong choice. We are afraid of not having enough. We are afraid of being alone & we are afraid of others really knowing us. Parents are afraid their children will make bad choices & children are afraid their parents won’t love them if they do.
The first message of Christmas is fear not! God is ruling the world for the great good of his children. Believe his promises: "Fear not for I am with you. Be not dismayed for I am your God. I will help you; I will strengthen you; I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness…Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall wear…Cast all your anxieties on God because he cares for you…The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?"
And in the place of fear Jesus puts joy. Joyless faith in Jesus is a contradiction in terms. Paul summed up the goal of his whole ministry like this: "for the advancement and joy of your faith." And he told the Philippians and Thessalonians, "Rejoice always, and again I will say rejoice." Always? Yes. Not without tears of grief and pain, but still joyful. This is the Good News, that our great fear can be replaced with his great joy.
How? Because a Savior has been born to us, he is Christ the Lord!
The angels go on to say that this Savior will bring both Glory to God and Peace on earth. The plan of redemption will bring glory to God, and is designed to express his glory. It is the highest expression of his love and mercy. The central purpose for all of creation is the Glory of God! Nowhere do we see, his glory more strikingly exhibited than in giving his only Son to die for men! The gospel will bring peace on earth. The Savior was predicted as the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Jesus came to make peace, For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14).
I don’t think the shepherds out in those fields near Bethlehem could possibly have fathomed the incredible depth and power of the message they heard from the angels that night. More than 2,000 years have passed and we are still pondering its meaning and experiencing its power! Lives were changed then and lives are changed still today through the incredible message of the gospel – Fear Not – Good News – Great Joy – A Savior Has Been Born – Christ the Lord – Glory to God & Peace on Earth!
Jeff Frazier
Jeff Frazier
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1 comment:
Being a gold medal worrier, boy do I need to take this message to heart daily. I need to replace worrying with prayer, thanking God for His care and provision for me and my family and stop worrying about if and when the shoe will drop for us as it has for so many around us. Instead of worrying about my children, I need to replace it with prayer that God will guide them to make good decisions and choices. Yes I do fear for our children's futures, but worrying will only make me sick and shows a lack of trust in God for their futures. Now I must ask God to help me conquer my fears and live in the joy that the Good News should bring into my life. And in doing so, maybe others around me will see a changed life through Christ.
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