Luke 2:10–11

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Lk 2:10–11)

Karl Oliver was the kid next door. He had a paper route. A big canvas bag on the front of his bike held the newspapers. I guess you could say Karl was a newsy. When he got done with his route, he'd give the leftovers to his friends.

Sometimes, he'd give a copy of Grit. Karl sold a few of those too. Anybody ever hear of Grit? It was a folksy tabloid back then, full of positive stories, advice, how-to articles—you know, uplifting things. And it still is.

But as interesting as Grit is, not too many people know about it. Why? Because it's all good news, and good news doesn't sell papers; bad news does. But if there's anything we need in these dark days, it's good news, news of great joy. And that's what we have in the news of the birth of Jesus—good news, wonderful news of great joy! What's so great about it? Why Should We Rejoice at the News of Jesus' Birth?

I.

First, we rejoice at the news Jesus is born because it means God is in charge!

The Readings for today speak of times when the world was a dark place. In the Old Testament Reading, Isaiah is writing to God's people in the northern part of Israel. The Assyrians have overrun the land, destroying the villages and towns and decimating the population. Most of the people are sent far away as prisoners. The few left behind are impoverished and disheartened. It's a scene of total despair.

Is God powerless? Has he abandoned his people? Absolutely not! Suddenly, with the prophecies of Isaiah, there's hope. "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light" (Is 9:2). But just what is this great light? It's not a literal light; it's news of great joy! It's news of the birth of a King—and not just any king, but a righteous, divine King!

Here's what Isaiah says about him: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Is 9:6).

What a contrast this King will be to the kings who came before him! Every last one of the northern Israelite kings was a usurper. Not one of them was a lawful heir of King David. Everything they did was evil and brought the wrath of God down on his people.

But that's all about to change. The new King will break the yoke and rod of the oppressor. He will roll up and throw into the fire the bloody apparel of war. From the day of his arrival and forever after there will be peace and justice and righteousness as he rules from the throne of his father David.

Now if you were God's oppressed people and heard this good news, wouldn't you rejoice? Isn't this the kind of news we all long to hear? Well, get this: this is not just lofty poetry from a bygone era. You and I are God's people, and this good news is for us—and all the world too.

The divine King of whom Isaiah speaks has at last been born. His name is Jesus. At his cross and the empty tomb, he defeated our enemies—sin, death, the devil. He, not they, is forever in charge. At this moment, by faith in Jesus, our newborn King, we have a safe home forever.

Religious freedom isn't just being threatened by our government, it's being taken away. Abortion still destroys three thousand lives a day. Idolatry is the religion of the land. Terrorists threaten our safety. The gap between rich and poor grows. Infectious diseases are becoming immune to antibiotics. Times are dark.

But the birth of Jesus is still good news! It's good news of great joy because it says a King is born, a righteous King, a King who is in charge and who right now is carrying out his plan of redemption. By faith in him we overcome the world's evil no matter how dark things look. Now that's joyful news!

Second, we rejoice at the news Jesus is born because it means we have a Savior!

How would you feel if tomorrow you discovered all your constitutional freedoms were gone? What if you woke up and learned you were now living under sharia law or that your elected leaders had all been replaced by officials appointed by China or Iran? Or that a communist party official or a religious enforcer minded you every hour of every day? How would you feel?

That's how the Israelites felt seven hundred years after Isaiah. God's people were still living under the rod of the oppressor. It's not Assyria anymore. Now the oppressor is Rome. Caesar Augustus controls Judea. Roman soldiers patrol the streets of Jerusalem. Tax collectors hired by Rome bleed the people in every town. Soldiers bearing shields and standards emblazoned with Roman gods insult the faithful as they worship at the Lord's temple. Sons or daughters of Abraham, living in the Promised Land, a land given you by God himself. You're a child of the covenant in a blessed relationship with God. Yet the years go by, and there's no Child of promise. All is darkness and despair. Has God forgotten his people? Will he ever remember his promise?

Then suddenly, above Bethlehem's field, blazing light explodes in the heavens! A holy angel appears. With terrifying voice, he trumpets forth his joyful tidings, "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Lk 2:10–11). Then a whole choir of angels joins him, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" (v 14).

Can it be true? Has God at last kept his promise? Is this the miracle everyone's been waiting for? Well, you won't know unless you go to Bethlehem, find the manger, and see for yourself. And that's just what the shepherds do. They go in haste and find Mary and Joseph. And there is the baby, lying in the manger. What they'd heard with their ears they now see with their eyes. And they leave rejoicing, proclaiming to all they meet the joyful good news.

Isn't that why we're here tonight—to hear the joyful news again and see its fulfillment with eyes of faith? Aren't we here tonight that we might believe this good news afresh and leave rejoicing? Yes! But like the shepherds, we don't keep the good news to ourselves. We noise it abroad! Neighbor, have you heard the news? A Savior is born! There's a new King! Satan is on the run! We're free at last! That's reason for us to rejoice together!

We rejoice at the news Jesus is born because it means there's no need to be afraid!

Over and over the angel of the Lord shows up totally without warning, completely out of the blue, and says, "Do not be afraid!" He says this to Zechariah when he announces the birth of John the Baptist. He says it to Mary when he announces that she will be the mother of Jesus. He says it to the shepherds watching their flocks in Bethlehem.

In each case, after everyone is already terrified within an inch of their lives at the sight of the angel, he says, "Do not be afraid!" Then he delivers his message. You'd think after his first client has a heart attack, the angel would work on his entrance technique, maybe tone it down a bit. But maybe there's just no way a holy angel from the throne of God can make himself known without terrifying mortals.

If the mere appearance of an angel is so terrifying, imagine how it would be for us to meet God! We'd perish in an instant! Sin can't coexist with God, and we are sinners. That's why Peter, after he lets down the nets at Jesus' command and hauls in the biggest catch he's ever seen, tells Jesus, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord" (Lk 5:8). Peter realizes he's a sinner in the presence of a holy God, and he's afraid he'll die.

But the whole point of the incarnation, the Son of God taking on flesh like ours in the womb of a human mother, is to save us from death when we see God. Zechariah and Joseph and the shepherds don't die when they see the holy angel, because he brings the message of the incarnation that God is coming as a baby to save us.

See God apart from hearing and believing the message of the incarnation and you die. But see God in the person of Jesus by faith and you live forever. Now that's joyful, good news!

We pray: O God, you once caused this holy night to shine with the brightness of the true Light. Grant that by faith we see this Light in the face of Jesus and thus may we experience the fullness of joy in heaven. In his name we pray. Amen.