Sunday, November 17, 2013

News Too Good To Keep

News Too Good to Keep
Luke 2:8-14

Introduction

(Insert Slide #1)

The minister stood before the congregation and said "I have bad news, I have good news, and I have more bad news.” 
  • The congregation got quiet….this is never good 
    • "The bad news is: the church needs a new roof!" the minster said…the congregation groaned.
    • "The good news is: we have enough money for the new roof.”
      • A sigh of relief was heard rippling through the gathered group.
    • "The bad new is: it’s still in your pockets
(Insert Slide #2)

We love good new…don’t we?
  • In fact, when we hear something that is good what do we do?
    • If no one is right there to share it with, we pick up the phone call someone.
      • Good news has to be told!
  • Contrast that with bad news…unless your just a sick person, you don’t want to hear bad news.
This mornings lesson is all about good new!
  • News that is too good to keep to ourselves.
  • Good new about the gospel of Christ.
  • During my lesson this morning, our elders are going to present some “good news to the congregation!
GOAL - Study the importance of the “good news”
  • We will define what it is and why is it good for us and others.
  • Hopefully, this lesson will also pave the way for what the elders want to share with us today.
Text
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 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. 

(Insert Slide #3)

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!” Luke 2:8-14

(Insert Slide #4)

This narrative follows the standard form found in scripture:
  • There is an appearance - vs. 9
  • The appearance causes fear - vs. 10-11
  • It is followed be a “do not be afraid” remark - vs. 12
(Insert Slide #5)

The angel is bring an important message…it is called "good news”
  • The information that is about what God is doing through Jesus.
  • This is an awesome scene that is taking place…
    • The glory of God’s presence and the heavenly host adds to the drama of the scene.
After calming their fears the angels declare what God is doing.
  • The text here refers to the announcement as “good news.”
    • This is the verbal form of the word in which we get “gospel.”
    • It literally means, and is used later in the NT, to preach the “good news.”
(Insert Slide #6)

Immediately after the giving of this “good news”…too good to be kept….the angels and heavenly host begin to worship God.
  • “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those whom He is pleased!”
  • What can be learn form this?
    • The good news is so joy producing that the only response is WORSHIP and PRIASE!
Lesson

(Insert Slide #7)

What is the Good News?
This is an important question for us to consider, because it is about what should be the most important to us.
  • After all…it’s good news for all people!
So…what is the good news?
  • It was not that God was going send a solider or military leader
  • It was not that God was going send a reformer
(Insert Slide #8)
  • He sent a Savior…why?
  • To meet man’s greatest need!
(Insert Slide #9)

Within this good news is a message of salvation and peace! 
  • This message of peace is for a world that had known war.
    • “Pax Romana” - Roman peace had been around since 27 BC, but it didn’t guarantee peace…why?
  • The Jewish word (shalom) peace means more than a truce of life’s battles.
    • It means well-being, soundness, and completeness.
  • Life was just as difficult back then:
    • Takes were high, unemployment was high, morals were on the decline, and guess what…the government couldn’t meet the people’s needs!
      • THAN GOD SENT HIS SON!
Angels praised God: at the creation, and now again at this new beginning.
  • The whole propose of the plan of salvation brings glory to God.
  • God’s glory is now here is Jesus
**ELDER ANNOUNCEMENT**

(Insert Slide #10)

A Primary Task of the Church?
We are to glorify God, and we do so when we proclaim the message of “good news”
  • Since the “good news” brings joy it stands to reason that we’d want to share this right?
(Insert Slide #11)
  • Like it or not (and we should like it) we do have an obligation to introduce people to Jesus.
    • Man still have a great need and Jesus is the answer…the ONLY answer!
    • The power to that man needs is found in the “god news”
(Insert Slide #12)
  • Romans 1:16 - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is thepower of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
(Insert Slide #13)

We are the light
  • We are the “light of the world” we are “the city on the hill that can’t be hidden”
  • Unless we choose to hid ourselves…
    • If we fail to shine our light the light of the world will go out.
    • Let’s light the fire again, and be the “light,” be the “city,” be the people and the church God wants us to be.
Conclusion
So we have a job to do, and the elders have challenged us this morning…how will we respond?
  • I have 3 suggestions for you:
(Insert Slide #14 and TEXT)
  1. Preach Jesus - tell people about Him…share the hope and joy that you have!
  2. Practice Jesus - love people (all people) the way He did
  3. Personify Jesus - we embody, exemplify, represent Him…all the time!
This is the essence of Christians in action.
  • Christians sharing their joy!
  • Why…because the good news is too good to keep!

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