UNEXPECTED ANNOUNCEMENT

December 18, 2022

Main Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Additional Scriptures: Isaiah 9:2, 53:2-3, John 1:1-5, 3:16-17, Micah 5:2, Hebrews 1:3-4, Matthew 5:3-4, 28:18-20

POINTS:

• God uses governmental authority for His purposes.

• Everyone, believer and unbeliever alike, will glorify God.

• All the promises of God find their “yes” in Jesus.

• God keeps His promises and this should move our hearts to worship.

• We don’t worship because we are either ignorant of God's promises or we don’t think we need the promises of God.

• People who suffer are no longer under the illusion that they are in control, this is why Jesus calls them blessed.

• Shepherds at this time in history were nomads. Which made them rejected and despised.

• It was commonplace in the first century to hire a herald to announce your firstborn son because your lineage was intact.

• God keeps His promises and He keeps them in the most extravagant way imaginable - He Heralds the birth of His firstborn Son because His Lineage is intact.

• The Shepherds were terrified because they thought they were going to be punished. This is our default posture before the Lord.

• God didn’t come to punish us but to bring us “good news of great joy!”

• The good news the shepherds receive from the angels becomes the good news they share with everyone.

• We are called to be heralds of this good news of great joy!