ChosenRebel's Blog

Sunday Afternoon Musings

Five responses to “news of a great joy.” Summary to today’s message.

1. We should obey. (Lk. 2:15-16)  –the shepherds obeyed and went to find the Savior. Wise men still seek the Savior.
2. We should make the news known. (Lk. 2:17-18) –the shepherds made the news known to the whole region. The early disciples filled up the city of Jerusalem with the teaching about Christ. What will we do in our generation?
3. We should ponder and treasure the news of this great joy.  (Lk. 2:19) –Mary threw these things together in her mind and continued to ponder the meaning of what the events of the first Christmas meant. That’s a good model to follow.
4. We should glorify and praise God for this news. (Lk. 2:20) –the shepherds magnified the workings of God and praised God for those workings. publically and privately their lives reflected “the news of a great joy.”
5. We should order our lives around this news. (Lk. 2:21) –Mary and Joseph named Jesus with the name they had been given by the angel (1:30-31). The news elicits obedience.

We are invited each Christmas season to follow shepherds, to emulate Mary and Joseph and let the whole of our lives be dominated by the “news of a great joy.”

“Today, in the city of David,
there is born to you a Savior,
who is Christ the Lord.”
(Lk. 2:11)