When Heaven and Earth Rejoice

When Heaven and Earth Rejoice

Luke 2:8-14

Today we finish a Christmas series we began on the first of December. One question posed in this series was, what exactly are we celebrating at this time of year?  Is it snowmen, reindeer and presents beneath the tree, or might it be something more?  In church Christmas takes on an altogether different meaning.  Here we celebrate Jesus; whom the angel said would be called Emmanuel - or God is with us.  And again, I ask you what exactly does THAT look like?  We can spend most of our lives trying to figure out if God is FOR us.  But the angels declare something even better; not only is He for us, He is with us.  What does it mean to have God WITH you?  What is that all about?

So far, we have seen the backstory to the Christmas story and discovered that God had been silent towards Israel for 400 years.  We saw that when God draws near to us, it’s because God has remembered His people and His promises.  And whenever God has made a promise; He intends to keep it. 

Then we learned another aspect of Emmanuel - or God with us.  When God draws near, not only is it because He has heard the prayers of His people and remembered them, He draws near to speak to them; to redirect them and change their lives to match His plan for them.   We saw how this worked out in the Christmas story of Jesus’ parents.  Mary and Joseph heard the voice of God’s messenger and their lives were forever changed.  

Last time, we saw yet another part of the Christmas story and that whenever God is moving; whenever His plan is advancing, God’s enemies react.  They take notice and make attempts to thwart His plan.  From Matthew’s account of the wise men and what happened when they sought after Jesus, we saw the conflict that’s been ongoing throughout much of the Bible.

Today we’re going back to Luke’s account of the story.  There we see shepherds and angels announcing great joy. Today we discover that when God is with us both heaven and earth rejoice.

1. Body
1. The Angelic Announcement
1. What?   Good News — Great Joy
2. Who? — All people — Savior, Christ, Lord
3. How? — A baby in a manger
4. Illustration:   
1. A little girl was overheard, after a day at church, asking her mother, "Mommy, does God believe in us?" Give that question some serious thought. Does God believe in us? He created us. He sustains us. He sent His only Son to die for us on the cross. He has entrusted us with the responsibility to spread the gospel.
2. The answer is "YES!" He believes that though we are sinful, we are worth redeeming. Though we are lost, we are worth finding. Though we are condemned, we are worth saving! By His grace - His unmerited favor and kindness - He has reached out to us, so that we might become all that He created us to be!
2. The Heavens Rejoice
1. At the creation
1. God asked Job, “Where were you when I created everything?  And in Job 38:7 — When the morning stars sang together And all the sons of God shouted for joy? 
2. The angels rejoiced at God’s creation.  In everything they saw evidence of God’s handiwork. 
2. When God’s Salvation is revealed.
1. Psalm 148:2 — Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts!
2. v. 13-14 — Let them praise the name of the Lord,
   For His name alone is exalted;
   His glory is above the earth and heaven.
   And He has exalted the horn of His people,
   The praise of all His saints—
   Of the children of Israel,
   A people near to Him.
   Praise the Lord!
3. When sinners repent.
1. Luke 15:10 — “In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents

C. The Shepherds Rejoice

1. When they saw the promised baby.
2. All the earth is called to rejoice because the LORD reigns.
1. 1 Chronicles 16:31 — Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns
3. At His coming judgment — Psalm 96.
   Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!
   Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
   Sing to the Lord, bless His name;
   Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
   Declare His glory among the nations,
   His wonders among all peoples.
   For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised;
   He is to be feared above all gods.
   For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
   But the Lord made the heavens.
   Honor and majesty are before Him;
   Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.
   Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
   Give to the Lord glory and strength.
   Give to the Lord the glory due His name;
   Bring an offering, and come into His courts.
   Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!
   Tremble before Him, all the earth.
   Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns;
   The world also is firmly established,
   It shall not be moved;
   He shall judge the peoples righteously.”
   Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
   Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;
   Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it.
   Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice
   before the Lord.
   For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth.
   He shall judge the world with righteousness,
   And the peoples with His truth.Conclusion