❖ Video
❖ Audio (Message)
The Light of Joy that Illuminates the World
(Luke 2:8-20)
Mari Ikeda
Today is the Christmas service. At the same time, it is also the last service of the year since this church is closed next week. What kind of year has it been for you all?
The Bible has these words.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1Thessalonians 5:16-18)
It is a famous phrase from the Bible, but I don’t think anyone can say with certainty that they have practiced this perfectly this past year. Everyone has times of trial and no one is without times of distress and suffering. And if we look at the world situation, wars and disasters are only increasing, and not a day goes by that we do not hear heartbreaking news. I think the reality we must face is that this world is full of human suffering, and each of us will have to face suffering in our own lives. Then, what kind of teaching is “rejoice always”?
In the Christmas Bible passage we are going to read, there are these words of an angel.
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.”
Christmas is “good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” Christmas is the reason we can always rejoice, even in our hardest times. Christmas is not just a fun, extraordinary time to forget about our hard everyday life. We celebrate Christmas to remember that there is indeed Someone who brings joy to our suffering world.
Sorry for the long preface. Today we will read Luke 2:8-20. First, let’s read verses 8-14.
A. News of great joy (8-14)
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
1. News for whom?
There are several episodes in the Bible that tell of the birth of Jesus, but this is the only one in which the news of His birth is conveyed to anyone other than His relatives. From this we can see who the news of Jesus’ birth is for. Let’s read more about what we can learn from this scene.
First of all, the fact that this scene is at night has a certain significance. The angel appeared to those shepherds who were “keeping watch over their flocks at night.” I believe that the shepherds tended their sheep in the pitch-dark meadows, relying only on the light from torches and bonfires, and taking turns taking naps while fearing the wolves. I believe they were in the dark of night, cold, tired and anxious. To them, an angel was sent. It would have drawn more attention from people if the angel had appeared among the bustle of the town during the daytime, but God decided not to do so. It could have frightened out those in power if it were in the king’s palace or the temple, but God did not fo so either. Instead, the first people God wanted to make known the news of Jesus’ birth were those who were in darkness, in a place where the smell of earth and grass was thick, and who were feeling discouraged. That remains true today. Far from being a gorgeous life, Christmas is a light in the darkness of our hearts, a light to those who are forgotten in society.
But at the same time, it is important to note that the news of Jesus’ birth is for all people. That’s exactly what it means when the angel said, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people,” but more than that, the fact that the angel was sent to the shepherds itself has special significance. As I said a little earlier, in the episode related to the birth of Jesus, the angel appeared to Mary, Joseph, Elisabeth and Zachariah, all four of whom are relatives of Jesus.It is inevitable that the angel appeared to them because they had a special role to play, but the shepherds, to put it bluntly, are mere strangers who have nothing to do with Jesus and have no special role to play. And yet, God sent an angel to them because the birth of Jesus makes those who were previously strangers into a family. God wanted people to know that He really loves them as His children, even those who had lived their lives without any previous relationship with Him. That’s why He came to this world as Jesus. The birth of Jesus was made known to the shepherds in order to tell everyone throughout the ages in this way that God is inviting us to become His family as well.
2. What news?
Let us now read a little more about what the news was about.
First of all, verse 11 says, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” The names “Savior,” “Lord,” and “Messiah” line the list. The word “savior” is used for outstanding human leaders. But “Lord” and “Messiah” are two words with very deep religious implications. I will not go into details, but the phrase “He is the Messiah, the Lord” means “He is God Himself, the Creator of the world, who came to this world to fulfill His promise to mankind.” In other words, God became man and came to this world.
But what the angel told them next was astonishing. Verse 12, “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Although the unprecedented thing happened that God himself became a human being and was born into this world, God is still sleeping in the feed manger of livestock in a stable. And that was the sign for us. God was not in the king’s fluffy bed, but in a livestock feeder that was hastily substituted for a crib, not originally a place for humans to sleep. This is deeply related to the fact that Jesus was born to be eventually killed on the cross. God’s power to save us has nothing to do with power or wealth in human society, but in the powerless, poor, and weak existence from human point of view. God Himself becomes weak and abandoned by the people, so that He can bear with us as His own whatever weaknesses and mistakes we may have.
So what did the shepherds do with this joyful news? Let us read the second half of the book, verses 15-20.
B. The joy of the Shepherd (15-20)
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
1. Why were they able to rejoice?
Only the shepherds were happy in this scene; the people there “all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them,” and even Mary did not understand it well. I think that’s understandable. Even though the birth of a baby is a joyous occasion, baby Jesus was nothing different from any other baby in appearance; rather, he was born to a young poor couple, and the situation in which he was laid in a cattle shed is poorer than normal. I don’t think there are so many people who would immediately believe and be overjoyed that He is said to be the Savior, Lord, and Messiah. Then, why were the shepherds able to get excited and rejoice, “glorifying and praising God”? I think there are three main reasons.
The first reason is that the shepherds were seeking salvation before they met the angel. Whether we believe in God or not, we seek guidance to guide our lives correctly, and we seek a presence that satisfies the deepest parts of our hearts that cannot be satisfied by others. Every human being has such vague anxiety and a deep inner thirst. We do not even know if there is any being who can answer to us, and yet we cannot help but ask. I wonder if it was the same for the shepherds. They knew the God of the Bible, but they were not sure how that God would respond to the loneliness, anxiety, and helplessness they were currently experiencing, but they still wanted help. So when the angel appeared, they could rejoice, knowing that God indeed knew their wishes.
That leads us to the second reason why the shepherds could rejoice. I would say that they were able to believe and rejoice in the unprecedented event because they had the supernatural experience of being spoken to directly by an angel and hearing the praises of the heavenly hosts. They experienced literally being transformed from the darkness of night into the light of heaven.
The third reason, and I think the most significant, is that the shepherds confirmed for themselves whether or not the angel’s story was true. They did not stop at hearing the angel’s story, but took action by going to Bethlehem on their own and made efforts to find Jesus. But it was not the result of their willpower and hard work, but of the excitement and anticipation in them that compelled them to do so. It means that the fact that an angel appeared to them and the news of the birth of the Savior told to them by the angel moved them to take an action and see by themselves if it was true.
2. How can we share that joy?
Now as the last topic of today, let’s think about how we can share the same joy that the shepherds had. It is only necessary for us to experience the three reasons why the shepherds were able to rejoice, but what exactly are these experiences?
The first is to recognize that we all have a thirst in our hearts that can never be satisfied by people or things, but only by God. It is not only about hoping to recover from the wounds of human relationships. It is also about facing the fundamental questions of why there is injustice in society and what is the purpose of living in an unjust world. And it is necessary to humbly admit that we do not have the answers to them.
The second is about meeting angels, which requires a bit of interpretation when applied to us. Most of us never meet a real angel. But the important thing is not so much to meet a real angel as to have the wondrous experience of knowing, as the shepherds experienced, that God has not forgotten us, but has remembered us. Often it is not a spectacular event, such as the appearance of the heavenly hosts, but rather a minor event experienced through church services and church people. It is an experience where we can be sure that God knows us, and God comes into our hearts. It is impossible for us to make it happen by our own strength; it is a miracle that God does.
The third is to go looking for Jesus yourself. The clues to where Jesus is are as I have spoken about today. Jesus is in the darkness, among the poor, among the weak who cannot live without the help of others. It may be that you encounter Jesus in the darkness of your own heart, or that you discover Him in the weakness of others. There are those who are trying to walk in trust in God while being in the midst of a very difficult situation to rejoice because of their own illness or that of a loved one. I see Jesus in them, in the way they hold on to their desire to believe in God, even when anxiety and fear come again and again. When smiles return to those who had not been smiling, I feel that Jesus is there rejoicing with them. I see Jesus in a friend who goes along with me on a day when I can only be weak.
Jesus must be waiting for us to find him today. This is because He wants us to live in this world without losing joy at all times.
(Prayer) Lord Jesus, Thank you for your birth and for coming into this world. Please let each of us know that this is true, and the greatness of that fact, in our hearts. And please pour out your spirit to guide us when we lose hope and fail to rejoice in our anxiety and fear. Teach us to understand that You certainly know us and that You love this world. And help us to love one another first with those closest to us so that we can share your love in this world and get a little closer to a world in which you delight. May we support each other in our suffering. Dear Jesus, we pray this in your name. Amen.
Summary
In this world, wars and disasters are increasing and there seems to be more sorrow than joy. In the life of each individual, no one has nothing but joy, and everyone has suffering. Nevertheless, Jesus Christ, born on Christmas Day 2,000 years ago, is the light that leads us to joy in any world situation, in any trial of life. It is also a reason why we should not lose hope. Jesus is present in the darkness, among the poor, among the weak who cannot live without the help of others, and He is still waiting for us to find Him today.
For Discussion
- Look back over the past year and recall the reasons for when you were rejoicing and when you were not rejoicing.
- Why can we rejoice in any situations?