What's Next? The Angel's Song and Good News

Devotional

Day 1: What’s Next? Trusting God’s Clues

Like a wasgidge puzzle, life rarely shows the full picture on the box. God doesn’t always send a choir of angels, yet he does give clues through Scripture, the Holy Spirit, and a caring community. When you ask, “What’s next?” he delights to guide your next faithful step. You don’t need the whole plan to begin; start with the piece in your hand. As you listen and obey, fear eases and joy rises [21:39]

Luke 2:8–14 — Out in the fields near Bethlehem, shepherds were guarding their sheep at night when a messenger from the Lord stood among them, and the radiance of God surrounded them, and they were terrified. The messenger said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m bringing good news that will bring great joy for everyone: today in David’s town a Rescuer has been born for you—Messiah, the Lord. Here’s the sign: a baby wrapped up and lying in a feeding trough.” Then a vast crowd of heaven’s host appeared, praising God: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those he graciously embraces.”

Reflection: Where do you most feel the “what’s next?” tension right now, and what single, concrete step of obedience could you take in the next 24 hours?

Day 2: Jesus With Us in Everyday Rhythms

Jesus’ story moved through very ordinary rhythms—sleeping and eating, family life, packing bags for Egypt, settling in Nazareth, learning a trade. God stepped into our normal so that our normal could be held by God. He understands newborn nights and job changes, school runs and shopping lists. Your everyday life is not small to him; it is where he loves to meet you. Invite him into one ordinary task today and receive the simple gift of rest and community like a shared hamper [28:51]

Matthew 2:13–15 — After the visitors left, a messenger from God appeared to Joseph in a dream: “Get up, take the child and his mother, escape to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you; Herod is coming to search for the child to destroy him.” Joseph got up that night, took them, and left for Egypt. They remained there until Herod died, fulfilling what God had spoken: “I called my son out of Egypt.”

Reflection: Choose one ordinary task already on your calendar today—how will you invite Jesus into it and notice his presence while you do it?

Day 3: The Box Shows Bethlehem; The Puzzle Reveals Easter

The manger is the picture on the box, but the finished puzzle is the cross and the empty tomb. Prophets gave clues, John the Baptist pointed and said, “Look—the Lamb of God,” and Jesus declared he is the way, the truth, and the life. God’s heart in all of this is simple and strong: he wants people to have a whole and lasting life. That’s why this good news is meant to be shared, not stored. Let Christmas lead your heart toward Easter hope [39:14]

John 3:16 — God loved the world so deeply that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who entrusts themselves to him will not be lost but will enter into life that never runs out.

Reflection: This week, how will you let Christmas point you toward the cross and resurrection in a practical way, and when will you do it?

Day 4: Love God, Love Others—Sing the Angel’s Song

What’s next for any year remains the same: love God and love others. Hampers, sausage sizzles, quiet prayers, and unnoticed kindness are small puzzle pieces God can transform into love beyond what we see. Results aren’t always what’s on the box, but faithfulness is never wasted. Ask the Holy Spirit to plant the angel’s song in you so that love becomes your new routine. Choose one person to love well this week and let God do the rest [41:02]

Matthew 22:37–39 — Give God your whole heart, your whole self, and your best thinking—this is the greatest command. And the second runs right alongside it: love the person near you the way you already care for yourself.

Reflection: Who is one neighbor, coworker, or family member you will love this week, and what specific action will you take to show that love?

Day 5: Do Not Be Afraid—Receive Peace and Joy

The angel’s song still speaks: “Do not be afraid,” because peace and joy are gifts God loves to give. We naturally look after ourselves first, but new routines of grace can be learned. Ask God to lift fear and plant joy; ask him to pour peace into the places that feel thin. Keep the good news humming in your home and heart today. Right where you are, whisper, “Help me,” and receive his presence [43:44]

Isaiah 9:6 — A child is coming to us, a son given for our good; authority will rest on his shoulders, and he will be known as the wise counselor, the powerful God, the forever Father, the ruler who brings peace.

Reflection: Name one fear that lingers in the background of your day; what simple prayer and small practice will help you place that fear into Jesus’ hands today?

Sermon Summary

Holidays invite the “what’s next?” question, and I named it out loud today. I told a story about two kinds of puzzlers and those strange Wasgij puzzles where the picture on the box isn’t the picture you end up building. That’s how Christmas works. We see an angel, a manger, Mary and Joseph, and a newborn. But that isn’t the finished picture. God gives us clues—in the prophets, in John the Baptist, in Jesus’ own words and actions—so we can see what’s coming next. The child born in Bethlehem grows, eats and sleeps, works with his hands, laughs with siblings, and then walks a road that leads to the cross and the empty tomb. The birth is the cover; Easter is the image on the table. And the result is good news: whole and lasting life for anyone who trusts him.

I also brought it close to home. New life always forces new routines. I laughed about how Danny and I had to learn new rhythms with a newborn in the house. Mary and Joseph learned new rhythms too. In the same way, love is learned in ordinary patterns—feeding, sharing, serving, forgiving. Hampers are a small practice of that love. They’re a sign that no one has to go it alone, and that there’s a table where you’re welcome. If you’re receiving a hamper, enjoy it, rest, share it, and know you have a place here.

Looking ahead to 2025, Jesus has already given us the next step: love God with all your heart and love your neighbour as yourself. That won’t always show you the final picture. Sometimes love seems to go nowhere, or even gets misunderstood. But the Spirit is at work between our offering and the outcome, turning simple obedience into real blessing. And when fear, fatigue, or self-focus makes that hard, we ask again: “Lord, give me peace. Give me joy. Help me not to be afraid.” The angels’ song still rings: good news, great joy, peace on earth. Let’s keep singing it—with our voices, our hampers, our routines, and our lives.

Key Takeaways

1. Take the next faithful step We don’t often get choirs of angels telling us what to do next. But Scripture, the Spirit, and wise community give enough light for the step in front of us. Obedience is usually ordinary: do the next right thing with courage. Over time, those small steps assemble a picture we couldn’t have planned. [22:12]
2. Christmas is a Wasgij of grace The manger is the cover image; the cross and resurrection are the finished puzzle. Prophecy, John the Baptist, and Jesus’ own claims are the clues that lead us there. Faith means trusting the clues enough to keep building, even when the picture isn’t obvious. The result is whole and lasting life in him. [39:14]
3. Love is measured in routines Hampers matter, but so do a thousand unseen habits: listening well, forgiving quickly, sharing generously. We don’t control outcomes—sometimes love seems wasted or rejected. God meets us between offering and outcome and quietly multiplies what we bring. Keep showing up; love ripens on a longer timeline than our feelings. [41:02]
4. Ask for peace, courage, and joy Peace and joy aren’t moods we manufacture; they’re gifts we receive. The Spirit can retrain our reflexes so that fear doesn’t have the final say. Pray simply and often, especially when you feel empty. God delights to give what he commands. [42:26]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[18:58] - Two kinds of puzzlers
[20:18] - What is a Wasgij?
[22:12] - The everyday "What's next?"
[23:00] - Angels announce good news
[26:45] - A newborn and new routines
[28:15] - From Bethlehem to Egypt
[29:39] - Why Jesus still matters
[30:59] - Hampers as community good news
[36:55] - Christmas as Wasgij puzzle
[37:39] - Ancient clues: Isaiah's promise
[38:35] - Jesus’ own claims
[39:14] - From manger to cross
[40:35] - Love God, love others
[43:44] - Prayer of blessing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
- Luke 2:8-14

Observation questions
- In Luke 2:10-12, what three things stand out most to you: who the message is for, the titles given to the child, and the sign?
- How does the song in Luke 2:14 hold together “glory to God” and “peace on earth”? What do you notice about the order and the promise?
- Several “clues” were named that point from manger to cross. Which ones can you list, and what do they point toward? [36:55]
- What everyday details of Jesus’ life were highlighted (home, work, siblings, meals)? Why might those matter? [29:10]

Interpretation questions
- The first announcement of “good news of great joy” went to shepherds. What might that say about who hears and carries God’s news in the world (Luke 2:10-12)?
- “Do not be afraid” sits right next to “good news” (Luke 2:10). When the daily “what’s next?” feels uncertain, what kinds of fears does this word confront? [22:12]
- Seeing Christmas like a Wasgij means trusting clues when the final picture isn’t obvious. How does that reshape what faith looks like in waiting and confusion? [36:55]
- Love for God and neighbour can be misunderstood or seem to go nowhere. How does the promise of “peace on earth” (Luke 2:14) steady a person to keep loving over the long haul? [41:02]

Application questions
- What is one clear “next right step” you sense in front of you this week—at home, work, school, or in the neighbourhood? Name it, and share why it matters. [22:12]
- Think about your current routines. What is one small rhythm you could adjust to make room for love—listening well, forgiving quickly, sharing generously, serving quietly? Be specific (time, place, person). [26:45]
- When you can’t see the end picture, which “clue” from Scripture will you hold onto right now (a promise, a name of Jesus, a story)? How will you keep building on that clue this week? [36:55]
- Where do fear, fatigue, or self-focus show up most for you? Try a simple two-line prayer you will repeat this week: “Lord, give me peace. Give me joy. Help me not to be afraid.” When and where will you pray it? [43:14]
- Love God, love your neighbour. Choose one neighbour (by name or address). What is one concrete way you will love them this week—text, invite, a meal, help with a task, a kind note? [40:35]
- If you received a hamper, how will you enjoy it, rest, and share it? If you gave toward hampers, what’s one next act of hospitality you can do this month to keep that welcome going? [30:25]
- Love often feels slow or unseen. Where have you offered love and felt little in return? Share one story, and then identify one way you will “keep showing up” there this week. [41:02]

Sermon Clips

Imagine if we just had an angel to tell us what happens next. Would that be great? Maybe a little noisy. Could you imagine right now each of us had an angel? Like, you know, some of us might get a choir because we really need some, you know, executive function help. But imagine, no decisions. We just go, what's next? And they'd be like, do this. That would be fun. That would be fun. But these angels announced that a baby named Jesus would be born. [00:23:23] (33 seconds) #AnnouncedByAngels

And then Jesus got a job, right? He worked, probably building furniture or houses. And he grew up. So why over 2,000 years later do we still remember that Jesus was born, right? If all he did was sleep and ate and grew up and had siblings, like we all do that. People all over the world still celebrate his birth in this coming month. Actually, we named our calendar after him. 50 years BC means 50 years before Christ. It's because Jesus was different to any other baby. [00:29:03] (41 seconds) #GodInTheOrdinary

So why over 2,000 years later do we still remember that Jesus was born, right? If all he did was sleep and ate and grew up and had siblings, like we all do that. People all over the world still celebrate his birth in this coming month. Actually, we named our calendar after him. 50 years BC means 50 years before Christ. It's because Jesus was different to any other baby. Because he was born on earth so that people might see God and know God in a new way. And the angel said that this was really good news. [00:29:13] (46 seconds) #JesusMadeADifference

And I don't think there'll be an angel announcing it when you get home. But a hamper is a little bit of good news, right? A gift from friends and a reminder that we can be connected in community. We don't have to do life alone, but there's a community that can welcome us. A community that you can come back to whenever you would like. Come back and sing. [00:30:40] (26 seconds) #HampersOfHope

``And we also get clues about Jesus by how he lived. He showed us what it meant to be humble, what it meant to put others first, to be inclusive and inviting, to be hospitable, to forgive and to be generous, right? So if the picture on the puzzle box is the birth of Jesus, the actual puzzle that gets made is the Easter story. And that doesn't happen until April, so we'll have to come back then. No, just kidding. The picture on the box is Jesus who died and rose again for us. That's the next step. [00:38:39] (41 seconds) #JesusByExample

He showed us what it meant to be humble, what it meant to put others first, to be inclusive and inviting, to be hospitable, to forgive and to be generous, right? So if the picture on the puzzle box is the birth of Jesus, the actual puzzle that gets made is the Easter story. And that doesn't happen until April, so we'll have to come back then. No, just kidding. [00:38:44] (29 seconds) #HumbleGenerosity

This is such good news. A tiny baby means that we can have a whole and everlasting life. And as Jesus followers, we want to share this good news, don't we? We don't want to just keep it to ourselves. There is good news, the angel said, don't be afraid. There is peace and there is joy. So in 2025, door of hope, what's next? Jesus let us know there's two things that are really, really important. To love God and to love others as we would like to be loved ourselves. And we live out this good news when we love God and when we love others. [00:39:56] (46 seconds) #LoveGodLoveOthers

But he can do that. He can take away the fear. He can give us joy. He can give us peace, even if we don't feel there's any there on our own. And we can ask him to do that. Would you ask him today, this week? God, help me not to be afraid. God, give me peace. God, give me joy. [00:43:03] (18 seconds) #FaithOverFear

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