From Fear to Glory: Embracing the Christmas Message
Summary
In this message, we explore the profound theme of fear and glory as illustrated in the Christmas story, particularly through the lens of the shepherds' encounter with the angels. The narrative begins with an invitation to participate in a 21-day period of prayer and fasting, emphasizing the importance of setting aside time to connect with God and reflect on what we depend on for comfort. This practice is a powerful way to start the year, aligning our hearts with God's purposes.
The story of the shepherds in Luke 2 is a poignant reminder of how fear often accompanies encounters with the divine. The shepherds, considered lowly and unclean in their society, were the first to hear the news of Jesus' birth. Their fear, described as "sore afraid," highlights a common human condition: the discomfort that arises when the light of God shines into our lives, revealing our vulnerabilities and inadequacies. This fear is not unlike the fear experienced by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden after their disobedience, a fear that led them to hide from God.
The message of the angels to the shepherds, "Fear not," is a call to perceive and embrace the good news of Jesus' birth. This news is a source of great joy, offering a remedy to the fear that plagues humanity. The birth of Jesus signifies the arrival of a Savior who brings true peace and justice, contrasting with the temporary and fragile peace offered by earthly powers like Augustus Caesar.
The concept of glory is central to understanding our fear and our response to God's presence. Humans often seek to fill a "glory deficit" in their lives through achievements, beauty, or status, but these pursuits are ultimately unsatisfying. The Christmas story invites us to shift our focus from seeking vainglory to glorifying God, recognizing His weightiness and significance in our lives. By doing so, we find true peace and joy, as exemplified by the shepherds who, after encountering Jesus, returned to their fields glorifying and praising God.
Key Takeaways:
- The shepherds' fear upon encountering the angels reflects a universal human experience: the discomfort of being exposed to God's light, which reveals our vulnerabilities and inadequacies. This fear is a call to shift our focus from ourselves to the good news of Jesus' birth, which brings true joy and peace. [48:47]
- The Christmas story challenges us to confront our "glory deficit," the deep-seated need for significance and recognition. By seeking glory in temporary things, we remain trapped in fear. True fulfillment comes from glorifying God and acknowledging His significance in our lives. [01:02:43]
- The birth of Jesus is a confrontation between the kingdom of God and earthly powers. Unlike the temporary peace offered by rulers like Augustus Caesar, Jesus brings lasting peace and justice. Embracing this truth helps us overcome fear and live with confidence in God's promises. [59:27]
- Our fear often stems from a lack of understanding of the joyful good news of Jesus' birth. By beholding and embracing this message, we can move from fear to joy, experiencing the fullness of life that God intends for us. [52:04]
- The practice of glorifying God involves recognizing His weightiness and significance above our own desires and ambitions. This shift in focus leads to true peace and joy, as we align our lives with God's purposes and find our identity in His love. [01:07:52]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[41:02] - Introduction to Prayer and Fasting
[43:32] - The Shepherds' Fear
[48:47] - Understanding "Sore Afraid"
[50:58] - The Angel's Message
[52:04] - Fear and the Good News
[53:29] - The Story of Adam and Eve
[54:42] - Modern Fears and Security Blankets
[55:50] - The Fragility of Security
[56:39] - Delusions of Self-Image
[57:44] - The Solution to Fear
[59:27] - The Birth of a Savior
[01:02:43] - The Glory Deficit
[01:03:28] - Vainglory in Nashville
[01:04:15] - The Pursuit of Glory
[01:06:04] - Finding True Fulfillment
[01:07:52] - Glorifying God
[01:09:25] - Linus and Overcoming Fear
[01:10:42] - Prayer and Reflection
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Luke 2:8-20
- Genesis 3:8-10
---
Observation Questions:
1. What was the initial reaction of the shepherds when the angel appeared to them, and how is this described in the sermon? [48:47]
2. According to the sermon, what message did the angel bring to the shepherds, and how did it contrast with their fear? [50:58]
3. How does the sermon describe the shepherds' social status and their significance in the Christmas story? [48:47]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the shepherds' response after their encounter with Jesus? [01:07:52]
---
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon connect the shepherds' fear to the broader human experience of encountering God's light? [52:04]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the birth of Jesus challenges earthly powers and offers a different kind of peace? [59:27]
3. How does the sermon interpret the concept of "glory deficit," and what implications does it have for our understanding of fulfillment? [01:02:43]
4. What parallels does the sermon draw between the fear experienced by the shepherds and the fear experienced by Adam and Eve in Genesis? [53:29]
---
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt "sore afraid." How did you respond, and what might it look like to shift your focus to the good news of Jesus in similar situations? [52:04]
2. The sermon invites us to participate in a 21-day period of prayer and fasting. What might you consider giving up to better connect with God, and how can this practice help you confront your fears? [41:02]
3. How do you currently seek significance or recognition in your life? What steps can you take to shift your focus from seeking vainglory to glorifying God? [01:02:43]
4. The sermon discusses the temporary peace offered by earthly powers versus the lasting peace of Jesus. How can you embrace this lasting peace in your daily life, especially during times of fear or uncertainty? [59:27]
5. Consider the "glory deficit" mentioned in the sermon. What are some ways you try to fill this deficit, and how can you find true fulfillment in glorifying God? [01:02:43]
6. The shepherds returned to their fields glorifying and praising God after encountering Jesus. How can you incorporate glorifying God into your daily routine, and what impact might this have on your life? [01:07:52]
7. The sermon suggests that fear often stems from a lack of understanding of the joyful good news of Jesus' birth. How can you deepen your understanding and embrace this message to move from fear to joy? [52:04]
Devotional
Day 1: Encountering Divine Light and Human Vulnerability
The shepherds' fear upon encountering the angels is a profound reflection of the universal human experience of discomfort when exposed to God's light. This divine light reveals our vulnerabilities and inadequacies, much like the fear Adam and Eve felt in the Garden of Eden. The shepherds, considered lowly and unclean, were the first to hear the news of Jesus' birth, highlighting that God's message is for everyone, regardless of status. The angels' message, "Fear not," invites us to shift our focus from our fears to the good news of Jesus' birth, which brings true joy and peace. This encounter challenges us to embrace the light of God, allowing it to transform our fears into joy. [48:47]
"For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:6, ESV)
Reflection: What fears are you currently facing that you need to bring into the light of God's presence? How can you allow His light to transform these fears into joy today?
Day 2: Confronting the Glory Deficit
The Christmas story challenges us to confront our "glory deficit," the deep-seated need for significance and recognition. Humans often seek to fill this void through achievements, beauty, or status, but these pursuits are ultimately unsatisfying. The birth of Jesus invites us to shift our focus from seeking vainglory to glorifying God, recognizing His weightiness and significance in our lives. By doing so, we find true peace and joy, as exemplified by the shepherds who, after encountering Jesus, returned to their fields glorifying and praising God. This shift in focus helps us overcome the fear that stems from our inadequacies and leads us to a life of fulfillment in God's presence. [01:02:43]
"Thus says the Lord: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.'" (Jeremiah 9:23-24, ESV)
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you seeking significance through temporary means? How can you begin to shift your focus to glorifying God instead?
Day 3: The Kingdom of God vs. Earthly Powers
The birth of Jesus represents a confrontation between the kingdom of God and earthly powers. Unlike the temporary peace offered by rulers like Augustus Caesar, Jesus brings lasting peace and justice. This truth challenges us to evaluate where we place our trust and security. Earthly powers and achievements may offer temporary comfort, but true peace comes from embracing the kingdom of God. By aligning our lives with God's promises, we can overcome fear and live with confidence in His eternal kingdom. This perspective encourages us to trust in God's sovereignty and His plan for our lives, even amidst the uncertainties of the world. [59:27]
"Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:28-29, ESV)
Reflection: Where are you currently placing your trust and security? How can you begin to shift your trust to the unshakeable kingdom of God today?
Day 4: From Fear to Joy through the Good News
Our fear often stems from a lack of understanding of the joyful good news of Jesus' birth. The angels' message to the shepherds, "Fear not," is a call to perceive and embrace this good news, which offers a remedy to the fear that plagues humanity. By beholding and embracing the message of Jesus' birth, we can move from fear to joy, experiencing the fullness of life that God intends for us. This transformation invites us to live in the reality of God's love and grace, allowing His presence to fill our lives with peace and joy. [52:04]
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." (Philippians 4:4-6, ESV)
Reflection: What aspects of the good news of Jesus' birth do you need to embrace more fully? How can this understanding help you move from fear to joy today?
Day 5: Glorifying God for True Peace and Joy
The practice of glorifying God involves recognizing His weightiness and significance above our own desires and ambitions. This shift in focus leads to true peace and joy, as we align our lives with God's purposes and find our identity in His love. The shepherds' response to the angels' message exemplifies this transformation, as they returned to their fields glorifying and praising God. By prioritizing God's glory in our lives, we can experience the fullness of His peace and joy, living in harmony with His will and purpose for us. [01:07:52]
"Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!" (Psalm 115:1, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you prioritize glorifying God in your daily life? How might this shift in focus lead to greater peace and joy for you today?
Quotes
Wonderful to be with your church family. Hey, before we begin the talk, would you mind just grabbing this sheet of paper and explain quickly what this is? Turn to the page that starts with our week one. If you're new, if you've joined our church since February of last year, one thing you need to know is that for the first 21 days of the year, we get very intentional about praying and many of us fast as well. And we just wanted to give you something so that you could plan it, plan it out a little bit because we start on January 1 and we got that online service just beforehand. This is our real last chance as a family to chat about it. So it's going to be time of prayer. We've got details on the back for that. But most of us, this is what I'm going to be doing. The first week, it'll be liquids only. Second week, I'm going to add in a meal. And week three, we'll be eating two meals. It's actually pretty easy after the first two weeks. [00:39:25] (47 seconds)
So that's what a lot of us are doing. I just want to say, obviously, in our city, there's a lot of issues with body issues and eating disorders. And I just want you to take note of this last line underneath that. It says, a helpful and beneficial fast will be to abstain from anything you tend to depend on. For comfort or coping with difficult emotions. So I just want to say, if you have disordered eating, obviously, don't jump in on the fast. Talked about that in a sermon that we preached on November 12. You can see that on YouTube. It's called Fasting Can Be Feasting. But I want you to consider, as to set time aside every day to pray, put an alarm on your phone and be diligent in your prayer. [00:40:12] (44 seconds)
And just make a plan for that here. So week one, I'm writing liquids, pray at lunchtime. I'm going to pray at lunchtime. For that whole three weeks. But for you, maybe the thing that helps you cope with sad emotions is coffee. And the idea would be that you would write, no coffee and pray when I'm coffee angry, which will be most of the day, at least for a little while. That's the point. If you're giving up food, that would be the time that you pray. So I want you to just, we've got this here for you to just plan it out. Put this on your fridge. And then there's a couple of things, a couple of spaces here for the things that you'll be praying for. And what we do this week, we're going to do a month is we pray through some kind of rhythm together. This year, we're using the pray acronym. So we'll start with a time of praise, repentance, asking for those things that we need and yielding. So that's this. If you just want to spend some time praying about how you'll be interacting in our 21 days of prayer and fasting. And if you've got any more questions, most of them will be answered via the link on that QR code. So looking forward to that powerful, powerful way that we start our year. Okay. Could you please stand for the reading of God's word? [00:41:02] (66 seconds)
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. So the shepherds were among the first to hear the news of baby Jesus, which when you dig into the cultural context, it's unexpected but an absolute stroke of genius. Shepherds in first century Palestine were poor. Rabbinic traditions labelled them as unclean. They were lowly, undereducated folks and most people wouldn't, they didn't want them touching their baby. I bet the shepherds were thinking, if this child truly is the Messiah, the angel has this 100 % wrong. Because the angel, it's a beautiful thought that you have, but you don't know, you don't understand how the world works here. [00:48:31] (41 seconds)
Perhaps the angels anticipated this anxiety and told the shepherds, and that's why they told the shepherds that they'll find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, which was how the peasant class, to which the shepherds belong, kept their newborn babies warm. Further, they were told that he's lying in a manger. Jesus was in a space that they could occupy without upsetting uppity religious people. But more than that, I bet that the shepherds showing up to Mary and Joseph in the manger with this great news that the angels had just told them that this baby would be, quote, a savior, which is Christ the Lord, would have been a great comfort to Joseph and Mary, because they were just such an unexpected source of joy. I bet that these unusual messengers would have given them extra confirmation about what had been, up until this point, their own secret. Verse 9 says this, And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, the glory of the Lord shone about them, and they were sore afraid. [00:49:56] (58 seconds)
So the angels were sore afraid when the glory of the Lord came upon them. They feared with great fear. And I don't know if you've ever noticed this, but it struck me this week that the shepherds were doing fine, when they were in the dark, but as soon as the light shone on them, that's when the fear began. And here I think we see a profound analysis of the human condition, hiding in plain view on the Christmas story, namely that humans are quite comfortable in darkness, underwhelmed but comfortable, while the light of God can be troubling. [00:50:14] (31 seconds)
The angel says, I know you're afraid, but you don't have to be afraid if you behold what I'm about to tell you. It's pure joy. It's pure joy. Essentially, the angel is saying to the shepherds that they do not have to be afraid if they can grasp the message of Christmas. [00:51:38] (19 seconds)
Now, this angelic incident with the shepherds being afraid when interacting with the divine, is actually an echo of an ancient biblical story. A story that I would argue is deeply embedded to this day in every human heart. You can read about it in the very first pages of your Bible. It's the story of the first humans, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. And initially, we read that humans walked closely with God, intimate, in the coolness of the evening, with no fear. Humans were comfortable in the presence of God. But in Genesis 3 .10, the word afraid appears for the first time. In all of Scripture, God is walking around the garden and they hide and God asks them why and Adam answers. [00:52:47] (41 seconds)
The backstory here is that Adam and Eve had just made a massive mistake. They ate the fruit from the one tree that God had forbidden, a fruit that the tempter argued would help them become like God themselves. So they ate the fruit and now armed with the power of knowing the difference between good and evil, they suddenly realized that they were naked and they hid from God. They felt afraid in his presence. Now, their mistake at its core was that they wanted to be their own rulers. They wanted to call their own shots and on that day, everything changed. And so they hid from God because they felt suddenly vulnerable in the presence of God. They were sore afraid. [00:53:35] (40 seconds)
People have been hiding from God ever since, living with the nagging fear that God is unsafe. Now, I've heard super Christians argue that they don't fear God because he is good. I think that C .S. Lewis for the win, when he noted this, what do people mean when they say I'm not afraid of God because I know he is good? Have they never ever been to a dentist? Amen. [00:54:26] (26 seconds)
And in the eastern part of his empire, people actually started worshipping Caesar Augustus as god. Meanwhile, far away on the same eastern frontier, a poor peasant boy was born who would within a generation be hailed as the son of God. The baby's followers would speak of him as lord and saviour and they believed in their core that he would bring true justice and peace to the world. The birth of this little boy in a manger is the beginning of a confrontation between the kingdom of God in all of its apparent insignificance and vulnerabilities and the powerful political kingdoms of the world. Now, Augustus had never heard of Jesus of Nazareth, but within a century or so, his successors in Rome had not only heard of him, they're taking steps to wipe his followers off the face of the earth. Three centuries later, the emperor himself became a Christian. Now, all that to say, the great news of the Christmas story is that a saviour has been born, a humble saviour who would bring peace and justice to the world and usher in an entirely different kind of kingdom. And the shepherd's minds must have been spinning at the thought that the saviour is now here, the angel continued. [01:00:02] (79 seconds)
So here we see that the central to engaging with Christmas is the practice of giving glory to God. And this is a challenge because if you're anything like me, you'd rather, you'd much rather take all of the glory upon yourself. When instructing Christians how to live, the apostle Paul once noted, let nothing be done through strife or vain glory. Now, vain glory is a word we never use, though it is a word that can explain the dysfunction of our city more clearly than any psychologist. It's two words. It's a compound word where kinos means vain or empty and doxa means glory. And together, it means empty glory. [01:01:36] (41 seconds)
The only way to satisfy a glory deficit is by resting in the knowledge that regardless of what you achieve in life, you are deeply loved, a deeply wanted child of God. And I think that the story of Christmas ultimately teaches us that when we understand that, our hearts will be filled with joy and peace. Verse 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. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they'd heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. [01:06:45] (60 seconds)
Practically, to glorify God means to simply look Jesus in the face and admit that his goals for my life are immeasurably weightier than my own goals. That's giving God the glory. That God's desires count more than my desires. That his weightiness, his glory is beyond my own. [01:07:52] (23 seconds)
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Dec 18, 2023. Do you have any questions about it?