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Can you feel it? 
Can you feel the anticipation? 

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As we are building up to 
Christmas Day, we're inching 

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along closer and closer to that 
glorious mourn. 

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We've been rehearsing and 
reenacting the scriptural themes

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and scenes from Christ's story 
from his birth here at UCC. 

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As we go around the Christmas 
wreath, we started with hope as 

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we've thought about the 
prophecies of Isaiah. 

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Then we moved into faith the 
promises given to Bethlehem and 

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Micah. 
Last week we spent some time and

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joy as we looked at the 
vignettes of Mary's life. 

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And now we move to peace. 
We lit this morning the Peace 

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candle, also known as the Angels
candle, but bigger than this the

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the tradition here for UCC to 
practice this Christmas wreath. 

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This Advent wreath is so 
important for the life of our 

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church body as it creates an 
opportunity for us to reorient 

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our minds and our hearts around 
this special birth. 

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So now we turn our attention to 
the theme of peace. 

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The theme of peace as we 
continue in our congregational 

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climb to Christmas morning. 
For most of us, peace is the 

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exception. 
It is not the norm. 

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As we think about the conflict 
around our globe, as we were met

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with conflict in our own lives, 
the inner turmoil, the thoughts 

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that race. 
Where's peace when the world is 

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in conflict? 
Where's peace when my mind is in

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conflict, my heart is in 
conflict? 

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Where's peace when there's 
conflict in my home? 

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Where's peace when I'm brought 
face to face with my own 

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inadequacies? 
Peace is a deep human need. 

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We need peace in our lives, but 
where will we find it? 

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For centuries, humans have tried
to find this peace, or perhaps 

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bring heaven down to earth. 
In this attempt. 

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After all, there is an 
inextricable, excuse me, 

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connection between peace and 
heaven. 

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These things so easily go 
together. 

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We think of this heavenly place 
as a place of no more tears, no 

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more crying, no more pain. 
When I think about instances in 

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human history of us trying to 
find peace, bring heaven down to

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earth, my mind goes to the Tower
of Babel, whose builders sought 

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to reach heaven with their own 
structure and make a name for 

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themselves. 
You could also think perhaps of 

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Neville Chamberlain's attempt to
achieve peace in our time just 

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before World War 2. 
Even pop culture has grabbed 

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onto this theme of has tried to 
search and find for peace on 

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earth. 
You can think of Belinda 

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Carlisle's Heaven is a Place on 
Earth, or perhaps U2's Where the

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Streets Have no Name, imagined 
by John Lennon. 

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It's all around us. 
The list goes on. 

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Trying to bring heaven to earth.
How will we find peace? 

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You can probably think of your 
own examples. 

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We long to see things at rest, 
for things to be calm and 

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bright. 
As the Christmas carols say, 

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peace is a deep human need that 
no earthly song, no earthly 

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program, political leader, city 
can satisfy. 

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Where will we find peace? 
For our hearts, for our homes, 

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for the world? 
Our passage today points us to 

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the embodiment of heavenly 
peace, the one and only who can 

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satisfy our needs for peace 
against our burdening fears, our

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crippling fears, peace in the 
flesh. 

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So to move toward our passage 
and provide A to provide a 

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little bit of context as we dip 
in, Paul refers to Luke, the 

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author of our gospel in 
Colossians 414, as the beloved 

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physician. 
And this tracks well with his 

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writing style as he meticulously
reports on the events of 

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Christ's ministry, often citing 
his sources in the process. 

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And this would explain why we 
get details about Caesar 

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Augustus and Carinius as we open
up chapter 2 in a section that 

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we we didn't read. 
And it would also explain why we

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would get a verse like verse 19.
Very precious verse. 

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But Mary treasured up all these 
things, pondering them in her 

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heart. 
Luke wouldn't be able to record 

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something like that if Luke 
didn't have some sort of deeper 

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connection to Mary, perhaps an 
interview or a very close 

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conversation. 
So knowing this about our 

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author, Luke can give us 
confidence about the Gospel's 

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events, just as Luke intended 
when he writes in chapter 1. 

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To Theophilus, the recipient of 
this message, he writes. 

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It seemed good to me also, 
having followed all things 

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closely for some time past, to 
write an orderly account for 

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you, that you may have certainty
concerning the things you have 

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been taught. 
So Luke did his homework. 

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Luke was very keen on the 
details when reporting about the

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news of peace, which ushers us 
into the first point for this 

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morning, news of peace. 
What were the details 

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surrounding this celestial 
encounter for the shepherds and 

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what was the nature or the 
characteristics of this news? 

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If you're following along in 
your Bibles, we are beginning in

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Luke chapter 2, verse 8. 
It's Luke 2, verse 8 and in the 

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same region, and that is the the
region where Christ was born. 

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Following the coat tales of 
verse 7, in the same region, 

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there were shepherds out in the 
field keeping watch over their 

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flock by night. 
So as we get into this, verse 8 

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introduces us to these regional 
shepherds. 

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They were blue collar folk, 
humble, lowly, humble and rank 

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with a very rich social and 
societal heritage, with many of 

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the patriarchs, the Jewish 
patriarchs, themselves, being 

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keepers of the flock. 
Calvin describes these shepherds

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as having no accounts among men.
These are men well acquainted 

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with dirt under their 
fingernails, with hills, 

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pastures, planes, and certainly 
the ordinary. 

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They're very familiar with the 
mundane. 

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Then in verse 9, the shepherds 
are introduced to an Angel of 

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the Lord. 
Already we are seeing in this 

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passage a foretaste of heaven's 
collision with earth. 

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These two representatives 
symbolically meet in the fields,

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these shepherds of low status, 
dirt and dust, meeting with 

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angels of glory, messengers, 
heralds of good news. 

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All this symbolism is pointing 
us to a very soon and real 

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meeting of heaven and earth. 
But that's to come. 

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We're we're not quite there yet,
almost there. 

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We can't say much about this 
Angel of the Lord. 

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Some scholars think this perhaps
was Gabriel for his swiftness 

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and previous mentions in the 
nativity scenes leading up to 

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this point, but we cannot say 
that for certain. 

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What we can say for certain is 
that this is the Lord's 

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messenger, a herald from God 
himself. 

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And we can also say that this 
Angel was bearing the glory of 

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the Lord, a very important 
phrase for us to consider, verse

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9, to go back to. 
And an Angel of the Lord 

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appeared to them, and the glory 
of the Lord shone around them, 

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the glory of the Lord. 
This is and refers to a visible,

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manifest manifestation of God's 
presence, often associated with 

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God's lights and radiance, His 
purity, His Holiness. 

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This is a weighty and awesome 
phrase. 

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It communicates an encounter 
with God's presence, with his 

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perfection, his power. 
So suddenly the shepherd's fear 

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kind of makes sense, right? 
You think about the shepherd's 

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being struck in all of the glory
of the Lord. 

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The fear is palpable. 
They were struck by the glory of

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the Lord, and the verse says 
they were filled with great 

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fear, great trembling. 
Some of you might recall the old

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King James Version. 
They were sore afraid. 

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This is a great terror down to 
the bones, seismic, trembling, 

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intense, and of course a very 
appropriate response to being 

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within arm's reach of the glory 
of the Lord, the glory and the 

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greatness of God. 
Thankfully things don't end 

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here. 
The great fear of the shepherds 

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is met with good news of great 
joy for all the people. 

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Verse 10. 
This news is not the fear 

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inducing kind that we are all 
too familiar with. 

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Click on the news. 
Read an article. 

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Fear inducing. 
It's hard, but this news is 

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different. 
It is good news, inherently 

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good. 
There is not an ounce of deceit 

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or malice in this news, so 
different from our experience. 

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There's no misery in this news. 
It is robustly and profoundly 

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good. 
It is pure, unspoiled, untainted

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by sin. 
Even more, this news is news 

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that brings great joy. 
The Angel uses the same word to 

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describe the joy this news 
brings, as Luke uses to describe

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the shepherd's fear. 
So this mega fear, this mega 

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trembling that the shepherd's 
are experiencing is met by mega 

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joy. 
This also is news for all the 

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people in the sequence of Luke 
up to this point. 

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This is the third Annunciation 
scene that we have, first to 

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Zechariah, second to Mary, and 
now these shepherds. 

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And it follows the same pattern.
Angelic appearance, then 

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responsive fear, and then 
announcement that brings joy. 

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But this is different than a 
family affair. 

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This is now to the people. 
It's to the lowly shepherds. 

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And so this is news for all 
people. 

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The news here is not mere advice
to the shepherds or Invitational

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admiration. 
The angels weren't saying. 

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We highly encourage you to go 
see this thing that has happened

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in Bethlehem or they weren't 
saying. 

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We really think you should just 
go give this a peek and maybe 

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reflect on it for a few minutes.
It's worth it's worth some 

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meditation. 
No, this is this is news. 

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The angels have something to 
declare to these shepherds, 

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something that has happened. 
And as a result, everything will

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be different from here on out. 
Here lies an opportunity for the

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Shepherds to respond. 
It's similar to other news. 

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You might receive good news, the
treatment has gone well, the 

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surgery was a success, or good 
news the team has returned 

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safely from their trip. 
There is an opportunity here for

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the Shepherds to respond and an 
opportunity for us to respond 

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because this news is not advice.
It is different. 

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It demands a response. 
Now, you may be thinking to 

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yourself, Hudson, for goodness 
sake, what is the actual news? 

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You've told us about the people 
involved, the lowly shepherds 

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and the angels. 
You've told us about this great 

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fear from the angels and this 
great news, great joy for all 

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people. 
But what is the news itself? 

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Well, I'm so glad you asked. 
This drives us to our second 

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point for this morning. 
This very question points us to 

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the person of peace, the person 
of peace. 

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This breaking news is about a 
birth. 

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It's about a person. 
Can you imagine for just a 

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moment the shepherd's 
anticipation at this point in 

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the dialogue with these angels? 
Oh boy, I wonder what's going to

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come out of his mouth next. 
Said it was good news. 

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Said it was great joy. 
Said it was for all of God's 

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people. 
It's got to mean Rome is kicking

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the can, right? 
They're out of here, they're 

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done, they're leaving Jerusalem.
Well, here's what precious verse

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11 says. 
For unto you is born this day in

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the city of David, a Savior who 
is Christ the Lord. 

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This, friends, is the good news 
of Christmas. 

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Unto you is born Christ the 
Lord, a Savior. 

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So much is packed into these 
these 4 words. 

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Savior Christ, the Lord, a 
Savior because we need saving 

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from our sins, from death's 
tyranny, even from political 

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corruption, a defender, a 
Liberator from our inner 

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tendency to cause anti peace 
chaos. 

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So a savior, but also the 
Christ, the long-awaited for 

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Messiah who would fulfill the 
Old Testament prophecies, 

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deliver God's people and 
establish his eternal Kingdom. 

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Savior the Christ and the Lord 
God Almighty, the one who was 

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before, the one who's after the 
the Alpha and the Omega, the 

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Great I am the uncreated 1 
Savior Christ the Lord, this is 

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the child that is born unto the 
shepherds and good news, this is

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the child born unto you, the one
who is all at once. 

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Savior Christ, the Lord Jesus. 
Truly this, this is heaven on 

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earth. 
This is the Incarnate meeting of

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the two, Peace and flesh in the 
form of a baby. 

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00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:05,280
Peace as a person, as prophesied
in Micah 5. 

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And he shall stand and shepherd 
his flock in the strength of the

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Lord, in the majesty of the name
of the Lord His God, and they 

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shall dwell secure for now. 
He shall be great to the ends of

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the earth, and He shall be their
peace. 

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Peace is a person, heaven and 
earth at the same time. 

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In a person. 
It's far more than a warm fuzzy 

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feeling you get on a Sabbath 
Sunday or a blank schedule. 

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This is peace in a person 
Incarnate. 

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Then the passage reaches its 
crescendo, the climax, the 

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boiling point, with this 
beautiful and sudden angelic 

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song. 
It is explosive and the 

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necessary response to the birth 
of this Savior, Christ the Lord.

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Verses 13 and 14. 
And suddenly there was with the 

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Angel, a multitude of the 
heavenly host, praising God and 

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saying Glory to God in the 
highest and on earth, peace 

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among those whom he is pleased. 
This sudden song, this eruption 

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of praise, might not be all that
dissimilar from a kid on 

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Christmas morning. 
And hopefully that's an easy 

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mental image for your, your 
mind's eyes. 

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You think about the kids getting
out of bed, running down the 

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stairs, seeing the presents 
underneath the tree, tearing 

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through the gift wrappings, the 
boxes. 

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This is exuberant joy, an 
explosion. 

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The big eyes, the bigger smiles,
all but ready to burst out of 

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their skins you can feel in 
their bones. 

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00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:09,000
I remember for myself and my 
brothers one particular 

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Christmas gift. 
I still think it's perhaps maybe

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00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:13,560
one of the greatest Christmas 
gifts of all time. 

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Of course, other than Jesus, 
ping pong table, ping pong 

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table. 
It's the gift that keeps giving.

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00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:26,120
It's so much fun. 
Perhaps a few broken paddles in 

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the way and some Hardy 
competition between my brothers 

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00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:32,240
and I. 
But I just remember waking up 

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that morning and and hearing my 
parents say there's, you know, 

250
00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:37,480
there's something downstairs. 
Go, go check it out. 

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00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:41,200
And my brothers and I racing 
down and seeing this beautiful 

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00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:43,200
blue ping pong table. 
It's great. 

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00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:51,800
This is the kind of excitement 
the text expresses, and I'm 

254
00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:57,680
compelled to ask us, when was 
the last time we reflected this 

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00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:03,160
kind of excitement about Jesus, 
About our coming King? 

256
00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:09,120
Sudden eruption of joy and 
praise? 

257
00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:15,760
Can you erupt into melody with 
the angels glorifying God in the

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00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:19,920
highest and rejoicing? 
For at long last our Savior has 

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00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:25,800
appeared peace on earth. 
The host of heaven in the midst 

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00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:30,040
of their rejoicing, proclaim 2 
fundamental truths for us as a 

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result of the birth of this 
Savior baby. 

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00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:38,440
It means one God gets the glory.
2 Earth gets the peace. 

263
00:19:39,120 --> 00:19:42,000
God gets the glory. 
Earth gets the peace. 

264
00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:45,760
Did you hear it? 
Glory to God in the highest and 

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00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:47,520
on earth. 
Peace among those with whom he 

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00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:51,360
is pleased. 
We cannot miss the first part, 

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God's glory. 
The birth of this baby means 

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00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:58,880
glory to the one and only who 
deserves it, the one who's 

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00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:02,640
giving the peace. 
God is who is acting. 

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00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:07,520
It is he who voluntarily enters 
into our suffering and into our 

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00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:10,840
sorrow. 
And Even so, God is glorified 

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00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:13,120
through the peace that he's that
he gives. 

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00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:17,200
Jewish tradition has a wonderful
word for this kind of peace. 

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00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:20,640
It means more than just the 
absence of conflict, but 

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something to actually fill the 
void, something to replace it. 

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00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:27,240
You may have heard of this word 
before. 

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It's Shalom. 
Shalom connotes completeness and

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00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:35,400
wholeness. 
It's the state of full 

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00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:37,720
restoration, full 
reconciliation. 

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00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:43,280
Its scope is comprehensive, 
including our inner lives, but 

281
00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:46,800
also external relationships, 
including the nation's, the 

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00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:50,280
world. 
Thus, for the birth of Christ to

283
00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:56,800
mean peace on earth, as the 
Angel Sing says, so much more 

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00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:02,720
than just mere rivalry, strife, 
struggle. 

285
00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:07,720
It actually means something 
better, means that Christ has 

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00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:12,760
brought, is bringing, and will 
one day bring complete 

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00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:18,240
restoration, complete wholeness 
to all that is broken. 

288
00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:22,960
Most importantly, this goes for 
our relationship with God. 

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00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:27,240
We are reconciled to the Father 
through Christ the Son. 

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00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:30,600
There is peace between God and 
man. 

291
00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:37,520
Shalom, but it also goes for the
establishment of Christ's 

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00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:43,520
eternal Kingdom for the nations.
So there's peace between God and

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00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:47,760
man, Shalom, but there's also 
peace for the teetering and 

294
00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:50,440
tottering warings of the 
nations. 

295
00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:55,560
There will be peace on earth and
light of His rule and His reign.

296
00:21:56,360 --> 00:21:58,120
Revelation 21. 
Five. 

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00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:02,480
Behold, I make all things new, 
all things new. 

298
00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:08,840
Not some things new, not even 
new things, all things new. 

299
00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:13,000
So to quickly review, why all 
the commotion from the angels? 

300
00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:17,360
Why the sudden Symphony? 
Because the birth of this baby 

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00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:23,280
means ultimate glory unto God 
and true peace for mankind. 

302
00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:27,440
The reconciliation and Shalom 
brought to us and the birth of 

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00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:32,600
Christ is worth singing about. 
Finally, we turn to our third 

304
00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:36,160
and final points, the reason for
peace. 

305
00:22:36,800 --> 00:22:42,120
The reason for peace. 
This will also function as our 

306
00:22:42,120 --> 00:22:45,600
applications as we look to the 
shepherds as models for a 

307
00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:48,680
response to the news of this 
baby boy. 

308
00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:54,600
Interestingly, the story of the 
angels and the shepherds doesn't

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00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:59,440
end at the angels song. 
Rather, the text moves on to 

310
00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:03,360
bring greater purpose to our 
reception of Christ's peace. 

311
00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:09,200
And so, as we read through 15 to
20, notice the response of the 

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00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:11,800
shepherds once the angels have 
returned. 

313
00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:16,600
Starting in verse 15. 
Let us go over to Bethlehem and 

314
00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:19,080
see this thing that has 
happened, which the Lord has 

315
00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:22,880
made known to us. 
And they went with haste and 

316
00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:26,440
found Mary and Joseph and the 
baby lying in a Manger. 

317
00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:29,920
And when they saw it, they made 
known the saying that had been 

318
00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:32,600
told them concerning this child.
And I'm actually going to skip 

319
00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:35,080
to verse 20. 
And the shepherds returned, 

320
00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:39,800
glorifying and praising God for 
all they had heard and seen as 

321
00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:42,240
it had been told them. 
So what did you see? 

322
00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:45,520
What did you observe about the 
shepherd's response? 

323
00:23:46,120 --> 00:23:50,840
The shepherds respond in faith, 
encouraging one another to go 

324
00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:52,800
and see this thing that has been
told to them. 

325
00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:58,160
But they haven't seen it yet. 
Indeed it has happened. 

326
00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:02,360
But they go in faith, believing 
what the angels have said to 

327
00:24:02,360 --> 00:24:04,760
them. 
They move with haste and with 

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00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:07,720
urgency quickly to the Manger 
scene. 

329
00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:12,960
They make known to those around 
them what the angels had been 

330
00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:17,640
had told them about the child, 
and eventually the shepherds 

331
00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:20,720
return to their fields after 
it's all said and done, 

332
00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:24,680
worshipping God for all that 
they had seen and heard that 

333
00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:28,040
fateful night. 
So for our first point of 

334
00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:32,720
application, receive the peace 
of Christ with faith. 

335
00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:35,720
Receive the peace of Christ with
faith. 

336
00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:40,240
The proclamation of peace given 
to the fearful shepherds by the 

337
00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:42,840
angels drives them to make a 
decision. 

338
00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:47,560
This is news which everything 
after this point changes. 

339
00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:49,480
It changes. 
What are they going to do? 

340
00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:50,440
What are the shepherds going to 
do? 

341
00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:53,520
They have to make a decision. 
Will they go and see for 

342
00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:57,400
themselves or will they remain 
in their fields with their 

343
00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:01,040
flocks and their sorrows and in 
their fears? 

344
00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:08,240
Christ offers heavenly peace for
our earthly fears to those that 

345
00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:11,920
would have Him. 
Receiving the peace of Christ 

346
00:25:11,920 --> 00:25:15,520
means believing and having faith
in the person of Christ. 

347
00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:19,360
This is peace. 
This is true peace, the person 

348
00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:22,600
of Christ. 
So would you have him? 

349
00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:28,760
Would you have peace? 
Receive the peace of Christ with

350
00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:32,440
faith. 
Second, share the peace of 

351
00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:35,560
Christ with joy. 
Share the peace of Christ with 

352
00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:37,800
joy. 
When the shepherds realized what

353
00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:40,920
peace had come to them, they 
immediately shared what they 

354
00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:45,760
knew to be true, that this 
precious child, He is Savior, 

355
00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:47,920
Christ the Lord. 
What has been told them? 

356
00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:50,840
We too must share this good 
news. 

357
00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:56,080
We must tell of who He is, 
Declare how He has brought peace

358
00:25:56,080 --> 00:26:00,440
to our lives, our experiences, 
and demonstrate His peace 

359
00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:03,320
through our conduct and through 
our actions. 

360
00:26:04,360 --> 00:26:08,480
Share the peace of Christ in 
Word and deed with joy this 

361
00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:13,040
Christmas. 
Third, return in the peace of 

362
00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:17,360
Christ with hope. 
It's interesting that this 

363
00:26:17,360 --> 00:26:21,440
supernatural encounter doesn't 
leave us with an image of the 

364
00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:26,320
shepherds somehow hitting like 
Nirvana or enlightenment. 

365
00:26:27,120 --> 00:26:30,400
No, they actually returned to 
their fields after the 

366
00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:35,320
supernatural encounter. 
One might expect them to have 

367
00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:41,520
been glowing after such an 
event, but that's not what we 

368
00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:46,320
see. 
Instead, verse 20 tells us that 

369
00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:49,800
they returned to their fields 
and more than likely their lives

370
00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:53,600
looked much of the same. 
But the way that they looked at 

371
00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:56,120
their lives was totally 
different. 

372
00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:02,000
Everything now was oriented 
around this baby in Bethlehem 

373
00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:06,800
suddenly. 
And I love that word, the way 

374
00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:08,520
that that word is used in this 
passage. 

375
00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:13,560
Suddenly their lives centered 
around Jesus. 

376
00:27:14,120 --> 00:27:16,760
This is the experience of peace 
in our lives. 

377
00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:22,480
Return in the peace of Christ 
with hope by orienting your life

378
00:27:22,840 --> 00:27:27,640
around Jesus. 
Finally, 4th, our last 

379
00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:33,400
application, worship Christ. 
It's worth repeating as such a 

380
00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:37,040
central component, this 
crescendo that we have in this 

381
00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:41,200
passage worship Christ. 
It's worth repeating as much it 

382
00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:43,960
was worth the angels making a 
great commotion about. 

383
00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:47,840
Let us worship Christ for he has
come. 

384
00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:52,560
Let us worship him for the 
Shalom that he brings us today 

385
00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:56,480
and the Shalom that he will 
bring us when he comes again. 

386
00:27:56,920 --> 00:28:02,760
Second Advent. 
So to conclude we have work 

387
00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:06,840
through three waves, the news of
peace talking about the 

388
00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:12,280
shepherds and the angels, This 
good news of great joy for all 

389
00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:15,480
the people and the nature of 
news. 

390
00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:20,280
That news pushes us to make a 
decision or even a non decision.

391
00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:23,280
Will we move in action? 
Will we sit back? 

392
00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:28,440
Secondly, we move from news of 
peace to the person of peace 

393
00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:33,880
that this whole commotion, this 
beautiful angelic song was about

394
00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:40,800
one person, Jesus Christ, the 
one who can bring peace, Savior,

395
00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:45,320
Christ the Lord. 
And finally, we talked through 

396
00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:50,400
the reasons of peace that we 
would receive this child with 

397
00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:55,200
faith, that we would share about
this child with deep a 

398
00:28:55,440 --> 00:29:00,800
wellspring of joy, that we would
return to our homes, to our 

399
00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:05,920
lives with great hope, and that 
we would worship Him all our 

400
00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:12,600
days. 
The glory, excuse me, glory to 

401
00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:15,600
God in the highest and on earth.
Peace among those with whom he 

402
00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:19,920
is pleased was the proclamation 
that the angels gave to these 

403
00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:25,800
shepherds, and it meant heavenly
peace in the person of Christ to

404
00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:30,280
combat their fears and our 
fears, to make His name known 

405
00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:35,680
among all people, to reorient 
our lives, and to inspire godly 

406
00:29:35,680 --> 00:29:43,220
worship. 
Would you pray with me, our 

407
00:29:43,220 --> 00:29:47,580
Prince of Peace? 
We glorify and praise your name 

408
00:29:47,740 --> 00:29:50,660
as the shepherds and angels did 
so long ago. 

409
00:29:51,340 --> 00:29:54,580
Your birth has brought us peace 
that transcends our 

410
00:29:54,580 --> 00:29:58,280
understanding. 
We thank you for the Shalom we 

411
00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:00,720
experience in our relationship 
with the Father. 

412
00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:05,760
Because of who you are and what 
you have done form and fashion 

413
00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:10,320
us into your people that we 
might be people of peace. 

414
00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:14,080
We pray all this in your holy 
name, Jesus, Amen.