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This is the audio from the December 24, 2023 sermon, “Good News of Christmas: SONG”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Luke 2:1-20

Today I continued a series from the gospel of Luke as we gaze deeply into God’s Word to find the good news of Jesus shared with us by Luke the physician.  Throughout the month of December we will continue our Good News series with a look at The Good News of Christmas as found in the first two chapters of Luke.  In the small town of Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to a son and placed him in a manger because there was no room in the inn.  At that moment, the seed of good news which had been growing in Mary was born and it changed the world forever.  After the official birth announcement was given to a group of shepherds, we find an appropriate response which teaches us that good news must be . . .

• Believed: — Luke 2:8-15, Mark 1:15

  • As the recipients of the official birth announcement concerning Jesus, the shepherds had a choice about what they would do with the information.  Do they believe the good news given to them, or not?  Granted, when the proclamation is given by an angel who is joined by a “great company of the heavenly hosts”, the credibility of the message would seem to be great.  As Jesus began His ministry here on earth, His call was for all who would hear the good news of the kingdom of God to repent and believe.  We are faced with a similar decision when the good news of Christmas is presented to us, and the appropriate response is belief.

• Observed: —  Luke 2:16, James 1:25

  • While the flesh tends to operate on a seeing is believing basis, faith says that believing is seeing.  It is the response by faith of the shepherds which took them into the town of Bethlehem so that they could observe for themselves what they had already believed.  The good news of Christmas becomes more than just a story when we begin to look deeply into God’s Word and observe for our self the wonder of God taking on flesh.

• Reported: — Luke 2:17-18, Acts 4:20

  • After the shepherds had been able to observe all that had been told to them, their next step was to report this wonderful news to everyone they met.  When our faith becomes sight and we are able to experience the good news of Jesus working in our life, our responsibility is to accurately report the work God is doing in and through us.

• Nurtured: — Luke 2:19-20, 1 Corinthians 3:6-8

  • While there is often great excitement at a birth, it is in that moment that the real work often begins.  Mary’s soul is nurtured as she treasures and ponders in her heart all that had taken place from the birth of Jesus through the visit by the shepherds.  The shepherds grew in their faith as they went from their encounter with Jesus to being reminded of that encounter every time they shared with someone new about all they had experienced.  We have that same responsibility to nurture the faith of others as we recall our faith story and share it with the people we meet.

Today, how will good news be BORN in your life?