The Greatest Gift

THE GREATEST GIFT

An Exposition of Luke 2:8-20

By Pastor Brian Wilbur

Date:   December 23, 2018 (Fourth Sunday of Advent)

Series: Advent 2018

Note:   Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotation marked NIV is from the Holy Bible, New International Version®,         NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

THE SCRIPTURAL TEXT

We are gathered here this morning in order to ponder the “good news of great joy” that is the grand subject of Christmas – and of the whole universe. We turn to a familiar text, Luke 2:8-20, but I hope the familiarity of this passage doesn’t cause us to tune out. Let us instead be drawn into the wonderful reality of the gospel, and be humble receivers of and glad rejoicers in the greatest gift that has ever been given. Let us hear God’s Word as it is written for us. Holy Scripture says:

“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them." (Luke 2:8-20)

THE GOSPEL: GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY

In this passage we have the proclamation of the gospel. The word gospel means good news, and the gospel is the “good news of great joy” about the salvation and peace that is freely given to sinners through the “Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” The Greek word translated gospel is actually evangel – and though you might be unfamiliar with this word, you are familiar with the related words like evangelist and evangelism. An evangelist is someone who proclaims the evangel, the gospel, the good news. “[Good] news of great joy” cannot be kept secret, but must be openly declared and shared with others. In Luke 2:10 the angel is the evangelist who proclaims the gospel to the shepherds, but in Luke 2:17 it is the shepherds who become the evangelists as they proclaim the same gospel to Joseph and Mary. The gospel is such good news that it must be “made known” throughout the world, not only by officially commissioned evangelists but by all Christians everywhere. The angel brought us “good news of great joy” so that we would bring “good news of great joy” to the world that so desperately needs it.

APPRECIATING THE GREATEST GIFT

With this theme of unspeakably good news in our mind, let’s take time to appreciate the greatest gift of which it speaks. I won’t hold you in suspense – the greatest gift is “Christ the Lord.” What I want us to do is to exercise our minds in order to appreciate the greatness and specialness of this gift, by paying attention to what Scripture says to us in this passage.

THE GREATEST GIFT IS PROCLAIMED TO ORDINARY PEOPLE

First, rejoice in the fact that the news of this greatest gift was proclaimed to ordinary people. I am referring, of course, to the shepherds as representative of ordinariness. The truth that the gospel is for everyone, especially for ordinary people and – more to the point – ordinary humble people, is one of the themes of Luke’s Gospel.

Zechariah and Elizabeth were ordinary people who had the long disappointment of a childless home, until John was born to them in their old age. Joseph and Mary were ordinary people, chosen by God for an extraordinary task. As Mary contemplated the mercy of God, she understood that the proud and the rich – the world’s somebodies – are so often far from God, whereas the humble and poor – the world’s ordinaries – are graciously brought into His kingdom:

“He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away.” (Luke 1:51-53)

In Luke 6 our Lord Himself teaches us that the poor and the hungry and the mournful and the persecuted who believe in Christ are the truly blessed ones, whereas the rich and the complacent and the superficial and the popular who don’t believe are the truly cursed ones (Luke 6:20-26). This doesn’t mean the wealthy and well-known cannot receive Christ; what it means is that they must empty their hands of the confidence they have in fortune and fame so that, with empty hands, they can receive the greatest gift.

In light of this theme in Luke’s Gospel, it is no surprise that the gospel of Christ’s birth is first proclaimed not to the world’s somebodies but to the world’s ordinaries – the “shepherds” who were “keeping watch over their flock by night.” Heaven’s broadcast network bypasses the hierarchies instituted among men and goes right to the commoners – people like you and me. Let’s be honest: the world is not impressed with us, our lives haven’t been a smashing success, and people aren’t clamoring to get a piece of our wealth. We are ordinary people: tradesmen and farmers, health care workers and real estate professionals, school teachers and homeschooling parents, clerks and managers. Like “shepherds out in the field,” we “[keep] watch over” that which has been entrusted to our care, and we must endure all kinds of difficulties in order to be faithful to our assigned tasks.

It is fitting that the Savior’s birth was first announced to ordinary shepherds because the angel goes on to say that this “good news of great joy… will be for all the people” (v. 10, italics added). It would be less fitting if this gospel for all was made known through humanity’s elite and privileged channels of communication, which favor the powerful and wealthy and well-connected. But it wasn’t: this gospel for all was announced to hardworking sheepherders. So take heart, O ordinary ones, the gospel is for you. And if it offends you to be called ordinary, then be assured that you have something to repent of! What a beautiful thing this repentance would be, because once you’ve lost your pride you can then lay hold of the gift.

THE GREATEST GIFT IS SURROUNDED BY A DISPLAY OF HEAVENLY GRANDEUR

Second, the announcement of the greatest gift is accompanied and surrounded by a display of heavenly grandeur. The gospel itself is proclaimed in verses 10-12, but what do we find on both sides of the proclamation? We find the glory of heaven unveiling itself in the presence of the shepherds. While the shepherds were attending to their flock, “an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them, and they were filled with fear” (v. 9).

Angels are imposing figures: when an angel appeared to Zechariah, “Zechariah was troubled” and afraid (Luke 1:12); when an angel appeared to Mary, “[Mary] was greatly troubled” (Luke 1:29) and afraid (Luke 1:30); now an angel appears to the shepherds “and they were filled with fear.” But it wasn’t just the presence of the angel that overwhelmed the shepherds, though that would have been enough to cause the fear. Something else happened, though, something that wasn’t reported to have happened to Zechariah and Mary. What happened is that “the glory of the Lord shone around them.” When God revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush, “Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.” (Exodus 3:6) When God revealed Himself to Isaiah in the heavenly vision, Isaiah was dismayed and cried out “Woe is me!” (Isaiah 6:5) When Ezekiel saw “the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD,” he fell on his face (Ezekiel 1:28). When “the glory of the Lord shone” in the nighttime field of Bethlehem, fear filled the shepherds’ hearts. It is right for finite, sinful creatures like us to be overwhelmed when the divine glory bursts onto the scene. And yet, it is also right for the same overwhelmed creatures to be comforted by the proclamation of God’s grace:

“Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard…” (Luke 1:13)

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” (Luke 1:30)

“Fear not, [shepherds,] for behold, I bring you good news of great joy…” (Luke 2:10)

After the angel preached the good news, another display of heavenly grandeur appeared in the sky:

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”” (v. 13-14)

The “bright hosts of heav’n above”[1] were riveted by the birth of the baby in Bethlehem. If heaven is preoccupied with a news story on earth, perhaps we should be paying attention to that news story!

But most of us earthlings were unaware of what had happened. Caesar Augustus was concerned about sizing up the scope of his apparently large earthly empire: “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered” (Luke 2:1). Herod, the king of Judea, was the same sort of ruler who was preoccupied with the politics of his own little kingdom (Matthew 2:1-18). Most people, whether in Palestine or in other parts of the world, were unaware of the cosmic event that had unfolded in Bethlehem. But while the powers that be and the people at large were distracted by their everyday concerns, the Son of God slipped into the world. And when He did, though the world lay silent in its ignorance, the angels of heaven were fixing their attention on our planet and they were celebrating one of the most significant events that would ever take place upon this earth: the birth of Christ. They saw in it the hand of God, and they declared the praise that was due Him. They praised God as the High King of heaven who is worthy of all glory and honor. At the same time, they praised God as the High King of heaven who brings peace to our unpeaceful world. And all this is connected to the newborn Savior who lay in a manger: God is worthy of all glory and honor precisely because He has sent a Savior into the world, and this Savior, “Christ the Lord,” would bring salvation and peace – peace with God and peace among people – to “those with whom he is pleased” or as the New International Version puts it “to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14 NIV).

The greatest gift was announced to ordinary people on an earthly field, and yet this announcement was accompanied by heavenly grandeur and angelic celebration. The divine glory was invading the earthly realm, and this invasion meant the gift of peace. The “heavenly host” rightly perceived the value of this gift and, more importantly, the worth of the Gift-giver – and they praised Him. Have you joined this glad chorus of praise?

THE GREATEST GIFT IS CLOTHED IN HUMILITY

Third, the greatest gift is clothed in humility. We live in a world that is so easily captivated and fooled by the glittering gold and the sparkling silver and the expensive fine linen. As a result we judge by external appearances and choose our gifts according to the perceived quality of the wrapping paper. We want wealth to look wealthy, we want strength to look strong, we want glory to look glorious. But when the Father sent His Son into the world, He wrapped up His royal Son in the beauty of humility. This confounds the proud and worldly-wise, but delights those who see with the eyes of faith.

The humble clothing of the greatest gift is seen in the remarkable reality that “Christ the Lord” came into the world as a newborn baby. The Son of God and Savior of the world came into our midst – not as an angel, prince, or warrior, but – in the ordinary human way: he came as a little one, born of a woman. As the hymn puts it:

“Heaven’s arches rang when the angels sang,

Proclaiming Thy royal decree;

But of lowly birth didst Thou come to earth,

And in great humility.”[2]

We stand in awe that the Holy One should draw near to us as the “Holy Infant so tender and mild.”[3] We stand in awe of the Word who became flesh (John 1:14).

Further, the outward circumstances of His birth were likewise humble. Here in Bethlehem we do not behold the comforts and adornments of royalty or nobility, but instead we behold remarkable simplicity and even inconvenience and difficulty. Here is the greatest gift ever given to the world, and it is “wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” The “swaddling cloths” may have been standard-issue, but not so the “manger” – the manger was an animal feeding trough. As Darrell Bock comments, “One hardly expects to find Messiah in an animal room.”[4] But He came as good news for poor sinners (Luke 4:18, Luke 15:1), so we find comfort that the glorious Godhead is not only “veiled in flesh”[5] but also clothed with humility. Since He is clothed with humility, we find Him approachable.

THE GREATEST GIFT IS SEEABLE AND APPROACHABLE

So fourth, let us consider that the greatest gift is seeable and approachable. Isn’t it remarkable that the greatest gift that could ever be given and indeed was given, is within your reach? There are tens of thousands of infinitely smaller gifts that are totally beyond the reach of most people. We could sit here all day making a wish list of gifts that we are likely to never receive: there are luxury cars you will never own, mansions you will never call home, fine apparel you will never wear, vacations you will never take, and people you will never meet. To take but one example, consider how difficult it would be to gain an audience with the President of the United States. Putting aside personality and politics, it would be a tremendous privilege to spend a half hour with the Commander-in-Chief in the Oval Office. But unless you are exceptionally well-connected or, short of that, met with a stroke of what worldly people call luck, personally meeting the President is a most unlikely occurrence.

I suppose it would have been similarly unlikely to gain an audience with Caesar Augustus, the ruler of the Roman Empire. One of the perennial idols that human beings exalt in the place of God is the government and those who preside over it, especially imperial rulers like Augustus. Augustus was known as “a savior of the common folk”[6] whose rule meant good news and peace for the inhabitants of his empire. How many people settled for the glory of Rome while remaining indifferent to the glory of God? For that matter, how many people have settled for the outward peace and prosperity of America, with a token appreciation for civil religion, but have no love for the Lord? Decay runs beneath the surface, emperors and presidents die off, and nations crumble. Along the way, it is generally difficult for the common folk to gain an audience, much less an abiding relationship, with the ruling elites.

But when the true “Savior, who is Christ the Lord,” comes into the world, He comes “for all the people.” “And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby…” Take note: “[You] will find”! He came to be found – in the immediate context, of course, by the shepherds – but in due course, by all who would desire to find Him.

So off the shepherds went, having been told by the angel that this greatest of gifts was for them: “unto you is born… a Savior,” and “you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths.” These shepherds humbly received the angelic announcement, and thus proved to be faithful men – men who were attuned to the things of God, men who were ready to obey God’s Word. “Let us go over to Bethlehem,” they said, “and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.” (v. 15-16) They had the tremendous privilege not only to hear about this holy Child but also to draw near to Him – to approach “Christ the Lord” and see their Savior. What the angel had proclaimed to them wasn’t pie in the sky; the proclamation wasn’t something that had been conjured up in a collective flight of fancy; and the proclamation was not ‘fake news’. Here is solid truth, genuine history, objective reality. The shepherds “saw” (v. 17, 20) what had happened just “as it had been told them” (v. 20).

Someone might say, ‘Sure, He was seeable and approachable, but He was only a baby at this point. Things will be different when He grows up and becomes a man. Then He won’t be as accessible.’ But this objection isn’t true. The apostles who were themselves rather ordinary men had the privilege of seeing Him with their eyes and touching Him with their hands (1 John 1:1-2), but it wasn’t just the apostles who had this privilege. How man sick and diseased and demon-possessed people were brought to Him, and He healed them (Luke 4:40-41)? “[A] man full of leprosy” drew near to Jesus, and Jesus touched the leper and healed him (Luke 5:12, 13). The “man who was paralyzed” was lowered through the roof and set before Jesus, and Jesus not only healed the paralytic but also forgave the man’s sins (Luke 6:17-26). There was the father whose daughter was dying (Luke 8:40-42), the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years (Luke 8:43-48), the father whose son was afflicted by the unclean spirit (Luke 9:37-43), “the tax collectors and sinners all drawing near to hear him” (Luke 15:1), the children who were brought to Him for a blessing (Luke 18:15-17), and the blind beggar who cried out for mercy (Luke 18:35-43) – all found Jesus to be wonderfully real, approachable, merciful, and kind. The disciples rebuked the parents for bringing their infants to Jesus, but King Jesus said, “Let the children come to me…” (Luke 18:16) The crowd told the blind beggar to shut up, but Jesus brought the man near and healed him.

We ought to stand in awe of the approachability of our Savior. And yet, if we have read Luke 2:8-20, we shouldn’t be surprised. How could a Savior “for all the people” be unapproachable? How could the Light of the world be hidden from sight? How could the greatest gift be given to you, but you be unable to find it and lay hold of it? “Come to me” (Matthew 11:28), Jesus says.

But though Christ Jesus was seeable and approachable in the flesh, mere physical sight and physical contact is never enough. Heartfelt faith and the spiritual perceptiveness that goes with it is essential to seeing His true glory and saving power. Learn, then, from the shepherds: they believed, they went, they spoke, they rejoiced. 

“[The shepherds] went with haste” – and they did so because they were full of faith. They were not skeptics of what the angel had declared. They believed what they had heard and they received it as from the Lord: “which the Lord has made known to us” (v. 15, italics added). They believed and therefore they went, and once there, “they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.” Those who truly believe the Word speak this Word to others. What an encouraging reminder this must have been to Joseph and Mary, that although “there was no place for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7), they were in the center of God’s plan and this newborn child was indeed “Christ the Lord” who came to bring salvation to His people. Other people were present, and “all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (v. 18-19) The final evidence that the shepherds were full of faith is their attitude of worship: those who truly believe the “good news of great joy” and thus begin to taste the goodness in their hearts are compelled to praise God for His bountiful grace: “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.” (v. 20)

How good and right it is that the shepherds praised the One who had given the greatest gift! They were ordinary men who had experienced the accessibility of God’s gift and with their very own eyes had seen the greatest of gifts clothed in profound humility. And yet, they knew that the gift was truly extraordinary: “the glory of the Lord [had] shone around them,” an angel and then a host of angels had appeared to them, and the Word about this child was that He is “a Savior,” a King, the Lord – and they believed. These shepherds did not yet understand that thirty-three years later “Christ the Lord” would be “like a lamb that is led to the slaughter” (Isaiah 53:7), that He would die as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of His people, and that soon afterward He would rise again as the great Conqueror of death. But though the shepherds didn’t know all this yet, what they did know was enough to hold them in awe. The glorious gospel of God, the promised salvation of God, is fundamentally about the Lord Jesus Christ. They believed the “good news of great joy” about Him, they came face to face with Him, and they praised God for making the Savior known to them.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

What about you? What should you do in response to this text?

Take to heart these four things:

1) Receive the Gift

First, humbly receive this greatest gift. Generous gift-giving ought to be met with humble gift-receiving. The good news that is “for all the people” will do you no good unless you embrace it as the joyful news that it is. The way that you receive the greatest gift is by taking hold of it as your most prized possession; by letting the Savior save you from your sins and guide you into the path of holiness, righteousness, and peace; and by submitting your life to the Lordship of “Christ the Lord.”

“The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:9-13)

Though King Jesus is now seated at God’s right hand, He remains eminently accessible: for He has sent forth His Holy Spirit who accompanies the preaching of the gospel throughout the world. Right now, through belief in the gospel, you may draw near to Christ and experience His great salvation.

2) Tell Others About Jesus

Second, tell others about this greatest gift. The “shepherds out in the field” wouldn’t have known about this wonderful Savior if God hadn’t made it known to them. And how did God make it known to them? Through an angel. Now this is unusual: the Bible teaches us to not expect angelical visitations – so don’t go home expecting an angel to show up and speak to you. But the principle of receiving God’s Word and then sharing it with others, is a solidly biblical principle. In verse 15 the shepherds understood that “the Lord has made known to us” certain things that had happened. But then in verse 17 “they made known” what had previously been made known to them. This is how ministry works, whether evangelism (preaching the good news) or instruction (teaching the fullness of God’s holy Word) or tailoring that instruction in very specific words of encouragement, comfort, and counsel. We take what has been “made known to us” – specifically through the Word or from other people who have shared the Word with us – and we, in turn, make it known to others. In telling us to tell others about this greatest gift, I am encouraging us to be evangelists who share the good news with others.

But let me make a specific application: Dads and Moms, Granddads and Grandmas, don’t let Christmas come and go without taking your family to Bethlehem, not physically but spiritually, and reminding them of the good news that shines so brightly in the humble manger. Ask them: “What Child is this, who, laid to rest, / On Mary’s lap is sleeping? / Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, / While shepherds watch are keeping?” Then answer: “This, this is Christ the King, / Whom shepherds guard and angels sing: Haste, haste to bring Him laud, / The Babe, the Son of Mary.” Then ask them: “Why lies He in such mean estate / Where ox and ass are feeding?” Then answer: “Good Christian, fear, for sinners here / The silent Word is pleading.” And, in the original and complete second verse, the answer continues: “Nails, spear shall pierce Him through, / The cross be borne for me, for you. / Hail, hail the Word made flesh, / The Babe, the Son of Mary.”[7] Take them to Bethlehem and read Holy Scripture to them so that all in your household might hear and see the great things that God has done.

3) Praise God

Third, glorify God in words and songs of praise. Do you see how glory covers this passage from beginning to end. In verse 9, “the glory of the Lord” shines in the nighttime darkness. Then, in verses 13-14, the holy angels appear in the sky and they are “praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest…”” It is not enough, however, for this glory to be seen and praised by angels. This glory must also be seen and praised by the people who are the recipients of this great salvation. In other words, don’t leave the privilege of worship to the angels alone; enter into it yourself. The shepherds had heard and seen the angels praising the glory of God, and the shepherds had seen the glory for themselves, but the passage concludes with the shepherds “glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen.” Don’t be a disinterested spectator this Christmastime, but rather a grateful worshiper. In your personal devotions, in your family devotions, at tomorrow’s Christmas Eve service – praise the God of bountiful grace. At home, gather with your children and grandchildren on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or both, choose two or three familiar carols and sing to God the glories of Christmas, and bow your heads in humble thanksgiving. 

4) Return Differently

Finally, let me pass along a brief but helpful insight that I got from James Edwards. Do you notice what else the shepherds did in verse 20? They “returned,” that is, they returned to their duties “in the field,” they returned to “their flock,” they returned to what James Edward calls “useful work in the world.”[8] This is simply the way it is. They couldn’t remain beside the manger forever, just as we can’t remain in a worship service or in family or private devotions forever. God created us to work – to work at home and in the world – and to our work we must return. So far, so good. But they “returned” differently; they “returned, glorifying and praising God”; they “returned” with their spirits having been ennobled and lifted up by their encounter with God. They had heard God’s Word (v. 8-14), they had met with Christ (v. 16), they had shared the Word in a small gathering of people (v. 17) – and afterward, having “heard and seen” the great things that God had done, they “returned” to their ordinary life with extraordinary nourishment, their hearts were full of spiritual vitality, and with their mouths they praised the God of heaven.

Brothers and sisters, do likewise. It is good and right that you return home to your family, that you return to household chores and parenting tasks, that you return to gainful employments. But don’t return there unchanged. Instead return there having “heard and seen” and thus being able to glorify and praise God for the salvation and peace that He bestows through the Lord Jesus Christ “among those with whom he is pleased!”

Let us pray.

ENDNOTES

[1] From the hymn “O Come, All Ye Faithful.”

[2] From the hymn “Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne.”

[3] From the hymn “Silent Night! Holy Night!”

[4] Darrell L. Bock, Luke 1:1–9:50 (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament). Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1994: p. 219.

[5] From the hymn “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing!”

[6] Quoted in James R. Edwards, The Gospel According to Luke (The Pillar New Testament Commentary). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2015: p. 68.

[7] From the hymn “What Child Is This?”

[8] James R. Edwards, The Gospel According to Luke (The Pillar New Testament Commentary). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2015: p. 80. He wrote, “The new community of the manger results in the coming together of disparate groups who hear and speak, marvel and ponder, glorify and praise, and return to useful work in the world.”

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bock, Darrell L. Luke 1:1–9:50 (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament). Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1994.

Edwards, James R. The Gospel According to Luke (The Pillar New Testament Commentary). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2015.