LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH
SUNDAY 20 DECEMBER 2020 pm
LUKE 2 VERSES 15 - 21
The shepherds on the hillside had been confronted by the angels. They were told that a Saviour had been born. It was the greatest message ever heard. The shepherds left their sheep and came down into Bethlehem to find the baby Jesus in a manger. When we come to the foot of the old rugged cross we realise and recognise that we come short of God's glory. We can look to the Saviour of the world to have our sins forgiven. As the shepherds gazed on the baby they pondered the message. When the angels first appeared they were afraid but the angels comforted them with the words "fear not". Maybe over the past number of days and weeks God has been speaking to you. You realise that you are not saved and there is a fear in your heart. "I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly." The shepherds immediate reaction was "come now let us go to Bethlehem". They didn't want it to pass them by. They considered the message to the last detail. Think of Nicodemus in John 3. He came to Jesus by night. He said to Jesus "we know that thou art a teacher come from God for no man can do these things except God be with him." He had pondered the things of God. He had listened to the Lord and pondered everything. Remember the Bereans in Acts 17 after they had heard the message - "they searched the scriptures daily to see if these things were so." Will you ponder over what Jesus came to do for you? He left the splendour of heaven to step into the world. He was rejected and placed on the cross of Calvary. He died there for you and me that we might not be lost. These were men who proved the message for themselves. Luke 2 verse 20 "and the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God." The people of Berea proved the message to be so - they searched the scriptures, they wanted to see if these things were true. In John 4 the Samaritan woman spoke to the Lord. She proved who he was and told those in the cities around her "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?" They turned to her and said "Now we believe, not because of thy saying; for we have heard him ourselves and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world." (John 4 verse 42) Will you prove the Lord for yourself? In John 1 we are introduced to Philip, a man that had seached the scriptures to find the Saviour. When he found Christ for himself he went and searched for Nathaniel "We have found him, of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathaniel replied "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth" to which Philip said "come and see". Will you prove the Lord today? Prove him to take away your sins? They praised the message - verse 20 "And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them." When the Lord met the 10 lepers and they asked for his help, he told them "go and show yourself to the priests". Only the priest could pronounce them clean, As they turned they were healed but only one returned to give thanks and praise to God. In Luke 7 we read the story of a woman who came into where the Lord was sitting at the Pharisees table. She began to kiss and wash Jesus' feet. The Pharisee was angry at this and said "this man if he were a prophet would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner." The Lord knew his heart. The Lord knows all about you today, what sin is in your heart. He wants you to come to him and give him your life and he will give you peace. They published the message - their message was about the child who was born. A Saviour who had come into the world. The Lord fills our heart with joy and peace. He fills our mouth with the story to tell others about what he has done for us. Will you accept Jesus for yourself today? If you accept Jesus today will you publish it to others?
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