Unwrapping Joy
David Worcester
Part of Christmas Eve Service—Unwrapping Joy
December 23, 2022

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Unwrapping Joy: Luke 2:8-20

1 .

Jesus Urgently

In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. —Luke 2:8–9

But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. —Luke 2:10-11

Christmas is a

Jesus is

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. —John 3:16 ESV

Jesus is the

Jesus is

This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger —Luke 2:12

Christmas is a celebration of the

But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. —John 1:12–14

He became a

, so I could become His child.

Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors! —Luke 2:13-14

For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. How much more then, since we have now been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from wrath. For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. —Romans 5:6–10

Christmas is a celebration of the incarnation, which brings

through reconciliation.

When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger. —Luke 2:15-16

2 .

Jesus Simply

After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. —Luke 2:17–18

3 .

Jesus Thoughtfully

But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. —Luke 2:19

Savor the

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told. —Luke 2:20