Good News of a Great Joy for ALL People

What a mighty God we serve, angels bow before Him, heaven and earth adore Him, what a mighty God we serve. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good, His mercy endureth forever. How many are here today because of God’s mercy? Songwriter said God’s mercy kept me and I wouldn’t let go. Has He kept anyone beside me? If He kept you, you need to give Him praise right now.

There are some key words in this passage of scripture GOOD NEWS of a GREAT JOY FOR ALL PEOPLE. Let’s look at these three thoughts.

WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE?

I don’t know about you but I have heard a lot of bad news in my life. I think I have heard even more disturbing news since the presidential election of 2016. There has been a lot of bad news coming out of Washington, DC and around the country. So much bad NEWS!!!!!

I am not here as a news reporter tonight, but I am here as a deliverer of the message of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, so I won’t give you worldly news on tonight. In this passage of scripture, HOWEVER…THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS TO REPORT. Isa. 40: 28 says “HAVE YOU NOT HEARD? Yahweh is the everlasting God, the creator of the whole earth. He never grows faint or weary there is no limit to His understanding.”

THE GOOD NEWS IS OF A SAVIOR BEING BORNED WHO BRINGS GREAT JOY FOR ALL PEOPLE.

On this night the angel reported some good news to the shepherds. First, they were keeping watch over their flock as they normally do every night. Yes, there is NO BAD new coming out of Bethlehem on tonight. BUT this is GOOD NEWS. Somebody needs to say good news. Have you ever been having a bad day when suddenly somebody calls and say, “Girl let me tell you some good news?” PRAISE GOD!

This is the shepherds’ life work. They are not thinking about an angel, who is later joined by a heavenly host, appearing to them “singing GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST AND ON EARTH PEACE TO MEN ON WHOM HIS FAVOR REST” In fact, they are probably only thinking about trying to get a little rest from their day’s work of taking care of sheep (which are not the easiest animals to care for) and so the shepherds may have applied some liniment for their tired aching bones, grab a quick bite to eat and maybe just laid down for the night. Remember, my brothers and sisters, as the songwriter said “It was a Silent Night, Holy Night….all is calm and all is bright”

This is perceived to be an ordinary night. Stars shining, the weather is not cold. It is conducive maybe for persons to be out tonight, a cool breeze blowing. The shepherds were used to being out in the weather but this night they will see and hear something that they will never forgot!!

Good news is good for me and it is good for you. Good news puts a smile on your face, good news cause your heart to be happy, good news gives us hope for a better day, good news is just what it says….GOOD NEWS. It’s better than Campbell Soup GOOD. It’s better than Maxwell House GOOD TO THE LAST DROP. AGAIN IT IS JUST PLAIN GOOD!

This brings me to my 2nd point.

2. OF A GREAT JOY

Not a little joy but a great joy. This JOY put dancing in your feet. This news of great joy puts clapping in your hands. This news is of a great joy. This kind of joy the world can’t give it to you and the world can’t take it away. It is not just an ordinary joy….IT IS A GREAT JOY; more than the regular day news of getting a good doctor’s report, more than money in your pocket, I am talking about some news of a great joy.

You may be remembering the great joy of your first job, your first car, your first pay check, that is not the joy I am talking about on tonight. This great joy is about a baby boy, born to a poor family in from Nazareth of Galilee, born to a virgin name Mary and Joseph (even though Joseph is not the father, God is.) I am not going to get into all that tonight….just know that the baby boy comes and the angel gives Him the name JESUS. He is to be the savior of the world.

Mary and Joseph had traveled to Bethlehem for the census (counting of the people). But they were also there because it had been told by the prophets years ago (Micah 2) that the savior of the world would come out of Bethlehem. In the book of Isaiah Chapter Nine, He is called wonderful, counselor, mighty God and prince of peace.

IT WAS ALL IN THE PLAN. GOD’S PLAN.

In addition to all of that Simeon, a devout and a righteous man living in Jerusalem at the time met the couple in the temple one day. Jesus is eight days old now. He would tell Mary and Joseph that: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thought of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your soul too.”

You Bible Scholars know the story. When they arrive in Bethlehem they couldn’t find room nowhere for Mary to deliver the baby Jesus. Every inn was at full occupancy. The NO VACANCY signs were flashing all over town so, they did what they could, and they found a stable where animals could have been kept. They find an empty feeding trough and Mary places her precious baby in it, the savior of the world, our healer…our Master….our redeemer…our bridge over troubled water…a wheel in the middle of a wheel….yes, Jesus is his name …..was placed in a feeding trough. She wrapped him up and she and Joseph smiled as they were filled with joy as they looked on our Lord.

Now Luke writes, “About this time an angel appears to the shepherds out in the field nearby (not far) but nearby……where Jesus was born.

THIS BRINGS ME TO MY LAST THOUGHT FOR TONIGHT.

Vs. 9-10 says an angel of the LORD appeared to them, and the glory of the LORD shone around them and they were terrified.

vs. 10 BUT the angel said to them: “Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for ALL THE PEOPLE. (did you just hear what I said?) This good news is of a great joy is for ALL PEOPLE. Let me tell you what the good news is AGAIN, “TODAY IN THE TOWN OF DAVID (WHICH IS BETHLEHEM) A SAVIOR HAS BEEN BORN TO YOU; HE IS CHRIST, THE LORD. THEN HE GIVES THEM THE SIGN TO LOOK FOR (A BABY WRAPPED IN CLOTHS AND LYING IN A MANAGER OR A TROUGH…..the shepherds would not be mistaken of who this child is.

Let me back this train up for one minute. This is where we all can shout. The baby was born for all the people. That means you and me too. Not just for kings, queens, the senators and congress men and women in Washington, DC, the President in the White House but for all the people. If you are a liar….all people…a bite biter…a gossiper…(all people) a drunk…..a murderer..yes…..whatever we are he came for us. We ALL can be saved; we all can receive this good news of Jesus. He didn’t just come for the rich and the educated. He came for the you whatever your state is tonight - Jesus Christ was born. Jesus Christ came that we ALL may have life and have it more abundantly. The songwriter sang: “You don’t have to stay in the shape that you are in because the Potter wants to put you back together again,” but you got to know this Jesus and I remind you on tonight that night over 2,000 years ago, He was a baby THEN. The scriptures declare that He grew and became strong, AND He was filled with wisdom and, the Grace of God was upon Him. He came but remember HE didn’t stay a little baby boy. He grew up and he was still the savior of the World, He grew up, He preached for 3 years. He grew up and he healed and casted out devils, raised some from the dead. He did that and so much more. I can’t tell it all tonight. Yes, but I can tell you this, after His 3 years of preaching were up, they put out a warrant out for his arrest…..ALL IN THE PLAN. He let them arrest him, He let them mock him, He let them pierce him in his side and spit on Him. He died yes HE did and He shed every drop of His blood for me and for you. He died but you should know that, HE didn’t stay dead? He got up with all power in His hand and the songwriter sang and the Bible declares that,

“He’s gone back to His Father in glory and He is soon to come again.”

And as Bugs Bunny would say at the end of his cartoon shows, “That’s…. that’s all folks. You were in the plan all along. How do you know Sister Hines because the Bible tells me so? You were thought about on that night that the angels sang, you were on God’s mind. All we have to do is repent, turn from our wicked ways, and believe on the name of Jesus Christ. He will come into our hearts and we will be born again. That’s the plan ya’ll. You can have it all but you MUST BE BORN AGAIN…..you can have it all, but you must be WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF THE CRUCIFIED LAMB……HALLELUJAH…GLORY TO GOD it’s not if you want to, not even if you feel like it, but you must be born again if you want to see Jesus. It is too late when He cracks the sky. TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION…..Jesus said himself, “The day you hear my voice harden not your hearts.”

THAT’S ALL FOLKS, THAT’S THE PLAN……HALLELUJAH….HALLELUJAH, THAT THE GOOD NEWS Plan for us all…..you ought to lift your hands and tell God THANK YOU. I am so glad I heard the good news one day and it changed my life forever…..any witnesses in the house? Tell God thank you!!!!

Yulla Hines

December 2017