The Angels' Song | A Sermon on Luke 2:8-14

Introduction
Today is the 3^rd Sunday in Advent.  The word Advent actually means, “coming” or “arrival.”
Advent is a time to remember Christ’s first coming as a baby in Bethlehem.
Advent is also a time to prepare their hearts for His coming into their lives today.
Advent is also a time to look forward to His promised coming again in glory.

In the season of Advent, there are four Sundays, and each one is marked by lighting a candle on the Advent wreath. On the first Sunday, we light the candle of Hope, recognizing the hope we have in Jesus Christ. On the second Sunday, we light the candle of Peace, symbolizing the peace we have in Christ. When we follow Him, we have nothing to fear when He comes again, because we are at peace with God, at peace with His people, and secure in His promises.  Then on the third Sunday, we light the third candle, which is often pink or lavender. This candle represents the Joy we have in Christ—a reminder that even in a season of waiting, joy breaks in because our Savior is near.

So far we have studied Mary’s song and Zechariah’s song.
Today, we will look at the Angel’s song.

Luke 2:8-14
⁸ That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. ⁹ Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, ¹⁰ but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. ¹¹ The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! ¹² And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in highest heaven,
    and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

Shepherds in Bethlehem
According to the first-century Jewish historian Josephus, hundreds of thousands of sheep were sacrificed in Jerusalem every year. In the Temple—especially during major festivals like Passover—sacrifices were happening constantly. During Passover, pilgrims came from all over the world. The population of Jerusalem could swell from around 20,000 people to well over a million. Every family wanted to offer a sacrifice, and that meant an enormous demand for sheep.

So where did all those sheep come from?  
They came from across the region. No single area could supply them all. But Bethlehem was one of the main suppliers of sheep for the sacrificial system. It was close to Jerusalem, had excellent pasture land, and made it easy to raise sheep and transport them quickly to the Temple.

That’s why it makes perfect sense that Luke tells us there were shepherds out in the fields near Bethlehem. When I was a kid, I pictured just a few shepherds and a handful of sheep. But the reality was far bigger. At any given time, there were likely 15,000 to 30,000 sheep being raised in the Bethlehem region. Not enough to supply all of Jerusalem’s needs—but a significant portion.

Now think about that.
Fifteen to thirty thousand sheep.

When you drive around Whitfield County and see cattle spread across the land, you know there are a lot of them—but imagine 30,000 animals concentrated in one region. That’s enormous.

A skilled shepherd could manage about 50 to 100 sheep, which means we’re talking about 200 to 400 shepherds working throughout the Bethlehem area. This wasn’t a hobby—it was a major agricultural operation.

And these shepherds—what were they like?

A shepherd in the first century was a lot like what we might think of today as a cowboy. Rugged. Tough. Outdoors almost all the time. Physical labor. Long hours. They often slept out in the fields, just like cowboys driving cattle across the plains. They didn’t clock out at the end of the day. Someone always had to watch the sheep.

They faced danger constantly. Predators. Thieves. Weather. It didn’t matter if it was hot, cold, raining, or freezing—they were out there. With tens of thousands of sheep, it would have been easy for someone desperate or hungry to slip in and steal a few animals without anyone noticing. But the shepherds were alert, watchful, and responsible. Their job was to make sure none were lost.

They were also resourceful. You can’t carry everything with you when you live outdoors. You learn to make do—to turn a rock into a hammer, a stick into a tool, to solve problems with whatever you have on hand. These were men who knew how to survive in harsh conditions.

But that life also made them social outsiders. Shepherds were rough. They didn’t smell great. There weren’t showers out in the fields. They worked with animals constantly. If you’ve ever been around goats—or sheep—you know the smell sticks with you. And socially, they weren’t polished. They spoke plainly. Sometimes bluntly. They didn’t always have filters. These weren’t the people you invited to polite dinner parties.

They were also essential workers. Sheep don’t take holidays off. It didn’t matter if it was Passover or any other holy day—someone had to stay with the flock. They missed religious gatherings, family celebrations, and festivals. They’re a lot like nurses and doctors today—people who still work on Christmas because life doesn’t stop for holidays. Babies don’t wait to be born. And sheep still need care.

And remember David. Before he was king, he was a shepherd. When Samuel came to anoint the next king of Israel, David wasn’t even invited into the room. Someone had to watch the sheep. He was forgotten—until God said, “Bring him to me.”

That’s who these shepherds were.
Often overlooked.
Often forgotten.
But just as God didn’t overlook David, He didn’t overlook these shepherds either.

And on the night Jesus was born, they were the ones heaven came looking for.

“How Do You Spot a Spotless Lamb?”
Shepherds had another skill that would have been especially important on that night.

Shepherds knew how to spot a spotless lamb.

Many of the sheep they watched in the fields were destined for sacrifice in Jerusalem. But you couldn’t just send any sheep to the Temple. It had to be perfect—no limp, no blemish, no deformity. Even its teeth mattered. God required the very best.

Now, if you and I saw a newborn lamb, we’d probably just say, “Oh, how cute!” But shepherds saw more than that. They could look at one lamb and say, “This one won’t survive. Something’s wrong.” They’d look at another and say, “This one will live, but it’s ordinary. You could sell it, use it for food of wool, but this one isn’t fit for sacrifice.”

And then they’d see another lamb and say, “This one is pure. This one is spotless. Set this one aside. This is the kind of lamb you bring to God.”

They knew how to spot it.

So when the angels appeared and told the shepherds to go to Bethlehem, they weren’t just saying, “Go see a baby.”  They were saying, “Go see the Lamb of God.”

And the shepherds would know exactly what they were looking at when they found Him.

The Angels: Reality vs. Myth (Baby Angels)
And that brings us to the other prominent characters in this story—the angels.

First, an unnamed angel appears. Scripture doesn’t tell us his name. It could have been Gabriel, since Gabriel has been active throughout these events—appearing to Zechariah, to Mary, and to Joseph. But Luke doesn’t say, so we won’t assume. What we do know is this: when the angel appears, the glory of the Lord surrounds the shepherds. Not just the angel—but the shepherds themselves are engulfed in God’s radiant presence.

And the angel says, “Do not be afraid.”

Now, shepherds were not easily frightened. These were tough, rugged men—outdoorsmen who protected sheep at night from predators and thieves. But when an angel appears and the glory of the Lord surrounds you, it’s no wonder that even the toughest shepherd—or cowboy—would be shaking in his sandals.

The angel’s first words make sense: “Do not be afraid.”

Our modern images of angels don’t help us much here—just like our modern images of shepherds. We tend to picture angels as little babies floating through the sky with wings—cute, gentle, harmless. But that image comes from art and tradition, not Scripture. The Bible never describes angels as babies.

In fact, throughout the Old Testament, angels usually appear human-like—often mistaken for ordinary people. Angels visited Abraham, sat with him, and even ate with him. Sometimes you don’t realize you’re dealing with an angel at all.

But this angel is different. This angel is radiant and glorious, unmistakably supernatural, shining with the light of God’s presence. I included an image of an angel—not because it’s perfect, but because it helps us imagine something closer to the biblical picture. This angel is powerful. Clothed like a warrior. Radiating fire. Not soft. Not harmless.

And that matters—because this angel is not alone.  He is soon joined by a heavenly host—literally, the armies of heaven. This language is military language. These are not decorative beings. These are soldiers. Holy. Pure. Powerful. God’s messengers and God’s warriors.

And yet—here’s the surprise—they don’t come to fight.  They come to sing.  That alone tells us something profound about the kind of King who has just been born.

God’s Message
Throughout Scripture, angels are God’s messengers, sent to deliver His word to His people. And the message they bring that night is good news of great joy—and it is for all people.

Not just for important people.
Not just for those in the city.
Not just for those who attended the great religious festivals.
It was for the shepherds out in the fields—the ones people overlooked, forgot about, and didn’t want to be around because they were rough, unpolished, and, quite frankly, smelled like sheep.

The message is for all people.  Not just the Jewish people—but Gentiles as well.
This is good news because a Savior has been born—the Messiah, the Lord, born today in Bethlehem.

People were already longing for a savior. Not only the Jews, but the Romans too. But their idea of a savior was a powerful military leader—someone who would enforce peace through strength, domination, and fear.  

This Savior is different. 
He is the Messiah—the Anointed One, appointed by God from King David’s royal line.
He is the Lord—the one with true authority and sovereignty over all.
And that’s especially striking because in Rome, Caesar was often called “Lord.”  But in this announcement, God is saying:  “I am sending the true Lord—the Lord of lords, the King of kings.”

Not a ruler who forces obedience, but a King who brings peace by His presence.

The Angels’ Song
And then—suddenly—this one angel is joined by a host of angels, the armies of heaven.

Now think about that. One angel appearing would have been overwhelming enough. But the word Luke uses is plural—armies. Not a single unit. Not a small group. Multiple armies of heaven filling the sky. How many were there? Scripture doesn’t say. All we know is that heaven opened, and the shepherds were standing there, trembling in their sandals.

And then the angels sing:

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

We can hardly imagine the sound. Not one voice, but armies of angels lifting their voices together in thunderous praise.

Picture the scene.
The armies of heaven surge onto the field.  They assemble in formation.  They are poised—ready, powerful, overwhelming.  And then they stop.

They do not advance.
They do not invade.
They do not fight.

Instead, they sing God’s glory.  They announce God’s peace.
And the sign of it all—the proof of heaven’s message—is not a weapon, not a throne, not a fortress.

It is a baby.  A spotless Lamb, born in a manger.

Key Take Aways
Now, there are three key takeaways I want to leave you with today.

First: God still comes to ordinary people.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re nothing special—just an ordinary person—if you’ve ever felt forgotten, overlooked, or unnoticed, hear this clearly: God does not overlook anyone. He does not forget anyone.

The fact that God sent His messengers to shepherds reminds us that He comes to all people. That includes you. You matter to God. You are seen. You are not forgotten.

Second: Heaven declares peace, not war.
When the armies of heaven appeared that night, it must have been terrifying. But the angel said, “Do not be afraid. I bring good news of great joy.”

That matters for us today. God is here with us right now. He is present in this sanctuary. And He comes in peace.  God is not here to crush you.  God is not here to punish you.  Though He would be justified in judgment, He comes instead with mercy. He extends the olive branch.  

The armies of heaven show us what God could do.  The baby in the manger shows us what God chooses to do instead.  And that is why we have every reason to be full of joy—not because we deserve it, but because God comes to us in grace.

Third: Peace requires surrender.

When the God of heaven says, “I come in peace,” there is still a response required. You cannot have peace with God while continuing to resist Him. You cannot receive peace while still fighting against the King.

Peace comes when we surrender—when we lay down our resistance and submit to the rightful ruler.  So as we prepare to close this morning, here is the question for each of us to consider:

Is there any part of your life where you are still resisting God’s peace?
He does not come to attack you.  But too often, we are still fighting Him.  And in His mercy, He holds back.  In His grace, He waits.  In His love, He offers peace—again and again.  

The invitation is still open.  Will you accept God's rightful rule in your life and receive peace?

The Names of God - Yahweh-Sabaoth

Introduction
God has sent the Babylonian army to conquer Jerusalem in the 6th century BC because of Jerusalem's sin and idolatry.  While the city was under siege, God was telling Jeremiah to prophesy against Jerusalem  and tell them they would be conquered and they shouldn't resist the Babylonians, but needed to repent of their sin.  The leaders of Jerusalem were plotting to murder Jeremiah to silence him.  Jeremiah felt overwhelmed, outnumbered, and personally under siege.  His cry to God for help reveals one of God's names.

Jeremiah 11:20
²⁰ O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you make righteous judgments,
 and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets.
Let me see your vengeance against them,    for I have committed my cause to you.

Yahweh-Sabaoth
We are studying the names of God.  Every name reveals part of God infinite character.  God reveals the names His people need to hear.  It may not be a name people want to hear; but it is a name people need to hear.  Today, the name of God we consider is Yahweh-Sabaoth – the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

This past week, my nephew, Ben, graduated from Army Infantry School.  My little nephew has grown up and become a soldier.   I could definitely tell a difference in him.  There’s something about the way he carries himself.  He’s a young man now and a soldier.  I’m proud of him and glad there are well-trained soldiers like Ben Owens protecting our country.  It was neat to walk the infantry museum with him at Fort Benning and have him show me the weapons in the exhibit and have him talk to me about how he learned to use them.

Ben also talked about his infantry division and how it was organized.  There are 10 soldiers in his squad. 2 or more squads makes up a platoon.  3-5 platoons makes up a company.  4-6 companies makes a battalion.  2-5 Battalions makes a brigade.  3 or more brigades makes a Division.  Ben is in the 25^th Infantry Division, which is somewhere between 10,000-15,000 soldiers.  Can you imagine how intimidating it would be to be in the presence of a 10-15 thousand soldiers?

One of God’s many names is Yahweh-Sabaoth—the Lord of Heaven’s armies.  If you would find 10-15 thousand human soldiers a overwhelming, imagine the hosts of Heaven’s armies.  Note: Yahweh is not just the Lord of Heaven’s Army (singular).  He is Lord of heaven’s Armies (plural).  Look up at the stars in the night sky.  Can you count them?  Neither can you can’t the hosts of Heaven’s armies at God’s disposal; and each soldier in God’s army is a mighty angel.

Now, with that in mind, let us consider the familiar passage we read at Christmas time. 

Luke 2:8-14
⁸ That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. ⁹ Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, ¹⁰ but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. ¹¹ The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! ¹² And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in highest heaven,
    and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

 

You Want To Be On The Winning Side
It’s no wonder the Angel had to reassure the shepherds saying, “Fear not!”  If you saw the angelic armies of heaven appear in the skies with the radiance of God surrounding them, you would be afraid too.  Especially when you realize you are a sinner and the world all around you is full of sin and has rebelled against God.  These shepherds were probably thinking: “This is it—the day of reckoning where God finally comes to hold us all accountable! We're doomed!”  

So the angel had to reassure the shepherd (and us).  “Don’t be afraid!   I bring you Good News!”  In other words, “This is a good thing.  Jesus is coming to give you another chance.  He’s not coming to judge you or destroy you (though that’s what you deserve).  Jesus comes in peace.  He’s here to save you.  He’s here to give you another chance.”

And so Jesus came preaching: “Repent!  For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.  It’s right here.  It’s about to break in and take over.  This is your last chance to get right with God and recognize Him as Yahweh—the true and eternal Lord of all!”  And some did accept Jesus message.  And some did not.  Those who rejected him, crucified him.  They figured, “If we kill God’s Son, we can take over this Kingdom and be our own lords and not have to answer to God anymore.”  Do you think that will work?  No.  Of course not. Yahweh is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!

 

As sweet as the Christmas story is, I don’t want you to miss a very important theme.  Heaven’s armies have us surrounded.  Think of this world as a walled city and Heaven’s Armies have us surrounded.  There’s no escape.  God sent His Son, Jesus, as a peaceful emissary.  Yahweh knows we’ve all been lied to.  The evil rulers of this world don’t want us to know the Truth.  They don’t want us to know God is Holy and Just and True.  They’ll tell you anything to get you to turn away from the King of kings and Lord of lords.  They want you to forget Him altogether so you only trust them. 

Even when the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is standing right outside the walls ready to knock them down and recapture this rebellious world, the rulers of this world will say, “There is no God!  That’s just a bunch of outdated, superstitious nonsense!  The Bible is full of lies and bigotry and racism and homophobia!”  And the evil rulers of this world would have you believe that by denying the God who made you and turning your back on His way of living that you will end up on the right side of history.

 

A lot of people say they want to be on the right side of history.  I’d rather be on the winning side that the right side of history.  My mission in life is to draw people closer to God with every breath and step I take.  Yahweh is my Lord.  I want to live out His values—even if they are values that current or future generations mock as stupid, outdated, or even evil.  The Truth is, wicked people will always call the pure, holy ways of a pure holy God evil or outdated.  I don’t mind if I’m on the wrong side of history if history is written by ungodly people.  What really matters to me is what God thinks.  Yahweh is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.  He is going to defeat the forces of evil.  I want to be on God’s side—the winning side.

 

In the meantime, for a while at least, we might feel a lot like the prophet Jeremiah.  Remember Jeremiah lived in Jerusalem.  God told Jeremiah God was sending the Babylonian army to capture Jerusalem because Jerusalem had turned their back on Yahweh, their Lord.  They had forsaken their vows to serve the Lord their God.  God was coming to destroy Jerusalem and take the people into captivity to punish them.  God sent Jeremiah to warn them and call them to repent, but the people didn’t want to hear it.  It put Jeremiah in a very bad position:  Speak God’s truth and live for God and have the people hate you and persecute you or go along with the people and be destroyed by God.

 

Today our choice is similar.  It may feel like the world around us has already won, because everyone seems to reject God and His holy ways.  That’s only because we live inside a besieged city.  Outside these walls, the hosts of heaven’s armies have gathered to surround us.  They are waiting for Yahweh-Sabaoth, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, to give them the word.  The moment He gives the signal, the trumpets will sound and the walls that separate our corrupt world from the glory of Heaven will come crashing down.  The Lord Jesus will come again just as He promised and this time Jesus won’t come as a baby in a manger.  He will come as a conquering King and those He finds who have been faithful will be rewarded.  Those who lived in rebellion will be punished.  The Bible tells us there will be a new heaven and a new earth.  There will be a new history written too—a history written in the Lamb’s Book of Life that records those who were faithful and followed Jesus as Lord.  Those who followed the ways of the evil world will be cast away into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

Invitation
Jesus's consistent message was Matthew 3:2 - “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”  So I want you to think and pray really hard and decided today: who's side are you on?  I pray you will repent of your sin and turn to Yahweh-Sabaoth through Jesus Christ His Son.

 

Real Peace

Introduction
            Advent--the four weeks leading up to Christmas--are a season of waiting as we prepare for the celebration of Christ's birth.  However, Jesus said he would come again to bring a New Heaven and  a New Earth.  Advent is also to prepare so we will be ready when Jesus comes.  No one knows the day or our of Christ's return for the world; it could be in the next moment or in a thousand years.  However, everyone can be sure Christ will come for them individually in their life time--for no one escapes death and when we die we will each see Jesus face to face.  Will you be ready?  Can you be at peace with your inevitable personal encounter with the second coming of the Son of God?  now is the time to prepare so you can have real peace.

Luke 2:(8-12,) 13-14

⁸ That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. ⁹ Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, ¹⁰ but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. ¹¹ The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! ¹² And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in highest heaven,

   and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

A Fear Evoking Sight

          Verse 14 is the key verse I want you to consider.  The angels sang, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
            It is no wonder the angel started his message by saying, “Don’t be afraid!”  It would be quite frightening to see an angel appear in the middle of the night.  The shepherds were prepared to protect their sheep from wild animals and thieves, but what do you do with an angelic being?  And then it was not just one angel, it was a whole army from heaven!
            Peace?  Really? And army is designed for fighting and killing and war.  They come bearing weapons.  And this army is a host of angels!  That is not the kind of thing that makes me think of peace!  So the angel assured them toey came to bring peace and there was no need to be afraid.
            How freeing and exciting it can be when we witness something of amazing power and majesty and also know we have nothing to fear.  I think that may have been how Jesus felt.  Remember the time a terribly fierce storm arose while he and the disciples were out on a boat?  The disciples are afraid for their life, but Jesus is asleep.  You see, he had nothing to fear from the storm.  His only concern was the cross he would be nailed to one day.  So he could enjoy the storm--marveling in the power and wonder of it or let the wind and wave and thunder sing him to peaceful sleep. 
            Are you afraid of the thunder?  What if you were absolutely certain the storm would not harm you?  Could you then just watch and enjoy the thrill and beauty of it all?  What about life?  What about the eventual end that awaits us all? 

Real Peace

           Real peace is knowing Jesus is Lord of all and submitting to Him.  Surrender to him is the source of true peace.  When the armies of heaven come, the only ones who need to fear are those who fight against them or who are enemies of God.  But Jesus forgives everyone who truly surrenders and accepts him as Lord.  Those, he saves. 
            Surrender means trusting in God’s way, not ours.  And we have to accept that God’s way is not our way.  Things will have to change.  We have to find peace with the changes God brings as He rights all the wrongs in our world and our lives.

            You can have real peace because of what Christ has already done for you.  The Bad News is we have all sinned and fallen short of God's glorious standard (Romans 3:23).  No one can be good enough to earn God's love or favor.  And unfortunately, the consequences of sin is death (Romans 6:23a).  So, anyone who tries to win God over by the things they do is bound to fail miserably.  Not only will you fail miserably to bring peace and order and fulfillment to your life, you will also live in fear of as an rebellious enemy of God.  That is the Bad News, but the angels came to bring Good News and here it is!
            The Good News is God sent Jesus to be born as a human being, to live as one of us (but without sin), and to die to cover the consequences of our sin.  So we don’t have to be guilty or ashamed or afraid.  God, through Jesus Christ, has already done everything that needs to be done.  As Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.”
            Now, that doesn’t mean we do nothing.  First of all, we have to surrender.  The war is over.  God has won.  He offers forgiveness and reconciliation to all who surrender.  Second, Jesus said the Kingdom of God is like a master who went away on a trip.  He put the servants in charge until his return.  Now the servants must decide if they are going to do the Master's will or if they will just goof off until the Master returns.  What will the Master find His servant's doing when He returns?
            Over the next few weeks, many of you will receive guests in home for the holidays.  Many of you are preparing for your guest even now--cleaning, vacuuming, mopping, washing, putting things away.  But what if you're guest showed up a few days early?  Would you be ready?  Or would you be ashamed your guests would find your home in disarray with things still out on the counter your didn't want them to see?  It would be better if we all just kept our homes clean all the time so we would have nothing to be ashamed of if a guest came unexpectedly.
            Jesus said no one knows the day or the hour when he will return (he doesn't even know himself, only God knows).  Therefore, we should always strive to always have you life in order, to be doing the things Christ asks his followers to do.  That way we will have nothing to fear and we can have real peace.  So live your life in such a way that people always know you love them and nothing is ever left undone or unsaid that need to be done and said. 


Let There Be Peace on Earth             Real Peace starts with you and spreads to those around you.  It starts with the choice you make today, right now.  It continues with the choices you make as you start each new day as you choose to follow Jesus’ plan instead of your own until Jesus’ plan is your plan.  It spreads as you share the Good News and love of Jesus with everyone around you.  Before you know it, peace spread further and further as more and more surrender to the true Lord of Heaven and Earth.
            United Methodists have a wonderful Hymn in our hymnal written by Sy Miller and Jill Jackson.  Here is an excerpt about the song from https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-let-there-be-peace-on-earth.

Jill Jackson shared the story of how the song was written:  “When I attempted suicide [in 1944] and I didn’t succeed, I knew for the first time unconditional love—which God is. You are totally loved, totally accepted, just the way you are. In that moment I was not allowed to die, and something happened to me, which is very difficult to explain. I had an eternal moment of truth, in which I knew I was loved, and I knew I was here for a purpose.”  This realization was followed by years of exploring her spiritual nature and her relationship with God.

In 1955, Jill wrote the lyrics for “Let There Be Peace on Earth” while her husband wrote the melody. The song was introduced at a retreat for a group of young people.  Sy Miller wrote about the effect of the song: “One summer evening in 1955, a group of 180 teenagers of all races and religions, meeting at a workshop high in the California mountains locked arms, formed a circle and sang a song of peace. They felt that singing the song, with its simple basic sentiment—‘Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me’—helped to create a climate for world peace and understanding.

“When they came down from the mountain, these inspired young people brought the song with them and started sharing it. And, as though on wings, ‘Let There Be Peace on Earth’ began an amazing journey around the globe. It traveled first, of course, with the young campers back to their homes and schools, churches and clubs.”

Miller noted that the song was then shared in all 50 states at school graduations, PTA meetings, holiday gatherings, celebrations of Brotherhood Week, Veterans Day, Human Rights Day and United Nations Day. Kiwanis clubs sang it, as well as 4-H clubs, United Auto Workers, the American Legion, etc.  The song was taped, copied, printed in songbooks and passed by word of mouth. Eventually it spread overseas, sung by Maoris in New Zealand and Zulus in Africa.  The song has been recorded by a host of vocal artists including Tennessee Ernie Ford, Pat Boone, Johnny Mathis, and Harry Connick Jr.

It received the George Washington Honor Medal from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge for “Outstanding achievement in helping to bring about a better understanding of the American Way of Life.” The National Conference of Christians and Jews has also honored the composers with the Brotherhood Award.  In 2009 Random House published “Let There Be Peace on Earth” as a children’s book.

            All this from a song written and sung at a retreat for a bunch of kids.  It’s amazing how Real Peace can spread when you and I make a choice to let the peace of Jesus live inside our hearts and share it with everyone we meet.  Will you make that choice today?  Pray about it as you listen to these words of the song:

Let There Be Peace on Earth

(#431, The United Methodist Hymnal)

Let There Be Peace on Earth and let it begin with me.

Let There Be Peace on Earth, the peace that was meant to be!

With God our creator, children all are we.

Let us walk with each other in perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me. Let this be the moment now.

With every breath I take, let this be my solemn vow;

To take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally!

Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me!

Follow the Star, Part 2

Luke 2:8-14
⁸ That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. ⁹ Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, ¹⁰ but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. ¹¹ The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! ¹² And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in highest heaven,
    and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

Introduction

            Sometimes God gives us signs to show us the way.  If you believe in them and really want to know God’s will for you, you might be able to see and follow the signs to Jesus’ will for you.  Sometimes the sign may just appear—one bright star in a sky filled with twinkling stars.  Are you watching for the star?  Will you notice?

            At other times, God’s sign to you might be big and dramatic.  It might even be frightening—like an army of angels singing to the shepherds on a cold Bethlehem night.  It that case, the challenge may be—not so much noticing the sign, but—deciding what to do with it.  What will you do when God sends a sign so big it stops you in your tracks and shakes you to your very core?

            The shepherds could have run away and hid in fear.  They might have been frozen with fear and done nothing.  But instead, their fear turned into a blessing because they obeyed and went to Bethlehem and found Jesus.

A Cold, Dark Night
            Night time can be an eerie occasion.  It probably was for the shepherds.  I remember a cold, dark and eerie night when God gave me a big (and frightening) sign.  I was only 18-years-old.  I was driving from my mom's home in Macon back to college in Marietta.  Now I don't know about you, but when I have a long drive like that by myself, I like to turn up the radio.  And since I'd driven that route so many times, I wasn't paying much attention to where I was. 


'84 Mercury Marquis

            Then, my '84 Mercury decided to die.  Smoke billowed from beneath the hood.  The car decelerated and I pulled off to the shoulder.  The car shut off and would not start.  I found myself on the side of I-75 at 11:00 PM on a Sunday night somewhere between Macon and Atlanta and I had no idea where.  This was before cell phones so I needed to walk to a gas station to find a payphone.  The problem was, I didn't even know if I needed to walk forwards or backwards!  I chose to go forward.
            As I walked forward in the dead of night, cars speeding by at 65, 75, 85 MPH, it dawned on me--for the first time in my life--this could be my last night on earth.  All it would take was one of those speeding cars to swerve slightly off the road and hit me.  I'd heard of things like that happening before.  Or maybe, some serial killer decided to pull over and abduct me and cut me up into little pieces just for fun.  I'd heard of things like that happening before too.
            I realized that night that I was not ready to die.  "Why not?" I thought.  "I'm a Christian.  I gave my life to Christ.  I will go to heaven when I die.  What's keeping me from being ready?"  Yet I still felt I was not ready to die.  Something was left unfulfilled in my life.  I realized I walked that lonely dark road I was not walking the road God wanted me to walk in life.  And that dark road became a frightening sign to me that I needed to do some things different.  I needed to change the direction of my life so I would be ready when my time came.  God's sign to me helped change the course of my life.

Other Signs

            I have heard of dramatic signs in other people's lives too.  When I was in seminary, I volunteered as a chaplain for The Carpenter’s House, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center.  I heard several recovering addicts share how their addiction landed them in the hospital or nearly ended their lives.  They realized they had to change or else their addiction would kill them.  God must have saved their life for a reason so they better get busy finding help to overcome their disease.
            I have seen others signs too.  I had a church member once who had a heart attack.  He realized he needed needed to be there for his daughter as she grew into a young adult, found a mate, and got married.  He started walking and exercising and eating healthier.  His heart attack was a sign.
            Perhaps you lost your job.  It was hard--not only because of the money, but--because your job was an important part of your identity.  Maybe God is trying to tell you your job is not your identity; find your identity in Christ.  Maybe God is telling you to trust money less and trust God more.
            Maybe someone you love dies unexpectedly.  That can be a sign from God.  One of my former church members died this past weekend--Jim Ham.  Jim was a father grandfather county commissioner, and he was only 54 years old.  He died in a single car crash.  No one saw it coming.  Unexpected deaths like this can be a tragic sign that reminds us to cherish those you hold dear.  They jar us out of our complacency and teach us to take full advantage of the present moment for we never know how much time we have; nothing is guaranteed.
            What if someone you love looses faith?  When my brother came home one Christmas many years ago saying he no longer believed what he'd learned about Jesus in church, our family was very concerned.  Furthermore, Nelson seemed to know so much more about the Christian religion and what the Bible says than I did.  This was a big sign to me that I needed to make the effort to know what I believed and figure out if I was just taking for granted the things people had told me about Christianity over the years.  Perhaps when someone you care about has doubts about their faith, it is a sign to you to take your beliefs and how you live more seriously.  Maybe it's time to get serious about your own faith and GRO a little.

 

Slide – G.R.O.
            If you want to get serious and grow in your faith, you need to G.R.O.
            Growth can only come when you are committed to growth.  I hope you will commit to personal growth throughout your life. True Christianity doesn’t mean we get saved and then hide in a corner for the rest of life.  We are constantly growing to become more like Christ.  Growth should occur in all areas of our life--spiritually, intellectually, and physically.  These areas are all interrelated and you cannot be truly healthy in one area if you are lacking in the others.
            Respond.  In order to grow, you have to respond to the Holy Spirit.  You are responsible for your growth.  that doesn't mean you make yourself grow.  The Holy Spirit makes you grow.  However, when the Holy Spirit guide you to do something, you are able to respond by doing it.  So you must respond because you are responsible.
            Obey.  You grow when you are obedient.  You can't expect to grow if you disobey the Holy Spirit.  But if you respnd with obedience you will grow.  If the Holy Spirit guides you to study your Bible, you will grow spiritually.  If the Spirit tell you to exercise and you obey, you will improve your health.  But if you disregard or disobey, you will not grow.

Are You Ready to GRO?
            Sometimes God gives us a really big sign to shake us to the core.  If God has done that for you, I hope you will Grow by Responding with Obedience to what the Holy Spirit has said.  Perhaps God's sign to you was more subtle, but if you're paying attention, you can still see the sign like the star shining for the Wisemen.  Let God get your attention and ask Him to reveal what he wants you to do.  Next week we will discuss how you can interpret the meaning of Gods signs.

Holy Communion (AKA The Lord's Supper or the Eucharist) is a tremendous sign of God's love and presence with us.  The bread represents the body of Christ God gave us.  The wine represents the blood Christ shed for us on the cross to forgive our sins.  This simple meal reminds us of Christ's loving sacrifice for us and also his living presence with us today.  When have you last received Holy Communion?  Do you see God's sign to you in this sacrament?