The document summarizes the key messages about Jesus' birth conveyed in the gospels of Luke. 1) An angel told Mary she would give birth to Jesus, the Son of God, who would reign over Israel forever. 2) Angels announced to shepherds that a Savior, Christ the Lord, had been born for all people. 3) Angels praised God for his mercy and grace, and that peace comes through Jesus to all who have faith in him.

1. by Samuel E. Ward
View text version @
http://www.cbckck.blogspot.com
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2. Introduction
The message of Christmas is not that hard to find.
We simply go to the gospels which are the primary
historical records of what happened. Luke’s version
relied on many eye-witness testimonies from the
apostles and early disciples of Jesus to compose his
story of the life of Jesus Christ.
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3. Luke 1:1-4 (NIV2011) 1 Many have undertaken to draw up
an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from
the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully
investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided
to write an orderly account for you, most excellent
Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the
things you have been taught.
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4. I. The Message of the Angel Gabriel to Mary
Luke 1:26-28 (NIV2011) 26 In the sixth month of
Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to
Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be
married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.
The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and
said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is
with you.”
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5. 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered
what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said
to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with
God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and
you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be
called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give
him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign
over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never
end.”
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6. A. Mary Will Give Birth to Jesus, the Son of the Most High,
Luke 1:32a.
B. Jesus Will Be Given the Throne of David to Reign Over
Israel Forever, Luke 1:32b.
C. His Father is God, Luke 1:32a.
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7. II. The Message of the Angel to the
Shepherds, Luke 2:8-12.
Luke 2:8-12 (NIV2011) 8 And there were shepherds living
out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at
night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the
glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were
terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be
afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for
all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has
been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will
be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and
lying in a manger.”
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8. The message to the shepherds speaks to the very heart
of Jesus’ coming when they are told by the angel of the
Lord…
A. A Savior Has Been Born to All of Us, Rom 3:10-12.
1. To us—because none of us is righteous to the degree
that God demands.
Romans 3:10-12 (NIV2011) 10 As it is written: “There is
no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who
understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have
turned away, they have together become worthless; there
is no one who does good, not even one.”
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9. 2. To us—because we are all a part of the fallen human
race, Rom 3:22-24.
Romans 3:22-24 (NIV 2011) 22 This righteousness is
given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.
There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the
redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
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10. 3. To us, because we are a loved by God,
John 3:16-17.
John 3:16-17 (NIV2011) 16 For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to
condemn the world, but to save the world through
him.
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11. B. This Savior Is Christ the Lord.
1. As God’s anointed Christ, He is the one who can
save, Acts 4:10-12.
Acts 4:10-12 (NIV2011) 10 then know this, you and all
the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised
from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
11 Jesus is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected, which
has become the cornerstone.’ 12 Salvation is found in
no one else, for there is no other name under heaven
given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
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12. Luke 4:18-19 (NIV2011) 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on
me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to
the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the
prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the
oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s
favor.”
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13. 2. As Lord, He saves us from God’s coming wrath,
1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 .
1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 (NIV2011) 9 For God did not
appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through
our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether
we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.
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14. III. The Message in the Angel’s Praise to God,
Luke 2:13-14.
Luke 2:13-14 (NIV2011) 13 Suddenly a great company of
the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God
and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and
on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
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15. A. Give God Glory for His Mercy and Grace.
1. Mercy, because we were once dead in our sins and
He is willing to forgive it, Ephesians 2:4-5.
Ephesians 2:4-5 (NIV2011) 4 Because of his great love
for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with
Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is
by grace you have been saved.
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16. 2. Grace because we need God’s unmerited favor,
and He has offered it, Ephesians 2:8-9.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV2011) 8 For it is by grace you
have been saved, through faith—and this is not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so
that no one can boast.
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17. B. Peace Has Come to Those on Whom His Grace Rests,
Colossians 1:19-20.
Colossians 1:19-20 (NIV2011) 19 For God was pleased to
have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to
reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or
things in heaven, by making peace through his blood,
shed on the cross.
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18. Conclusion
What Is the Message of Christmas?
1. Jesus is the Son of God— not just a good man, teacher,
or example to follow.
2. Jesus is the Savior sent to offer Himself as humanity’s
atonement for sin.
3. Jesus is the Lord Who is supremely qualified to offer
mercy and grace to any who will accept Him by faith.
4. Jesus is the Person by Whom we come to make peace
with God.
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