Richvale Community Church
Sunday, December 21 2025
- Good MorningDo you remember the Days.. before Facebook and instagram?(This will date me.)Back in the day… when you made an announcement..You had to make a trip to the local newspaper, to take out an ad,When Ryan and Emma were born it was a trip to paper to.. publish their births—— you know all the details —the date their names, length and weightIn those days..Everything announced through the News Paper…I Remember my grandparents getting the paper delivered every day…They always started with the departures… those who passed away …just to make sure they weren’t listed.Then they moved on to the arrivals—those who had been born.After, Jesus is born in Bethlehem - Luke tells that it is The angels who are the ones who give the birth announcement ..Now, you would imagine that the birth Christ - the Messiah..would have been published in the Jerusalem Herald… or at the temple… or even Herod s palace…But instead, the angels went to the lowly shepherds, in the dark of night, outside Bethlehem,They proclaim the most significant birth in history… to shepherds out in a field..Now..Luke gives us the context.. in the first seven verses of Luke 2—Luke 2:1–7—He tells us…that Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem because of a Roman census, ordered by Quirinius, the governor of Syria. Everyone had to return to their ancestral towns.Joseph, being from the line of David, brought Mary to Bethlehem.When they arrived, the town was crowded—every house full. All the relatives add extended family..There were no rooms left, and the only available space was a stable,a room below a family dwelling where livestock were kept.And it is here , that the promised Messiah was born.No royal throne. No grandeur. Just , ordinary circumstances—It is into this scene of humble beginnings that…Luke tells us that the angels appear to the Shepherds—We have been in our series …song a if Christmas…we have looked the song of Mary…Zachariah…and Simeon.. and today Song of Angels…Where we learn the purpose of worship:first, their worship.1. Reveals the PERSON of Christ.What comes to mind when think of worship?Most of us would agree on the fundamentals of Worship…that is to give value to something… —Worship comes from the english word worth-ship..But when it comes to the practice..in the expression of worship.. we have different ideas..There different worship styles,music,Some churches have lights, smoke machines, others have hymn books a pews…North Coast Church —(Oceanside) they have several styles of Worship on their campus..…. Contemporary, Country, Gospel…And you can choose you r style of worship..There so many ideas what Worship looks like…Jared Wilson in his book the Prodigal Church… tell us that what is most needed today in the contemporary church….he says what is needed..is a good Theology of worship…He says..A good theology of worship helps us understand that worship begins not with asking, “What would move people?”or “What would engage people?”but by recognizing that authentic worship begins with God, not with us.Jared C. WilsonHe makes a great point that Worship is about God — not us..This is what we see In our text..Luke tells us..
Luke 2:8–12 ESV 8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”— this text brings out so many surprisesfirst…A. The Angels Come to the ShepherdsThe reason this is surprising …is that Shepherds lived on the margins of society. They were those who were often overlooked..They were considered unclean, and unreliable…The main reason is that their work kept them from the temple … for months..they would be away looking after their flocks— unable to be ceremonial washing …and left then unclean in the eyes of the law.Yet, God chose to reveal the most important news in history——to the Shepherds.. those who considered the least..the out cast..so…What does this tell us about who God is? …First that..a. God is not a respecter of persons…God’s grace is not reserved for the well positioned or those who seem to have it all together.—Jesus during ministry went out of his way into the city of Sameria and offered living water to Samaritan woman… (another group on the fringes)— Jesus said to her Whosoever drinks of this water will never thirst again…Jesus taught his disciples that He did not come for those who Well — bit…He came for those who were sick…those who need heading..He told his disciples take time to to learn this less on. what this means..Matthew 9:13 ESV 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”Here the thing..The Gospel is not restricted by status, background, nor circumstance—God choose to meet each one one of our own level -Worship is about God coming down to us…Authentic worship begins with God not us.. it begins with hi,,Worship is all about God’s grace towards us …Worship is simple an active response to God…and who He is…The second surprise is the manifestation of God’s gloryb. The Glory of God Manifested in DarknessLuke tells us: was in the middle of the night..when..the“ angel of the Lord—Gabriel—appeared, and the glory of the Lord shone around them.”One thing about living Richvale is that — you don’t have all the light interference of the city… some nights the stars so bright..and The darker the night the bright the light..The poet robert Brownign said..Night conceals a world but reveals a universe.Robert BrowningIt is the same with God presence… The darker the night — the brighter His presence…Now — notice..—it is God’s glory, surrounds the shepherds not the Gabriel.This is —the same glory of God that filled the tabernacle, the same glory Isaiah saw in the temple —-God chooses to reveal his Glory to the Shepherds …God comes down to meet the Shepherds..What we learn..God’s presence cannot be manufactured.We can have beautiful music, polished liturgies, and perfect traditions—and still have nothing more than a performanceAuthentic worshipIt is not about softly played strings instrumentes..it is a heart fully engaged with the God who reveals Himself..Jesus said to this Samaritan woman…the day is coming when people in spirit and in truth..True worship is recognizing that glory of God , responding to it,and then letting his presence shape our hearts.The third surprise..c. The Message of Good news..God in trusts this message of salvation to the shepherds …First this salvation was . not just for them but for the entire world in every age…Luke 2:10 ESV 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.It is great joy for all people… There is the extent of the message and who it impacts… every generationbut themThen Gabriel says..“A Savior has been born to you.”This Birth was not just for the whole world, but that for them personally.“Savior born for you”The message of Christmas is personal message!This should cause us to Praise… respond ..because....God’s plan is personal!We don’t have to know God form a distance.. the Bible says if we draw near to him he draws near to us..The angels declare that JesusSavior would be born i the city of Davidhe would be the Savior - Christ the Lord —He gives the sherpherds a sign — He would be wrapped in swaddling clothe..Something shepherds did for their own lambs..— again very personally message..A message we can hold on too!! Rememberance this is Dr Luke writ ing…he has brushed up all the details.Luke tells..The message is amazing… Promise and fulfillment…If you back to …When Samuel anointed David the first King of Israel— he went to Bethlehem.. obscure town … and He goes through all sons of Jesse..Samuel chose and anoints David.. a man after Gods heart…his kingdom came with a promise..2 Samuel 7:16 ESV 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”Thousands of years later this promise if fulfilled…Just as David was chosen in obscurity, God chose for His Son to be born in an obscure place.—- God Glory is revealed to shepherds… the insignicant…In the same way, God meets us exactly where we are.ApplicationAdvent is about fulfilment of a promise — some we get wary in the waiting..Advent reminds ..Good promises are surepaul said to the Galations .That even when being unnoticed.. God sees, God blesses, and God’s timing is perfect.Galatians 6:9 ESV 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.t/s what learn from the angels is that Worship2. Returns Praise to ChristWhat does it mean to praise?Praise is our response to who God is and what He has done. We praise when we recognize worth—when we acknowledge someone’s character and actions.The Bible uses several words to help us understand praise.In the Old Testament, hālal(halleluja)points to joyful celebration—lifting our voices and exalting God.Yādâ involves the body—raised hands and visible expression.Zāmar is praise through song and music.In the New Testament, eucharistein means “to give thanks,” is used.. showing a personal gratitude toward God.and.. Eulogein means “to bless,” speaking honor and reverence.Together, these words show us that praise is more than words. It involves our voices, our bodies, our hearts, and our gratitude.But when we praise God, we are not giving Him something He is missing.We are aligning ourselves with what is already true—God is worthy.And as we worship, we step into the joy of His presence.C.S. Lewis saidthat praise doesn’t just express joy—it completes it.it completes us..Praise is what we were made forWestminster Catechismasks what is man a purpose?It answers by saying.. , “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”That’s what we see in Luke 2.While the shepherds are still processing the angel’s message, heaven breaks into praise—Luke 2:13–14 ESV 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”It is interesting that most angelic appearances in Scripture involve only one angel at a time. But at this pivotal moment in history, heaven itself opens, and a host of angels joins in praise.Can you imagine what this scene must have been like? John in Rev 5 describes a host of angels… “numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand”This host of angels break into a simple chorus:“Glory to God in the highest and peace to all men on earth..who he is pleased..There are —no verses, no bridge, no elaboration. Just pure praise declaring God’s majesty.The angels don’t elaborate—they simply point to Christ. And h is glory…—- I noticed this the same in all the appearance of the angels… they are simple… In Rev 5 Song of the Lamb …Revelation 5:12 ESV saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”Why are there songs do brief…I have a theory..Because.. they live in the immediate presence of God… the know God fully..we know in part …the y known in fullIn worship All the y do is reflect who God is….They Return Praise to God…This is the essence of praise…When I was a teenager, my first job was in a darkroom developing photographs.I spent hours in the dark roomOver time, I developed incredible night vision—Used an enlarger to expose light on to photo paper..God’s presence is like that light, and our hearts are like the photographic paper.The more we are exposed to Him, the more His likeness is revealed in us.Worship illuminates our hearts. It transforms us. Through praise, thanksgiving, and adoration,Two things happen when we are exposed to God’s glory:1. We recognize our need for His presence.First of all — it is important to note.. God does not need our worship; He is perfect in Himself.As C.S. Lewis wrote:“A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him …than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling ‘darkness’ on the walls of his cell.” C.S Lewis..Worship isn’t for God benefit —it’s for us.It humbles us and reminds us we cannot stand apart from Him.2. It reveals how much of His grace we need.How should we respond to his glory…Glory represents the sum of his attributes… Holiness, righteousnes goodness…Omipotence..In Isaiah 6, Isaiah sees God’s glory filling the temple and cries:“Woe is me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5).He has this encounter with God..We told yes seems an Angel go to the holy fire..takes the coalstouches his lips with a burning coal and declares his guilt taken away.This encounter transforms Isaiah..from hesitant being hestitsnt prophet..to be ing willing.When angels asked, “Who will I send?”,he responds, “Here am I. Send me!”Worship always brings our praise back to Christ.It humbles us, exposes our need, and opens our hearts to His grace, preparing us to serve.\The dutch philospeher/Søren Kierkegaard challenged Christians not to ask after a worship service, “How was it?” but “How did I do?”Worship is not about the performance—it’s about the posture of our hearts.Worship isn’t what we do for God—it’s what God does in us when we focus our hearts on Him.T/S the Purpose of Worship1. Worship Reveals the PERSON of Christ.2. Worship Returns PRAISE to Christ3.Releases the PEOPLE of Christ (the church)Over the last couple of weeks, the news has been filled with stories of shootings and violence.There was a shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Another at Bondi Beach in Australia. Different places, different people—but the same headline.What’s unsettling is not just the violence itself, but how familiar it feels.These stories come so often that we can grow numb to them.We shake our heads, sigh, and move on to the next story.And yet, deep down, there is still a longing in the human heart—a longing for peace. We want it, but it feels elusive.So what is peace?We often define as the absence of war, the absence of conflict, the absence of strife.It’s striking, then, that Jesus was born during what history calls the Pax Romana—the Roman Peace.Under Caesar Augustus, Rome prioritized peace and achieved it through military might.Roads were built across the empire, travel became safer, communication easier.Ironically, those same roads would later carry the gospel throughout the world.But this peace came at a cost. Rome’s peace was enforced, not embraced.It was peace without freedom.Any hint of rebellion was crushed swiftly and brutally.Rome offered order, but it was an order maintained by fear. A peace that hardened hearts and silenced hope.And it is into that world—The angels announce the arrival of a different kind of peace.Not peace enforced by power. Not peace preserved by fear.But peace born in a manger.The angels ..Luke 2:14 ESV 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”Peace that Angels proclaimed was a different kind of Peace… Peace that was going to bring Freedom…Form the prince of peace..But Peace with God..with those whom his favor Rests…Favor here is speaking of God’s grace— that comes with salvation.Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,Jesus came on a mission and that to take the punishment for our sins and give us His righteousness.Through faith in Him, we can have peace with God.Romans 5:1 ESV 1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.Worship opens the way to this peace because it changes our orientation—from trusting in ourselves to trusting in God, from fear to faith.Peace on earth speaks of personal peace with God…Second, worshippeace to to live it out..Peace to share our faith with others.Luke 2:15–18 ESV 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.The shepherds had witnessed an incredible display of worship—the host of angels singing together in unison.What is their response..They hurried to Bethlehem, saw the child, and immediately spread the message, and returned glorifying and praising God.CONCLUSIONWorship is a response.A response that returns praise to God..It begins with reflection of who he is..Luke 2:19–20 tells usLuke 2:19–20 ESV 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.Mary shows us that worship is not only about words or songs. Worship is also quiet reflection. Worship is treasuring. Worship is pondering.The incarnation—should make us think. It should make us ponder.Mary listens. She treasures. She ponders.Worship lives. Somewhere between quiet reflection and loud proclamation. Somewhere between our hearts and heaven’s song. That is worship.Challenge: Luke 2:8–12CSB
Matthew 9:13CSB
Luke 2:10CSB
2 Samuel 7:16CSB
Galatians 6:9CSB
Luke 2:13–14CSB
Luke 2:14CSB
Ephesians 2:8–9CSB
Romans 5:1CSB
Luke 2:15–18CSB
Luke 2:19–20CSB
Richvale Community Church
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