Spurgeon on Christmas Joy

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."—Luke 2:10-12

Spurgeon preached another Christmas Sermon entitled Joy at Christmas (found at http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/1026.htm)

In his introduction he introduces this passage with these marvelous words....

"In our text we have before us the sermon of the first evangelist under the gospel dispensation. The preacher was an angel, and it was meet it should be so, for the grandest and last of all evangels will be proclaimed by an angel when he shall sound the trumpet of the resurrection, and the children of the regeneration shall rise into the fullness of their joy. The key-note of this angelic gospel is joy—"I bring unto you good tidings of great joy." Nature fears in the presence of God—the shepherds were sore afraid. The law itself served to deepen this natural feeling of dismay; seeing men were sinful, and the law came into the world to reveal sin, its tendency was to make men fear and tremble under any and every divine revelation. The Jews unanimously believed that if any man beheld supernatural appearances, he would be sure to die, so that what nature dictated, the law and the general beliefs of those under it also abetted. But the first word of the gospel ended all this, for the angelic evangelist said, "Fear not, behold I bring you good tidings." Henceforth, it is to be no dreadful thing for man to approach his Maker; redeemed man is not to fear when God unveils the splendor of his majesty, since he appears no more a judge upon his throne of terror, but a Father unbending in sacred familiarity before his own beloved children.

The joy which this first gospel preacher spoke of was no mean one, for he said, "I bring you good tidings"—that alone were joy: and not good tidings of joy only, but "good tidings of great joy." Every word is emphatic, as if to show that the gospel is above all things intended to promote, and will most abundantly create the greatest possible joy in the human heart wherever it is received. Man is like a harp unstrung, and the music of his soul's living strings is discordant, his whole nature wails with sorrow; but the son of David, that mighty harper, has come to restore the harmony of humanity, and where his gracious fingers move among the strings, the touch of the fingers of an incarnate God brings forth music sweet as that of the spheres, and melody rich as a seraph's canticle. Would God that all men felt that divine hand."

Shared with love for all....Sherrell

Spurgeon on Christ

Charles Haddon Spurgeon Preached a Sermon entitled, "The First Christmas Carol". Read some of the "Prince of Preachers'" marvelous words in this sermon about the angel's announcement of Christ's Birth, as he explained the relationship between His Birth and the Glory of the God!

What is the instructive lesson to be learned from this first syllable of the angels' song? Why this, that salvation is God's highest glory. He is glorified in every dew drop that twinkles to the morning sun. He is magnified in every wood flower that blossoms in the copse, although it live to blush unseen, and waste its sweetness in the forest air. God is glorified in every bird that warbles on the spray; in every lamb that skips the mead. Do not the fishes in the sea praise him? From the tiny minnow to the huge Leviathan, do not all creatures that swim the water bless and praise his name? Do not all created things extol him? Is there aught beneath the sky, save man, that doth not glorify God? Do not the stars exalt him, when they write his name upon the azure of heaven in their golden letters? Do not the lightnings adore him when they flash his brightness in arrows of light piercing the midnight darkness? Do not thunders extol him when they roll like drums in the march of the God of armies? Do not all things exalt him, from the least even to the greatest? But sing, sing, oh universe, till thou hast exhausted thyself, thou canst not afford a song so sweet as the song of Incarnation. Though creation may be a majestic organ of praise, it cannot reach the compass of the golden canticle—Incarnation! There is more in that than in creation, more melody in Jesus in the manger, than there is in worlds on worlds rolling their grandeur round the throne of the Most High. Pause Christian, and consider this a minute. See how every attribute is here magnified. Lo! what wisdom is here. God becomes man that God may be just, and the justifier of the ungodly. Lo! what power, for where is power so great as when it concealeth power? What power, that Godhead should unrobe itself and become man! Behold, what love is thus revealed to us when Jesus becomes a man. Behold ye, what faithfulness! How many promises are this day kept? How many solemn obligations are this hour discharged? Tell me one attribute of God that is not manifest in Jesus; and your ignorance shall be the reason why you have not seen it so. The whole of God is glorified in Christ; and though some part of the name of God is written in the universe, it is here best read—in Him who was the Son of Man, and, yet, the Son of God."

I cannot say anything here. Reflect

Sheep and and the Free Gift of the Shepherd

I love the Parable of the Good Shepherd. This powerful illustration at close glance examines the relationship between Christ and His Sheep but it also has a number of other illustrations that give meaning for life, top side of the earth. In the ancient near-east the shepherd lived with his sheep. I have been to the Middle East; I have observed the modern (not modern by today's standard) Bedouines and their charges moving across the desert floor, scampering past an occasional passing vehicle. They are always on a quest for their quay, the precious green pastures that lie clingingly close to the rivers and the gulf.

At night, the shepherds would bring their sheep into a fold, normally a cove surrounded by stone, mostly man-made. The sheep would nestle in there protected from predatory wolves or humans who would steal. The shepherd would stay and take rest at the opening or the "door" of the sheepfold. Often, shepherds would gather together in the evening and fold their sheep all together, hundreds intermingling with each other. The following morning each shepherd would rise and call their sheep, and out of the fold of hundreds would come that shepherd's sheep, for "they know their master's voice".

Take this explanation and set it against the backdrop of John 10. Jesus uses this example of sheep and shepherds to contrast two ideas of salvation, one is an idea of a sheep outside the fold of any master, the other is the idea of a sheep inside the fold of "their master". Listen to John 10: 7-11, it says "Then Jesus said unto them again, verily, verily I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door of the sheep, by me if any man enters in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and shall find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal and destroy; I am come, that they may have life and have it more abundantly I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep" . Do you hear this? What Christ is saying is the only way to salvation is through him (by me); the door. If any man enters in, he shall be saved and shall find pasture. He shall not only have life, but will have an abundant life!

Listen, you may go to church each week, but if you have not entered through the Door of Christ, you do not have eternal life. You may be a Christmas and Easter Catholic, but if you haven't accepted salvation through Christ (not the church) you are not going to heaven. You say Crow, wait a minute that's strong; that is dogmatic. Look friend at what Christ is saying here. You want eternal life; you got to come through the Door! Jesus also exclaimed best elsewhere, when He said, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes unto the Father, except by me", John 14:6.

This Christmas season while we're focused on giving, why not accept a free gift that is offered every day? Why not listen to Jesus who is now tugging at your heart? I am Sherrell.