Lesson Four: I Bring Good News of Great Joy

DO NOT FEAR SERIES LESSON FOUR I BRING GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY

Luke 2:8-21

QUESTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION:

1) What is the Good News of Christmas? 2) Which Scripture passages of Christmas are you able to quote most accurately? 3) What do the birth narratives found in Scripture tell us about the coming King and Messiah? 4) How could we best become messengers of the Good News (the Gospel) this Christmas? 5) How can i keep the true spirit of the Christmas story in a day when society is all about the stuff we get and the things that we do to celebrate the Season?

INTRODUCTION

Today we celebrate the birth of Christ; a truly High Holy Day throughout all of Christendom. We once again remember the fact that at a very inconvenient time in Jewish history a child entered the arena of human history. This was not an ordinary child, but a child born with the natures of God and humanity intermixed into one single person. Because of this unique combination of natures, this person, Jesus, could make a bridge between the fallen line of human kind and the pure righteousness and holiness of God. The bridge was made when this person absorbed into his person all of humanity’s sins and took them to death in his body. His resurrection assured them entrance into Heaven. The key to crossing the bridge was their faith or trust in this work of Christ Jesus for themselves. As we close out this series, we are going to dig deep into the meaning of this Good News, and what the Angel was trying to convey to those shepherds who were blessed to be among the first to hear about this great miracle that had taken place in Bethlehem. As we do this, we will also look at the person of Jesus, and how he is described in Scripture.

THE GOOD NEWS

The real question of Christmas is what the Angel meant when he said that he was bringing Good News to all people (the world)? Certainly what the Angel said next gives us a hint as to the meaning of this event: “to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah (Christ), the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) The implication seems to be that the actual Good News is the birth in Bethlehem of the Messiah/Christ. And the purpose of the Messiah born in the City of David is to be a Savior. So the Good News is actually a message of salvation. it is interesting that the Church has co-opted the words Good News to also be applied to the term Gospel. Most of us have heard someone as they teach say that the very word Gospel means Good News. Well, that is kind of true and not true at the same time. The literal word, Gospel, actually derives from the Anglo Saxon word, “god-spell,” which means “good story.” That word is rendered from the word that we find in the Luke 2 passage when the Angel says to the shepherds: “i am bringing you good news.” The Greek word translated here is “euangalidzo,” which is, itself, a combination of two other word forms: “eu” which is actually a prefix that means “well or good;” and “angellos,” which means “tidings or news.” The Angel has a message of good tidings for everyone to hear. There is something else that is interesting here, and it is something that should be kind of obvious – the second part of the word for Good News, is also the root word for the noun, “Angel.” So, the very word Angel is rooted in one who brings news or tidings. When the Angel hovered over the Shepherds to announce the coming of the Savior of the World, he was doing what his very nature existed to be – he was giving out the News. But, this message was not just any news; it was the “good news,” of all good news – a Gospel that would be lived out for 33 years here on earth, and read for centuries afterwards. But, perhaps the question can be asked: why is this proclamation given by the Angels (God’s Messengers) good news for all people? What makes this Good News universally worth knowing; how will it impact people everywhere? Well, to understand this it will be helpful for us to look at how the Old Testament passages describe the expected Messiah, now revealed as a babe lying in a manger somewhere in the city of David. 13 Let’s begin our search in the Gospel of Luke, probably the most quoted Gospel in the Christmas tradition. Within the Gospel of Luke there are several places that Luke supports his narrative with “fulfillment Scriptures” from the Old Testament. Often he sets them up with a statement like, “this was done in order to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet,” and sometimes he will add the name of the prophet, but not always (early followers knew who he meant; we, of course, rely on Google). To give you a sense of how the Gospel writers did this let’s look

at some of the early passages that they use in describing this Messiah who has come to bring salvation to his people (read: all humanity). Working within the Advent story alone, we find many different ways that the Old Testament prophecies are utilized by the Gospel writers to link the Messiah to earlier Biblical Tradition. We can start with the Angel’s conversation with Joseph, the fiancé of Mary. When he finds out that Mary is pregnant, he decides to put her away privately (divorce her quietly) so as not to publicly humiliate her. The Angel then comes to clarify the situation with Joseph, and Matthew connects the message of the Angel to a passage in the book of isaiah for Biblical support. “All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means, God is with us.’” (isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23) Further clarity and connection come to us in the conversation that Mary has with the Angel who comes to inform her of her impending pregnancy. in describing the great favor God has shown her by making her the mother of the Messiah, the Angel makes the following point to her: “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. (Luke 1:32-33) Even though Luke does not say that this is a quotation from a prophet, the Angel’s message makes a strong connection between the historically bounded kingdom of israel, and the eternal reign of the coming Messiah. in this verse, for example, the Angel tells Mary that her son will have both earthly and heavenly kingship. He will be from the Kingly line of David, (tribe of Judah). He will reign over the “house of Jacob” referring to the kingdom of israel, which is connected by the story of Jacob wrestling all night with the Lord and being named israel as a result. And yet, at the same time, he will also be “called the Son of the Most High,” which identifies him as individually and inherently God. There are a number of other passages in the Scriptures that reinforce the underlying meaning of these two Scripture passages, but one, in particular, has been quoted more often than perhaps all others during this season. Many a choir has done a Christmas cantata in which these two verses have been centerpiece. These verses are found in the 9th chapter of isaiah, and describe the birth of a little child who is also the everlasting God and Father of all that exists. Of all Advent passages it has the most power to clearly evoke the images of what the coming of Christ Jesus as a baby truly represents. “For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” (isaiah 9:6-7) it might be helpful at this point to take note of the various elements found in this passage that seem to link the coming Messiah with Jesus.

A CHILD WITH AUTHORITY

Let’s start at the beginning of the passage in isaiah. isaiah 9 opens with the statement that the land in the territory of the tribes of Zebulon and Naphtali (two of the twelve tribes of israel) in previous times lived in gloom and contempt, but in the latter time (the future) will be made glorious. The land is further identified as the “way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.” (9:1) it is to this very passage that the Gospel of Matthew appeals in support of the Messiahship of Jesus. in fact, in Matthew 4, we are told that Jesus leaves Nazareth, his childhood home, and makes his home in the town of Capernaum, by the Sea of Galilee in the region of Zebulon and Naphtali. Matthew says that he does this in order to fulfill the passage in isaiah 9 which references this territory. He then quotes verse 2 in ninth chapter of isaiah: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness – on them light has shined.” (Matthew 4:16) His point to his readers is that Jesus chooses to live and begin his ministry here in this region so as to be in fulfillment of isaiah’s words so long ago. So, what is it that is going to bring about this light – it is the child that is described just four verses later in verse 6. Here we are told that a Child, who is also a Son, is born (is this prophetic present tense?) for us (ironic in that Jesus Christ will actually die FOR us in the future time frame). in particular, it says that “authority rests upon his shoulders.” (9:6) interesting isn’t it that one of the things often said of Jesus as he did his ministry in Palestine was that he taught them “as one having authority, not as the scribes.” We see this phrasing used, for example, at both the end of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:29), and again, after he taught the people in the synagogue in Capernaum (Mark 1:22). Since Jewish scribes were students of the Law and Prophets (the written Scriptures) it was their job to copy the laws and their interpretations as well as to teach about them. As one scholar notes, Mark seemed to see them as high officials and advisers to the chief priests; Matthew presented them as learned leaders of the Jewish community; and Luke seemed to feel that they were closely connected to the Pharisees and the chief priests, in particular.14 if there should have been any people who spoke with authority about the Scriptures, it should have been the rabbis, and yet, the people felt that Jesus, not the rabbis, taught with authority. it is also ironic that on a number of occasions Jesus, himself, was identified as a rabbi. Even more ironic, perhaps, is the fact that in the 2nd chapter of Luke, we read about Jesus amazing the priests and teachers in the Temple, when he was accidentally left there by Joseph and Mary. “After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.” (2:46-47) What isaiah might have been hinting at in his statement about the child having authority upon his shoulders is that his authority is over the word due to the fact that he was and is the Living Word (a fact identified in the first chapter of John’s Gospel).

Since there are no punctuation points within the original Hebrew text, the words wonderful and counselor can be taken as singular or as a pair. The two words have particular meanings that offer to us a view of an a absolutely unique individual. The Hebrew term translated as Wonderful is peleh, and has the connotation of something marvelous, extraordinary, and unusual. This child is both unusual and extraordinary, a marvel in the eyes of those who see him. But, coupling this word with the next makes the passage take on even more depth. The next descriptive word is Counselor or yaw-ats and is often used to describe one who advises or gives counsel or advises. This individual helps guide and put together plans, offers purpose, and devises strategy. The two words together describe an individual of incredible depth and wisdom who offers advice and strategy to others, and who helps develop a plan while helping guide those who follow it. With this phrase we see the nature of God as described by Jesus himself in the Gospel of John. As Jesus is spending his last evening with his Apostles, he tries to offer them comfort and encouragement for the future. He tells them that when he leaves them, he will send to them a companion who will be representative of himself. “And i will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.” (John 14:16-17) The word translated here as Advocate is the Greek word, paraklehton, which has several meanings of interest to our study. The Paraklehtos is an intercessor who pleads the cause of another, or one who consoles; a helper or assistant. in the latter part of this message to the Apostles, he further delineates the role that the Holy Spirit will play in the lives of the believers who will take up the mantle of the movement. “But the Advocate (Counselor/Adviser), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that i have said to you.” (John 14:26) The Spirit will bring to their attention the things that Christ taught, and will be their adviser and guide along the way as well.

Mighty God

This description is probably most enlightening within the overall passage. Here we have diametrically opposed realities side by side. On the one hand, we have a child with all the connotations that being a child brings with it. A child is small, needs the help of parents and family, cannot take care of itself, and cannot protect itself from threat. At the same time, this child is a Mighty God with all that comes with that title. A God has no boundaries or restrictions. A God needs nothing and no one to contribute to his existence. A God controls all things, and is controlled by none. isaiah, better than any other prophet, describes the nature of a Transcendent God for his readers. As we read in a previous lesson, chapter 40 of isaiah’s prophecy has God portraying the differences between himself and humanity. The God depicted here measured out the heavens and the waters, and weighed out the mountains. This God knows the stars by name, and sees the nations as mere drops in a bucket. Human beings are mere grasshoppers to this God, and had no part to play in creation at all. (40:12-26) Then, in chapter 44, God attacks the premise of idol worship, and shows the folly of believing that idols could ever help a person out. The Lord begins with the clarification that idols have no existence, and are not alive. “i am the first and i am the last; besides me there is no god,” he tells the people of israel. (44:6) God then goes into a sarcastic description of the absurdity of idolatry. He notes that an individual will often go into the woods and cut down a tree for the purpose of carving an idol. Half of the tree he will carve into an elaborate idol, and then fall down before it and beg for its help. The other half of the tree is used as firewood, and he cooks his supper over it. So – either half could have been the idol or the firewood, and yet he thinks that one half can somehow save him or protect him. His conclusion: “He feeds on ashes; a deluded mind has led him astray, and he cannot save himself or say, ‘is not this thing in my right hand a fraud.’” (44:20) His language in chapter 45 is explicit: “i made the earth, and created humankind upon it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens and i commanded all their host. They have no knowledge – those who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save. There is no god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is no one besides me. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth!” (45:12, 20-22) it is here in this kind of language that we see the stark reality of the incredible miracle that occurred at Christmas – a God of Might and Power wrapped in fragile humanity; a Baby Boy dependent on his parents with the authority of Almighty God.

Everlasting Father

With this pairing of nouns, we see the fact that relationship defines this God. Apart from the contrast of calling a child a father, the greater emphasis must be the everlasting nature of this relational position. Fatherhood can certainly have widely varying meaning, but in this case we must see it from the perspective of Scripture. We are talking about fatherhood in the very highest possible sense. Here we must draw to our minds the pictures of the very best fathers in Scripture. 15 As noted in the question, we can certainly find evidence of failed parenting models in Scripture. We need only name a few to help us get the picture (we find mistakes in both major and minor ways). There are cases in Scripture of favoritism being shown by fathers. Here we see examples like isaac who favored Esau over isaac, or Jacob who seemed to have a particular fondness for Joseph even though there were eleven other sons who were older than him. We have cases of poor judgment in giving spiritual guidance. King Omri is one example that comes to mind. Omri is one of the kings in the Northern Kingdom of israel, and in order to cement an alliance he has his son, Ahab, married to the Phoenician Princess Jezebel, who brings with her all her priests for the gods of Baal (male god of storm and war) and Asherah (goddess of sex and love), thus polluting the purity of religion in

the north. Jezebel’s actions as the Ahab’s Queen will result in her very name coming to be known as the symbol of evil and sin. We might even say that the whole generation of elders who entered the Promised Land with Joshua were failures with regards to their duties as leaders of their families. it is clear in the Laws of the Book of Deuteronomy that the father has responsibility to pass on the teachings and the laws of God to the next generation (see Deuteronomy 4 and following). But, what do we learn from this verse from Judges, chapter 1: “The people worshiped the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work that the Lord had done for israel. Moreover, that whole generation was gathered to their ancestors, and another generation grew up after them, who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for israel.” (1:7,10) The key words are the last ones “who did not know the Lord or the work he had done.” How is that possible if they are retelling the stories of the Passover and God’s provision for the 40 years in the desert. These fatherly failures can be seen in the lives of very great leaders as well. Even the mighty Samuel, who was israel’s last Judge and first prophet, failed to train his sons in the ways of the Lord. After he made his sons judges over all of israel, this is the assessment of the Biblical writer: “Yet his sons did not follow in his ways, but turned aside after gain; they took bribes and perverted justice.” (i Samuel 8:3) The point here is that simply being a father does not guarantee anything about how we will parent. Our responsibility to pass on our faith will always be a part of the parenting process if we are Christians. We should pray fervently that when our sons and daughters are assessed, they will be seen as having followed in the ways of their godly parents. But, poor parenting is not what the present passage is about – we are talking about the Everlasting Father – the Eternal Fatherhood of God. Perhaps the greatest example of this ideal is found in the story told about Fatherhood by Jesus himself. Even though the story is often titled, the Prodigal Son, it could perhaps be better titled the Faithful Father!! i suspect that most of us know this story all too well. An apparently well-to-do father had two sons, and the younger son asks for his future inheritance to be given to him early. israelite tradition certainly favored the elder brother, but there is the sense that the younger brother received a substantial amount of money. He then goes off into a far country and wastes all of it in partying and a negligent lifestyle. Eventually it all runs out, and being perhaps too proud to ask for help, he tries to make it on his own; an effort that fails spectacularly! He sinks so low that he begins working for a pig farmer (pigs are considered an unclean animal in Mosaic law) and becomes so hungry that he considers eating what these animals eat. Finally, as Scripture puts it, he comes to his senses, and decides to return to his father’s house. He plots the language he will use when he returns, deciding that he will ask to receive the same benefits of housing and food as the servants in his father’s household. And so, he heads for home. Jesus tells his audience that his father sees him while he is still a long way out from the house and runs to him. He slips the family signet ring on his finger, and though the son states his case, he brushes his request aside and welcomes his son back home. He sets up a big banquet to celebrate the return of his son who was dead to him, but is now very much alive. When the elder son finds out about the return of the son, and is indignant that they would throw a banquet for a man who had frivolously spent his money on friends and “prostitutes” (how did he know this – was Jesus implying that he had been keeping up with little brother). The father then lovingly counsels his elder son to rejoice over the return of his long-lost brother, and know that his love for him remained always the same. Now who wouldn’t want a father like this – one who never gives up on us, and who loves us, but waits, watching and hoping that we will come to our senses. Who would not want the everlasting love of a father who equally shows forgiveness and justice, mercy and equality to all his children? The phrase Everlasting Father has such depth and meaning within the context of this person being described by isaiah’s prophesy. in some ways, this mindset is emphasized in the song by Chris Tomlin, Good Good Father (2015), in the phrasing of the chorus: “You’re a good, good, father; it’s who you are. And i’m loved by you; it’s who i am.” The tag line gives the reason this can be said: “Because You are perfect in all of your ways.”

Prince Of Peace

We hardly need comment on this phrase. Whether we separate the words into simply Prince (representing the royal nature of Christ) and Peace (Jesus, in his very nature is peace), or combine them to mean Prince of Peace, either meaning is lived out in the teachings and life of Jesus. Let’s take a quick snapshot at how Jesus fits the title of the One who came to secure our peace. in that last teaching that Jesus gave to his Disciples before his arrest, he tried to prepare them for what was coming by explaining that peace originated in him not their circumstances. “Peace i leave with you; my peace i give to you. i do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” (John 14:27) His point was that the world offers no real peace, it is only found in him. So, as things look bad, they should seek his peace, and in doing so fear would be overcome. A little later in his message he returns to the fact that they can’t look to the world for peace; it is only found in the Prince of Peace. “i have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. in the world you face persecution. But take courage; i have conquered the world!” (John 16:33) Knowing this, it makes perfect sense that on the several occasions that Jesus showed up to make first contact with the Disciples after his resurrection, the first words out of his mouth was “peace be with you.” (Luke 24:36) Now, they were living out the words in his final message – everything all around them seemed out of control and threatening. Jesus simply reminded them – his peace was theirs to have – not worldly peace, but peace from their Lord and God. But, this Prince of Peace offers more than mere peace under duress and persecution. He offers peace earned by his sacrifice on the cross. Paul expresses this in his letter to the Roman church: “As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” (Romans 10:15) in this passage, the language of the Greek clearly says the “good news (word also used for Gospel) of peace.” The good news being proclaimed is that Jesus has obtained peace for us by his blood sacrifice on the cross, a fact borne out by Paul in Romans, chapter five. “Therefore, since we

are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (5:1) in his letter to the Ephesians, Paul identifies the source of peace – “For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups (Jews and Gentiles) into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.” For Paul, Christ Jesus represents the sacrifice that brings all human beings back together with God, regardless of whether they are from God’s chosen people or pagan backgrounds. in reality the payment for sin and separation was made in full by Christ’s suffering. This peace, given to us by Christ, is the inheritance for all Christians, and should be the expectation of every soul seeking a deeper relationship with Christ. This is the hope Paul has for every member of every one of his churches, and often became his parting benediction to them. One example can be found in his 2nd letter to the Thessalonians: “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with all of you.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16) He offers a similar blessing to the believers in Colossae: “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15) in fact, he felt that the believer who learns how to pray properly during times of stress and anxiety will be the recipient of peace afforded to us by a Lord who leans into our lives with his love and mercy. “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7) This is the same thought process evident in the prophet isaiah’s description of victory in the land of Judah. “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast (leaning upon God), because they trust in you.” As we lean on the Lord, we find that peace is naturally generated by our confidence in his love and concern for our well being. To sum up, there is no question that the kingdom of Jesus Christ is characterized by peace in every possible way. There is peace that comes from being in the continuous presence of Christ. There is peace because our sins have been dealt with Christ’s blood and sacrifice. There is peace as we live into the richness of the community of faith. But, in the fullest sense, the peace we seek is generated within the complexities and challenges of life as we learn how to live in a trusting relationship with Christ Jesus our Lord, the true Prince of Peace.

GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY

Good news indeed – this Advent story is all about Angels and Proclamations and babes in a manger. Ultimately, however, the message delivered by messengers (Angels) is that God has done something that could never have been anticipated. The message seems simple enough: “to you is born a Savior, Christ the Lord.” Humankind has had heroes before – men and women who did mighty deeds. But, this has the feel of a different circumstance entirely. This hero is a baby born to a family with little that would cause us to take notice. And though this baby looks like every other babe born to a mother on this planet, there is something quite different about this child. This child has the smell of Heaven on his breath, and shepherds and Magi (wise men) rightfully offer him honor and worship. Though the rustic surroundings say to us that there is nothing significant happening here, we sense that there is much, much, more to this babe than we first anticipate. The Good News of Great Joy is that we need fear no more. There is nothing that we face that is not anticipated in the Christ of Christmas. if we feel lost and can’t seem to find our way, we need look no further than the Wonderful Counselor who guides our journey, and helps us plan our path. Do we feel overwhelmed by the evil and chaos around us; then we need only turn to the God who called the Universe into being and who calls the stars by name. if we fear that we can never be good enough, and that we are being overwhelmed by our circumstances, we need only rush into the arms of the Father who has been waiting for us from eternity, and who will bring us back safely to his Heavenly Kingdom. And when life seems most fractured and full of threat, we find that the Prince of Peace is already at work mending our brokenness and protecting our well being. it really comes down to one simple statement of truth: “if God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) The message of the Angels rings true to the statement: “i bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah (Christ), the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11) in this babe we have the Savior for our sins; the anointed one who intercedes for us; and the King of our lives. God iS FOR us – how can we fail?