Good News of Great Joy!

Good News of Great Joy!

(An excerpt from Pastor Chris Durkin's sermon on December 14th 2025).

LUKE 2:8 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.

In the period between Old Testament and New Testament. In the time between Malachi and Matthew. The Lord had not spoken and no new Word from God had been given.

After four hundred years of prophetic absence. After four hundred years of Heaven’s seeming silence. Now in Luke chapter 2 the Hosts of Heaven erupt with a really big birth announcement!

A baby is born and His arrival means:

#1.   Good News.

#2.   Great joy.

#3.   For all people.

First, it is important to note where this child is born. Why does the Christmas Hymn call it “Little Town of Bethlehem?” Because of a prophecy made seven centuries before the first Christmas.

MICAH 5:2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

In this little country; in this little town; a Ruler sent from God would be born; and this Ruler not only existed before he was born. In fact, this Ruler existed even before Bethlehem itself existed! In the fulfillment of Scripture, the Ancient of Days was born in Bethlehem.

Luke tells us in verse 8 these events happened right outside of Bethlehem. I have been to the precise place where this happened. This valley is arid, hilly, windy, and there are no trees. In fact, from the shepherd’s field Bethlehem still seems small today.

If you were going to predict where the King of Kings would be born, you would not guessed Bethlehem.

If you were going to guess who would hear the news of His birth first, you would definitely have not thought of shepherds!

At this point in Israel’s history, the vocation of a shepherd had sunken to the bottom of the social scale. They were considered uneducated and unskilled.

Shepherds had to constantly care for the sheep and were not able to adhere to all the extra ceremonial laws and cleanliness stipulations that Pharisees were imposing on the people.

Because of this, shepherds often felt like religious outcasts and social outcasts. At this time, shepherds were viewed as dishonest, unreliable, and unsavory characters. In fact, their reputation was so maligned they were not allowed to testify in court!

This is the beautiful Biblical paradox of Luke 2.

We see Angelic Heavenly Hosts, who abide in the perfect presence of God HIMSELF, give this message to lowly shepherds. Shepherds who are afraid to even step foot in a temple made by man!

Besides Joseph and Mary, they are the first witnesses of the Messiah’s birth, and the Pharisees wouldn’t even let them testify in court.

It is not only to these people, but also in this vicinity, that Heaven erupts with joy at the birth of the Savior:

According to Jewish tradition it was in this precise vicinity, Israelites would search for offering lambs to be sacrificed on the Day of Atonement.

What these Shepherds didn’t realize, is not only are they themselves sheep, but in that manger they found the Passover Lamb of God.

In fact, he was born to take away the sin of the world.

He was born so we might be born again!

The Bible says, "When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God." -Galatians 4:4-7