The Movements of God

Luke 2.1-20

God is on His Throne. That facts show us that in the first few verses.

Ezekiel saw it with wheels. Ezekiel 1

The Early Church:

The Book of Acts can be summed up  in these statements.

The LORD went up.

The Holy Spirit came down.

The disciples went out.

The people came in.

The people went out and lived the gospel.

Preach the Gospel always and when necessary use words.

To form the Church, God sent His Son.

Jesus said I will build My Church.

Paul wrote, "Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her."

That night in Bethlehem

The LORD sent the Angels to tell the shepherds.

My friend Gayle Erwin: Gig of the Century... the skies open and there are a few 

shepherds out on a hill.

1. The LORD often Shares Spiritual Truths and Has Spiritual Treasures Entrusted to Very Unlikely People. vs.8-20

Sometimes the least likely! As if the stable wasn’t unsanitary enough, the LORD brings in a bunch who didn’t get to bathe very often… only when their journeys brought them to bodies of water in secluded places. 

Christmas Pageants are kind to the shepherds. They have them dressed in bathrobes which are clean and smelling of fabric softener! When I was a kid there was a family of kids who came to the church who were not the neatest around. One of the boys played a shepherd in the church Christmas play. I was Joseph. My mom had me give her my bathrobe and washed it out well, then ironed it. After all I was going to be in front of the whole church! 

This poor kid showed up in his bathrobe which looked like it never had washed and wore it. He was closer to the actual shepherds than we knew. 22 years later I was in Israel for the first time. I wanted my picture taken with a shepherd. Trouble is they are still out in the fields keeping watch over their flocks. We found one and when I asked to stop our bus for this purpose, the guide was amazed. He asked, “Why would you want a picture taken with one of them?” Why would you want to be next to someone who hasn't bathed in weeks? But he obliged and everyone waited while I got off and some took my camera and I had my picture with a shepherd. But no one else got off to get one!

The shepherds set the tone. The LORD has had since that time of His birth shepherds who again few would have seen as shepherds but God anointed them. Martin Luther and Charles Haddon Spurgeon struggles with depression.

Billy Graham struggles with his health a good share of his life.

Many of the hymn writers suffered horrific things, watching loved ones die in front of their eyes, depression, and blindness. All unlikely but used by God to share the Good News.

2. The Shepherds went to Bethlehem to see.

I love this. They had no command to go. They had spiritual curiosity. They wanted to know more.

As you search the scriptures for More About Jesus

How is your spiritual thirst these days... your spiritual hunger? He Satisfies our souls and at the same time makes want to know Him better. This is one of the paradoxes of following Jesus. He creates a thirst while at the same time satisfying us. I thank the LORD for the spiritual hunger and thirst He has given me! I am filled but it continues.

God was calling the shepherds to come to Bethlehem by His Word, by the demonstration in the sky and what they were told was happening that night in His Kingdom.

Girl Scout Troops filling suitcases for Haiti trip- pray!

3. The Shepherds went out and made it widely known.

to publish abroad, make known thoroughly

They hadn't even had a class on how to do it! These men serve as examples. They were the first to see, other than Mary and Joseph, the LORD's Christ. They were eyewitnesses of Jesus' birth.

They came to Bethlehem. As we look back at the manger there and see Christ Jesus, the little LORD Jesus, we see shepherds worshiping and then spreading the news which is exactly the pattern we ought to be in today this morning. We are here to worship. After we leave we are entering into a world that does not know Christ and we are to tell the news around wherever we go.

Their telling raised Messianic hopes. When John the Baptist came 29 1/2 years later, preparing the way, the Shepherds had prepared the way for him! Shepherds are close to the heart of God.

The Story of Silent Night...

The Candle at the Christmas Eve Service.

My friend Jerry Bonfiglio

4 Doctorates as candidates before him, while he was an interim there.

In a few days all the Christmas decorations will be taken down and put away until next December. The Christmas lights will come down and no longer shine. Not so with you. You be like the shepherds. Go tell the Good News. The celebration continues in a different way now. We celebrate by serving. We take joy and receive so much by giving back to the LORD. He is in you Let His Spirit out. Share His love. Let Him breathe His will and desires through you.

Keep your eyes open to all the opportunities all around you They are insurmountable.

Let your light shine. Preach the Gospel always and when necessary use words.

Cultivate that walk with the LORD and let your ministry flow out of the fruit of His Spirit. 

"The early Christians did not say in despair, "Look what the world as come to." Rather in delight, "Look What has come to the world!!!" - E. Stanley Jones

Joy To The World The LORD Has Come!

Go Tell It On A Mountain!

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