Christ Has Come

Christ Has Come:  Give Glory to God
Luke 2:8-20
September 8, 2024

Five years ago, prior to moving to California, Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle had a baby.  While babies are born every second of every day, this birth captured the attention of royal followers around the world.  Like many other parents, the birth was first announced by Harry and Meghan on social media.  And then Buckingham Palace got involved with its official announcement.  A framed declaration was brought out of the Privy Purse Door of Buckingham Palace, carried across the forecourt by two attendants, and placed on an ornate golden easel, where it remained for 24 hours to proclaim the child’s birth:

The Queen and Royal Family are delighted at the news the Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Sussex was safely delivered of a son at 0526 am today.  Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well.

Three days later, the child’s name was revealed:  Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.  There certainly was more official fuss over the birth the Royal Archie than when the rest of us have children.  Indeed, there was more fuss over him than the birth of the Royal, Jesus Christ.

It has been noted, “Most regal figures are born with great ceremony and celebration. But Jesus’ birth is as average as it comes.” [Bock, 83.]  His birth might have been “average,” but certainly His life was not; and the responses of the people to His birth were not average either. 

Those responses inform us what we should think of Christ’s birth.  What should we do with the birth of this Child?  How should we respond to His coming?  Is there something that can be done and should be done in response to His coming?  Through multiple examples we are told —

Glorify God because Christ has come.

Christ, the Lord of Glory, the second person of the Trinity has come to earth — not just in His deity, but in humility as a real man — approachable, pinchable, genuine manhood.  Astounding.  Give God glory for that.  What does it mean to give God glory for Christ’s birth?  The four responses to Christ’s humble birth inform us how give God glory in our worship of Christ:

1. Heaven’s Response to Christ’s Birth: Delighted Praise (vv. 8-14)
2. The Shepherd’s Response to Christ’s Birth: Gospel Evangelism (vv. 15-17)
3. The People’s Response to Christ’s Birth: Wondering Wandering (v. 18)
4. Mary’s Response to Christ’s Birth: Pondering (vv. 19-20)

Download the rest of this sermon on Luke 2:8-20.

The audio will be posted on the GBC website by Tuesday.