“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel — which means, God with us” (Matthew 1:23).

Christmas is such a joyous season. My little grandkids always say to me, “PopPop, tell us a story.” They’ll get all cuddly and comfortable around me on the couch as I start to tell them a make-believe story that always begins, “In a land faraway…” Sometimes they will say emphatically, “No, PopPop—it’s, ‘in a land far, faraway!’” When I hear this, I know they’re expecting a long, longstory and it better be good!

Well, the Christmas Story of Jesus’ birth found in the Bible is not just something from long, long agoand far, far away. Not to kings or wealthy rulers, but to lowly shepherds of the field was given the heavenly message of the Savior’s birth. This story is more than shepherds and angels and Joseph and Mary and the baby Jesus. It’s more than “no room for them in the inn.”

The Christmas Story is a story about God’s wonderful grace sent to us in His Son Jesus Christ. The Christmas Story is about Jesus, the Light of the World.

I want to tell you about Jesus’ love and His desire to calm your fears and bring you great JOY and salvation. The Christmas Story is alive because the protagonist of this story is ALIVE!

The Christmas Story as recorded in the Gospel of Luke 2:1-20: The story opens with a decree issued by Caesar Augustus “that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.” Under Caesar Augustus’ rule he established the era of the Pax Romana—a time when there was no greater peace in all the inhabited world—when there was a common language of the day—when all roads ledto Rome—it was then that God sent his Son. God’s plan and timing for redemption was precise, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians4:4).

Verses 8-9. Here’s where I want to begin, “And there were shepherds living in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to themand the glory of the Lord shone around them…” When an Angel of the Lord appears to these Shepherds out tending their sheep, the Bible says they were TERRIFIED! And guess what, if I saw a huge angelon a dark night in a dark fieldI’d be terrified…I think you would, too! And for this reason the angel said to the shepherds,“DO NOT BE AFRAID! I bring you great news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

1st TAKE AWAY: God’s Holy Spirit can calm your fears.

Listen, the ANGEL was able to CALM the hearts of the shepherds thatnight by telling them about Jesus…their fear was instantly gone. God’s Holy Spirit can do the same for you RIGHT NOW in your life! Oh, how I love the way the Holy Spirit is able to calm our spirit; how he is able to touch our deepest needs; how he does this whenwe’rewilling to LISTEN.

Someone shared with me once that the word, “LISTEN” has the same letters in it that spell the word, “SILENT.” I like that. It was a SILENT night and God was able to speak to the hearts of the shepherds because they were willing to LISTEN when the angel of the Lord spoke, “Do not be afraid!”

“For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, [what will he do?] he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” (Zeph 3:17)

2nd Take Away: The Christmas season doesn’t always bring happiness and joyful hearts, but Jesus always brings PEACE!

Sometimes you carry a heavy burden that makes you sad, depressed, anxious, fearful or confused…sometimes you desperately need direction for your life…sometimes you feel in your heart the loss of a dear loved one during this season…sometimes there’s financial matters weighing on you…maybe you’re not doing very well emotionally. If any of these ring true, let me remind you what you can do when you recognize you’re at a low point: At the soonest moment, find a place where you can go and be alone and become quiet—silent like the shepherds. Become silent and listen to the voice of God who desires to speak to you so you can hear his voice and feel the joy and peace that Jesus wants to pour into your heart just as the shepherds did on that silent holy night. There is nothing in this world to fear when Christ is your Lord.

Verses 9-12: That night the angel spoke to the shepherds out in the fields and told them, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a babe wrapped in cloth and lying in a manger in Bethlehem.” The Angel was proclaiming that night that this is the very One—JESUS, the Christ, the Messiah, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, he is Immanuel – God with us – whom the prophets had prophesied about for over 700 years. He has COME…He is HERE!

My friends, I believe when you desire to get quiet and hear the Lord speak to your heart and give you peace, that is exactly what He will do. It may be that He desires for you to make a commitment to him and put Jesus as the Lord of your life—It may be that He desires for you to get closer to him so he can help carry your emotional and physical burdens—It may be through the tough times you’re facing that he wants you to draw nearer to him. In any situation, call out to Him, get quiet, and listen to what he has to speak to your heart…BE SILENT.

“I love the Lord because he hears my voice, and my prayer for mercy.

Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!”

Psalm 116:1, 2 (NLT)

Verses 13-14: At Thanksgiving dinner, my little grand-peep, Remington (5 years old), was patiently waiting at the table to be served and as he looked at me with outstretched hands he called me over. Bending down to hug him he said to me, “I love you, PopPop!” Ah man, that touched my heart. That’s how I picture our Heavenly Father bending low for us in his great love. Just how did God bend down low for us? He sends a choir of angels, literally thousands, to declare the birth of His one and only begotten Son. And what are they singing? “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to people he favors!” These heavenly angels, I am sure, had been waiting eonsto proclaim to mankind that this Jesus indeed is the “Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). For this very reason they were praising God! What a revelation these humble shepherds received that night. It was breathtaking!

The Bible tells us God keeps all of his promises for it is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18-19). Once the angels left and went back to heaven, we find the shepherds wanted to find this babe lying in the manger that the angels sang about. With trembling voices that were strengthened only by this amazing message, they said, “LET’S GO TO BETHLEHEM!” They hurried off and found Jesus exactly as the angel said they would.

3rd Take Away: God’s Word is the light in a dark world.

During World War II, six pilots took off from an aircraft carrier in the North Atlantic to scout some enemy submarines. While they were gone, the captain of the carrier was forced to issue a blackout alarm. The ship went totally dark.When the pilots tried to return, they could not find the ship. They radioed, “Give us some light, we’re coming home.” The ship’s radio operator replied, “Order: blackout. I cannot give you light.” In turn, each pilot desperately radioed the same message: “Just give me some light and I’ll make it.” Each time, the operator had to radio back, “No light—blackout!” Because there was no light on that ship, six young pilots went to their graves in the icy North Atlantic (adapted from, Paul Tan, Encyclopedia of 7,700 Illustrations [Assurance Publishers], # 5366).My friends, we live in a dark world that desperately needs light. This light is Jesus. Without the Light there can be no salvation or eternal life.

The joy of Christmas is all about Jesus and his love and peace for you and me. The angels rejoicing, the shepherdsreturning to their fields glorifying and praising God, and Joseph and Mary filled with awe because of the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ, the light of the world.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

Is there room in your heart for Jesus? Will you bow before Jesus as the Shepherds did on that still and silent night? If so, “…rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20).

We Are So Blessed. . . Merry Christmas!