Songs of the Season: The Angels

Luke 2:8-20     (NRSV)

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,

    and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

It's not Christmas if I don't hear Linus share these words from Luke's gospel in A Charlie Brown Christmas.

         There is something magical about that moment.

But what did it mean and what does it mean for us today?

Have you ever found it interesting the way Luke told this story?

Luke doesn't say:

In that region there were scribes living in the temple, keeping watch over their scrolls by night

nor does it say:

In that region there were princes living in palaces, keeping watch over their treasure by night

No Luke writes: In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night

Fair or not: the character of a shepherd was not highly regarded in first century Judea

The work of a shepherd was dirty and dangerous.

In Jesus’ day, shepherds stood on the bottom rung of the Palestinian social ladder. They shared the same unenviable status as tax collectors and Samaritans.

Have you ever wondered why the angels didn't bring the message of the birth of Jesus to the priests or the princes?

Why not the wealthy and politically connected --- wouldn't they have done a better job of getting the message out?

The angels' song gives us some very important information about God and the way God wants to organize the world

Luke has the angel proclaim:

"A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master." (The Message)

Luke wants to make sure (in case we hadn't noticed from the previous stories – of Zachariah, Elizabeth and Mary) just who this baby that is to be born is to be.

And while we need to know who this baby is --- Luke also wants to make sure we understand who is orchestrating all of this.

They sing:

         “Glory to God in the highest heaven"

And isn't that why we are here

         why we gather together week in and week out

                  to give glory to God!

The angels want us to grasp the love of God that exists behind these familiar stories --- and if we do --- when we do --- we would certainly join in the shout: “Glory to God in the highest heaven"

Then the angels added this second phrase:

         "and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

Peace

We talk a lot about peace

But what does it mean?

The peace that only Jesus can bring is a unique, personal, permanent kind of peace

         peace between self-absorbed, willful, sinful people like you and me, and God.

God is offering a chance for us to have peace.

We live in a rather divisive time

We all know people that seem to thrive on conflict.

Some people go out of their way to bait others and try to create conflict.

And just because we have heard the angels sing --- doesn't mean that we are not going to find ourselves embroiled in conflict

But I believe --- because of Jesus we have the capacity to overcome the temptation to seek division and to create peace.

         God’s peace

If we can find the peace of God within ourselves --- it is amazing how that can help us improve our ability to be at peace with others.

         And not need to always be right or win

I think the angel song is offering us three kinds of peace

Peace from our past

Peace in the present

Peace in the future

We all have things in our past that often cause us shame, embarrassment, or guilt

This song of the angels promises us that we can be at peace.

If there is anything in your past that brings you sadness, grief, or loneliness, the angel song promises that peace is available.

If there is anything in your past that brings you regret over things done or said that hurt people you love, the angel song promises that peace is available.

In John's Gospel Jesus tells us that the peace that he offers to us is different from the peace that the world gives.

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give to you not as the world gives.”

Our world suggests that peace comes from driving the right kind of car, or brushing with the right kind of toothpaste, wearing the right kind of clothes.

Alcohol and other drugs suggest that we can escape our troubles and find peace.

Many believe that peace is found in having more money

Or in having the right (or no) relationship

When you go home today and are watching the Colts game --- pay attention to what the "world" is trying to sell you.

We are so bombarded by the peace that the world offers, all of which is temporary at best and fatal at worst--that we fail to believe the peace proclaimed by the angels and promised by Jesus.

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give to you not as the world gives.”

Finally, the angels' song gives us the hope of peace in the future.

When we are anxious about the future we lose all sense of peace.

Bad things can happen to us but God makes a promise

         In the midst of it all

                  the good and the bad

                           God will be there

And that should give us a sense of peace and well being

2,000 years ago, a baby was born in a stable in a little insignificant town just outside of Jerusalem.

The angels came and sang of a new world --- a world that God is ushering in

But what has changed?

Open up the paper and it is filled with stories of

         mass shootings

         murder

         mayhem

         hunger

         injustice

Wasn't Jesus supposed to change all that?

Why are dictators and poverty still to be found?

I am convinced that it is because we have not taken seriously the message of this angel chorus.

We have not headed the good news

We have not changed our ways

Luke does something throughout his gospel that might bother us ---

         He says that God not only cares for the poor ---

                  but that God actually favors the poor ---

                  that certainly comes through in this text this morning. 

And until we embrace the way of God --- peace will always be illusive and fleeting

Next week as we look at Mary's Song we will see it even more clearly.

The angels sang to us:

I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.”

At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises:

Glory to God in the heavenly heights,

Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.

May we find God's peace --- as we please God by living as God has called us to do.