The Royal Announcement: The King is Born (Luke 2:8-20)

Sermon Summary

Pastor David Yan

22 December 2024

---

When a royal child is born there is a public announcement. Jesus was royalty and here was the royal announcement: Jesus, the King of kings was born.

The announcement was made by an angel to lowly and despised shepherds. It was fitting that the announcement was made to such people. Jesus was lowly and humble. He was born in a stable, laid in a manger. God gave the greatest of messages to the lowliest of people. He reveals himself not to the proud but to the humble.

The angelic announcement was a climax. There was born in the city of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord. God’s promised Messiah was born. This was news worthy of announcement.

The birth of Jesus fulfilled prophecies. He was born in Bethlehem as foretold. The coming of Jesus was not only foretold but fulfilled. How great is our God who knows the beginning and the end.

The birth of Jesus indicated the end of Old Testament animal sacrifices. The sheep being kept by the shepherds were most likely being prepared for temple sacrifice. Henceforth Jesus the Lamb of God would be sacrificed once and for all.

The birth of Jesus brought forth an outburst of praise from the heavenly host of angels. Angels were aware of the coming birth of Jesus. They waited for the moment and burst forth with an irrepressible joy when it came. Spirit-charged joy can not be repressed.

The shepherds determined to go to Bethlehem. “Let us now go,” they said. They went in haste. No dithering. Now is the day of salvation. Now is the time to believe in Jesus for salvation. When God speaks to us we must act immediately.

The shepherds saw the infant Jesus. They believed. No further evidence was needed. Jesus is the final revelation, the final prophet, the only Saviour.

The shepherds made widely known what was told them. Not what they imagined but what was revealed to them. The Christian faith is God-given not man-created.

This was the royal announcement, the King of kings, Jesus, was born. Oh, come let us adore him.