Good Tidings of Great Joy — and They're for You

Common and lowly shepherds in first-century, Roman-occupied Israel, probably wouldn’t have been the first people we would expect to receive and be entrusted with miraculous, heavenly news that was for the whole world.

Based on what we read in the Luke 2 account, the shepherds didn’t seem to be expecting it either!

But, ready or not, the glory of the Lord descended on their abode in the open fields, bringing light to the night’s darkness and a message of great hope delivered via His angel. At first, their response was terror. The glory of God is more powerful than any force of the natural, created world. I’m not sure any of us would have responded any differently!

But the words of the angel would immediately set them at ease. This appearance was not to harm them. In fact, the message was the exact opposite: “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people” (Luke 2:10).

A Savior was born today! Right in the little town of Bethlehem. He was the Christ, the Messiah – the One promised by God long ago to set His people free! And the shepherds were the first to hear of His arrival. They would be the first, outside of Mary and Joseph, to see Him.

The coming of this Savior was no doubt cause for celebration, as the great host of angels testified:

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14).

The angels, the messengers of God, gave glory to God in heaven, and announced peace to men on earth. The two had been separated for so long; the Savior would finally bring them together.

Sin Separates Us From God

God is holy and just and does all things right. Just a brief glimpse of His glory overpowered those shepherds in the field. None of us could ever hope to stand on our own merits in God’s perfect holy presence. Why? Because we are born with a sinful nature. Sin is a part of who we are. And sin cannot exist in God’s presence.

Adam and Eve, because of their rebellion against God, were banished from the Garden of Eden where once God’s presence and blessings were fully enjoyed by them (see Genesis 3:23-24). At that moment, they traded their perfect nature, created by God, for a sinful one, which has been passed down to every generation since. The struggle has always been to find our way back to God and His blessings. And we find that without some help, we are utterly hopeless.

“…your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2).

Hope in Jesus Christ

Where then is our hope?

As the Apostle Paul celebrated, “Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:25).

The Bible explains the possibility of our sinful nature being separated from a new spiritual nature offered through Jesus Christ. The sinful nature must be put to death, before we can ever hope to be reunited with God. When Jesus Christ came to earth and offered Himself as a substitute for us – to take the punishment that sin deserved, and to put it to death – He did it once and for all. If you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, you no longer are a slave to the sinful nature, because Christ will live in you and you receive His nature; you are given a new spiritual life that is tied to His life (see Romans 8:5-11). Because He defeated death and rose from the grave, you now have the hope of eternal life through Him.

Jesus Christ took on our sorrows, took our sins upon Himself, and offered Himself to be punished in our place.

“Surely He has borne our griefs, And carried our sorrows…He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all…He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:4-12)

He did this so we could be set free from the sin that separates us from God.

For it pleased the Father that in Him [Jesus Christ] all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight, if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven…” (Colossians 1:19-23).

From Sorrow to Joy

This is why the angels spoke of joy and peace at the coming of Jesus Christ to earth. He was God in flesh, God with us (Immanuel), and His purpose was to bring us back into His presence. And though we may still experience the weight of concerns, disappointments, deep grief, and pain in this life, Jesus Christ was the Light of the World (John 8:12) who came to show us the way back to God, where joy is possible, and where eternal life is the secure promise.

^“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

Have you trusted in Jesus Christ, the Savior who came to set you free from the sin that separated you from God and to bring you the sure hope of eternal life in Heaven with Him?

Through Jesus Christ, you have full access to God and all of His blessings:

“Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24).