Luke 2:15-20

15 
So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds
said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to
pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found
Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they
made  widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all
[a]

those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the
shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the
shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard
and seen, as it was told them.

Title: A Christmas lesson from the herdsmen.

Today Christmas is:

-Christmas is something that most of us look forward every year.
-It is a time for exchanges of gifts, presents, Christmas quotes, greeting cards etc.
-Electric bills soar up due to the “kumukuti-kutitap na mga ilaw”
-We grab the opportunity to gather our loved ones for the long holidays.
-It is short-lived yet memorable vacation. (“Ang Pagdiriwang ng Aking Pasko”)

-But this is not the Christmas God wants us to remember each year. It should be more than the
gifts, the time, the food and other activities. The enemy is so cunning that somehow manage to
instill in our hearts what Christmas should not be but we so doing.

-It is more than opening of material gifts, it should be the gift of love or let us open our hearts
to God inatead.
-it is more than a yearly activity, it should be our daily devotion.
-it is more than paying the electric bills, we should bear in mind the ultimate price of Christmas.
-It is more than the holidays, every day should Holy days.

"Christmas is based on an exchange of gifts, the gift of God to man - His separable gift of His
Son, and the gift of man to God - when we present our bodies a living sacrifice."
- Vance Havner (Southern Baptist Evangelist)

‘’The very purpose of Christ's coming into the world was that He might offer up His life as a
sacrifice for the sins of men. He came to die. This is the heart of Christmas.’’
-Billy Graham

Luke 2: 15-20 tells us of 4 biblical truths about Christmas

1. The fulfillment of God’s promises.
2. The first mission concerning Christ.
3. The humility of Mary.
4. Expressive Celebration.
1. The fulfillment of God’s promises.

15 
So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to
one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the
Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the
Babe lying in a manger. 

What are these promises?

1. Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child
and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
2. Isaiah 9:6-7 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will
rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal
Father, Prince of Peace. 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and
righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish
this.
3. “The Lord says, ‘Bethlehem, you might not be an important town in the nation of Judah. But
out of you will come a ruler over Israel for me. His family line goes back to the early years of
your nation. It goes all the way back to days of long ago'” (Micah 5:2).

-When God promised:

1. He will be our savior.
2. He will protect us.
3. He will guide us.
4. He will heal us.
5. He will provide all our needs.
6. He will be our heavenly Father.
7. He will be our teacher.
-Are we to doubt HIM? Luke 2:15 to 16 clearly reminds us and will continue to remind us that
GOD keeps HIS promises. Wow!

-GOD does not keep any promise He cannot grant. It may take a while but God will caused it be
fulfilled. There is no too long for God. There is no too hard for God.

-Luke 2 speaks of God’s promise of:

A messiah – the greatest gift that cannot be compared to any other. A gift that is priceless but is
worth of everything that God have. A gift that will wipe every tears of our eyes. A gift that will
comfort the lonely. A gift that will give rest to the weary. A gift that will give us eternal life. A
gift that will take away the sins of the earth and save us all.

2. The first mission concerning Christ’s birth.

17 
Now when they had seen Him, they made [a]widely known the saying which was told them
concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard  it marveled at those things which were told
them by the shepherds. 
-Basically the shepherds were the first missionaries to preach about the birth of the Messiah.
- Other translation says “they spread the word”. Literal nga chismoso nga gusto sang
Ginoo.
-We can’t read from the passage that the shepherds made some reservations.

-Reservations that:
a. they are only shepherds (uneducated)
b. they still have some attending of the flock to do (busy)
c. they don’t have the capacity (poor)

-Wala naton nabatian nga nag reklamo sila. In fact they did it willingly and voluntarily.
15 
So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to
one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the
Lord has made known to us.” 

-They obeyed! They spread the WORD of His birth.

(And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the
shepherds)
-Paano nalang kaha kung wala nahinumduman sang nga pastol nga maglagaw kag
pangitaon ang baby Jesus. Te kundi wala sang may nakabati kag na marveled sa
goodnews.

-The shepherd’s obedience signifies FAITH. They’ve heard the word, they saw the word
so they preached what they SAW and HEARD.

-All we really need is FAITH to fuel our desire to go out from our comfort zone to travel
the unknown to make Jesus known.

-Story of Bakht Singh.

3. The humility of Mary.

19 
But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 

-Not all happiness are characterized by celebration, shouting, singing and laughing
sometimes silence means happiness.

“The happiest people don’t have the best of everything, they just make the best of
everything”
-Unknown
-Mary knowing that the miracle she carries is from above (Heavenly) she could have
asked for anything. Why would she limit an unlimited GOD anyway? But she did not and
just made use of what she have and made something the best out of it.

-Mary knew she had done her part. No need to brag. No need to boast. No need to
demand. Just a finished work by a humble servant.

-Mary had done one of the greatest service a human being could offer to God and she
did it pretty well. A true sign of humility.

4. Expressive Celebration.
20 
Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and  praising God for all the things that they
had heard and seen, as it was told them.

-For others whom celebrated in silence (Mary) others celebrated differently. The
Shepherds celebrated praising and glorifying God.

-They celebrated not because of what they had done but because of what they
witnessed.

-Maybe this Shepherd were believers of what was prophesied by Isaiah then they first
hand witnessed it. Kabalo na sila about sang Messiah, and wla nila gin expect nga sila
una nga makakita.

-It was a confirmation of what they hope for. They have heard it from the prophets. An
angel appeared before them. Siguro na curious sila, that’s why naghambal sila “Lakat ta”
tapos nakita nila.

Dugay ka na may ginahulat, may ginapangita tapos nag abot na, nakita mo pa. Sige bi,
sin-o indi malipay sina?

Let us be reminded by these truths that:

1. Christmas should only remind us one thing; God’s greatest gift, His promise—The
Messiah!
2. We have heard and saw over and over again the word about Christ. Spread the word.
3. In our service to God, we should be like Mary. We should finish the tasked laid before
us and not to brag about it. It is not our accomplishment, it is His.
4. Celebrate not because of what we’ve done but because of what God had done for us.