GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY
Luke 2:8-14
Keith O’Connor
Woodland Church
Wednesday, December 3, 2025
(John 1:1, 14, ESV) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth”
(Galatians 4:4-5, NLT) “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children”
(Luke 1:1-4, NLT) “Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught”
“By far the most important historical information about Jesus of Nazareth appears in the four Gospels of the New Testament” – Craig Blomberg
(Luke 2:8-14, NLT) “That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” “Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
(Luke 2:9b, NLT) “Radiance of God’s glory surrounded them”
1. Fear not
(Luke 2:9-10, NLT) “Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!”
(Luke 1:30, NLT) “Don’t be afraid Mary, for you have found favor with God”
a. Trust in God
(Psalm 56:3, ESV) “When I am afraid I put my trust in you”
b. Don’t focus on the fear. Focus on the One who takes away the fear
(Philippians 4:8, NLT) “…think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise”
c. Choose to praise the Lord when you are facing fear
(Psalm 147:1, NLT) “Praise the Lord, for it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and a song of praise is fitting”
d. God desires to replace our fear with peace
(Philippians 4:6-7, NLT) “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus”
(Isaiah 41:10, NLT) “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
e. God with us
2. Good News
(Luke 2:10, NLT) “Don’t be afraid! he said. I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people”
a. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.
(Isaiah 9:6, NLT) “The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”
b. The Good Shepherd who would lay down His life for His sheep
(Luke 2:16a, NLT) “…hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph”
3. Great Joy
(Luke 2:10, NLT) “I bring you good news that will bring great joy”
(John 15:11, NLT) “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow”
(Matthew 2:10, NLT) “…saw the star and they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy”
(Luke 1:44, NLT) “…sound of your greeting (Mary’s) came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy”
(Luke 1:41–45) “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
4. For All People
(Luke 2:10, NLT) “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people”
(Luke 4:18-19, NLT) “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come”
(Luke 4:21, NLT) “Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”
(Luke 2:11, NLT) “The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!”
a. Jesus is Savior
(Titus 2:13-14, NLT) “…while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds”
b. Jesus is the Messiah
Messiah means “anointed” or “anointed one”
c. Jesus is The Lord
(Philippians 2:10-11) “…at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”
Unto you is born a Savior is born
(Luke 2:15, NLT) “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about”
(Luke 2:17, NLT) “…the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child”
- They heard
- They believed
- They responded
- They told others
(John 3:16) “God loves you so much that He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life”
(Galatians 2:20, NLT) “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”
(Luke 2:10-11, NLT) “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!”
It is a timeless truth that continues to bring hope and joy to all today, and because of that we can say, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”