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  Episode Transcript  

One

Luke Chapter 2 

Now at this time Caesar Augustus issued a decree for a census of the whole world to be taken. This census, the first, took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to his own town to be registered. So, Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and travelled up to Judaea, to the town of David called Bethlehem, since he was of David's House and line,

in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them at the inn. In the countryside close by, there were shepherds who lived in the fields and took it in turns to watch their flocks during the night. The angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. They were terrified, but the angel said, 'Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.' And suddenly, with the angel, there was a great throng of the heavenly host, praising God and singing: 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace to men who enjoy His favor.' Now, when the angels had gone from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us'.

Two

Why is it significant that God sent the Angels to shepherds, the lowest class of people? I think God sent the Angels to the Shepherds because we do not know our value. We think our value is something we must create.  We think our personal worth comes from some accomplishment or personal attribute, from our profession or our beauty, or our kids and grandkids.

The problem with basing your worth and identity on these things is that it all fades away: professions come to an end, accomplishments fade, our health declines, our physical beauty wilts, and the kids grow up and leave. Then, who am I? 

Pride is the form of all sin. And one aspect of Pride is all the ways we try to validate our existence and find our identity and happiness apart from God.  But it doesn’t work. Trying to create our worth apart from God is like trying to create a safety net that is always fraying, that we are always in danger of slipping through, and we are constantly mending while we are wondering what other people think of you. But it’s always fraying. This is pride. This is what we all suffer from. 

Three

Only God can give us our true and lasting identity and worth.

The Angels came to the shepherds, saying, “We bring you Good News of a great joy! A little baby has been born in Bethlehem. You will find him wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. This little baby has come to make you something very great, this little baby has come to make you sons and daughters of God Most High. And you will reign with him forever and ever.”

That is your worth. You were made in the Image of God and called to be sons and daughters of the Most High. You didn’t have to do anything to create your worth. And no one can take your dignity away! It’s found in the little baby in the manger in Bethlehem.

That is very Good News of a great joy!

Four

But people don’t know their value. 

When people think they are worthless, then they treat themselves as if they are worthless, and they begin to treat others as if they are worthless. Therefore, we must be angels. Angel means messenger. We must be messengers of the Good News! 

That God looks at every person in the world and says, “It is good that you exist, how wonderful you are. You make the world better just by being in it. I delight in you.”

By out time, our care and concern, by our words and our actions, we must tell people, “It is good that you exist, how wonderful you are.”

This is the message we must bring!

Five

Be Angels, Messengers, Apostles of Delight.

We must begin by showing others the love of God, which means that God thinks it is good this person exists, He approves of them, he affirms their existence, and delights in them. Find the inherent goodness in others, delight in it, and show them you delight in them. 

That starts with learning about the person. Say to them, “Tell me your story.” Then they will begin to see their own dignity and worth. That is the first step to their becoming open to their divine calling, to be sons and daughters of God by sharing in His life through the little baby born in Bethlehem. 

For God became man so that man could become sons and daughters of God. 

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