This past Sunday our church, as many others around the world, celebrated the first Sunday of Advent. Advent means "coming". During this season, the Church remembers the first coming of the Lord Jesus and anticipates His second coming in the future. One common passage read during the Advent season is Luke 2 and the account of the shepherds in the fields. On that cobalt starry night, a heavenly host announced God's breaking into this sin-filled world to save it from itself. In Luke 2:10-12, Luke records the eye-witness testimony of what the angel announced that evening, "And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." When I read this passage I can't help but think of Linus reciting it from memory to Charlie Brown in explanation of what Christmas is all about. Glorious!
Anyway, in this passage, it is filled with the essential truths of the Gospel which we have looked: 1) It is historical: "this day", "City of David", and "you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger"; 2) It achieved and accomplished salvation: "a Savior, who is Christ the Lord"; and 3)It is by faith alone: The very fact that God had to come into this world screams that we can't, at any point, save ourselves or do anything which could help us along the way.
But, all these essential truths of the Gospel are only "good news of great joy" if they reach us. The Gospel must come to us and change us positionally and practically. That is, there is an application to the Gospel. If somebody makes a delicious homemade apple pie with crumb topping like Mandy did for Thanksgiving and it doesn't reach the taste buds of somebody, the apple pie and all the hard work is not good news. Apart of the "good" in the good news is receiving, tasting and delighting in the apple pie. Here are some application or change which the Gospel brings:
- New Identity: "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:1-3).
- A Child of God: "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God" (Galatians 4:4-7)
- Peace through Justification by Faith: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ ” (Romans 5:1).
- Forgiveness of Sins: “Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:43).
- Eternal Life: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
The great news is that as the angels continued to proclaim, "Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" (Luke 2:14). The application of the Gospel is to all with whom God's pleasure rests according His good pleasure.
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