When Christ was born, the angels declared that it was “good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10). What was this good news? “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).
Christians today recognize and rejoice in this good news. We certainly count it great joy that God has made a way for the salvation of sinners like us through the death and resurrection of Christ, by grace alone, through faith in Jesus alone. This is very good news!
My question is, if Christ’s birth was “good news of great joy” and if it was “for all the people”, then why were so many people upset about it? Herod wasn’t happy about it. Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes weren’t happy about it. The Roman Empire wasn’t happy about it. Why didn’t the angels declare “good news that some people will count as great joy”? Or, “good news of great joy for those people who believe”?
The answer is that Christ’s birth was truly “good news” and “great joy” because it made a way for salvation for all who would call upon His name. All people now had a way to be at peace with God and receive forgiveness from their sin, even if not all people would embrace or act upon that good news, or celebrate or even appreciate that great joy.
And Christ’s birth was an announcement of “great joy” because it means that we are not abandoned to the hopeless task of ascending to God through perfect holiness because He has descended instead with His perfect holiness to invade our unholy world and offer to us His righteousness in exchange for our sinfulness through faith in His name! “Not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith…” (Philippians 3:9).
The birth of Jesus is good news and great joy because it proclaims the sovereignty of God over all creation, that He is in control, that He cares about us (whether we believe it or not) and that He is living and actively working for His glory and our joy among us on planet Earth.
You see, the goodness and joyfulness of the news of Christ’s coming is not relative based on an individual’s subjective interpretation of the news. The goodness and joyfulness of the news of Christ is an objective fact, an indisputable truth that stands above human opinion.
In a similar way, we all have the opportunity to join in proclaiming this good news of great joy for all the people by making every decision with the glory of God in mind. When we order the actions, intentions and decisions of our life in submission to the will of God and for the glory of God we proclaim that He is sovereign, that He reigns and rules and He alone is worthy of all honor and glory and praise!
Even seemingly innocuous decisions such as choosing which investments to include in your portfolio can and should shout the praises of our God, declaring that Christ has come, the rule and reign of our God extends over all of creation now and forevermore, and that He is worthy of our worship and obedience in every area of the life He has allowed us to live.
Will you celebrate the good news of great joy and make every decision shine for the glory of God, joining with the angels’ song and with believers everywhere, ascribing “glory in the highest” to our Immanuel, God With Us?
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!’ “(Luke 2: 13,14)
Shine for Jesus, Christian.
Robert Netzly is the CEO of Inspire Investing and frequent contributor on FOX, Bloomberg, New York Times and other major media. Read more from Robert in his #1 bestselling book Biblically Responsible Investing, available at Amazon.com and other major retailers.
When Christ was born, the angels declared that it was “good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10). What was this good news? “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).
Christians today recognize and rejoice in this good news. We certainly count it great joy that God has made a way for the salvation of sinners like us through the death and resurrection of Christ, by grace alone, through faith in Jesus alone. This is very good news!
My question is, if Christ’s birth was “good news of great joy” and if it was “for all the people”, then why were so many people upset about it? Herod wasn’t happy about it. Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes weren’t happy about it. The Roman Empire wasn’t happy about it. Why didn’t the angels declare “good news that some people will count as great joy”? Or, “good news of great joy for those people who believe”?
The answer is that Christ’s birth was truly “good news” and “great joy” because it made a way for salvation for all who would call upon His name. All people now had a way to be at peace with God and receive forgiveness from their sin, even if not all people would embrace or act upon that good news, or celebrate or even appreciate that great joy.
And Christ’s birth was an announcement of “great joy” because it means that we are not abandoned to the hopeless task of ascending to God through perfect holiness because He has descended instead with His perfect holiness to invade our unholy world and offer to us His righteousness in exchange for our sinfulness through faith in His name! “Not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith…” (Philippians 3:9).
The birth of Jesus is good news and great joy because it proclaims the sovereignty of God over all creation, that He is in control, that He cares about us (whether we believe it or not) and that He is living and actively working for His glory and our joy among us on planet Earth.
You see, the goodness and joyfulness of the news of Christ’s coming is not relative based on an individual’s subjective interpretation of the news. The goodness and joyfulness of the news of Christ is an objective fact, an indisputable truth that stands above human opinion.
In a similar way, we all have the opportunity to join in proclaiming this good news of great joy for all the people by making every decision with the glory of God in mind. When we order the actions, intentions and decisions of our life in submission to the will of God and for the glory of God we proclaim that He is sovereign, that He reigns and rules and He alone is worthy of all honor and glory and praise!
Even seemingly innocuous decisions such as choosing which investments to include in your portfolio can and should shout the praises of our God, declaring that Christ has come, the rule and reign of our God extends over all of creation now and forevermore, and that He is worthy of our worship and obedience in every area of the life He has allowed us to live.
Will you celebrate the good news of great joy and make every decision shine for the glory of God, joining with the angels’ song and with believers everywhere, ascribing “glory in the highest” to our Immanuel, God With Us?
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!’ “(Luke 2: 13,14)
Shine for Jesus, Christian.
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