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Last updated 5.20pm Sunday 14 December 2025.
Sunday 14 December 2025
Weekly Sheet
Is available to download (14/12/2025) as are the sermon notes.
5.20pm Audio recordings available.
Sermon notes from 23 November (Jesus Prays for His Disciples) also now available.
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Sermon Notes
The
Angels’ Song – The Gloria – Luke 2:1-14
The Angels’ Song, the Gloria = historically a feature of the church’s liturgy from very early on.
The song is the response of the angels from heaven to what the angel of the Lord said to the shepherds concerning the birth of Jesus.
The common images of both the shepherds and the angels can cause us to miss the point of what Luke is trying to communicate here!
It is important to take note of what Luke has to say in 2:1-7:
· Mary and Joseph are in Bethlehem because of an edict from the emperor of an imperial power – Rome. This is part of a brutal taxation and leads to an ‘forced migration’ for many – for all intents and purposes the people of Israel are held captive.
· Bethlehem is the birthplace of Israel’s greatest king, David. Who led successful campaigns against Isreal’s enemies.
· At this time and in this place, Mary gives ‘birth to her firstborn son’ – an interesting detail from Luke considering he has already quoted Mary, ‘how will this be since I am a virgin.’ Luke’s reference to ‘her firstborn son’ is intended to recall the first Passover in Egypt when God recues his people from slavery.
The context set in these verses highlights various conflicts intended to symbolize the heart of all conflict: ‘and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn’ (or guest room) (2:7) – since ‘the Fall’ humans have repeatedly and willingly declared their independence for God, by declaring war in order to remove God from his rightful place on the throne of their lives and replacing him with themselves, thus becoming enemies of God – ‘And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds’ (Col. 1:21) THIS IS ALL ABOUT SIN! Not very festive!
Just in case we haven’t understood what Luke is saying, we are introduced to, ‘shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night’ (2:8)
We are familiar with the shepherds representing the least in society (after lepers!) How the world deems them unworthy but not God. And this is important, but we must not overlook the importance of why shepherds ‘in the same region’?
Tradition suggests that due to its closeness to Jerusalem, fields were set aside near Bethlehem to provide the sheep that would be used for the sacrifices that took place in the temple, offered for the sins of the people.
This seems an appropriate place for ‘the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world’ (John 2:29), the once-for-all Passover lamb to be born.
Next, we have the message that after allaying their fears the angel of the Lord delivered to the shepherds:
· ‘I bring you good news’ – good news is the verb ‘the gospel’ and relates to our conflict with God
· ‘of great joy’ – this is no minor thing! This is the real deal!
· ‘that will be for all people’ – we need to be careful how we interpret this! Shared with all people but not believed by all people!
What is this good news?
· ‘For unto you is born this day’ – today! The angel is referring to something that has just happened! ‘Today’ is a key theme in Luke, setting God’s fulfilment of his unfolding plan of salvation in this specific moment in history. Elsewhere, Jesus says, ‘Today salvation has come to this house’ (15:9) and ‘I say to you today you will be with me in paradise’ (23:43)
· ‘in the City of David’ – Bethlehem
· ‘a Saviour who is Christ the Lord’ – the promised rescuer, the Christ, the Messiah of whom the prophets foretold. The Lord is the covenant name of God and refers to the deity of the one who is born today.
Remembering the backdrop of conflict, the question arises, what kind of Saviour has been born today’? What follows would not have been expected, ‘And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger’ (2:12)
The moment the angel has delivered his message, ‘suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God’ (2:13)
Multitude – ‘Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels’ (Matt. 26:53) – a Roman legion contained 6,000 soldiers, twelve legions = 72,000 – i.e. a lot of angels, more than can be counted!
Luke records that as the good news is shared with the shepherds the sky is filled with the armies of heaven!
The imagery is still that of conflict, but God sends his army to declare ‘peace’ and they do so in a hymn of praise:
· ‘Glory to God in the highest’ – the focus of their praise as it has always been, is God who is in heaven, but such is their praise in response to God, the Son entering the world as a baby it spills out of heaven. It is the incarnation that leads to this heavenly hymn of praise that fills the sky. The angels, like humanity are created such that their ‘chief end’ is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever (Westminster Shorter Catechism)
· ‘And on earth peace’ – this moment in history as God enters the world as a baby in a manger will bring an end to the conflict and establish peace between God and his people
· ‘peace among those with whom he is pleased’ – this is not a universal peace! Not all will cease their rebellion against God, choosing to remain ‘lord’ of their own lives.
But for those who make room for ‘the Saviour who is Christ the Lord’ and believe following his death on the cross, genuine and lasting peace with God will be given.
As Paul says, ‘And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been pro-claimed in all creation under heaven’ (Col. 1:21-23) Beginning with the shepherds who were ‘keeping watch over their flock by night’.
When we recall the good news we like the angels will instinctively praise and glorify God, for this is the joy that comes from the peace that we receive when reconciled to the Father, when all hostilities cease.
Thursday 11 December 2025
Jim Harries - Mid December News
Jim's writes from Kenya - with his 'African head' back on.
Friday 5 December 2025
Brian Frodsham's Funeral
Brian Frodsham's funeral took place at York Crem- atorium, Bishopthorpe, followed by refreshments
at ABC on Monday 1 December 2025.
The recording of Brian's funeral can be watched on-line until
29 December 2025: https://watch.obitus.com
Username: Zude1301
Password: 553399.
Friday 28 November 2025
Family Slot Video Available
From last week:
Heating at Church (or lack thereof)
Please note, there is still no heating in the main church. We will meet in the hall. Zoom will still be available - but not the same immersive experience.
Sunday 26 October 2025
Family Slot Video
Apologies to those on Zoom, for the technical problems this morning which meant there was no sound. Please feel free to watch and listen on line using this link.
Sunday 5 October 2025
October-December Newsletter
Is available to download.
Saturday 19 July 2025
Latest Newsletter
The August-September 2025 Newsletter is available to download (link corrected!).
Sunday 6 April 2025
Sarah Craigen Completed the London Landmarks Half Marathon
In Aid of the British Liver Trust
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| Thank you so much to those who donated whatever you can, it has really made a massive difference. |
