“In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:8-11. (Emphasis added.)
Natural man has every reason to be terribly frightened by the appearance of God or his agents, the angels. The only thing that man by himself evokes from God is His wrath. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,” Romans 1:18. God revealed himself at Sinai “a mountain that can (not) be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. For they could not bear the command, “IF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED.” And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “I AM FULL OF FEAR and trembling.” Hebrews 12:18-21. “for our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:29.
“The good news of great joy” is not that God has mellowed out. “The good news of great joy” is not that man has improved himself. “The good news of great joy” is not that God now sees how cute and loveable man is. “The good news of great joy” is not man by himself is now seeking God.
“The good news of great joy” is only that by reason of God’s grace alone, God sent us “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord”.
Isaiah 59 describes the “total depravity” of natural man’s condition. There was no hope for man. There was no good in man. There was no one to save man. “we are like dead men” Isaiah 59:10.
God “saw that there was no man, And was astonished that there was no one to intercede; Then His own arm brought salvation to Him, And His righteousness upheld Him.” Isaiah 59:16. Likewise, Ephesians 2:4-7 states: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
In summary, notice that every Scripture makes the contrast:
1. between “terribly frightened” and “The good news of great joy”,
2. between Sinai and Zion (See all of Hebrews 12:18-29, more than I quoted above),
3. between the deadness of man’s condition (with no one to intercede but God) and God’s mercy and salvation in Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, as we celebrate Christmas, let us not turn off or tone down the dead and helpless condition of man which warranted God’s wrath. Let us not just focus on the light and joy of Christmas. Rather, let us remember the darkness and gloom of our dead and hopeless condition in order to give all glory to God for our salvation which is only possible through our Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 