“GO TELL IT SOMEWHERE!”
SELECTED SCRIPTURES

I. Introduction
Go tell what somewhere? Go tell the world that Jesus Christ is born, that’s what! That is why we’re here, isn’t it? Isn’t telling the world that Jesus Christ is born what the church is called to do?

As a local assembly of believers our task, our calling, is really twofold. First, we are called to evangelize the lost. Second, we are called to edify the saints. Unless the church does both it cannot survive. Two things – the preaching of the Gospel to those who are lost, and the teaching of the Scriptures to those who are saved – are the reasons why Lighthouse Bible Church was founded.

Evangelizing and edifying are both necessary. Any church emphasizing the one while mini-mizing or excluding the other will find itself going off the course that God has set for it. It has been said that such a church is like someone trying to row a boat with only one oar. No matter how hard they row, they only go in circles.

Jesus’ Great Commission to His church, to us, is a clear reminder that evangelizing the lost and edifying the saints are the tasks He has given us while we remain on this earth.
*Matthew 28:19-20
19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Jesus is telling us to preach the good news of salvation to a lost word. Baptize the new believers (immerse them in Christ) and teach them the whole counsel of God. Evangelizing and edifying; preaching and teaching – the two just naturally go together.

This morning is the second Sunday of the Advent Season. We’ve already prepared our hearts for worship. The Yorgey family has lighted the candles on the wreath and read from the Scriptures. We’ve sung about that “Little Town of Bethlehem” where Jesus would be born. Kelly has taken us into the throne room in prayer. And “Go Tell It on the Mountain” has once again reminded us that we’re not to keep the good news of Jesus’ birth a secret.

That’s all good. All of it brings God honor, glorifies His name, and is pleasing in His sight. Reading the Scriptures, singing hymns and spiritual songs, and praying are all forms of pure worship when done from repentant hearts. When these things come from those of us who have trusted Christ alone for salvation, such worship is a blessing to both God and to us, His children. So far, so good!

But while we are blessed and God is honored, something is missing. We love God. We worship His Son. We praise His name. But do we tell others about Him, who He really is, and the salvation He offers? Remember what we just sang?
“Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born!”

We are here this morning to worship God. Whether we sing, pray, give of our resources, hear and apply the Word of God to our lives, or even fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ – we are worshipping God and honoring Him. We can do all of these things in the church, and we should! But there’s another part of Christian worship that we sometimes seem to forget or neglect. It takes place when we leave here and go out into the world. It’s out there that we are called to tell others about our Lord and a Savior.
*Romans 10:9-10
9 …if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.
10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

In v. 9 the word translated “confess” is “hŏmŏlŏgĕō.” It means to “speak the same thing.”
Confessing Christ means that you agree with God about Jesus’ identity. Confessing Christ means that you believe He is Lord and Savior. You believe He was raised from the dead and that His resurrection is proof that God accepted His sacrificial death.

In v. 10 the belief spoken of is not the mere acceptance of a historical fact. Even the demons believe the historical facts. They were there, weren’t they? The belief in v. 10 is a deep personal conviction. It is this conviction that reveals the heart of the true believer. And in that, the true believer is in agreement with God about Jesus Christ. That agreement, that confession, that “speaking the same thing” makes one righteous in God’s sight; and that righteousness results in salvation.

Romans 10:9-10 tells us how a person is saved. Look ahead to v. 13. “…for whoever will call upon the name of the LORD will be saved.” What is the corollary to v. 13? Wouldn’t it be, “…for whoever will not call upon the name of the LORD will not be saved.”?
*Romans 10:14-15a
14 (1) How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And (2) how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And (3) how shall they hear without a preacher?
15a And (4) how shall they preach unless they are sent?

Taken together these four rhetorical questions make it crystal clear that no one can be saved unless and until they hear the good news Gospel of Jesus Christ. At some point, somewhere, sometime, somebody has to tell somebody! So go tell it!
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II. Text
Let’s go back to that first Christmas Eve in Bethlehem.
*Luke 2:7-11
7 And (Mary) gave birth to her first-born Son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And in the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields, and keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
10 And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people;
11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

That’s a pretty amazing announcement, isn’t it? But there’s more. In v. 12 the angel tells the shepherds what Luke has told us back in v. 7. They will find Jesus wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Imagine that! The Creator God Himself willingly taking on human flesh and coming into this world in a stable where animals are fed and sheltered.
*Luke 2:13-14
13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

Can you picture this? Think of vast numbers of these glorious beings suddenly made both visible to human eyes, and their voices made audible to human ears. Think of them lighting up the sky and loudly praising their Creator. “Glory to God! Glory to God!”

If the shepherds were stunned by the appearance of one angel who announced Jesus’ birth, can you even imagine how they would have reacted to this? I don’t know that there are enough superlatives in our vocabulary to convey what these sights and sounds must have been like.

The term “multitude of the heavenly host” isn’t specific, but their number must be huge. Do you wonder what they look like or how they sound? Are they speaking? Are they shouting out? Are they singing? Are they soaring over head? We don’t know, but it’s fascinating to speculate, isn’t it? In any case, we do know one thing they’re doing. They’re praising God and glorifying Him. One example of such praise is found in The Book of Revelation.
Revelation 7:11-12
11 And all the angels…fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God,
12 saying, “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen!” (back to Luke 2)
There’s yet another important truth in Luke 2:14. The verse is often misquoted. You’ve probably heard it this way: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” That makes it sound as if God directs His peace and good will toward all men, doesn’t it? However, that is misleading. It’s not what the text says. The translators of the KJV did us no favors here. The literal translation from the Greek is, “…peace among men of His good pleasure.”

The phrase means “…those upon whom God’s favor rests.” The NIV actually says it that way. Three other major translations (NASB – ESV – Amplified Bible) get it right as well, using the term, “peace among men with whom He is pleased.” That peace is found only in saving faith.
Romans 5:1
1 Therefore having been justified (made righteous) by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…

Those who are not saved are not at peace with God because God is not at peace with them. And so it is that only those who possess saving faith can please God.
Hebrews 11:6
6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is (God), and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

As Christmas draws near we’ll hear much about “peace and good will toward men.” But such divine peace and goodwill is limited to God’s children. In John MacArthur’s commen-tary on the first five chapters of Luke’s gospel, he states it clearly. “Salvation peace belongs to those to whom God is pleased to give it; it is not a reward for those who have good will, but a gracious gift to those who are the objects of God’s good will.” (back to Luke 2)

These shepherds have heard the truth directly from heaven. How do they respond?
*Luke 2:15-16
15 And it came about when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethle-hem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”
16 And they came in haste and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.

What did the shepherds do? They rushed into town. They knew for what (for Whom) they were looking. Their Savior, Christ the Lord, was here and they wanted to see Him. They responded rightly. When they heard the truth, they believed it, and they acted on it. That, by the way, is what theologians call “volitional faith.” In v. 16 we’re told that they didn’t hesitate. They didn’t try “to clean up their act” before they went to Him. They just went.

Some of you will relate to this.
Have you ever talked to someone who was becoming convicted of their sin and their need for a Savior, but thought they had to do something before they could go “see Him”? There are many people who think they need to stop sinning before Jesus will accept them.

Did any of you think like that? Is there anyone here who still thinks like that? “God won’t accept me. I’m too big a sinner. I’ve just done too much. If I could just ‘clean up my act’ I would go to Him and see if He would have me.” I think there’s a whole lot of such thinking among people who know they are sinners and don’t think God will have them.

But the fact is that we can’t clean ourselves up before we go to Him. It’s not possible. With Jesus, it’s never, “First you must make yourself presentable.” It’s always, “Come as you are.” No one knows better than Jesus how much you need to be “cleaned up.” But that’s His job, not yours. It has to be His job because you couldn’t begin to clean yourself up enough to stand righteous and presentable before a holy God. If you could, you wouldn’t need Jesus. But you cannot. And that’s why you need Him.
Isaiah 64:6
6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

The shepherds didn’t go home to shower and put on clean cloths. They went to see Jesus just as they were, and in Luke 2:16 we’re told that they found Him.

Henri Malan was a controversial nineteenth century French pastor and poet who would not compromise the truth in his preaching and teaching. In 1818 he was suspended from his ministry in France for preaching the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Since he would not refrain from doing so he was formally defrocked in 1823. Malan lost his pulpit but he never lost his zeal for the gospel or for preaching the truth. He wrote the following:

It is not death to die It is not death to close
To leave this weary road, The eye long dimmed by tears,
And midst the brotherhood on high And wake in glorious repose
To be at home with God. To spend eternal years.

It is not death to bear It is not death to fling
The wrench that sets us free Aside this sinful dust,
From dungeon chain, to breathe the air And rise in strong exulting wing
Of boundless liberty. To live among the just.

Jesus, Thou Prince of Life!
Thy chosen cannot die;
Like Thee, they conquer in the strife,
To reign with Thee on high.

Henri Malan not only knew the truth, he could enunciate beautifully as well.
Charlotte Elliot was a nineteenth century English poet. In 1835 she was visit¬ing friends in the West End of Lon¬don. While there she attended a dinner party where Pastor Malan was also a guest. During the meal, Malan said he hoped that she was a Christ¬ian. She took of¬fense at this, and re¬plied that she would ra¬ther not dis¬cuss that quest¬ion. Ma¬lan said that he was sor¬ry if he had of¬fend¬ed her, but he always liked to say a word for his Mas¬ter. Then he added that he hoped she would one day be¬come a follow¬er of Christ.

Three weeks later Malan and Elliot met again at the home of a mutual friend. But something had changed. She told the pastor that ev¬er since he had spok¬en to her she had been looking for a Sav¬ior, and she now wanted him to tell her how to come to Christ. “Just come to Him as you are,” said Ma¬lan. This she did. Shortly af¬ter¬ that she wrote the words to a hymn that we have all come to know and love. The third verse says this…

“Just as I am, Thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve.
Because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.”

What a beautiful irony that is! Charlotte Elliot didn’t try to clean herself up before she went to Jesus. She didn’t try to make herself righteous. She had come to understand that she was incapable of doing either.

In Luke 2 the shepherds went to the Lamb just as they were. They had nothing to offer but themselves. But then what? They weren’t through. Look at what they did next.
*Luke 2:17
17 And when they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.

So in Luke 2:15-16 the shepherds believed and received. That is salvation in Jesus Christ! And then in v. 17 they did what all true believers do – they obeyed. They made known what had been told them about the Child. They went out from that place and told others what they had seen and heard. These men (and probably boys) had been given a unique privilege. God had shown them amazing things. They had seen God’s salvation right before their very eyes. They told others. They’re our example here this morning.

The lesson for us is both simple and clear, is it not? Do you know Jesus Christ? Of course, you haven’t seen Him with your physical eyes, the way the shepherds guarding their flocks outside Bethlehem saw Him two thousand years ago. None of us have seen Him in that sense. But if you’ve repented of your sins and trusted Him, He has come to you. He has done so in the Person of His Holy Spirit. He has saved your eternal soul. Shouldn’t you go out from this place and tell someone?

The shepherds were blessed in a unique and wonderful way that night, but you’ve been blessed in a unique and wonderful way as well. They saw Him and they believed. You have not seen Him and yet you believe. And in that you are blessed as much as they.

Do you remember how the Apostle Thomas struggled with unbelief after Jesus’ crucifixion? Do you remember what the Lord told him when He appeared to Thomas eight days after the resurrection?
*John 20:27-29
27 (Jesus) said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing.”
28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and My God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

About thirty years later Peter wrote his first epistle. In it he tells us how blessed are those people who believe in Jesus even though they haven’t yet seen Him in the flesh.
*1 Peter 1:3-9 (one of the great promises of the NT)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resur-rection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,
7 that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perish-able, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

Peter has just told us something we already know. We’ve not seen Jesus, but we believe in Him and our faith is in Him. That faith is precious. That faith will be rewarded. That faith has saved us, and because of it, the day will come when we will see Him.
1 John 3:2 (another one of the great promises in the NT)
2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.

After Mary and Joseph, the shepherds were the first to see the baby Jesus as He was. Those who knew Him during His life on earth saw Him as He was.
Those who heard Him teach and witnessed His miracles saw Him as He was. Those who were present at His trial and crucifixion saw Him as He was. But you and I will see Him as He IS. We don’t see Him now, but we love Him, and our salvation is assured.

What are we going to do about that? Are we going to take the light that God has given us, go home, and keep it a secret? To paraphrase Jesus: No one lights a lamp and then covers it up. When someone lights a lamp, they put it on a lampstand, don’t they?

We have received the same blessing the shepherds received. They saw Him with their phys-ical eyes. As Christians, you and I have seen Him with our spiritual eyes. Either way, God has orchestrated our meeting, given us saving faith, and blessed us all. So again I ask, how did the shepherds respond to what they had seen?
Luke 2:17
17 And when they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.

That’s what these shepherds did. How can you and I do any less? It’s been said that the first duty of a new Christian is to proclaim salvation to others. We should always pray and ask God to give us wisdom as to times, places, and situations. And maybe most important of all, we should always ask God to prepare the hearts of those to whom we will speak.

Remember, it is the Holy Spirit who does the work of convicting hearts of sin and drawing the lost to Jesus. And we should always be mindful of the fact that Satan and his demons will do their best to thwart our efforts. The spiritual war rages on. But take heart in this:
1 John 4:4
4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

The shepherds went away from the manger that night and gave all who would hear them a “Christmas gift.” Freely they had received and freely they gave. And they saw fruit. We know that they had success.

John Calvin wrote his commentary in the sixteenth century. But like every good Bible commentary, it endures and speaks to us today. Listen to his words about Luke 2:17.

“It (cannot) be doubted, that the Lord gave efficacy to what (the shepherds) said, (so) that it might not be ridiculed or despised; for the low rank of the men diminished their credit, and the occurrence itself might be regarded as fabulous. But the Lord, who gave them this employment, does not allow it to be fruitless.”
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III. Conclusion
Go tell it on the mountain? Well, we’re a little light on mountains in here Lake Geneva. But you can go tell it somewhere. Your efforts will never be fruitless.
Listen, God accomplished His will by using the shepherds the night Jesus was born. Today He will use you if you’ll just obey His call to tell someone. He will do the rest.

Let me encourage you to memorize a verse this week. How about this one? (example of Chi-cago street preacher)
Isaiah 55:11
11 “So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

I love that verse. It gives me the confidence I need to speak truth here every Sunday. I know that despite my weaknesses, my failures, and my sins, which are many, God will always accomplish what He desires. He doesn’t do it with my words and He won’t do it with your words. He does it with HIS WORD. That’s how people hear the gospel and that’s how people believe. “…how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher (Romans 10:14)?” Go tell someone.

“So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the mat-ter for which I sent it.”

~ Pray ~