and the glory of the Lord shone round about them

"Joy to the World" {Luke2:1-20}
* Intro: Christmas story so familiar to all -- too familiar
* If not careful, we lose all the wonder and joy of the miracle of Christmas
* Birth in Bethlehem
- Luke emphasized humility of birth
- Tiny town, strenuous journey, animal trough, lack of midwife
* Angelic announcement
- Announced to lowliest of jobs
- Dirty & unclean spiritually (too far and busy to maintain cleansing rituals)
- Nomadic & untrustworthy, often thieves
- Dirty & unclean physically
- Points out that salvation for all
* Shepherds' response? Glory and praise
* Application:
- He is sovereign, even when unseen
- His purposes often achieved via suffering
- Easy to miss what He is doing