GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY
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“Have we unintentionally replaced the eternal joy of Christ with the temporal happiness of Christmas?”
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Luke 2:8-14

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
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9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
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10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
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11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
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12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
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13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (KJV)
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The words, “good tidings” come from the Greek term “Euaggelizo” (yoo-ang-ghel-id-zo) and it means “to announce good news”.
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The Greek word for “joy” is “charah” (khar-ah) and it means cheerfulness, calm delight with exceeding fullness.”
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John 1:1-5

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
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2 He was in the beginning with God.
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3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
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4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
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5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (ESV)
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“People often celebrate the season instead of the reason.”
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Luke 2:10

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. (KJV)

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Two questions:
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Was “Good tidings” of “great joy” in Luke 2:10 referring to a “what” or a “Who”?
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What does the word “to” mean? (“…which shall be “to” all people.”)
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Webster’s Dictionary definition of “to”:
“Expressing motion in the direction of a particular person or location.”
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Webster’s Dictionary definition of “for”:
“used as a function word to indicate the object or recipient of a desire or activity.”
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Isaiah 7:14

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (ESV)
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Isaiah 53:1-11

1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
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2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.
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3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
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4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
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5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
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6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned-every one-to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
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7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
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8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?
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9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
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10 Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
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11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. (ESV)