Luke 2:6-20
While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

“Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.

The shepherds did not come faithful, joyful, and triumphant, but after seeing what they saw, that GOD was faithful to send the promised Savior, they left joyful and triumphant.

2 Samuel 7:12-13
When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

1 Samuel 22:1
David left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam;

The town of Adullam - “Refuge" or "Closed in Place”

When his brothers and all his father's house heard of it, they went down there to him. 2 Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them.

Oh Come All Ye DISTRESSED

Distressed - Narrow or tight place, both physically and emotionally. Anguish, pressed, under pressure, confined. Feeling like there’s no way out.

In every heart, there is a “little King Herod” that wants to rule and is threatened by anything that may compromise its omnipotence and sovereignty. Each of us wants to be the captain of our own soul, the master of our own fate. - Tim Keller

1 Chronicles 29:10-11
Then David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly; David said: “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, are the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.

Christ as King governs and guards.

This is what it means to be a king: to be first in every desperate attack and last in every desperate retreat, and when there’s hunger in the land (as must be now and then in bad years) to wear finer clothes and laugh louder over a scantier meal than any man in your land. - C.S. Lewis (The Horse and His Boy)

Oh Come All Ye INDEBTED

When born into this world, every one of us signs off on an IOU to God.

As his creation, we owe him what he’s asked of us, but we fall short - we sin.

Sin must be atoned for and sin must be punished.

The price to be paid is suffering eternal death, the wrath of God.

Only a God could bear the full weight of God’s wrath AND only a human could stand in place for a human.

Hebrews 2:14-15
the Savior took on flesh and blood in order to rescue them by his death. By embracing death, taking it into himself, he destroyed the Devil’s hold on death and freed all who cower through life, scared to death of death.

One truly God and at the same time truly human was born that man no more may die.

Colossians 2:14
the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands” and set it aside, “nailing it to the cross”

O Come All Ye DISCONTENTED

Discontented - Deep dissatisfaction. Bitter of soul. Restless hearts. Heavy hearts. Never satisfied.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

Isaiah 45:22
Look unto Him, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for he is God, and there is none else.