going to be looking at that wonderful and familiar passage, which we heard read on Friday
evening, that tells us about the birth of Jesus.
And up until now, we've heard about the wonderful and miraculous signs that God began to do
to show that he was at work.
We heard about the two angelic visits.
We heard about two miraculous conceptions.
We heard about the birth of John to his elderly parents, Zachariah and Elizabeth.
And today we're going to hear about what happened with Mary, the one promised to bear the greatest
of sons.
We're in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 2.
And I'm going to read the first few verses here for us.
Luke, chapter 2, verse 1.
In those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire
Roman world.
This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
And everyone went to their own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, the town
of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting
a child.
So the story of Jesus' birth, Luke says, begins with the decree from the Roman emperor, Caesar
Augustus.
This time in Israel, the Romans were in charge.
They had the empire all around the Mediterranean Sea.
And we might wonder, why does Luke mention this?
What does it have to do with the birth of Jesus?
Well, as we reflect on Luke's words here, we realize that it was this decree from the
Roman emperor which moved Mary and Joseph from the northern town of Nazareth in Galilee
all the way down to Bethlehem in Judea.
Why did they go there?
Because the census required them to go there.
Everybody had to go to the town of their forefathers and register.
And here it is, according to Luke.
It says,
This is his emphasis.
We could talk about the fulfillment of the prophecy through Micah, but Luke wants us to
see the connection here.
He wants us to see the ancestry, the lineage.
God used the decree of a ruler across the sea to publicly confirm that, yes, this child
of Mary's is, in fact, a descendant of the great king David.
And as every Jew would have known, to be the Messiah, he must be descended from David.
It was to King David a thousand years earlier that the promise of a son who would reign was made.
And so that's the significance of this decree, this census.
It made it obvious.
It made it undeniable.
It put it in the record books that Jesus really is the son of David.
Think about this.
Why else would you make that journey in the third trimester?
They didn't have cars back then.
They were compelled to make the journey by the decree to register.
This is Luke's way of saying this, this too is a sign that God gave that Jesus, the son of Mary,
is that one, the Messiah.
While they were there, Mary and Joseph, the time came for the baby to be born.
And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.
She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger because there was no guest room available for them.
Evidently, the little town of Bethlehem had become a bustling place with the influx of travelers who had come to register for this census.
And in the bustle, Mary and Joseph had been unable to get a guest room of their own,
whether at the local inn or with family.
And so they ended up in a stable or a barn or something like that.
That's the place for a manger.
This is surprising, isn't it?
The bed of the newly born king.
God's chosen king was a feeding trough for animals.
A dirty and despicable thing.
A thing gnawed on and drooled on by animals.
Can you imagine laying your child in a dirty feeding trough?
Because that's the best there is.
That's all you have.
Can you imagine thinking the thought,
at least he's off the ground.
God chose the humblest and lowliest of circumstances for the birth of his son.
The one who was to become the greatest of kings.
And we wonder, why?
Luke doesn't really tell us why here,
beyond because there was no guest room available for them.
He just sort of carries on with the story.
But there are some other thoughts that we could think,
places we could look in the scriptures for an answer.
One thing we may notice is that
God seems to have deliberately arranged the story of his son
to pattern the life of his forefather,
King David.
Could it be that this is done intentionally
to confirm that he is the Messiah?
The parallels between David and Jesus are striking.
Both from Bethlehem.
Both start in poverty.
Neither born to nobility.
Both are raised up to the throne by God.
And for both, the path to that throne
goes through tremendous suffering and affliction from enemies.
And yet, God delivers both from their enemies.
And he uses both to give deliverance to his people
from their enemies
and to give them peace.
And of course, in all these parallels,
David is the lesser
and Jesus, the son of David,
is the greater and the ultimate.
And so if this is God's intention and plan,
if he's doing this on purpose
to show something about his son,
the manger in Bethlehem
makes a little more sense, maybe.
That's where David
was from, too.
That's the kind of humble and lowly beginnings
that he had, too.
This reminds me of what Mary
said in her Psalm of Praise,
which we looked at a couple weeks ago,
back in chapter 1.
She praised God,
the Mighty One,
because
he is a God who has brought down rulers
from their thrones,
but has lifted up
the humble.
We talked a couple weeks ago
about how this was one of God's signature moves.
He loves to exalt
and raise up
and lift up
the humble
and lowly.
And as we ponder
that signature move of God,
the thing that he has done
all through history
with so many people,
is it a surprise
that he will do it this way
again
for his son,
the ultimate king,
from a manger
in a small town
to the throne
of heaven and earth.
We'll talk more about this later.
Let's continue to listen
to Luke's telling
of how things went.
Verse 7,
And she gave birth
to her firstborn son,
her firstborn,
a son.
She wrapped him in cloths
and placed him in a manger
because there was no guest room
available for them.
And there were shepherds
living out in the fields nearby,
keeping watch over their flocks
at night.
An angel of the Lord
appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord
shone around them
and they were terrified.
But the angel said to them,
Do not be afraid.
I bring you good news
that will cause great joy
for all the people.
Today in the town of David
a Savior has been born to you.
He is the Messiah,
the Lord.
This will be a sign to you.
You will find a baby
wrapped in cloths
and lying in a manger.
Suddenly,
a great company
of the heavenly host
appeared with the angel,
praising God
and saying,
Glory to God
in the highest heaven
and on earth
peace
to those
on whom
his favor rests.
While the circumstances
of Jesus' birth
are lowly,
his birthday
did not go unmarked
or unannounced.
And this announcement
is quite spectacular.
It starts with
one angel,
a single angel,
suddenly appearing
to some shepherds
who are out in the fields
near Bethlehem
at night.
And Luke describes
in detail
the spectacle.
This angel of the Lord
is suddenly there
before them
and the glory
of the Lord
shone around them.
this angel,
it would seem,
was radiant.
He was lighting up
the night
and the area
around
all these shepherds
with the brilliant light
of God's glory.
And the response
of the shepherds
in that moment
was terror.
In the literal
phrasing of Luke
long ago,
they feared
a great fear.
Can you imagine this?
You're out there
in the dark
with nothing
but the light
of the stars,
perhaps the moon.
And then in an instant,
you're blinded
by this
brilliant light
shining at you
and all around you.
And your heart
begins to pound
and your knees
grow weak.
You're frozen
with fear
trying to figure out
what's happening.
and then out
of the brightness,
this being
speaks to you.
Do not be afraid
for behold,
I bring you
good news.
And this good news
is going to bring
great joy
for all people.
people.
And what is the news?
Today in the town
of David,
a Savior
has been born
to you.
He is
the Messiah,
the Lord.
What does the angel
want them to know
about this child?
We notice a few
things here.
First of all,
notice the emphasis,
today in the town
of David.
There it is again.
But aside from that,
three things
the angel wants
them to know.
First of all,
a Savior
has been born.
What does that word mean?
Means he is your
deliverer.
A deliverer
has been born
born for you.
And we talked
about this title
of Savior
a little bit
in the past few
weeks
and about salvation.
The shepherds
don't know this yet,
what kind of a Savior
he's going to be.
But the rest of the
story as we keep
going through Luke
and on into the rest
of the New Testament
reveals it.
He will be the
ultimate Savior.
He will be the
one who delivers
us from all
of our troubles
and from all
of our enemies.
He will be the
one who saves
and delivers us
from our guilt,
from the punishment
that we deserve
because of our sins.
He will even be
the one who saves
and delivers us
from death itself.
A Savior
has been born
to you.
And who is
this Savior?
Let there be
no doubt.
He is
Christ.
We talked about
this a little bit
on Friday evening.
That's the Greek
word for the
Hebrew word
Messiah.
It means
anointed one.
He is
that one.
Let there be
no doubt.
This child
born to you
today is
the king
of God's
choosing
for his
people.
The one
promised,
the one
prophesied,
the one that
you've been
waiting for.
And third,
he is
Christ
the Lord.
What does it
mean that
he is
Christ
the Lord?
Up until
now,
that title,
the Lord,
has been
only used
once in
reference to
Jesus in
Luke's
gospel.
Maybe you
remember,
several months
back,
Elizabeth
called
Mary
the mother
of her
Lord.
And we
don't really
have lords
in our
culture today
like they
did in
days long
ago,
but the
inherent
idea is
master
or ruler.
One who
has
authority
over
his
servants
or his
subjects
or his
household
or his
city.
Interestingly
enough,
the Hebrew
equivalent,
Adonai,
was used
in place
of the
name of
God by
Jews for
centuries
before this.
And they
did this out
of reverence
for God's
name.
In the
scriptures,
as they
would copy
them,
they would
actually have
the letters
of God's
name,
Yahweh,
the consonants,
but then they
would put the
vowel points
of the word
Adonai to
remind anyone
reading the
scriptures not
to say his
name out of
reverence for
his name.
So instead
they would
say Lord.
And so
Lord was
very much
a name
and title
of God
as well.
It's
unclear here
whether the
angel means
to say
that much.
This is
Christ,
Yahweh.
It's going
to come out
later though.
Or does he
want to put
the emphasis
on the fact
that he is
going to be
the master,
the ruler,
the one in
authority
over all.
These are
the three
things the
angel wants
the shepherds
to understand
about this
child born
to them in
the nearby
town.
He is a
savior for
you.
He is
Christ,
the Messiah.
He is
your Lord.
And with
that the
angel gives
them the
sign,
the key
thing by
which they
might find
him and
identify him
in Bethlehem.
And the
sign is
two things.
A baby
wrapped in
cloths.
This language
was used to
describe the
swaddling of
an infant in
strips of
cloth.
And that
was a fairly
common thing.
And so this
part of the
sign is
probably only
signaling to
the shepherds
that you're
looking for a
baby that's
brand new.
How many
babies had
just been
born in
the small
town of
Bethlehem?
That would
narrow things
down a lot.
But then the
second thing
to look for,
you will find
this swaddled
baby lying
in the
manger.
The feeding
trough.
That's the
thing Luke
mentioned earlier.
It shows the
lowliness of
his birth and
it becomes the
sign for the
shepherds.
How many
newly born
babies in
the town
are lying
in a cattle
trough?
only one.
Then it
gets even
more
spectacular.
A great
company of
the heavenly
host appeared
with the
angel,
praising God
and saying,
glory to
God in
the highest
heaven and
on earth
peace to
those on
whom his
favor rests.
glory to
God in the
highest heaven
and on earth.
glory to
God in
the highest
heaven and
on earth.
Peace to
those on
whom his
favor rests.
glory to
man.
This declaration
speaks of the
worthiness of
God.
May he be
worshipped,
acknowledged,
praised,
given glory in
the highest
heaven, the
highest place
where he is.
And it also
speaks of God's
peace and
favor to
humanity.
Through this
child now
born, God is
offering peace
to man.
God is
showing grace,
his favor to
mankind.
Can you
imagine hearing
thousands of
angels chanting
this?
What an
awesome and
spectacular moment
that must have
been.
The greatest
birth announcement
ever made for
anyone.
God declares it
into the silent
night.
And yet here
again we're left
to wonder.
The most
spectacular
birth announcement.
The greatest
news given
to who?
Some sheep
herders in
the hills.
Again we see
God choosing
the lowly and
even the
despised.
Shepherds in
that day were
considered to be
of very little
social standing.
They were often
looked down on
with contempt.
Why break
this news
to them
and only
them?
When the
angels had
left them
and gone
into heaven
the shepherds
said to one
another
let's go to
Bethlehem
and see
this thing
that has
happened
which the
Lord has
told us
about.
So they
hurried off
and found
Mary and
Joseph
and the
baby
who was
lying in
the manger.
When they
had seen
him they
spread the
word concerning
what had
been told
them about
this child
and all
who heard
it were
amazed at
what the
shepherds
said to
them.
But Mary
treasured up
all these
things and
pondered them
in her
heart.
The shepherds
returned glorifying
and praising
God for all
the things
they had
heard and
seen which
were just
as they
had been
told.
So the
shepherds
it seems
waste no
time in
going to
find the
newly born
Messiah.
I would
have loved
to have
been in
their company
in that
moment and
just hear
some of the
things that
they were
saying as
they thought
this through.
The angel
told us you
will find
the baby
wrapped in
claws and
lying in
a manger.
I think
we should
go and
find the
baby.
I think
we're
supposed to
do that
right now.
Why not?
Let's go.
And they
head into
town.
Luke tells
us they
found him
exactly as
the angel
had spoken
lying in
a manger.
Verse 17
is in my
opinion likely
one of the
most misinterpreted
verses in
Luke's
account.
what many
people see
in these
verses is
that the
shepherds
went and
saw Jesus
and then
went out
into the
town and
began spreading
the word of
what they
had been
told by
the angels
about the
child to
all the
townspeople.
And all
the townspeople
were amazed
and then
for some
reason we
go back to
Mary who
pondered the
happenings of
the night
and then we
go back to
the shepherds
who then
returned to
their flocks
praising God
for all they
had heard and
seen after an
evening of
door-to-door
evangelism.
And from
this have
come all
kinds of
interesting
embellishments
about how
the shepherds
ran through
the town
knocking on
doors with
giddy excitement
proclaiming the
Messiah's birth.
And look how
excited and
eager they are
to share the
news of
Christ's birth
and so how
much more
should we be
too?
I have a
different take
on this verse
than many and
you can take
it or you
can leave it
for whatever
it's worth
to you.
But I think
it makes
much more
sense of
the flow
of Luke's
account here
and the
key word
here I
think is
in verse
17
that word
spread.
When they
had seen
him they
spread the
word concerning
what had been
told them about
this child.
In English
the word
spread carries
the idea of
taking something
around all
over the place
and so it's
no surprise
that we've
kind of come
to that
imagining
that I
just
described.
But the
original word
here doesn't
have that
connotation at
all.
Quite
literally
it would be
more like
and having
seen they
made known
they revealed
concerning the
words which
had been
spoken to
them about
this child.
So the
shepherds
arrive and
after seeing
the baby
lying in the
manger they
make known
they reveal
what they
heard concerning
this child
from the
angel.
Make known
to who?
Reveal to
who?
I think
that verse
19 speaks
of Mary
treasuring up
all these
things because
the shepherds
are still there
with her.
They made it
known to
her, to
Joseph and
to others
who had
perhaps gathered
with them.
And all
who heard
it,
are amazed.
Like this
child here
is the
Messiah.
You saw
angels that
told you
that this
child here
is the
Messiah?
No wonder
they were
amazed.
No wonder
they were
astonished.
Mary and
Joseph were
probably the
only ones
there who
didn't think
that sounded
crazy.
You guys
think that
this baby
right here
is the
Messiah?
Messiah.
But it
wasn't
crazy to
Mary.
She
treasured up
all these
things and
pondered them
in her
heart.
She knew
who her
baby was
nine months
before this
moment when
Gabriel told
her who he
would be.
This was just
more confirmation.
This made it
even more
precious to
her.
And then
after the
shepherds
visit and
make known
what they
had heard
and seen,
they return
to the
fields,
praising
God along
the way.
Imagine that
you were
there in
that moment
with Mary
and Joseph.
You stumbled
upon this,
not intentionally,
but here you
are.
There's this
couple in
a stable.
There's this
baby in a
feeding trough.
congratulations
on the
birth of
your son.
And then
all of a
sudden these
shepherds
stumble in
and they
start talking
about how
they just
saw angels
and that
this child
is the
Messiah.
Would you
believe them?
most of us
here recognize
and believe
what the
angel said
that night
about this
child,
that he is
the Savior
and the
Messiah
and the
Lord.
Maybe you're
here though
this morning
and you
haven't
believed
that or
haven't
embraced
this.
I wonder,
is there
something
holding you
back?
what's
keeping you
from fully
embracing
Jesus as
your
Savior?
That
child born
that night
as your
King,
as your
Lord?
There's one
question I
couldn't shake
this week
as I was
thinking through
all this.
Why did
God choose
a manger?
why did
he select
shepherds
to receive
the great
announcement?
I was
reminded of
what the
Apostle Paul
said to
the church
at Corinth
and I'll
just read
these verses
for you
from 1
Corinthians
chapter 1.
The
Apostle Paul
wrote this.
He said,
for the
foolishness
of God
is wiser
than human
wisdom
and the
weakness
of God
is stronger
than human
strength.
Brothers and
sisters,
think of
what you
were when
you were
called.
Not many
of you
were wise
by human
standards.
Not many
were influential.
Not many
were of
noble birth.
But God
chose the
foolish things
of the
world
to shame
the wise.
God
chose the
weak things
of the
world
to shame
the strong.
God
chose the
lowly
things of
this world
and the
despised
things
and the
things that
are not
to nullify
the things
that are.
Why?
So that
no one
may boast
before him.
God
had a
great
purpose
in
choosing
and
using
despised
and lowly
things
and people
so that
no one
may boast
before him.
To
shame
the
wise
of this
world.
Those
who are
wise
in their
own
eyes.
Here
it is
again.
This
is God's
signature
move.
He's
using
the
lowly
and the
humble
and the
weak
to
humble
the
proud
and the
mighty
and the
strong.
God
chose a
manger
and
shepherds
in part
because that's
the last
place
that the
proud
and the
wise
and the
influential
and the
powerful
would look
for a
king,
for a
savior.
God
is
worthy
of
praise.
He's
worthy
of
praise.
He's
worthy
of
praise
and glory
and
exaltation
for his
true
wisdom
and power
and strength
and that's
God
himself.
The
one who
gave us
life.
The
one who
brought us
into being
and it's a
difficult thing
to accept
but this
is the
truth that's
said through
the whole
Bible.
We are
not the
center of
the universe.
The world
does not
revolve
around
us.
It
rightly
revolves
around
him.
He
is at
the center
of
everything
and it's
a good
thing.
For us
to boast
in ourselves,
for us
to think
highly of
ourselves
is a
spiritual
violence
against
the one
who truly
deserves
all glory
and honor
praise
and
acknowledgement.
And so
what does
God do?
He
humbles
the proud
by choosing
the lowly,
the despised,
and the weak
to accomplish
his unsearchable
plans.
Even his
plan to
save,
it comes
through a
nobody girl
from
Nazareth.
it comes
through a
feeding
trough
in a
small
town.
It's
revealed
to
sheep
herders.
It comes
through a
cross.
It's
carried
forward
by
fishermen
and a
former
tax
collector.
This is
God's
signature
work of
power
on
display.
That's
where it
starts,
but it's
not where
it ends.
God's
plan will
take
Jesus
from the
manger
to the
throne.
It will
take him
from the
cross
to the
empty
tomb.
It will
take him
from earth
to the
heights of
heaven.
His
first
coming was
lowly
and meek,
seen and
known by
only a
few.
But his
second coming
will be
glorious
and powerful
and every
eye will
see and
every knee
will bow
and every
tongue will
confess that
he is
Lord to
the glory
of God
the Father.
This is
God's
way.
I love
the news
that the
angels
brought.
God's
offer of
peace
is here.
Salvation
has come
and yet
only those
willing to
humble
themselves
go to
the
stable
and bend
their knee
before the
child in
the feeding
trough
will receive
this peace
and salvation.
I think
the question
it brings
us to
had we
been there
and even
today
will you
humble
yourself
to worship
this king?
will you
embrace
the seeming
foolishness
of all
this
to believe
in his
name?
Will you
give him
the honor
and glory
that he
deserves
though the
world
doesn't
see it?
There is
only one
among men
who is
worthy
the
Christ
our
Savior
our
Lord.
Let's
pray.
Father in
heaven
many of
us
love
these
words
and
believe
them
with all
our
hearts
but
for
anyone
who may
not
Lord
we pray
and ask
that
faith
would be
found
in their
hearts
not just
in this
room
but also
in our
community
Lord
we all
need
you
we all
need
your
salvation
you are
the king
that our
hearts
truly
desire
we grow
dissatisfied
with
government
and bureaucracy
and politics
and all
this stuff
because
our hearts
long
for the
perfect
true
justice
real
peace
decisions
made
and
righteousness
that
really
work
and
one
day
we cling
to that
promise
that you
will
provide
that
when
your
son
returns
to
reign
blessed
be
your
name
amen
up
Wrong
way
man
In
ん
praise
the
hard
to
fight
for the
мон