The Significance Of The Timing Of Jesus’ Birth Series

INTRODUCTION

OPENING

I want you to imagine the following:

And please, this is only hypothetical.

Suppose you have been in heaven from the very beginning.

At one stage God summoned you and requested you to be on the committee whose job it was to decide what the right time should be for Jesus to come to earth as the redeemer of the human race.

You have been given access to time itself and therefore you are able to look through all of time in order for you to make the appropriate decision.

You also have access to all the facts pertaining to each timeline you are investigating.

Any information you need are readily available to you.

What decision would you have made to determine when the best timing would be for Jesus to be born as the redeemer?

Would you have chosen the time Jesus came to earth to be the right time?

What time would you have chosen?

What about the time of David

Wouldn’t that have been a good time?

David was King and ruler.

He followed God to the end.

He would have had the ability to place Jesus on the throne and to give Him the rule.

Or maybe when Joseph was King.

Why not in this Century?

We have Television, Radio, Internet, Whatsapp, Twitter, Facebook and many more ways that could have been used to introduce and market Jesus.

This would have been an appropriate timing for Jesus to come to earth as the redeemer, some might argue.

What time would you have chosen?

But Jesus did not come at the time when many might have thought would have been the appropriate timing.

And I can almost guarantee that not many, if any, would have chosen Jesus to come as the Redeemer at the time when He did come.

So why did God chose Jesus to come to earth at the time He did?

What is the significance of the TIMING of Jesus’ Birth?

PROPOSITION

This morning I am starting with the first part of our three part series on

“The significance of the Jesus’ Birth.”

Today I will be speaking on:

“The Significance of the TIMING of Jesus’ Birth.”

Next week and the week after that I will be speaking on:

“The Significance of the PLACE of Jesus’ Birth” and

“The Significance of the PURPOSE of Jesus’ Birth” respectively.

But let’s start with scripture first.

SCRIPTURE

I will first read the scripture for our series and then the scripture for the sermon this morning.

Our scripture for this series can be found in:

Luke 2:1-7 KJV

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Our scripture for this Sermon can be found in

Galatians 4:4-5 KJV

(4) But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

(5) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Let’s Pray…

DEFINITION OF TIMING

Before we talk about the significance of the timing of Jesus’ birth, let’s first look at the definition of “Timing”.

Now according to the merriam-webster dictionary, timing is defined as:

“The ability to choose the best moment for some action, movement, etc.”

Also:

“The ability to select the precise moment for doing something for optimum effect”

So, when we speak about Jesus’ Birth, we would like to determine if there is any significance with regards to the timing of Jesus’ Birth.

Was it the “best moment” for the birth?

Did the timing of the birth have an “optimal effect”?

What was the significance thereof?

Our scripture this morning in Galatians speaks about the fullness of time.

What is the fullness of time as it relates to Jesus’ birth?

The Fullness of time

The fullness of time implies that God is in control of history.

It also implies that Jesus came in God’s timing.

In Mark 1:15 GW Jesus Himself said

"The time has come, and the kingdom of God is near. Change the way you think and act, and believe the Good News."