Once Upon A Starry Night

ONCE UPON A STARRY NIGHT

LUKE 2:1-20

Around 700BC, Israel had become a dark place. Judah had greatly sinned and fallen away from God. There was great spiritual darkness and enemies surrounded them that threatened their very existence. But God sent His prophets to give them hope for the future. These prophets revealed that God was going to send the Messiah to bring the people back to God and bring hope to the world.

700 years later, the nation struggles under Roman rule, many are languishing in the hopelessness of their sins, and even the religious leaders have lost their way. Israel and the whole of the earth are crying out into the darkness, “Is there any hope?” And one dark, starry night Hope came to the earth.

1. THE NIGHT HEAVEN CAME TO EARTH.

Lk 2:1 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city.

Rome had conquered much of the world. They had brought with them Pax Romana (The Peace of Rome) and great Roman roads. But to fund all of this, they needed to gather taxes from its subjects. The census wasn’t just so all subjects would be known, but so that all subjects could then be taxed.

Lk 2:4-5 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,5 in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.

Months before His birth, an angel appeared to both Mary and Joseph separately informing them that the Messiah, the Son of God would be born to Mary, Joseph’s betrothed.

So, here Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem while she is 9 months pregnant. Possibly they wondered why God would allow this census to happen at the worst possible time for Mary. Yet, it was likely God whispering in the Roman Emperor’s ear to institute this census at exactly this time. Why? To fulfill the prophecies that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Perfect timing.

Lk 2:6-7 6 While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

No Room- the innkeeper was not evil or uncaring, there simply was not enough rooms in this little town to house all the people coming to register. But, it is symbolic of the many people throughout history and especially today that have no room for Jesus in their heart.

The Manger- I’ve always been intrigued about Jesus being laid in a feeding trough. He was born in Bethlehem, which means “House of Bread” and laid in the feeding trough. During His ministry, Jesus introduced Himself as the Bread of Life which came down from Heaven.

** Jesus was called Immanuel, which means “God with us.” On this night, the God of Heaven came to the earth to bring hope and salvation to the world.

2. A RUSTLE OF ANGELS’ WINGS.

Lk 2:8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.

Shepherding was a lonely job. In the ranks of Jewish society, they were the overlooked and forgotten. Most were poor, uneducated, with little to no social standing. But this night would be very different than any night before. I wonder, there in quiet of night, did they hear the rustle of angel’s wings just before the magestic entered the mundane.

Lk 2:9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.

We see paintings and statues of angels today portrayed as plump little babies or females beautiful to look up. In reality, though, angels might be beautiful to look at, but they are terrifying to behold.

Lk 2:10-1210 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Imagine being one of these shepherds, one of the overlooked and forgotten of society..... But the God of Heaven chose them to be visited by God’s messenger. God did not choose to speak to a king, He did not visit the religious leaders, nor did He speak to the high of society. He chose to announce the birth of the Messiah to the meekest of society.