Luke 2:1-20
THE LAMB is PROVIDED
Pastor Allan Kircher
Shell Point Baptist Church
Dec 16th 2012
Intro: We have been watching as God’s plan to send His Lamb into the world has unfolded.
• When man fell/sin/Garden of Eden
• God made a promise/Redeemer would one day come.
• This Redeemer/come/Savior/sinners.
• All through the Old Testament
• God worked to bring this event to pass.
Every sacrifice, every ritual of Jewish worship, everything God did was moving steadily toward the moment/Lamb/God would enter the world and pay the price to save men from their sins.
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I think of one occasion when a broken hearted father named Abraham walked up a mountain side with his only son Isaac.
He was taking that son to the top of that mountain to offer him to the Lord as a burnt offering.
• On the way up that mountain
• Isaac asked his father Abraham about what they were doing.
• Here is what was said that day: Genesis 22:6-8.
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Our text tells us about the night that father’s promise was fulfilled.
It/also/moment/God’s promise to send His Redeemer into the world was fulfilled.
• As we look/events/special night 2,000 yrs. ago
• We can learn something about how God provided His Lamb.
• As the Lord gives liberty this morning
• I want to preach on the subject, Behold The Lamb Provided.
I want to tell you how and why God sent His Son Jesus into this world and what His birth can and does mean for you.
Share three aspects of the Lamb’s provision with you.
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I. v. 1-7 THE PLACE INVOLVED IN THE LAMB’S PROVISION
A. v. 4 The Planning Of That Place – The fact that Jesus was born in Bethlehem was no accident.
It was predicted years before it came to pass, Micah 5:2.
This was common knowledge among those who studied and knew the Scriptures, Matt. 2:1-6.
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B. v. 1-6 The Providence Of That Place
Shouldn’t surprise us/Jesus/born/Bible says He would be
the events surrounding His arrival are amazing.
• Verse 4 tells/Mary/Joseph lived in Nazareth.
• 80 miles north of Bethlehem.
• For/Messiah/born/right location
• A series of events had to work together
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A pagan emperor/Caesar Augustus living thousands of miles away issues a decree that all his subjects be registered and taxed.
• Who is Caesar Augustus?
• Adopted son of Julius Caesar.
• Real name/Octavius/took name Caesar
• Name Augustus/not name/but a title.
Senate/submitted him/king, emperor, dictator,he wasn’t satisfied.
Instead he chose the title Augustus.
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• So he signs a tax bill for the citizens to be taxed.
• This order for a census is sent out far and wide.
• He needed money to raise an army to control his vast empire and to live in luxury himself.
The call is issued in Israel and Joseph takes Mary and returns to the ancestral of his family, Bethlehem.
• This may not mean much to you
• Teach us/Caesar may have been ruling/God was overruling!
• God and His providence, worked out all the details
• Jesus might be born where/prophets said that He would be!
By the way, if He can do that, then surely He can take care of our little needs!
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C. v. 7 The Poverty Of That Place
• Savior’s entrance into/world/anything but glorious.
When the young couple arrived in Bethlehem, they discovered that there was no place for them to stay.
• They found refuge in a stall used to house animals.
• When Mary delivered Jesus
• She placed the Baby in a feed trough.
You/I cannot begin/comprehend/enormity/truth contained here.
• Imagine, God Himself came into this world.
• Same God Who made the universe
• all the treasures found within that universe.
• He came in to this world as a little Baby.
• He was not born into the lap of luxury.
• He was born into the squalor of abject poverty.
He humbled Himself, and entered into this world in the “form of a servant,” Phil. 2:5-8.
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His humble birth signified the kind of life Jesus would live all the time He was here on this earth.
• At one point in His ministry
• He had no place to call home, Matt. 8:20.
• When He died, others provided/place/things necessary/His burial, John 19:38-42.
• The God Who made everything
• Who could have had anything
• Chose to live a life of poverty.
Why? There is just one answer: because He loves us!
Listen to 2 Cor. 8:9, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
He did it so that He might understand our burdens, Heb. 4:15-16.
• He did it so that He might enter into our suffering
• die in our place and
• Lift us out of our circumstances when we call on Him/faith!
• Thank God for the poverty of that place!
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D. v. 7 The Pictures Of That Place
Mary took her baby/wrapped Him in “swaddling clothes.”
These strips of cloth were used also for:
• strengthening/limbs of infants/provide protection/child
• also used to wrap dead bodies
• prepare bodies for burial
• Even in His birth, there is a picture of His death.
Another reason Jesus/wrapped those swaddling clothes were to serve as a sign to/seeking shepherds, v. 12.
• Again, the providence of God is on display!
• There are no accidents and coincidences along life’s way!
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Then, she took/Baby/placed Him in“manger.” translated “stall.”
• Word refers/feeding trough where animals would find their food.
I do not believe that it was an accident that the “Bread of life” (John 6:35) was placed in a feed trough!
• He came to satisfy the hungry souls of dying men.
Therefore, it was appropriate that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which means “The house of bread” and that He was laid in a manger!
• Have you tasted Heaven’s Bread?
• Has the Lord Jesus entered your life and satisfied your hungry soul?
• If you will come to Him, you will find that He satisfies the hungry soul, Psalm 107:9
• and that He is the Bread of Life, John 6:35; 1 John 5:12
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E. v. 7 The Promise Of That Place
I am glad/Jesus/born/manger and not a palace.
I am glad/He was born/humble surroundings and not into the opulence of wealth.
• Why?
• If He had been born in a palace
• The shepherds would not have had access to Him.
But, because He was born in poverty and in humble surroundings, He is more approachable to the common man.
You and I would feel uncomfortable approaching a Savior reared in the lap of luxury;
we/less trouble coming/Lord Who has walked some/same hard paths we walk.
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II. THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE LAMB’S PROVISION
A. v. 8 The Bible simply calls them “shepherds.”
• The birth/Savior did not happen in a vacuum.
While the people in Bethlehem were ignorant of the wonderful events happening in their town
• God revealed the good news to some poor
• Humble shepherds who were outside/town/Judean hillsides.
• Why shepherds?
• Why not priests or scribes?
By visiting/shepherds/angel revealed/grace/God toward humanity.
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These were men who were responsible/watching over flocks/sheep.
• The work was dirty and hard.
• Being away from home long periods.
• They were often crude, vile men
• Known for their sinful lives and evil ways.
Considered ceremonially unclean because of the duties their occupation required of them.
Their work also prevented them from regular attendance at the Temple where they could be cleansed.
• As a result
• These men were considered the lowest of the low.
It was these very men…
• Who tended/lambs that would one day be used in the temple sacrifices.
• That heard the glad tidings first.
• Who received the message of peace from the angel/Lord.
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What a blessing!
• Men may not care about you.
• People may look down on you/disgust because/who you are
• Because of what you have done in life.
But, there is a God in Heaven Who loves you in spite of everything.
• a God Who desires to save you
• If you will only come to Him!
• I glad today that the Lord did not hold my past against me!
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B. v. 15-16 Their Obedience
As soon/shepherd’s hear/news/Savior’s birth….
• They leave their sheep/hillsides/
• run into the town Bethlehem/find Lord Jesus.
• This is the first Christmas rush!
• Certainly different from the Christmas rushes today.
When they arrive, they find everything to be just as the angels had said.
• What a picture of grace!
• Regardless of a person’s past
• or of how low they have fallen in life
• There is still hope in Jesus for them.
• The Lord turns none away
• He invites all who will come to meet Him be to saved by the grace of God!
Regardless of your station in life, if you will come to Jesus, He will save your soul!
• Don’t let some sin, or some situation stand between you and Heaven.
• Come to Jesus today, because He will not turn you away, John 6:37.
C. v. 17-19 Their Obligation
As soon/they realize/magnitude/things they have experienced… they begin/share/news with all they meet.
• They tell everyone about/Baby in the manger
• Who is Christ the Lord.
• The people who hear them are astonished!
• Astonished/hear shepherds talking about such spiritual matters
• I’d like to think/some heeded/message/went/see for themselves.
One/blessings/Gospel/grace is that it is too good to keep quiet
• As soon as you experience its power
• you want others to experience it also.
In fact, those who know the good news of salvation through Jesus are under divine obligation to share that good news with everyone they meet as they pass through life
Mark 16:15; Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8.
• We have a Savior
• We have a message worth sharing.
• May the Lord help us to get out there
• To tell a lost world about a redeeming Lord!
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III. THE PRAISE INVOLVED IN THE LAMB’S PROVISION
A. v. 9-14 There Was Heavenly Praise
As the shepherds go about the business of another boring night with their flocks
• Something astonishing takes place.
• There is appearance/heavenly entourage
• They bear/good news that heaven has invaded earth
• nothing would ever be the same again.
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1. The Heavenly Appearance
Suddenly, the angel/Lord appears above those shepherds.
• the angel is blazing with the brightness of Heaven itself
• and like a flash, he lights up the night sky.
The shepherds are instantly terrified by their heavenly visitor.
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• The angel does not leave them in fear for long.
He begins to speak, and as he does, he shares with the shepherds a message from Heaven that earth had been waiting to hear for 4,000 years.
He tells them…
• That the Hope of the Ages has been provided.
• That a Savior has been born.
That the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One, for Whom the world has waited since the Lord told Eve He was coming in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:15), has arrived.
He tells them
• That the Lord has been born in Bethlehem!
• Where to find the child
• how to recognize Him when they arrived where He was.
What an announcement!
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The world had wallowed in the grip of sin for thousands of years; waiting for the appearance of One Who would sever the bonds of sin and deliver men from the curse.
• Now, He has come! The wait is over!
• Salvation will be accomplished
• Just as God had promised it would!
the announcement/made/humble shepherds going about the ordinary business of life!
• You will notice/angel made/message personal/shepherds,
• “Unto you is born,” v. 11.
• Thank God the message is a personal one!
• It was given to those shepherds
• But it was made available to all, Rev. 22:17.
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• When God breaks in/ordinary events/life
• Please do not turn Him away!
• You never know/God will take/routine/ordinary
• And transform it into a supernatural event in your life.
When He does, it is His call for you to receive Him by faith and be saved by His grace!
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2. The Heavenly Anthem
As soon/angel finishes delivering Heaven’s message to the shepherds…
• He/joined/great multitude/angels who praise God
• They also declare/truth/message is indeed for all men!
• Interesting/when the angels appear
Content/statements are designed/praise/magnify/name/Lord.
• What they did not sing!
• They didn’t sing about Satan Claus.
• They didn’t sing about Frosty or Rudolph.
They lifted their voices and they thundered forth praise to God above.
We could take a lesson from that this Christmas season!
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B. v. 20 There Was Human Praise
• After/shepherds hear/message/meet/Master
• They return to their flocks rejoicing as they go.
They lift their voices/God/Heaven/praise Him/His glorious gift.
• Notice/difference between their praise/praise of the angels.
The angel’s praise/Lord/what He has done for others
The shepherds praise/Lord/what He has done for them
• There is a difference.
• I’m glad you are saved
• For all the Lord has done for you.
• But I’m glad the Lord has done something in my heart.
• Which I can praise Him as well!
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1. The Praise Of Convinced Hearts
When they heard the message, no doubt those shepherds were amazed and a little skeptical as well.
• But, when they found Jesus
• just as the angels said they would;
• when they met Him for themselves
• They could praise Him from a heart that has been convinced of the truth!
Christmas has a whole new meaning when you know Him!
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2. The Praise Of Changed Hearts
It must have been something to watch a group of raw-boned, rough shepherds leave that town rejoicing and praising the name of the Lord.
No doubt, the last time they came through Bethlehem they had been cursing and acting like the sinners they were.
• Now, they are new men
• They are excited about it!
• They can’t keep their praises in
• They return to their flocks while their shouts fill/night air!
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That is what meeting Jesus will do for you!
• He may not make you shout, at least in this life
• But He will change you, 2 Cor. 5:17.
• He will give you a new life
• and new way of life to go with it!
• When He comes in, He changes everything!
And when He does, there will be some excitement about it.
• There will be some joy.
• when He saves your souls
• He changes you and fills you with
• “joy unspeakable and full of glory,” 1 Pet. 1:8.
Surely, some of that will leak out from time to time!
• When Jesus takes you, saves you and changes you
• you will want to praise Him for Who He is
• and what He has done in your life!
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Conc: Wouldn’t you agree with me that the Christmas story is a special story?
That God would send His darling Son Jesus into this world to die for sinners is a blessing beyond description.
• That He would love us to that level is amazing
• Amazing beyond the power of words to describe.
Of course, it is nothing more than a story until you experience the power/Lamb/God /personal way.
• You may enjoy hearing the Christmas story
• you may love Christmas time
• But you have missed the real meaning altogether if you have never trusted Jesus as your Savior.
• Until you/received/Lamb/God as your personal Savior
• until you know the power of His salvation
• you will never really understand Christmas
• never understanding the wonder of what God did
Are you in a personal relationship with Jesus today?
If you are, then you know what I am talking about.
If you are not, you can come to know Him if you will come before Him and trust Him by faith.
Will you do that today?
