What do you love most about Christmas? Do you love the lights, the tree and the decorations? Do you love the music, the food and the gatherings? Do you love the anticipation and preparation? How about the shopping and wrapping of gifts?
You have heard it said that “it is more blessed to give than to receive”. When a child hears that phrase, they think to themselves…. “I don’t know about that!” but when they get a little older they start to realize it’s true. We know it’s true because that saying came from the mouth of Jesus Himself and He more than anybody knew what it was like to give for He gave EVERYTHING!
This passage that we are about to read speaks of the greatest gift God the Father ever gave to the world in the sending of His only begotten Son and it is one of the most beloved passages in all the Scripture. The New Testament of course begins with the announcement and birth of the Lord Jesus and these verses here in Luke chapter 2 are really the climax of the Christmas story.
Read LUKE 2:1-14 KJV
We are going to look at three things this morning: #1 A Providential Decree, #2 A Promised Delivery and #3 a Powerful Display. First verses 1-5 A Providential Decree – Chapter 2 begins with the mention of Caesar Augustus. Caesar Augustus also known as Octavius was the adopted son and heir of Julius Caesar. The Old Roman Republic was now The Roman Empire and Octavius was the Emperor. It’s worth pointing out that not only was Caesar Augustus regarded as the first Roman Emperor he is wildly regarded as the greatest and most powerful of all the Caesars.
His power and influence was so great he was given the name Augustus which mean venerable or sacred, this of course led to men worshipping the Caesars as Gods. He was so influential we even have a month named after him – August. Also much of our government structure is based on the Roman model. If you have ever been to Washington D.C. (or even seen pictures) you would see that the architecture is very similar to the architecture of ancient Rome, even the Washington monument – the obelisk is based on the one taken from Egypt and erected in Rome.
Why do I mention all that? Because this man, Caesar Augustus who was one of the most powerful men in human history, was essentially just a puppet in the hands of all mighty God. Augustus, while we would say he was exercising his free will in issuing this decree for the world to be taxed, he was in fact fulfilling the will of God in moving the holy family from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Now somebody might say, “Couldn’t God have done it an easier way?”
Did the Lord really have to maneuverer The Roman Empire and the rise of Caesar Augustus and his decree etc. Couldn’t God have done it an easier way? With God nothing is impossible and with God nothing is difficult! The promise was given in Micah 5:2 that the Savior would be born in Bethlehem. The problem was that Mary & Joseph were living almost a 100 miles away in Nazareth and Mary was pregnant, so they were not about to make the journey if they didn’t have to.
If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a thousand times “God is in control!” He is not only in control of the big things, He is in control of the little things! Why? Because He is in control of everything! On the other hand we make decisions, we have a will of our own but even when we exercise our will God is still working in and through it. Now maybe we don’t understand all that or even how that is possible but the simple word for it is Providence. Providence is the hand of God which is guiding human history.
That being said, don’t think for a moment that because God is in control that that lets us off the hook, God is sovereign and we are accountable. I have heard several people say things like “I want spirituality or I want a church experience just without the guilt! One person said they were looking for a Christmas eve service with no guilt. Listen to me right now: To ignore guilt is to ignore why Christ came in the first place!
It amazes me when I hear people say things like “If I could live my life over again, I wouldn’t change a thing!” Who here this morning has ever done something they wish they hadn’t done, who here has ever said something they wish they didn’t say? Were all guilty, but do you want to live your life in guilt? Do you want to feel guilty all the time? I don’t! There is only one remedy for guilt and that is forgiveness, that’s why the Father sent the Son into the world.
If you don’t want guilt then lay hold to Jesus’ words in John 8:36 where He said “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
So Caesar Augustus issues this decree that all the world should be taxed and there is mention of Cyrenius who was governor of Syria. Obviously, we know this story is set in real time and in real history, Caesar, Cyrenius, King Herod, all verifiable figures, even in secular history. So because of this decree everyone was required to travel back to their hometown to take part in the census. Joseph & Mary were of the lineage of David so they had to travel back to Bethlehem, the home town of David and you notice what verse 5 says, Mary was “Great with Child.”
While the modern translations leave out the word “great” it has always been understood that Mary was far along in her pregnancy which of course made the journey very difficult. Tradition has her riding on a Donkey and while the Bible never actually says that it is reasonable since she would not have been able to walk in that condition.
Another tradition not found in the Bible is the 3 kings who visited Jesus at his birth – like the song goes “We three kings from orient are…” The Bible never says they were kings and it never says there was three of them. They are called Magi, or wise men, they were most likely learned men who were familiar with the stars, sometimes called astrologers but not like the astrologers we think of who con people out of their money by telling them their future.
They came bearing 3 gifts – Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh (so there may have been three of them, maybe, maybe not) we have typically understood that the gifts represented the following: gold as a symbol of kingship on earth, frankincense (an incense) as a symbol of deity, and myrrh (an embalming oil) as a symbol of death. So in these gifts we see Jesus’ humanity and His deity, His majesty and his suffering.
So we looked at the Providential decree, now we will look at the
Promised Delivery
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 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.
The greatest of all Kings had the most humble of all origins, at least humanly speaking.
The Prophet Isaiah wrote about Jesus in Isaiah 53 - For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground (I believe this is another reference to the virgin birth) he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
What is the prophet saying? This is exactly how Jesus came into the world, Lowly and undesirable! This is how He lived and this is how He died. He had no form, no majesty, no wealth, no beauty. In Philippians 2 we read that Jesus emptied Himself of all divine privilege, although He was worthy of it He laid it all aside and made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant being obedient to death, even the death of the cross.
So Jesus was delivered, and given the name which the Angel Gabriel had spoken in Luke 1:31. The name “Jesus” is the New Testament equivalent to the Old Testament name Joshua which essentially means Jehovah Saves! Verse 7 says that Mary brought forth her what? FIRSTBORN SON! Now what does that tell us? That strongly implies that she had other children, which of course she did. Mark chapter 6 tells us that Jesus had 4 brothers and at least 2 sisters.
We also read that Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes, that is he was tightly wrapped in cloth for his own warmth and protection. Ezekiel chapter 16 indicates that the lack of swaddling clothes was basically a sign of parental neglect.
Of course it comes as no surprise that Mary was a good mother but I think sometimes we lose sight of how difficult all this must have been for her. It was a great blessing to be sure, the greatest of all blessings perhaps for Mary, but it came with a price.
When Jesus was presented In the temple Simeon uttered a prophecy about the child, we read later on in the chapter And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. 34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. I wonder how many times Mary must have pondered those words thinking about what lay ahead of her.
We might wonder what it would be like to raise the perfect child? It sounds wonderful but I’m sure it has its own challenges. What must it have been like to watch Jesus during His ministry, a man despised and full of sorrows and then to watch Him as He was nailed to the cross. It has been said about the Presidency of the United States, that it is a glorious burden, and I’m sure that it is but the ultimate picture of Glorious Burden is found right here in this story.
After Jesus was born He was laid in a manger for there was no room for them at the Inn. The sad fact is that there is still no room for Jesus! Not in the Inn but in the hearts of so many. No room for Him! Is there room for Him in your heart? And If you were there in that Inn, all those years ago would you have given up your room for the Holy Family? You might say “I don’t know, I can’t really say if I would or not”. Well, is there something you are willing to give up for the Lord today? Something to consider.
So we have looked at the Providential decree, the promised delivery and now-
The Powerful Display
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. Some have tried to draw a conclusion from this about the actual month of Christ’ birth. I don’t think there is any way to know for sure when He was born. Nobody can say for sure it was December nobody can say it wasn’t December after all the date didn’t really seem important to the Biblical writers otherwise they would have included it.
Some have taken from that since there is no early church record in the Bible about celebrating Christ birth, it therefore is something that shouldn’t be celebrated, I don’t agree with that! I believe Christians have the liberty to celebrate or not celebrate but you have to ask the question – WHY DO WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS?
Is it about the lights and the decorations, the shopping and the gifts, the food and the parties? You know full well that OUT THERE, Santa Claus gets most of the attention while Jesus may or may not get honorable mention.
Well I don’t know about you and maybe I’m just a stick in the mud about this kind of stuff but it doesn’t seem right to me that Jesus dies for our sins and Santa gets all the glory. What does the Bible say about the glory, who has the glory according to God?
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
Shepherds were looked down upon in those days, they were the most common of all the common men. They were lowly and looked down upon by the social elite. Nobody wanted to keep company with Shepherds yet who did they angels appear to? The Poor lowly Shepherds. In Luke 1, in her song known as the Magnificat, Mary said about the Lord:
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty.
God doesn’t care about your social status, He cares about your SOUL status! What is the status of your soul?
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Does God have goodwill towards men? Do we have goodwill towards men? Does God give people second chances? Should we also give second chances. I’m not talking about being permissive, I’m not talking about turning a blind eye, I’m talking about not hardening your heart towards others. Many of the Apostles started out wanting to see unbelievers punished and destroyed, they ended up wanting to see them saved!
Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill towards men. What about peace on earth? In this age it will not happen, in fact it cannot happen. This world will never know peace until the Prince of Peace is sitting on the throne. There is a bumper sticker out there that says- N-O Jesus, N-o Peace. K-n-o-w Jesus K-n-o-w Peace!
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
