THE HINGE OF HISTORY
LUKE 2:1-10
A VERY IMPORTANT COMPONANT IN VARIOUS FORMS OF CARPENTRY IS THE HINGE. THEY CAN COME IN VARIOUS FORMS BUT ESSENTIALLY HAVE BUT ONE TASK TO DO. HINGES JOIN THINGS TOGETHER.
THEY COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES AND EVEN SOME OF OUR BODY PARTS SUCH AS: KNEE
ELBOWS
JAW
ALL ACT AS HINGES.
ANY CHANGE ACTS AS A HINGE BETWEEN TWO POINTS. A NEW PASTOR FOR EXAMPLE, IS A HINGE BETWEEN THE WAY THE CHURCH USED TO DO THINGS, AND THE WAY IT DOES THINGS UNDER THE NEW PASTOR.
BABIES ARE HINGES IN FAMILIES. I KNOW OF MANY PARENTS WHO SPEAK ABOUT THE RESTFUL QUIET TIMES BEFORE A CHILD’S ARRIVAL, AND THE LATE NIGHT FEEDINGS THAT ARE NOW A PART OF THEIR LIVES. THEY LOOK FORWARD TO THE BABIES AFTERNOON NAP SO THAT THE PARENTS CAN TAKE ONE TOO. TESSA IS THE NAME OF MY LITTLE NIECE AND SHE ONLY HAS ONE SPEED FROM THE TIME SHE WAKES UP UNTIL SHE GOES TO BED. FULL THROTTLE. WE LOOK AFTER HER IN SHIFTS BECAUSE WE CAN’T KEEP UP WITH HER. WE CALL HER “HURRICANE TESSA.” SHE STARTS KINDERGARTEN NEXT YEAR. PRAYER MEETINGS FOR THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS ARE NOW IN PROGRESS.
CHRIST’S BIRTH, THE FIRST ADVENT IS A HINGE IN HISTORY. BEFORE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST, B.C. TIMES, PEOPLE LOOKED FORWARD TO THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH. FOLLOWING THE BIRTH OF CHRIST, A.D. TIMES, THE TIMES WE LIVE IN NOW, HIS BIRTH IS CENTRAL TO MANY THINGS. LEGAL DOCUMENTS, CHECKS THAT ARE SIGNED, ALL BEAR WITNESS TO THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD.
CONSIDER OUR PRESENT YEAR 2018. HOW DID WE ARRIVE AT THE CONCLUSION TO CALL THIS YEAR 2018? THE BIBLE GIVES CREDIBLE EVIDENCE THAT THE WORLD WAS CREATED THOUSANDS OF YEARS BEFORE THIS, SO HOW DO WE COME TO THIS 2018 DATE?
THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE. IT IS A CALCULATION BASED ON THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. B.C. DATES ARE ESTABLISHED BASED ON THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. FOR EXAMPLE, WE REFER TO DATES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AS 705 B.C., OR 705 YEARS BEFORE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST.
THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT WHETHER A BELIEVER OR NOT, THAT THE BIRTH OF CHRIST IS A DIVIDING LINE IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD.
THIS PASSAGE IN LUKE TWO GIVE US FIVE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE ANGELS ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE SHEPHERDS CONCERNING JESUS’ COMING.
POINT ONE: JESUS COMING HAD A UNIVERSAL DIMENSION.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE SINFUL NATURE HAVE UNIVERSAL CONSEQUENCES, AND SO THE SOLUTION TO THE SINFUL NATURE MUST ALSO BY NECESSITY HAVE UNIVERSAL APPEAL. THE ANGEL IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT GIVES SUCH AN APPEAL IN VERSE 10.
LUKE 2:10: But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
JESUS COMING INTO THE WORLD WAS FOR ALL PEOPLE. IT HAS A WORLDWIDE SIGNIFICANCE THAT IS NOT KNOWN AMONG THE OTHER RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD.
FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST CAN BE FOUND ALL OVER THE WORLD. WE MAY SHARE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AND CUSTOMS, BUT WE SHARE THE SAME SALVATION EXPERIENCE.
WE CAN LEARN FROM EACH OTHER AS WELL. CHURCHES IN NORTH AMERICA ARE VERY COMFORTABLE CHURCHES. WE DON’T FACE OPPOSITION AS PEOPLE IN SOME COUNTRIES DO. THERE ARE SOME CHURCHES IN COUNTRIES OVERSEAS THAT HAVE DIRT FLOORS AND NO WINDOWS OR DOORS. THERE ARE OTHER COUNTRIES WHERE TO MAKE A DECISION FOR CHRIST WOULD OSTRACIZE YOU FROM FAMILY AND THREATEN YOUR LIFE. YET WE WORSHIP THE SAME GOD AND ARE SAVED BY THE SAME ATONING WORK OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS.
IN HEAVEN THERE WILL BE PEOPLE THERE OF EVERY RACE AND NATIONAL ORIGIN. WE WILL ALL BE PRAISING GOD WITH A UNITED AND UNDERSTANDABLE VOICE. WHEN WE SPEAK WITH EACH OTHER EVERY WORD WILL BE UNDERSTOOD AND UNDERSTOOD IN OUR OWN LANGUAGE. IT WILL BE LIKE SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION.
AT CHRISTMAS PEOPLE FROM ALL NATIONS WILL BE JOINING TOGETHER TO WELCOME THE MESSIAH, IN JOY AND EXCITEMENT AS WE CONSIDER THAT HIS MISSION, THE SALVATION OF OUR SOULS, HAS STARTED.
POINT TWO: JESUS COMING HAS A HISTORICAL DIMENSION.
LUKE 2:11: Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
HERE THE ANGEL CONTINUES WITH HIS DECLARATION TO THE SHEPHERDS, AND TO US AS WELL. IT IS IN V.11 THAT HE INCLUDES A HISTORICAL DIMENSION TO HIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
SMALL WORDS CAN SOMETIMES CARRY SIGNIFICANT MEANINGS DEPENDING ON HOW THEY ARE USED, AND THE WORD “TODAY” AS IT IS USED HERE IS ONE OF THOSE WORDS.
THE ANGEL WAS STATING THAT AT THIS SPECIFIC POINT IN TIME THE MESSIAH CAME INTO THE WORLD. THERE WOULD BE NO MORE SPECULATION. THE TIME OF ANTICIPATING HIS BIRTH WAS OVER.
HE WAS HERE.
OUR FAITH, THE FAITH OF CHRISTENDOM, CENTERS AROUND THIS ONE POINT, AND THAT IS THAT AT THIS TIME, THE FIRST ADVENT, GOD BROKE DIRECTLY INTO OUR WORLD BY TAKING ON THE FORM OF A HUMAN.
ALL OF HUMANKIND WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS FACT OF HISTORY. THEY WILL HAVE TO ACCEPT BY FAITH THAT CHRIST CAN BE THEIR SAVIOR, OR THEY WILL HAVE TO FACE HIM AS THEIR JUDGE.
WE CANNOT IGNORE THE FACT THAT AT A CERTAIN TIME AND PLACE, GOD ENTERED INTO THE HUMAN RACE, AND DID SO TO FULFILL HIS SALVATION MISSION, AND BE THE PERFECT SACRIFICE FOR THE WORLD.
BECAUSE WE CAN’T IGNORE THAT FACT, WE ALSO CAN’T IGNORE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ACT ON THAT FACT. THE BIBLE IS VERY CLEAR
PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11:
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
WE MUST MAKE THE CHOICE TO ACCEPT CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR AND ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AS OUR LORD.
POINT THREE: JESUS COMING HAD A GEOGRAPHIC DIMENSION
JESUS COMING HAD A GEOGRAPHIC DIMENSION TO IT. THE ANGEL TOLD THE SHEPHERDS IN V. 11:
LUKE 2:11: Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
JESUS WAS BORN AT A SPECIFIC TIME, AND IN A SPECIFIC PLACE ON EARTH. BETHLEHEM, THE CITY OF DAVID WAS ALSO KNOWN AS THE CITY OF BREAD. THE MAJOR INDUSTRY OF BETHLEHEM WAS THE PRODUCING OF LAMBS TO BE SACRIFICED AT THE TEMPLE. THIS FACT WOULD MAKE BETHLEHEM THE PERFECT PLACE FOR THE BIRTH OF THE MESSIAH AS HE WOULD LATER BECOME THE SACRIFICE FOR THE WORLD.
IT WAS PROPHECIED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THAT THE MESSIAH WOULD BE BORN IN BETHLEHEM.
MICAH 5:2: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
WE HAVE FURTHER GEOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE OF THE PRESENCE OF THE MESSIAH IN THIS WORLD AT THE TIME OF THE CRUCIFIXION. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE MAN ON THE MIDDLE CROSS OF CALVARY WAS JESUS.
JOHN 19:17-18:
17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS GEOGRAPHIC KNOWLEDGE IS IMPORTANT. WE KNOW OF JESUS’ BIRTH IN BETHLEHEM AND WE KNOW OF HIS DEATH AT GOLGATHA. WE KNOW THAT HE WAS BURIED AND THAT A LARGE STONE WAS PLACED IN FRONT OF HIS TOMB.
THE GEOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE THAT IS MOST COMPELLING FOR US THOUGH THAT JESUS IS THE MESSIAH HAPPENED AFTER HIS DEATH.
1. JESUS BODY WAS NOT FOUND IN THE TOMB. ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE RESURRECTION IS THAT THEY WENT TO THE WRONG TOMB. THE EVIDENCE THOUGH SUGGESTS THAT THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT MARY AND THE OTHERS WERE AT THE RIGHT TOMB.
A) THE STONE WAS STILL THERE. MATTHEWS ACCOUNT HAS THE ANGEL SITTING ON THE STONE.
MATTHEW 28:2: There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.
2. THE BURIAL CLOTHS AND HANDKERCHIEF THAT WERE PLACED ON JESUS WERE STILL THERE.
JOHN 20:6-7:
Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen.
THIS CLOTH WOULD HAVE BEEN USED ONLY THREE DAYS EARLIER AND EASILY RECOGNIZED. THE POSITION OF THE CLOTH WOULD HAVE BEEN AN INDICATOR THAT JESUS’ BODY HAD BEEN IN THE TOMB.
THE QUESTION THAT MUST BE ANSWERED IS, “WHERE WAS IT NOW?”
THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION IS FOUND IN CHRIST’S ASCENSION INTO HEAVEN. THE ANGEL WAS SPEAKING TO THE DISCIPLES AFTER JESUS ASCENDED AND SAID THESE WORDS.
ACTS 1:11: 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
THESE ANGELS PROVIDED THE FINAL PROOF THAT JESUS WAS NOT IN THE TOMB BECAUSE HE HAD RISEN, AND WAS GOING TO THE FATHER IN HEAVEN. THIS SAME JESUS WHO WENT INTO HEAVEN THAT DAY, WILL ONE DAY RETURN AND TAKE HIS RIGHTFUL PLACE AS KING OF KINGS.
ALL OF THIS BEGAN WHEN JESUS ENTERED INTO HUMAN HISTORY IN A PLACE CALLED BETHLEHEM.
POINT FOUR: JESUS COMING HAD A REDEMPTIVE DIMENSION
THERE WAS A REASON JESUS ENTERED INTO HUMAN HISTORY AND THE ANGELS SHARED THAT REASON WITH THE SHEPHERDS THAT NIGHT.
LUKE 2:11: 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
THROUGHOUT HISTORY THE JEWISH NATION HAS BEEN WAITING FOR THESE WORDS TO BE DECLARED. THEY WANTED A SAVIOUR, NOT SO MUCH OF THEIR SOULS AS THEY FELT THEY DIDN’T NEED THAT, BUT TO SAVE THEM FROM THE TYRANNY OF THE ROMANS.
THE QUESTION ON THE HEART OF EVERY WOMAN WHO WAS EXPECTING WAS “IS THIS ONE THE ONE?”
THAT QUESTION WAS ANSWERED ON A HILLSIDE NEAR BETHLEHEM BY ANGELS. JESUS WAS BORN AT A DEFINITE TIME, IN A SPECIFIC PLACE, WITH A DIVINE MISSION.
ALL THIS WAS STATED WELL BEFORE HIS BIRTH AS WELL. IN A DREAM TO JOSEPH, WHEN HE FOUND OUT THAT MARY WAS PREGNANT THE ANGEL SAID THESE WORDS:
MATTHEW 1:21: She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.
JESUS’ BIRTH BROUGHT THE JEWISH PEOPLE THE HOPE THEY NEEDED TO ENDURE THE TYRANNY OF THE ROMANS. THE CHRIST WAS HERE, WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHS AND LYING IN A MANGER.
THIS LITTLE ONE WOULD LIVE TO TRANSFORM THE WORLD AND THE SALVATION HE BROUGHT TO THE PEOPLE THEN, IS JUST AS POWERFUL NOW.
POINT FIVE: JESUS COMING HAD A PROPHETIC DIMENSION
THE SHEPHERDS WERE POOR AND LOWLY IN STATURE, BUT THE MESSAGE OF THE ANGEL WAS CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD BY THEM. THE ANGEL SAID “WHICH IS CHRIST THE LORD”
CHRIST WAS NOT A NAME, IT WAS A TITLE. IT MEANT MESSIAH. THE ANGELS WERE ANNOUNCING THAT THE ONE THAT HAD BEEN PROPHECIED ABOUT THROUGHOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT WAS FINALLY HERE. IT WAS NO LONGER PROPHECY BUT REALITY.
THE PROMISE MADE BY THE PROPHETS THAT THE MESSIAH WOULD COME, WAS FINALLY KEPT BY GOD IN THE CRY OF THE BABY IN BETHLEHEM ON THAT FIRST CHRISTMAS.
CONCLUSION:
NOW YOU STAND IN FRONT OF THE DOOR OF ETERNITY AND MUST MAKE A CHOICE. THE EVENT IN BETHLEHEM IS NOT A PRIVATE MATTER, NOR IS IT ONE THAT IS CONFINED TO THAT SPECIFIC TIME AND PLACE.
THE COMING OF OUR LORD THAT NIGHT AS A BABE IS JUST AS REAL TO US NOW AS IT WAS THEN. TO YOU I SAY THE SAME WORDS AS THE ANGEL SAID TO THE SHEPHERDS.
LUKE 2:11: Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
TO YOU NOW FALLS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DETERMINING WHAT YOU WILL DO WITH THE SAVIOR. WILL YOU ACCEPT HIM AS THE SAVIOR OF YOUR LIFE, AND IN DOING SO ALSO MAKE HIM THE LORD OF YOUR LIFE.
THIS DOOR IS OPEN TO YOU NOW. I PRAY THAT YOU WILL MAKE THIS CHRISTMAS THE OCCASION OF YOUR BIRTHDAY AS WELL. I KNOW SOME PEOPLE WHO WERE BORN ON CHRISTMAS EVE. MY PRAYER IS TO KNOW MANY MORE WHO WERE BORN AGAIN ON CHRISTMAS. WOULD YOU BE ONE?
