TYRANTS, TIDINGS, AND TREASURES
LUKE 2:1-20
1. TYRANTS AND TROUBLES.
LK 2:1-3 1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
Caesar Augustus- actually Gaius Octavius. He was the adopted son of Julius Caesar. After Julius was murdered, 3 men shared the power of Rome and Octavius led his armies to drive Lepidus into exile and defeated and surrounded Marc Antony, who committed suicide.
He became the dictator of the Roman empire. He did bring peace to the empire, but at a price. He was a dictator and a tyrant.
Rome was the great superpower of the world and it took much money to keep the empire financed. So, Octavius instituted a census so that every person could be accounted for and properly taxed. Every person would have to travel to their home town to register.
LK 2:4-7 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem with Mary to register. The trouble is that Mary is pregnant for the journey. Can you imagine taking that long journey while 9 months pregnant?
They arrive and there is no comfortable place for them to stay, so they take shelter in a stable or possibly a cave where sheep were fed.
What must Mary be thinking? A pregnancy she didn’t ask for, constant gossip about her chastity, a long difficult journey, and having to give birth amongst a bunch of dirty, smelly sheep.
* Where are you God? But, God was with her all this time.
* God was in the planning.
(1) He directed the tyrant to issue the census at the right time.
(2) He had them in Bethlehem for the birth- where Savior was prophesied to be born.
* Why would God choose to allow His Son to be born in a stable?
Even though He is the Son of God, He is also the Son of man. He came to identify with us, to become One of us. So He humbled Himself and made Himself low. The next time you feel sorry for yourself because of what you don’t have, remember that Jesus gave up everything and came to the world with nothing, born in a stable.
2. TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY.
LK 2:8-14 8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
Shepherds- The Creator of the world is born, yet no one in the world knew of His birth that night except the lowest in society, shepherds. It was a dirty, smelly job with long hours and little financial reward. It was often a lonely job watching them night and day alone.
* Why shepherds?- It’s very fitting that the Good Shepherd’s birth was announced to them.
The angel appeared to them and they are terrified. Angels are terrifying to behold. But, this angel is not coming with fearful dread, but for good tidings....great news! He announces the birth of the Savior. Israel has been waiting for the Messiah for centuries and that day is finally here!
The angel instructs them to go to Bethlehem and search until they find this Newborn King. They will know they’ve found Him because He will be newly born and lying in a manger.
As if a message from one angel wasn’t enough, vs 13 goes on to say
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, goodwill toward men!”
What a glorious sight to behold.
Lk 2:15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”
So, they immediately go to Bethlehem to search for Jesus.
3. TREASURES IN THE HEART.
Lk 2:16-18 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
The shepherds found the Treasure they went looking for.
The Treasure of Heaven.
Here was the King of all Creation.
Not born in a palace but a stable.
Not lying in a crib made of gold and ivory, but a manger made of wood and filled with hay.
Not surrounded by dozens of servants, for He came to serve.
Notice that these shepherds were so overjoyed by this experience that they shared this treasure with everyone they met and everyone that heard their story marveled about this Treasure.
Lk 2:19-20 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
* We began this Christmas story with a Tyrant that only wanted to subjugate people and tax them to increase his own wealth and power. He didn’t even know Joseph or Mary.
* Nor did he know or care that Mary was inconvenienced by the order he imposed.
* Mary had given birth to Jesus. Probably wondering why things looked as bad as they did. Wondering why things turned out like they did. Had God forgotten them?
* Then, a bunch of shepherds show up to see this Babe in the Manger. They tell her about the angels and how the glory of God led them to this humble stable.
* She must have smiled with joy.
God had not forgotten about her and this baby after all.
