You probably know what it is like to be busy at Christmas. I just read about someone who got so busy during the Christmas holidays that they did not have time to buy Christmas cards and send them out as scheduled. It came to the last minute, and then they felt rushed to get their cards out.
They went to the nearest store and just grabbed the first 10 boxes of cards available. Then they quickly signed the cards and mailed out over 200 cards to their friends and acquaintances. A few days after Christmas they read one of the extra cards. It said, this is just a note to say, a little gift is on the way, Merry Christmas.
Sometimes it doesn't pay to rush. This is especially true with the holiday rush with all the presents and cards, parties, and the Christmas programs. In all this rush we could miss the beauty of the birth of Christ and the great significance of Jesus coming the first Christmas morning.
Jesus’ birth is an act of history
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. (Luke 2:1-3)
It seems unnecessary to state that Jesus birth was an act of history. After all we date all of history by the event. If you're married, then there is a date on your marriage certificate. The date is how many years after the birth of Christ your marriage took place.
The Bible gives us the historical setting of the birth of Christ. When you know that setting of Jesus birth you will understand how God chooses to act. You will find that even the reigning emperor and governor is mentioned in the Christmas story.
Have you ever heard someone respond to some bad situation by saying that it worked out for their good? They said, it forced me to do something else I didn't know at the time and that worked out better for me in the long term.
Even people have come to the Lord because what they plan didn't work out. It seemed like a bad situation, but the Lord had something better in mind even when things did not turn out as they planned.
In Jesus birth God used a historical situation and a very bad situation for his own purposes. Joseph and Mary were in a crisis point in their lives. It was during the first census of Caesar Augustus. It forced Joseph and Mary to travel to Bethlehem.
It happened when Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census would be taken in the entire Roman world. Each one was to go to his own town of origin. God works through the unbelieving rulers and their political purposes to work his own purpose of salvation.
Caesar Augustus had no idea he was bringing fulfillment to prophecy. God is in control he works through unbelievers if you so desire. He does not need a dynamic leader to come along and get things moving. If God wants to, he can order the stones to cry out to praise him. He even can bring his purposes forward in the midst of persecution.
God can work his purpose is in your life despite inconveniences and despite disruptions that interfere with your plans. Joseph didn't plan the circumstances. Joseph never planned that Mary, would become pregnant by the Holy Spirit before their marriage.
Joseph was trying to dodge the apparent disgrace of the way things look. Joseph did not plan to travel to a busy city during the last trimester. No room in the end. That was not planned by Joseph. They were all circumstances that would have seemed really bad to Joseph. But we see now how all of this worked to God’s glory.
Joseph is probably just as nervous and irrational as any other expectant father. He must have tried to hurry up the donkey taking Mary to Bethlehem (if indeed Mary rode a donkey on the journey). Joseph was probably behaving like do when we're caught in a traffic jam.
In Jesus birth God is the Director of all the events.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. (Luke 2:4)
The closer you look at the birth of Jesus, in light of the entire Bible, the more you realize this was no random series of events, but rather, God completely brought forth his purpose through the events.
The events of Jesus birth are akin to when Jacob’s son Joseph was put in prison and sold into Egyptian slavery. Even what man meant for evil, God could use to bring forth his purposes. This was all part of God’s plan not only for Jacob and his family to survive the famine, but God was orchestrating the events of history all leading to the birth of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ who was born that first Christmas morning.
The census of Caesar Augustus meant that Joseph and Mary would travel to Bethlehem and give birth to their son Jesus in the city of David. This was the fullness of time and the place that was in the purpose of God.
Jesus’ genealogy is traced to King David. Jesus fulfills the prophecy as the Messiah being a son of David. Mathew Gives us 42 generations from Abraham to Christ and Luke gives us 70 generations from Adam to Christ. The purpose of the genealogies is to show Jesus to be the son of David.
The prophecies unfold one after another in Jesus’ lineage and his birthplace. God didn't depend on those in submission to him to bring this about. He can bring about his purposes through Herod and through Caesar Augustus. Nothing is too difficult for God. Ultimately, he's looking for willing servants but those who oppose God cannot thwart God's plan.
Jesus’ birth has a definite link to God's Old Testament covenant people. There's the humanity of Jesus and there's the divinity of Jesus. It is all part of God’s plan directing history since the fall of man in the Garden of Edan to bring us a savior. The good news of exceeding great joy is for all the people.
Jesus Birth: The Virgin Birth of Christ.
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18)
We see the virgin birth of Jesus in specifically in Matthew 1:18 and be inference in Luke 2:5, Which gives a very brief statement. Mary was pledged to be married and expecting a child.
Joseph, the legal father of Jesus went to Bethlehem the city of David to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
Mary was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. When this first became known to Joseph, he was going to divorce her because the betrothed engagement, required that. But an angel appeared to Joseph and clarified everything.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:20)
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:23)
This was itself a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin[b] will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
Joseph married her and Joseph had no union with Mary until she gave birth to Jesus. The testimony in the Scriptures is that Mary remained a virgin until after Jesus was born
But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. (Matthew 1:25.)
After the birth of Jesus Mary gave birth to other children according to Luke 8:19-20 and Mark 3:31-35. Joseph was the biological father of these children which includes James who wrote the book of James in the New Testament.
Jesus was born without a human father. Joseph may have been his legal father, but not his biological father. It was a virgin conception of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Birth was in God's Timing.
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:6-7)
There were many, many hardships for Mary in the birth of her son Jesus. It wasn't humanly convenient for Mary to travel during her pregnancy to a town where every available room is filled. And then to give birth in place reserved for animals. It's not easy to use a manger for a baby bed.
But in the fullness of time God brought forth his son. He brought forth a son born of a woman to redeem those under the law. It was God’s time. When there is no room in the inn who else would think of this, but God alone?
God even used the fact that there was no room in the inn to accomplish his purpose. It was all bringing glory to his name. Jesus was born in God’s time, and it was good news of great for all people. At that moment God's perfect timing in the town of Bethlehem a savior is born.
The Angels announced the time. Glory to God in the highest. On earth peace to men!
When the troubles come in your life remember how God works even through a pagan emperor like Caesar Augustus and through Joseph and Mary traveling during her pregnancy. He works in the midst of the accusations against young Mary and then God continues his work when she is forced to deliver a baby among the animals. If you're serving God with a willing heart, He will use every so-called setback to gloriously accomplish his purpose through you.
Yes, though history there is the direction of God. There is the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. There is God’s time in all of these events and the savior is born. Do you know him? Jesus was born to save us from our sins.
