The Night Life Began

Video… Social Network Christmas

Slide #1

Welcome…Coffee

Please stand… with me as we read from…Luke 2:1-20

“ In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to 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, who was with child.

6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.

7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.

10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and 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 among those whom he is pleased.”

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Prayer

Slide # 2 Please be seated…

Most of us here have heard this story read time and time again.

I believe it should be shared with our friends and families all over the world.

But as I have read thru this passage the past few weeks…God brought several things to my attention…

First…that God revealed His love for all mankind in this story by using everyday people to reach out to those who are lost.

Second…God also revealed to those who were present (those living in that day)… that the time for the long awaited prophecy had finally arrived.

And third…I believe the most important for you and I today……was… that night over 2000 years ago…when Jesus came into this world…life itself as we know it changed forever.

In Luke chapter 2:1-20…we find where God used several entities to complete His plan for the world…

The First and most amazing entity we find in this passage is…

Slide#3 God Working Through Deception

Many times in life… Christians get the opportunity to see God work… thru people who have a passion/desire to serve Him. (Thus the existence of Christianity)

But very few times do we witness where God works thru a person who if were given the choice first… would more than likely choose not to participate.

We find this lack of participation I’m referring to in…

Luke 2:1

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.

Slide #4

When I read this verse…3 questions come to mind…

1) Who was Caesar Augustus?

2) What was this decree about?

3) And how did God use a man with worldly passion to work for His good?

Caesar was a man that loved the spotlight… --he felt the need to always have the best of everything… --he always wanted people to see that he was in control.

He was the current ruler of the Roman Empire…and if he would have had it his way…all the people in the whole world (and not just in the Roman Empire) would have looked to or treated him as a god of this world.

Greedy people…are never content with what they have…they always want more…and this was Caesar…

This is why he sent out the decree….

Plain and simple…Caesar needed more money so he could raise a bigger army to help control his empire….