When Heaven Came Down

WHEN HEAVEN CAME DOWN

LUKE 2: 1-14

My brothers and sisters the Christmas season is upon us and it is the time when for many their thoughts will turn toward:

• Mistletoe and candy canes

• Shopping malls and sales

• Santa Claus sliding down the chimney

While I acknowledge these are all images of the season, they are not all I think about.

When I think about Christmas, I think about Heaven coming down to earth.

• Luke says, “AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THOSE DAYS…”

• John says, “THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US…”

• Isaiah says, “UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN, UNTO US A SON IS GIVEN…”

Christmas is:

• Heaven’s invasion of earth.

• Eternity stepping into time.

• Divinity wrapped in humanity.

• Glory clothed in humility.

Church, let me paint the picture.

• Humanity was in trouble.

• Sin had broken fellowship with God.

• Darkness covered the earth.

• Hope was hanging by a thread.

Because for four hundred years, there had been silence between Malachi and Matthew—no prophets or prophecy, no word, and no revelation. Heaven had not spoken.

But then on a starry night in Bethlehem, Heaven broke the silence.

Heaven tore open the curtain of time.

Heaven stepped down into history.

• “When man couldn’t get to God, God came down to man.”

• “When earth couldn’t climb up to Heaven, Heaven stooped down to earth.”

That’s the real Christmas story: WHEN HEAVEN CAME DOWN!

My brothers and my sisters, won’t you imagine with me a mighty king sitting high in his palace.

He’s surrounded by gold, servants are at his beck and call, he is clothed in robes of royalty.

He doesn’t have to lift a finger—everything is done for him.

But one day, that king hears that his people are suffering. They’re hungry, they’re hurting, and they’re hopeless.

And instead of sending a messenger, instead of writing a letter, instead of issuing a decree from afar—this king takes off his royal robe, lays aside his crown, and walks down into the village.

He eats their food, he sleeps in their houses, he feels their pain, and he shares their struggle.

Church, that’s what Jesus did at Christmas!

• He left His shiny courts of glory

• He laid aside His crown

• He wrapped Himself not in silk but in swaddling clothes

• And He came down to walk among us.

• “The King of kings became the child of a peasant family.”

• “The Lord of lords was laid in a manger.”

• “The Prince of Heaven became the baby of Bethlehem.”

And here’s the shout:

• He didn’t just come down to visit

• He came down to stay

• He came down to save

• He came down to lift us up!

Now, I know somebody here is wondering, “Pastor, why does it matter that HEAVEN CAME DOWN?”

• It matters because if Heaven had not come down, we would still be lost.

• If Heaven had not come down, we would still be bound.

• If Heaven had not come down, we would still be hopeless.

• But thanks be to God—HEAVEN CAME DOWN!

So today, I want to walk us through what it means that Heaven came down.

• We’ll see it in history—because God stepped into real time.

• We’ll see it in humanity—because the Word became flesh.

• We’ll see it in hope—because Isaiah said His name shall be Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

• And we’ll see it in the heralds—because angels, shepherds, and wise men couldn’t keep quiet and keep it to themselves .

By the time we’re done, I pray you’ll leave here not just saying “Merry Christmas,” but declaring with joy: “Christmas is WHEN HEAVEN CAME DOWN!”

POINT 1: HEAVEN CAME DOWN IN HISTORY

TEXT: LUKE 2:1–14

My brothers and sisters, Luke sets the scene for us.

He doesn’t begin with fairy tales or fables—he begins with history. “AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THOSE DAYS, THAT THERE WENT OUT A DECREE FROM CAESAR AUGUSTUS, THAT ALL THE WORLD SHOULD BE TAXED.”

Now don’t miss this:

• Caesar thought he was running the world, but God was running redemption.

• Caesar thought he was in charge, but Heaven was in control.

• While Rome was flexing its muscles, Heaven was fulfilling its mission.

Luke wants us to know that Jesus didn’t come into a myth, He came into a moment.

He didn’t step into imagination, He stepped into incarnation.

He came into real time, real space, real history.

• Bethlehem was a real town.

• Augustus was a real emperor.

• Shepherds were real men watching real sheep in real fields.

• Real places, real time, real lives.

Church, this is the shout: God works in history. He works in the details. He works in the ordinary.