THE CHRIST OF CHRISTMAS Luke 2: 1-16
Christmas, though it has been much corrupted and commercialized over the years, is still a pleasant time at the end of the year. It’s a time when people seem to focus on others a little bit more than at other times of the year.
Christmas has largely become synonymous with giving. It was God’s loving gift of His Son that is supposed to be the reason for the season.
· Today for a little while I want us to consider the Christ of Christmas.
Luke 2: 1-16
1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
. 15And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
Christ was BORN AT AN APPROPRIATE PERIOD
Gal.4: 4 “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,”
The words “the fullness of the time” make reference “to that time when the world was providentially ready for the birth of the Saviour.”
God is always on time. The birth of Christ took place at just the right time.
Christ could not have not have been born into the world at a more opportune period.
This “time” was when the Roman civilization had brought peace and a road system which helped people as they traveled; also at this “time” when Grecian civilization provided a language which was adopted as the common language of the empire.
Not only was the birth of Jesus on God’s perfect timetable, but also He lived out His whole life on God’s schedule.
Daniel 9: 25 tells us that there would be 483 years between the decree to rebuild Jerusalem, which took place in 445 B.C., and the advent of “Messiah the Prince.” And Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem—exactly 483 years after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem.
God sent His Son into the world at just the right time.
· Listen as I read to you this poem:
“Mary Had The Little Lamb”
Mary had the little Lamb, who lived before His birth;
Self-existent Son of God, from Heaven He came to Earth.
Mary had the little Lamb; see Him in yonder stall —
Virgin-born Son of God, to save man from the fall.
Mary had the little Lamb, obedient Son of God;
Everywhere the Father led, His feet were sure to trod.
Mary had the little Lamb, crucified on the tree
the rejected Son of God, He died to set men free.
Mary had the little Lamb—men placed Him in the grave,
Thinking they were done with Him; to death He was no slave!
Mary had the little Lamb, ascended now is He;
All work on Earth is ended, our Advocate to be.
Mary had the little Lame—mystery to behold!
From the Lamb of Calvary, a Lion will unfold.
When the Day Star comes again, of this be very sure:
It won’t be Lamb-like silence, instead the Lion’s roar.
Jesus the Christ; BORN THROUGH AN APPROVED PERSON
Luke 1: 28 “And the angel came in unto her (Mary), and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.”[Not above women]
Messiah’s Birth by A Virgin Was Foretold.
Gen.3: 15 “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”
Let me say, we don’t usually think of the virgin birth of Christ when we think of the book of Genesis. However, Genesis 3: 15 is the Bible’s first reference to the virgin birth of Messiah, though it is not mentioned directly. Notice that God told Satan that there would be “enmity” (hostility) between his seed and the seed of the woman.
This implies the virgin birth since it is common knowledge that the seed of procreation is man’s contribution, not the woman’s. But God became more specific in this prophecy. He said, “it (the seed of the woman) shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel”
God did not say that the seed of Satan would bruise “their” heel, which would imply all the children of the woman. He said that the seed of Satan would bruise “his heel.” Only Jesus and the cross of Calvary could fit the requirements of this verse.
Isa.7: 14 “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
The prophet Isaiah adds another thought to the uniqueness of the virgin birth. The offspring of this virgin birth would be called “Immanuel,” or “God with us” (Matt.1: 23).
The doctrine that the Son of God became human; (John 1:14***). Jesus took on our flesh with all its problems and weaknesses. Incarnation, in the Christian understanding, means that Christ was both God and human.
Luke 1: 26 “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
…………………………………………………………..
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.”
The angel Gabriel not only foretold that the Virgin Mary, would bear a son, but also told her what His name would be. That name indicated what His ministry would be, that being to save His people. The name, Jesus, is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name “’Joshua,’ meaning ‘Jehovah is salvation.’”
~~ Messiah’s Birth by a Virgin Was Fulfilled.~~
Matt.1: 18 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.”
Luke 2: 6 “And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”
NOTE: It has always been amazing to me that many of those who have trouble believing the virgin birth, can so easily and readily accept without question the idea that man evolved from the apes.
“Three Monkeys”
Three monkeys sat in a coconut tree
Discussing the things that are said to be—
Said one to another: “Now listen you two
There’s a certain rumor, but it can’t be true,
That man descended from our noble race—
Why, the very idea; it’s such a disgrace!
“No monkey ever deserted his wife,
starved her babies and ruined her life.
Nor did ever a mother-monkey
Leave her babies with others to bunk,
Or pass them on from one to another
‘Till they scarcely knew who was their mother.
“And another thing you’ll never see
A monkey building a nest around a coconut tree,
And let the coconuts go to waste,
Forbidding all other monkeys to have a taste.
“Here’s another thing that a monkey won’t do:
Go out at night and get on a stew;
Or use a gun, a club, or a knife
To take another monkey’s life.
Yes, Man descended, the ornery cuss!
But Brother, he didn’t descend from us.”
Jesus The Christ was BORN AT AN APPOINTED PLACE
Christ’s Birth In Bethlehem Was Prophesied In Scripture.
Micah 5: 2 “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
Both Isaiah and Micah agreed that Messiah would one day be the ruler of Israel.
. Isaiah said, “…the government shall be upon his shoulder…” (Isa.9: 6 ).
Micah said, “…yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel…” (Micah 5: 2 ).
Micah’s prophecy was literally fulfilled according to Luke 2: 4-7. As a matter of fact, when Herod inquired of the priests and the scribes about the birthplace of the Messiah, they quoted to him Micah 5: 2 (Matt.2: 3-6).
Christ’s Birth In Bethlehem Was Of Prophetic Significance.
. Bethlehem means, “The House of Bread.”
John 6: 51 “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
What better place for the “Bread of Life” to be born than in Bethlehem, “The House of Bread” ? What better place for the “Living Bread” to use for His cradle than a manger—a feeding trough?
Bethlehem’s fields were used to graze the sacrificial lambs.
John the Baptist, when he saw Jesus, said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1: 29 ).
The apostle John stated that Jesus was, “…the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev.13: 8).
~~ what better place for the “Lamb of God” to be born than in a stable? The fact is: every detail of the birth of Christ spoke of His person and purpose. ~~
JESUS THE CHRIST WAS BORN FOR AN AMAZING PURPOSE
He Would Be Crucified For Our Sins.
John 3: 14 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:”
Gal.3: 13 “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.”
1ST. TIM. 1:15This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,
He Would WILLINGLY Complete Our Salvation.
Acts 5: 30 “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”
I Pet.3: 18a “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God…”
the bottom line is that Jesus Christ was born to die, and died that we might live. I think the following says it best:
Our Greatest Need
· if our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator.
· If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist.
· if our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist.
· if our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer.
· But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us THE Savior.
