The Drama Unfolds
Luke 2:1-20
INTRODUCTION.
The importance of the virgin birth cannot be overstated.
Many of the prophecies of the Old Testament depend for their
fulfillment upon the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
The plan of redemption,
the New Testament church,
and many other doctrines hinge upon Jesus’ coming in the flesh.
Most all know story of Christ’s birth.
-Review-
It was a great drama with many lessons for us
As with any drama, their are characters & scenes
Want to focus on just a few of these & see
the lessons they have for us today
I. Scene One - Gabriel, Mary, & Joseph
Wonder what Gabriel’s reaction was. Never one to question.
This time had to wonder
God will become...a baby?!
OK for humans, but heavens can’t contain God. How can a
body?
In for another shock.
Mother-to-be of God wasn’t regal - a jewish peasant
barely outgrown her acne
Maybe wanted to turn back?
A. THE ANNOUNCEMENT (Luke 1:26-40).
1. The Giving of the Message (Luke 1:26—33).
Gabriel went to the country of Galilee, to the city of
Nazareth, to appear unto a virgin named Mary.
Mary was engaged to a man named Joseph,
a direct descendant of David.
The angel’s opening words to Mary were:
“Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with
thee: blessed art thou among women” (Luke 1:28).
The angel’s words disturbed Mary - she became afraid;
Gabriel calmed her fears by reassuring her that she
was in the center of God’s favor.
Gabriel made several startling announcements:
1) she would conceive and give birth to a son;
2) she should call His name Jesus;
3) He would be great;
4) He would be called the Son of the Highest;
5) the Lord would give Him the throne of His father
David;
6) He would reign over the house of Jacob forever;
7) His kingdom would have no end.
2. The Importance of the Message (Luke 1:32,33).
The importance of the message of Gabriel to Mary cannot
be overlooked,
gives us a vital link between the yet unborn child and the
promised Saviour of the Old Testament prophecies.
He would be virgin born.
His very name would mean “Jehovah saves.”
He would be great, the Son of the Highest, and heir
to the throne of David.
He would rule the house of Jacob forever,
His kingdom would never end.
Compare this angelic description with the prophetic
description.
In 2 Sam. 7:13—16 God promised David that his house,
kingdom, and throne would be established forever.
Who would fulfill this promise?
Isaiah 9:6,7 - “For unto us a child is born, unto us
a son is given: and the government shall be upon his
shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful,
Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father,
The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his
government and peace there shall be no end, upon
the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order
it, and to establish it with judgment and with
justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of
the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
The Messiah, the promised one of Israel,
would be born among men,
establish His kingdom upon the throne of David,
and rule forever and ever.
Scripture proclaimed it!
The angel of God had declared it!
The child to be born of Mary would be the Messiah,
the hope of Israel, the Son of God!
3. The Explanation of the Message (Luke 1:34—37).
Mary seemed to accept the message of the angel.
passage gives us no indication that she doubted the
words of God’s message,
but she did have a legitimate question:
“How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?”
(Luke 1:34).
A logical response.
It does not question the message itself, but
seeks a further explanation.
The Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God Himself, would
come upon her.
The power of God would overshadow her so
that she would conceive and give birth to a
holy child who could with complete accuracy
be called the Son of God.
4. The Response to the Message (Luke 1:38).
Mary’s response is a model of submissiveness to the
word and will of God in her life.
“Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it unto me
according to thy word” (Luke 1:38).
If her statement in this instance is any indication of the
true attitude of Mary’s heart toward the will of God, it is
little wonder that He chose her to bear the Saviour of
mankind. Her willingness to be used of God should be an
example to every Christian.
She could have refused
What will Joseph think?
My parents?
His parents?
The town?
(Nazareth directly on trade route - Many
“working women.”)
B. THE ANGEL’S MESSAGE TO JOSEPH (Matt. 1:18—25).
1. Joseph’s Plan (Matt. 1:18,19).
Mary believed God and went to see her cousin Elisabeth.
At the same time Joseph, her husband-to-be, was
apparently not aware of all the dealings of God in Mary’s
life.
When the story of the Heavenly conception was reported
to him, he did not believe it.
Under the custom of the day, wedding vows were
exchanged at betrothal, though the marriage could
not be consummated until a year later.
It was during this waiting period that Mary
was discovered to be with child.
In response, Joseph considered giving Mary a bill of
divorcement and putting her away privately, rather
than seeing her suffer for what he considered to be
her sin.
2. God’s Instructions (Matt. 1:20,21).
Joseph’s plans were never carried out.
Gabriel came to him in a dream and assured him of
the truth.
The angel had special instructions for Joseph.
Matthew 1:20,21 - “But while he thought on
these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared
unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of
David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for
that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call
his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from
their sins.”
Joseph was to go ahead with the marriage to Mary and
was to name the child she would bear Jesus.
He would be a Saviour for His people and for the
world.
3. Isaiah’s Prophecy (Matt. 1:22,23).
This child, whom Joseph was instructed to rear as his
own, was no ordinary son.
He was to be the Son of God.
The angel had confirmed to Mary that the
child would be the fulfillment of God’s
promise.
Isaiah 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.”
Never before, and never again, would such a miraculous
birth occur.
It was a sign to Israel, and to all men, that the Saviour
of the world was come—promised of God, proclaimed by
the prophet, announced by an angel, and born of a virgin.
He would be the Saviour, the Messiah, the Son of God.
II. Scene Two - The Parenthetical Preparation (Flash-back)
Galatians 4:4 - “But when the fulness of the time was come, God
sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,”
Exactly right on schedual
exactly when & where it should happen
When all things fit perfectly together
a virgin became pregnant
& a child was born
A. A Major Lanquage to Convey Message
Important to convey message
Since Babel - diversity of lanquages
Enter Alexander the Great
conquered much of known world
Greek became major world lanquage
now can understand message
B. A Means to Convey Message
Enter Roman Empire
Built Roads - great roads!
First paved roads in history
Many still in use today!
(N.Y. & Pa. need to take a lesson)
Unusual situation
out of the blue - had census/taxing required
required everyone to go to ancestral home &
register
Joseph had to go to Bethlehem at time of
Mary’s term
Fulfilled Prophecy!
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.”
All pieces fit together perfectly
Jesus was not a last-ditch effort to redeem man
He came in “fulness of time”
God’s preparation is awsome
C. The Place Prepared - Bethlehem
Bethlehem = “The House of Bread”
Located in Judah (5 mi. south of Jerusalem)
Judah = “praise”
“House of Bread in Praise”
Jesus Christ would become the Bread of Life who recieves
praise
-Burial place of Rachel (Jacob’s wife)
-Home of Ruth & Boaz (David’s great grand parents)
-Boyhood home of David
-Refuge for God’s people after exile
-Prophesied birthplace of Messiah
This small town would impact the
-faith,
-forgiveness &,
-future
of all mankind
III. Scene Three - The Angels and The Shepherds
A. The Angels
The first Christmas Carol
1. First, they said that this salvation gave “Glory to God.”
2. When they had sung this, they sang what they had never sung
before.
“Glory to God in the highest,” was an old, old song; they
had sung that from before the foundations of the world.
But, now, they sang as it were a new song before
the throne of God: for they added this stanza —
“on earth, peace.”
3. And, then, they ended their song with a third note.
They said, “Good will to man.”
B. The Shepherds
The Shepherds were the first to hear of the Messiah’s birth. Why?
Jer. 35 - story of descendants of Jonadab
son of Rechab the Kenite
went with Jehu to see zeal of the Lord,
helped destroy Ahab’s family
Separated himself & family from influences of world & sins
of his age
Baal worship
intemperence
Took no wine
own no home
dwelt in tents
life of shepherding
Was used as a rebuke to Judah
was righteous, courageous, consistant
Babylon attacked - went to Jerusalem for safety
Were tempted by priest to break vows of Jonadab
were tempted by God’s man
in God’s house
to break vows to God.
Jonadab dead 300 years (who would know?)
Remained true to father’s wishes
remained true to own convictions
“When in Rome...” - NO!
When in Christ, do as Christ would do!
They were rewarded
Jeremiah 35:18,19 - “And Jeremiah said unto the house of
the Rechabites, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel;
Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your
father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all
that he hath commanded you: Therefore thus saith the LORD of
hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not
want a man to stand before me for ever.”
Somewhere in the world now is a saved Rechabite
Now it’s:
629 years later
929 years after Jonadab
The shepherds stood before the Lord.
God Keeps His Word!
Isaiah 55:11 - “So shall my word be that goeth
forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me
void, but it shall accomplish that which I please,
and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
IV. Scene Four - The Wise Men’s Quest (Mt. 2:1-12)
Not much said or known
How many? (3 gifts)
Probably from Babylon or Persia
“Wise Men” = (Gr.) Magi - astrologers
Probably influenced by Jews of captivity
possibly had copy of Daniel!
A. When Did They Come?
Contrary to popular tradition - were not at stable
traveled great way - took 2 years
Matthew 2:7 - “Then Herod, when he had privily called
the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the
star appeared.”
Matthew 2:16 - “Then Herod, when he saw that he was
mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent
forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem,
and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and
under, according to the time which he had diligently
enquired of the wise men.”
Did not see Jesus in manger/stable as baby
Matthew 2:8-11 - “And he sent them to Bethlehem, and
said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and
when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may
come and worship him also. When they had heard the king,
they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the
east, went before them, till it came and stood over
where the young child was. When they saw the star,
they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they
were come into the house, they saw the young child
with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him:
and when they had opened their treasures, they presented
unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”
B. Why did they come?
Were looking for “Messiah the Prince” of Daniel’s
prophecy
An examination of Daniel’s prophecy shows why
they expected Jesus at this time
Daniel 9:24-26 - “Seventy weeks are determined
upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the
transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to
make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in
everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision
and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know
therefore and understand, that from the going forth
of the commandment to restore and to build
Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be
seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the
street shall be built again, and the wall, even in
troublous times. And after threescore and two
weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself:
and the people of the prince that shall come shall
destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end
thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of
the war desolations are determined.”
It would be 69 “weeks” from King Cyrus’ decree to send a
remnant back to Jerusalem under Ezra & Nehemiah to
restore the city & the temple until the saviour came.
Prophetically - 1 week = 7 years
69x7=483 years
Wise men kept track from generation to generation
for 483 years and knew the time was at hand for
Daniel’s prophecy to be fulfilled & now came
seeking.
Did not follow star - simply saw star in the east
Appeared to signal them to start
already knew seeking King of the Jews
naturally went to Jewish capital
Only when came to Bethlehem did star
lead & stop over where Jesus was
C. The Wise Men’s Example
The Magi first depended upon the Word of God
then on outward evidence & leadership
(we all need that wisdom)
Magi believed God first, then the star appeared
CONCLUSION.
Perhaps the best-known fact in all our history is the birth of Jesus.
No other event is more widely celebrated.
Even little children know of:
-the taxation decree by Caesar Augustus,
-Joseph’s and Mary’s going to Bethlehem,
-the overcrowded condition in the inns,
-the birth of the baby in the stable,
-the manger that was His bed,
-the angel’s message to the shepherds,
-the wise men’s arrival & gifts
The entire spectrum of mankind was invited to see the Saviour.
The invitation ranged all the way from lowly shepherds
to wise men from the East.
All mankind was informed that Jesus brought good
tidings to man.
Each generation has an obligation to the one following to pass on the
Biblical facts about the birth of the Saviour.
We have an obligation to teach not only the birth of the
Saviour, but the virgin birth.
It was necessary that Jesus be born of a virgin.
There was no other way He could enter the human
race.
The purpose for this birth was that all men through Him might be
saved.
Wise Men Still Seek Him.
