Book of Luke - Ch. 2, Vs 1-12 (12/08/2002)

I've missed so much, so many other things, and we're going to start with,

I know, chapter 1 is long, and he may have taught some of chapter 2, but we're going to start with verse 1.

And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed, in those days, for the children.

What does it mean, that it came to pass in those days? Well, in the time that they were living, the time that Caesar came, this is the way that they were taxed.

All right, they had to be alive, but what else is it referring to in those days?

I don't think I'm going to have any of that, but in the past, or at that time,

Luke is writing here, so it's talking over 30 years ago.

I'm sorry, I'm trying to find my place. Luke 2, 1, is everybody on that page?

When God saw fit to bring forth his Son, it had to be in those days.

Which refers to the Greek language had to be just sold. The political situation had to be just sold.

He did not wait until it was sold. He brought everything about so that Jesus could be born in those days.

Now, in our everyday life, we have things that belong, things that set up what

I do next, and what I do next, and everything. And we get the impression that I'm doing this and that.

The truth of the matter is, God arranged it. He arranged it so that they would have to go back to their hometown to register.

Now, they were going to register for taxation, that's right there just close to the door, but he ordained it all.

For all the inhabitants, male and female, of every town in the

Roman Empire, and state, should be registered.

It was not necessary for the females to go, or the children, the man could have done that.

Let's see what takes place. So, you're saying in those days, in essence, all the prophecies had to come together at the same time before he could be born, because he wouldn't fulfill the prophecies.

That's right. It all had to come to a head. The most important event in the world of man, in those days.

And this taxation was first made when Seminius was governor of Syria.

Now, some may think that the

United States should pay the tax. Was it billed? At this time?

Yeah. No. No. I don't think so. The word used here for world means inhabited earth, and it speaks of the reference to the civilized world of that day.

The Roman Empire. The Roman Empire is what we're talking about.

My uncivilized forefathers were not taxed. Three, and all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city.

Now, they're carrying on the taxing of the registry, and all of it is designed by God.

Taxed, enrolled for taxation in his own city, the place where his ancestors had lived.

We're interested in Jesus coming, so we're talking about his family.

Luke wrote, according to Mary's story, remember, Joseph also went up to Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, entered

Judea, under the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David.

He taxed with Mary as a spouse -wife, being great with his child. Now, I've always said it was not necessary for Mary to build it.

Why did she? She was pregnant. She stayed with her husband.

She had to go to fulfill the prophet, too, being that Jesus was with her.

Well, that's true, but Diane was a little bit closer to it.

Yeah, I would want my husband. He didn't want to leave her alone. There you go.

She was pregnant and about to be delivered, and he didn't want to leave her alone. That's why she stayed.

Now, can you imagine taking that number? Well, Joseph's presence would have been enough, but in his heart he knew not to leave her.

He wasn't thinking about the prophecies. He was thinking about her, and she had to go for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem.

We know that, but they didn't go there. But, Brother Otis, they knew that their son was going to be special, that he was going to be the son, and they would have known the prophecies.

That's okay. I don't know that it occurred to them that they needed to go to Bethlehem so that the child could be born in Bethlehem, but they would have known the prophecy because that was there.

And so it was that while they were there that the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

So they know she was real close on the road, and she has come now to be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in a swaddling cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for him at the inn.

A lot has been made about no room at the inn. We're not interested in that. We're interested in this mark, or stall mark.

And really, it was not anything like we know, because the place the infant redeemer was laid, it seems to have been, in a stall or a crib, a place to feed cattle.

And the mangers, in our modern sense, were bundled in ancient times. The word here probably denotes the ledge or projection at the end of the room.

It was as a stall was laid, or food to the animals and predators was placed.

So it was a stall, but not like we're thinking about a stall in a manger.

One thing to note, the everlasting father became a child of time.

Right there. When we see him wrapped in a swaddling cloth, laid in a manger, the animals were prone to say,

Surely, this can't be the son of God. Parents, why did he come as a baby and not as a man?

Well, the easy answer to that is that's what he got wanted with. Well, we know all of that.

We know the prophecies and everything. And it had to be fulfilled. But from our viewpoint, why did he have to be a baby?

I think it's to prove that he was a human in addition to being

God. Why didn't he just walk on the scene? Well, because people would argue where he came from and his heritage and all those things.

So that's why he's critical. There was enough argument about what it was. He didn't just appear to come from some other country.

They wouldn't have believed it at all. And how could he be tempted in all ways, as we were tempted, if he didn't go through the process of growing up?

All of it was exactly as it should be. See, in some ways, that's the most awesome thing about it all.

Because he was 100 % totally God. But he was also 100 % totally man.

And that meant that all of those things about being a man, he had to go through. He had to go through birth, he had to go through death.

He went through it all so that he was just as much a human as any human. And he was just as much of God as God the

Father. We have to just accept that fact. I believe it.

I teach it. But I cannot understand it. I understand the words.

They have a definition of that I understand. But to comprehend God and man.

And spirit. And what? And spirit. Yes. He is all of each of those.

And... It's amazing. But to see him attended with the choir of angels,

I must say surely this can be none other than the Son of God. Verse 8,

And there were in the same country shepherds of I and V, keeping watch over their flock.

And people asked the question, When was

Jesus born? Well, what do you answer to such a question?

Babies are always born at night. Three o 'clock in the morning. I'm sorry.

I don't know. Babies are always born at night. And they said,

Could it have been in the weather the shepherds wouldn't have been out watching their flock by night? Well, the day of his birth is not important.

His birth is. The day of his crucifixion is not important. His crucifixion is.

So he didn't see to it that he lived the day. And lo, the angel of the

Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around about them, and they were sore afraid.

Jesus does not want you to sympathize with his birth. Or with his crucifixion either.

He wants you to trust him. He gives you faith. And this is all he wants.

In Proverbs 5 and 1 it says, Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our

Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 10. And the angel said unto them,

Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

He did not lay aside his deity. He laid aside his glory.

It was just as much God as God without his glory. For unto you, or unto us, unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a

Savior, which is Christ the Lord. It is wonderful to see a little baby, and your heart goes out to him.

There is sympathy that goes from within him. That is the way

God entered the world, and he could have entered it. As he will when he comes back, in power and glory, instead, he came to the least possibly.

That's the way the Savior came into the world. He should have meant more than just a few shepherds, and a few angels to welcome him.

All of creation should have been there, instead of collecting taxes that my fellow

Caesar should have been in Bethlehem, worshipping him. But he wasn't.

It was decreed that he wasn't. Could Christ have caused him to be in Jerusalem?

Yes. He could have, but it would upset the

God's plans. He was gone. I can't get away from that.

Christ could have forced him to do that very thing, but he did not. He laid aside his deity, but he laid aside not his deity, but his prerogatives of deity.

He came home a baby. He laid aside the prerogatives of his deity. He left all that, and he came as a man.

One more verse. And this shall be a sign unto you, you shall find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Again, Dr. Lucas, emphasizing his humanity. He came into this world as a human being, as Bill said.

He was touched with the feeling of our prerogatives, as Diane said.

God knows about mankind. He knows you. He knows me. He understands us because he came into this world in a human being.

This all means that we can know something about God because he took upon himself our humanity.

Well, that's as far as I want to go. Is there anything that you'd like to add?

Or say? Well, I'll stand and wait.

Roger, I want you to listen to some news. Yes, sir. Heavenly Father, again, thank you for the opportunity to give to us to come together in fellowship and look at your word.

It's a wonderful time that we're about to study that the time you came into this earth, you placed in the time that we might see this part of you, that we see

Christ grow, and then come to the cross so that you might pay the ultimate price.

We pray that you will continue to be with us. We continue this week. Help us to be encouraging to one another as we seek the constant thanksgiving that you've done for us, which in this time of year allows us to concentrate on things of this nature.