Book of Luke - Ch. 2, Vs. 1-20 (11/24/2002)

Circumstances, Providence, and the Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem

Okay, thank you, Brother Clarence. Luke chapter two, verse one. It's amazing how this ties in with, of course, I suppose everything in our life could tie in with the message this morning about circumstances, but this one, it just seems has many, many points that we can observe along the same lines.

So let's begin and read a few of these verses. Notice the different things that had to fall into place to make it be so that Jesus Christ was actually born in Bethlehem in a manger. And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world would be taxed.

And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth to Judea and to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child.

She was also from the lineage of David. And so it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 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.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. Let's stop and go review some of those before we go further. Verse one, this decree, which took place from Caesar Augustus, had to have occurred at this exact time in order for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem.

What an interesting coincidence. But he gave a decree at this time for everyone in the entire Roman world, which was the known world of their day, that they would all be taxed. Then verse two, it gives the exact time in world history.

It was when Cyrenius was governor. And what's interesting about this is we can study the historical timing of all of this. And what you see is that the Roman Empire was at its height the year Jesus was born.

It had never been larger and more powerful before this time and it would never be as large and powerful as it was at this time. So he was born at the apex of the Roman Empire. Verse three, all went to be taxed, everyone in his own city.

So they had a certain rule about the organization of how the taxes would be taken up, where each person went to the city of their lineage and that way they could sort of have some organization about taking the taxes up.

And this was another coincidence that occurred that had to happen if Jesus were gonna be born in Bethlehem because that's not where they lived. And it goes on, it says, and Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth unto Judea unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage of David.

So there's another thing. Joseph had to be of the house and lineage of David even though he was not Jesus' real father. If he had been from a different lineage, they would have gone to a different city.

To be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being gravely child. There's another interesting quote, coincidence. She happened to be at the end of her third trimester when this all took place. So she's right at the point of giving birth the very time that they were forced by the government to go and pay this tax, so they had to go do it.

It was due on a certain date, I'm sure. And so there they find themselves moved by all these circumstances from their human viewpoint, moved by all these circumstances to be in a certain place at a certain time.

And let's keep going here. It was so, verse six, that while they were there, the days of her were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room in the inn for them.

There's another coincidence, seemingly, from the human viewpoint. There was not one motel room left in the whole city. So they had to go into this barn. Now, that's an interesting quote, coincidence, when you read verse 12, because look what happens in verse 12.

Skip ahead a little bit. The angel comes and says, "'This shall be a sign unto you. "'You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes "'lying in a manger.'". It wouldn't have been a sign if he'd been lying in a nice holiday inn somewhere.

So the sign was, "'It's unusual to see a newborn human "'in the stalls with the newborn lambs.'". But that's where he was. So now, all of these things are happening, seemingly, by, quote, accident, and yet we know that every single thing, every detail was orchestrated by God.

Verse eight, "'And there were in the same country "'shepherds abiding in the field at the same time,' "'as all this was happening, "'keeping watch over the flock by night. "'And lo, the angel of the Lord came unto them, "'and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, "'and they were sore afraid.

"'And the angel said unto them, "'Fear not, for behold, "'I bring you good tidings of great joy, "'which shall be to all people. "'For unto you is born this day in the city of David "'a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

"'And this shall be a sign unto you, "'ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, "'lying in the manger.'. "'And suddenly there was with the angel "'a multitude of heavenly hosts, "'praising God, saying, "'Glory to God in the highest, "'and on earth peace, "'good will toward all men.'".

Miracles, the New Testament Message, and the Purpose of Signs

Now, don't you find it interesting that they weren't singing, necessarily? We talked about that. Brother Otis talked about that once a year or so ago. They were shouting, they were praising God. Now, when you look at verse 12, where this angel comes and speaks, this is not the first time.

We had Mary, the angels had spoken to Mary, Joseph, Zacharias, and Elizabeth, and then the works of the apostles. And what's interesting is you read through this story, and it's just a day-to-day human activities going on.

Circumstances of life, normal life, the normality of the fact that Rome taxed everybody, the normality of the fact that, you know, they got there and it was full of people, so they couldn't find a place to stay.

Trouble, the troubles of life. All of this was very normal until we get to verse nine. And when we get to verse nine, all of a sudden we see something that doesn't happen a lot throughout human history or even Bible history, and that is what we call a miracle.

God pulls aside the laws of nature. God opens the eyes of some of us and allows us to see perhaps a different dimension where there are heavenly beings there that we didn't see a moment before, and now we see them.

Doesn't happen often, but it happens in verse nine, and as I said, it had happened with Mary, with Joseph, with Zacharias, with Elizabeth. All having to do with something very important. Now, we have a whole group of people today that teach that the main thing is miracles.

If we don't have a Sunday service with miracles in it, it was a flop. If we don't have someone healed in the service, it was a flop. God wasn't there. And they talk about God showing up. Now, how can an omnipresent God show up?

And all of these sorts of things are emphasized today, and yet, as we read the Bible as a whole, we don't see them happening hardly ever, and when they do happen, there are long periods of history, 600 years, 1 ,000 years, before you see it happen again.

But people act as if it is supposed to happen every day in the life of a Christian. Never was that way in Bible time, and in fact, it is not that way today. They just try to make it happen by counterfeits, and that can be dangerous.

But I'll tell you, it did happen in verse nine, but I'll also tell you this, as you go on in and you read about the works of the apostles, the signs and the mighty wonders that followed them and accompanied them, all of this, beginning with the appearance of these angels and going on through the book of Acts, was for one purpose, and that was to glorify God and to authenticate the New Testament message.

To authenticate the New Testament message, which had not been heard only in shadows before, and that is the purpose of miracles, nearly every time you see one in the Bible, to authenticate the messenger or the message, especially if it's a new type of message coming into the beginning of a new dispensation.

Hearing God, Going to Bethlehem, and Witnessing What He Has Done

All right, so now we see these things happening. We see God sticking his hand into time, and they say, glory to God in the highest and on earth, good will to men. Now look at verse 15. And it came to pass as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said unto one another, let us now go even into Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known to us.

That is not unlike our own life, other than this miracle that happened, but when we get a message from God, which nine times out of 10, that message is straight from the word of God, and the other 10th time, it's the little still, quiet voice of the Holy Spirit moving us, which is always in accord with the word of God.

But when we hear from God, such as they did today, the very next thing we ought to do is exactly what they said in the middle of verse 15. Let us now go even into Bethlehem to see this thing that God's going to do.

That ought to be how you feel in your life. You should be anxious to go forth from this place today and see what God is gonna do in your life this week. It's just as important as events in these people's lives, and we don't see it that way.

But you know what, when Mary was on that little donkey riding over the hills to get to Bethlehem, big and pregnant and uncomfortable, she wasn't thinking about glorious things. She was just saying, I hope I make it there.

This sure is trouble. This sure is a trial in my life. But big things were happening all around them. It's the same way with us. We just think it's all mundane today. Troubles, the troubles of today, and then tomorrow, and this and that, and God is doing great things all around us.

And we ought to have the attitude, let us now go and see what God's gonna do. Verse 17, after we get a message from the Lord, we should do what they did, and that is be a witness. Look at verse 17, and when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them according to this child.

They went and told everybody what they had seen God do. That's what our life is in large part about, is making known to everyone around us what God's done in our lives. That's what it means to witness.

And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. Did you know if you told people the simple story of your own salvation, there'd be a part of them that would listen to that, be in wonder of it.

You tell them how you were, and you tell them how God changed you and where you are now, and they'd be thinking about it. And all they heard, they wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told unto them. So there we find where praise enters in.

When you've seen God do something, the attitude of the heart is to testify of it and then to praise him. That's where we'll start next Sunday afternoon. Brother Otis, verse 21 will be the starting place.

Let's pray together. Father, we thank you for your word today and how it's blessed our hearts, encouraged us. And once again, we've seen your powerful sovereign hand reaching down into our lives. We may see things as circumstances, but let us always remember that you are the trainer that exercises us with them, which means you place them in our life.

You make them happen. You're orchestrating everything in our life. And Lord, may your purposes be met. May you be glorified. And we pray in Jesus' name, amen.