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

Okay, thank you brother Clarence Luke chapter 2 verse 1 It's amazing how this ties in with of course

I suppose everything in our life could tie in with message this morning about circumstances, but this

This one it just seems has many many points that we can observe along the same lines

So let's begin and 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 Unto 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 end and They 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 1 the 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 2 it gives the exact time in world history it was when

Cyrenius was governor and 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 3 all went to be taxed everyone in his own city, so they had a certain rule about the

The organization of how the taxes would be taken up Where each person went to the city of their lineage in 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 going to be born in Bethlehem because that's not where they lived and It goes on 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's 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 great with 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 6 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 end 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 and to 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 in 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 8 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 glad 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 you 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 Goodwill toward all men

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 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 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 9 and When we get to verse 9 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 9 And as I said, it had happened with Mary with Joseph with Zechariah's 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 six hundred years a thousand 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 9 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 All right, so now we see this these things happening we see

God sticking his hand into time And they say glory to God in the highest and on earth.

Goodwill to men. I 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 unto 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 ten that message is straight from the

Word of God and The other tenth 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 unto 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 going to 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 they were on 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 old mundane today Troubles the troubles of today and in 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 going to 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 we're our life is in large part about It's making known to everyone around us what

God's done in our lives That what 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 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.