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