The Coming of the Son (Lk 2:1-20)

Introduction

So here we are, it’s Christmas Eve, finally the night before Christmas has come. All the planning, hustle and bustle is finally over, or mostly over, and now here we sit hoping to get home soon to wrap up any loose ends (no pun intended) before tomorrow, the big day!

Have you ever stopped and thought, why are we doing all this? Why the hustle and bustle, and anxiety to this feverous degree once a year? What are we celebrating anyway?

We hope to answer most of this questions tonight as we continue in our current advent series entitled, In the Fullness of Time, in which we have followed the thread of God’s sovereign hand in the bringing of redemption to his people through His Son Jesus Christ.

We began with Genesis 3:15 and saw how God promised to crush the serpent’s (Satan’s) head through the seed of the woman. We saw next that still in Genesis, this time in chapter 12, God’s covenant with Abraham where he promised that through this same seed all the nations of the world would be blessed. Then this past Sunday we were presented with the meticulous prophesies that God gave Isaiah which were so detailed regarding the coming of this seed as a Son that was given, that there was no question that it was the miraculous hand of God.

This evening, as we finally see, The Coming of the Son, we will see that all of history was superintended by the sovereign God to bring about his son, just as he decreed. We will take part in the first Christmas celebration ever given, and glean important aspects of this celebration that will help us in our own.

Text: Luke 2:1-20

Luke 2:1–20 ESV

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Main Idea: Because the coming of God’s Son was miraculously fulfilled as decreed, we like the angels must focus our celebration on God’s Son exclusively.

I. Days of the Son’s Coming (1-5)

In those days - an imprecise date

a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered - this decree was for taxation purposes and was done every 14 years.

Quirinius was governor of Syria - scholars believe that Quirinius was the overseer of this registration, and that this registration took place before (when can also be translated before) he became governor of Syria, since Quirinius’ first registration was in 6 AD. Whatever the meaning, the point is that the registration happened.

The main reason for this registration was God’s superintending where His Son would be born: Luke 2:3-4“3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ”

This was a direct fulfillment of the prophet Micah’s prophecy of the place where the Messiah would be born:

Micah 5:2 ESV

2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

The point is, that this small, insignificant ancient city, as compared to the other cities in Judea, was the city of King David, and was to be the birth place of the Messiah, for which we are shown very clearly that the Messiah was of the line of David, and therefore qualified to be King over His people!

II. Delivery of the Son’s Coming (6-7)

the time came for her to give birth (6)- it was time for the virgin Mary, whose baby was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit, to begin her birth pains at the very moment that God had ordained, and by the very means in which he brought all this into being.

she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger (7)- Jesus, God the Son added to his Divine Nature, a Human Nature (as brother Rick read in Philippians 2:5-7 “5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” ), and became the one and only God/Man.

A human baby every bit as feeble, frail, and dependent upon his mother to keep him warm, fed, and comfortable, even if it meant sleeping in a feeding trough.

because there was no place for them in the inn (7)- though there was no room for them in the inn (because of the registration), more then likely, right behind or beneath the inn there was this stable, a place for feeding and bedding down the inn traveler’s animals (which meant that it was probably anything but a silent night).

Isn’t it ironic that the King of all Kings was not born in a palace in Jerusalem, but in a feeding trough for animals. This humble beginning was reminiscent of what his life would be like, humble, subservient, and without fanfare. Jesus said this himself in Matt 20:28,

Matthew 20:28 ESV

28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

However, there were those who did know who he was and they were anything but quiet in their,

III. Declaration of the Son’s Coming (8-20)

This unassuming scene may have gone unnoticed had it not been for God’s heavenly host declaring to the humblest of men, that His son had come.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night (8)- these weren’t great men in the eyes of the world. They weren’t leaders either political or religious, but shepherds. The one’s whose responsibility it was to provide care and protection for the sheep that would be used as sacrifices each day in the temple for the sins of the people.

How ironic it is that God’s Son’s birth was declared first to these caretakers of the sacrificial lambs, when the apostle John tells us of what John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ said in John 1:29

John 1:29 ESV

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Let’s listen again to how the angels declare this to these humble shepherds: Lk 2:9-11 “9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

What was their message?

Do not fear

Good news for all people

In the City of David (Bethlehem) there was a birth, unlike any other birth for there was born:

a Savior - the final sacrifice to save once for all his people from their sins

who is Christ the Lord - this savior is none other then the Messiah who is God in the flesh

But how will they find this great Savior/Messiah? “And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (12) - in other words, look in the humblest of places, in a stable’s manger and he will be wrapped up like every other baby, in swaddling cloths.

Now the real celebration of Christmas begins: Lk 2:13-14 “13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”” - Let’s take note of the elements of this celebration:

It was a corporate worship service focused on God (13)

It recognized the greatness of God and heavenly domain (14)

Worship precedes peace - Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace (14), It recognized the affect that God’s sovereignty has on his physical earth (and on earth) - ultimately, the peace on earth would be brought about through the Messiah’s sacrifice for God’s people, bringing peace with God. Remember, there will never be peace on earth among men, until there is peace individually with God, and this peace with God will always acknowledge him through exclusive worship!

Romans 5:1 ESV

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Note finally the faith of the shepherd’s to believe what the angels had told them, and there reaction of worship showed their belief in God’s plan of redemption through the Messiah. Luke 2:15-20 “15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.”

The shepherd’s belief was seen in their obedience (15-16)

The shepherd’s belief was heard in their witness (17-18)

The shepherd’s belief was declared in their worship (20)

So What?

Has the Christmas story become so humdrum, unexciting, or just the backdrop of your own celebration?

Remember: The coming of Christ was no accident, nor was it some peaceful little Hallmark Christmas special that makes us feel all warm and fuzzy, but it was the pivotal event in all history where the eternal God took on a nature of flesh to redeem His people from their sins.

Will you promise in your heart and then spring into action, to celebrate in similar fashion the way the angels and shepherds did?