Untitled Sermon (2)

Lk 2.2 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Beth-lehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

The time of His birth.

Gal. 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

He was born at a time when the first Emperor was appointed. (Caesar Augustus)

He was born at a time when Israel and their capitol Jerusalem had been defeated and placed under Roman rule, as well as the farthest reaches of the known world. Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up ya kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

He was born at a time when there was universal peace in the known world. (The Roman Government worshipped a god called Janus, a god of war, and now the temple of Janus was closed.)

9  Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles;

Prepare war, wake up the mighty men,

Let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:

10  Beat your plowshares into swords,

And your pruninghooks into spears:

Let the weak say, I am strong.

Isaiah 9:6

6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:

And the government shall be upon his shoulder:

And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God,

The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

2. The place where He was born. Micah 5:2 2  But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah,

Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah,

Yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel;

Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Bethlehem means, “House of Bread.”

John 6:35

35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Bethlehem was the city of David. (One of the oldest cities in Israel) 1 Samuel 17:12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul.

Bethlehem was the place where they should be taxed. (they must go to the town of their lineage. Matt.1:1-17, Joseph; Luke 3: 23-38, Mary)

Luke 1:37

37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Bethlehem was the place where the providence of God shown. (The providence of God orders all things for the fulfilling of the scriptures. It makes use of our wants and desires to serve Gods plan.) Sovereignty of God - his absolute right to do all things according to his own good pleasure. Prov. 19:21  There are many devices in a man’s heart;

Nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.

3. The circumstances of His birth.

Luke 2:7

7 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.

(The word swaddling means bandages which could refer to the facts that Jesus was born to die. The stable was most likely a cave with no sanitation; The inn was called “Chimhams Inn” who was a loyal subject of King David 2 Sam. 19:38.)

He was born in poverty. 20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

He was born in a time of corruption and degeneracy. 5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

He was born in humiliation. Phil. 2: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.