Luke 2:1-20 | An Unexpected Plot Twist

Good morning! If you’re new or visiting, I want to extend you a very warm welcome to this morning! We’re so glad you’re here! If you’re a regular with us, to you I say Merry Christmas you filthy animals!

In all seriousness, it’s a highlight of my week to see you all at Church on Sunday! And we hope to see you again this evening at 6pm for our Christmas Eve service.

With all of that said, let’s get into the meat of the message for today. As it is Christmas Eve, there is no better place to turn during this season than to Luke 2 verses 1-20 and look together once again at the Christmas Narrative.

As always when we read scripture, it’s a good practice to try and set aside our preconceived notions and endeavor to read the text as if we were reading it for the 1st time. To slow down and not just skim over the words but to take each word and meditate on them, turning them around in our minds.

As we work through what has become a very familiar passage to many, I hope we can put a fresh take on it this morning.

As many of you know, we’ve been in a series this Advent season, entitled: Coming Soon, where we’ve endeavored to follow the Christmas narrative in the flow of a movie script and today we’ve come to the climax of the story where we will encounter quite the plot twist! Something very unexpected takes place.

If you have your Bibles please turn with me to Luke 2. As you’re getting there, I’d like to tell you about a man named Turtle that I met once while I was riding the Megabus.

As some of you know, I grew up in Fulton County. Don’t hold that against me! I’m all Henry County now :).

I grew up in Fulton County and obviously I live in Henry County now, but there was a time when I lived in Cleveland. Cleveland was a nice place to live… I’m not sure if I’d say it Rocks. However, that is where I met and wooed my wife Rachel!

I lived there for a few years working as an intern and then as a Jr. High Youth Pastor.

I can’t remember why exactly, I think my car was in the shop or something, but while I was in Cleveland, I had to take the Megabus from Cleveland to Toledo at one point.

And it was on this bus ride where I met a man named Turtle. Still got his contact saved in my phone.

We shared a seat and talked most of the 2 or 3 hour ride. I remember the conversation well. It’s hard to forget an interaction with a man named Turtle.

Our conversation started out the way most conversation on buses and airplanes start out. (Mostly Blank Screen)

“So where ya headed? What do you do for a living?”

Turtle told me that he was a medic for the Occupy Movement, as in the Occupy Wallstreet movement. You all remember that? Back in 2011, that’s almost 14 years ago! Good grief I’m getting old! Anyways, that movement was a series of protests where people camped out in front of the wallstreet trading block in protest of all the economic inequality that existed in our country due to what the protests called corporate greed!

So Turtle tells me he’s a medic for the Occupy Movement.

“Realy?” I said. “A medic eh? You’re a paid medic for the Occupy Movement?”

“Well, I’m more of a volunteer medic, but we have a great community and we all take care of one another” he said.

“Oh that’s nice. So what exactly are you all protesting about?”

Now I don't’ remember exactly what he said, but it was something about wanting to fix our broken system. He said, “We are tired of all the injustice and inequality in our government and economy. We are trying to fix our broken system, to make life better for the average American.”

“Well Alright!” I said. “Sounds like a noble cause. So you’re looking to bring about social change, peace, financial stability, and justice to America.”

“Yes.”

And then I said, “Ok so let’s say you do that. Let’s say this occupy movement is successful. Let’s say you’re able to reform our government, bring peace, prosperity to all, what then?”

He looked at me kind of confused as if to say “what do you mean what then. Then we live happily ever after. Problems solved.”

Right, if you think in terms of a movie, this is how these things go. Protesters fight for a noble cause and in the hallmark version of the movie, they succeed. The guy gets the girl and the credits roll. Everyone lives happily ever after.

That’s what Turtle was assuming and so he was quite taken back by my question. Let’s say you achieve your goals of fixing our corrupt and broken system… what then?

And he just looked at me with a confused look.

So I asked him another question. I said, “Turtle do you think greed is an issue with us humans? (I asked that because I knew they were protesting corporate greed). Shrewd as serpents, innocent as doves right? ) Would you say even the best of us sometimes fall prey to greed?”

“Yeah sure.” hes said.

“Well let’s say you and your movement fix whatever it is you think is broken. What's to keep it from breaking again if greed still exists in all of our hearts?”

He paused for a second and thought (and I kid you not) this is what he said next, “Man we have a much deeper problem than a system don’t we? If only there was a way to fix our hearts…”

Ah yes, if only!

Now I tell this story not to make fun of Turtle or make him into some straw man, but rather, I think Turtle’s desires express what we all long for as humans!

We long to live in a land that is stable. We want peace and prosperity and justice. We want equality and love to rule and reign. If only there was someone who could fix our issues!! If only there was someone who could save us!

Now if you’re familiar with the Bible, you may know where we humans look for this salvation, and sadly our first thought is not to turn to God. It’s to look for a King or a political ruler, because we primarily believe that our biggest problems exist out there, outside of our hearts. If we could just have more money, better jobs, better leaders and laws, better education, then our world would be better. Peace and prosperity would flow. And so when we get to the climax of any movie or political drama, what we see is a strong leader rising up to implement social change and bring about a revelation of economic prosperity. This is what Israel asked for when they final got to the promised land. They asked for God to make Saul their king. They wanted Saul because he looked like a King. He was taller than everyone else. He was muscular and handsome. He could turn a phrase. He looked like one of the guys who was ruling in the neighboring kingdoms!

And this is what our heart wants. We want a handsome, tall, strapping and winsome political figure to swoop in and bring about the changes we want so we can pay less taxes and have more money in our accounts to live better lives!

These are the kinds of saviors we look for. And so when Luke begins telling us of the Savior God sends to us, we encounter quite the plot twist in the story.

Now Luke, the author of what we’re about to read, he was a Dr. and also a masterful storyteller and in our section of Scripture this Christmas Eve morning, Luke sets before us 2 options in answer to Turtle’s longing for salvation. In Luke 2 we get a glimpse at two very different Saviors. One is a worldly Savior who provides what we all want through government, power, and might. The other is a Heavenly Savior who provides what we all need through meekness, humility, and grace. I’ll let you be the judge as to which Savior will be yours.

Let’s read it together: Luke 2:1-20

Luke 2:1–20 (NIV)

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Today, words like salvation and savior have taken on spiritual connotations because of Jesus and the New Testament. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s helpful for us to understand what someone in the time of Jesus’ birth would have thought when they heard these words. To the Roman, Greek or Jew in the days of the Bible words like Salvation and Savior carried with them themes of physical deliverance from their enemies and physical peace and prosperity. When some spoke of a savior they almost always referred to a political leader. And thus, Luke introduces us to such a political leader at the very beginning of our section, “In those days, Caesar Augustus…”

Do you all know anything about this guy? This is where history which I’m sure most of you, like me in high school, thought was super boring is actually super helpful.

Caesar Augustus was Rome's first Emperor. He was a military dictator. Before Augustus, Rome was a Republic. America’s government is a kind of republic. Rome like us had elected senators and governors that ruled, and as is the case with most governments there was corruption all over the place and people were squabbling for power. The fall out of all this squabbling was that Julius Caesar, a very powerful governor, was assassinated ((Et Tu Brute!)

and his assassination caused a lot of unrest and gave opportunity for Augustus (AKA Octavian), Mark Antony, and Marcus Lepidus to reform the Roman Republic into a Triumvirate of power. These three became military dictators but they couldn’t get along.

Eventually out of the three rose the one. (That sounds like good start to a movie doesn’t it… )

Octavian who took on the title of Caesar Augustus. Do you know what Augustus means. Caesar the august, the revered, the respected, real humble guy… ). Anyways, Augustus consolidated power making Rome an Empire with him as it’s ruling dictator. And people loved him for it.

You see you can knock a dictatorship as a form of government and we do because typically dictators are evil, but a dictatorship with a good and benevolent dictator at the top is actually a very efficient and effect form of government.

Augustus was able to do a lot of good things for the people. He reformed the tax code and with the extra funds created many public services. He established a police and fire fighting service. He also created the Praetorian Guard and enlarged Rome’s standing army which he used to establish what has become known as the Pax Romana or Roman Peace. During Augustus’ reign and actually 200 years after it, Rome was a relatively peaceful place because they ruled with an iron fist. You towed the line or else!

Not surprisingly, people chose peace rather than death. And as such, Augustus is credited as having restored law and order and bringing global peace upon the earth. He is credited as being a god and the savior of humanity!

I mentioned this document 2 weeks ago and I can’t get over how relevant it is to our story this morning. Listen to the way an inscription found in Turkey in 9BC speaks about this so called savior.

It’s call the Priene Inscription (written making case to build calendar around Augustus)

“It is hard to tell whether the birthday of our most divine Caesar Augustus spells more a joy or benefit, this being a date that we could probably, without fear of contradiction, equate with the beginning of all things...he restored stability, when everything was collapsing and falling into disarray, and gave a new look to the entire world that would have been most happy to accept its own ruin had not the good and common fortune of all been: Caesar Augustus… In her display of concern and generosity...Providence has filled Augustus with divine power for the benefit of humanity, and in her beneficence has granted us and those who will come after us a savior who has made war to cease and who shall put everything in peaceful order… The birthday of our god signalled the beginning of good news for the world because of him [Caesar Augustus].”

Now here’s what I want you to see. This is how the world looks for saviors. Augustus is divine. He is our savior. He brought stability, and a new look to our governmental systems! He drained the swamp. He brought peace and an end to war. He put everything in order. He corrected all the systematic injustice and established new systems of equity and fairness! Because of Augustus we have prosperity! All Hail the divine Savior Caesar Augustus. Let’s build our calendar around his birthday! Did you know the month of August is his name sake?

You see this is the salvation the world looks for. We want liberty, freedom, equality, peace, and justice, and we look to governments and political leaders to give it to us, save us, help us!

Right “Yes We Can. Yes We Can! Make American Great Again! Or president Joe Bidens: Let’s Finish the Job!” I actually had to look that one up. The president needs a new slogan writer I think!

Theses are the savior we want and look for, but Church how’s it working for us? Sure some leaders are better than others. Some good is done but the cycle continues. Man, movement, monument and usually a crumbling one at that. The world does indeed need a savior, but humanly speaking it has yet to provide one that has been able to establish anything truly lasting and eternal.

So who will save us then?

Well, Luke presents us with another alternative to these earthly leaders and we find him in the most unthinkable and humble of places. Wrapped in rags and laid in a manger.

Listen to what the angels, the celestial beings and messengers of God speak of this baby!

Luke 2:10–14 (NIV)

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Turtle said, if only there was a way to fix our hearts. Yes indeed Turtle. And as I went on to explain to Turtle on that bus, there is a way and His name is Jesus! He is the true savior of the world. He is the messiah. The anointed one. The chosen of God and not only that He is the Lord, the creator God of the universe! And as we hear here the Angels praising God, Jesus truly has brought peace to earth to those on whom his favor rests!

And this is where some people met get a little stuck. Hold up now, you just said Jesus has brought peace on the earth! You said that in the past tense! I gotta be honest, when I watch the news I don’t see the peace you say Jesus has brought!

I hear you, and this is where the Bible is very helpful. If you’d flip back a page (in Luke 1) and if you were to read Zechariah's prophecy about who Jesus is and what He would do, you’d discover that the peace Christ brings to earth is the restoration of humanity to their creator.

You see our true enemies are not immigrants, or foreign powers, or criminals, or low wages or politicians or corporations or the 1%, but rather our true enemies are spiritual. They are the enemies of Satan, sin, and death. And Church Jesus has defeated those enemies by bringing us forgiveness from our sins.

This is where revolution has to begin. Before there can be a right relationship between man and man, there must be a right relationship between man and God, and the sin which spoils must be repented of and removed.

As one commentator said, “Too often Jesus is presented as the One who will rescue people from unfulfillment in their marriages, families or jobs; from a debilitating habit they cannot overcome on their own; or from a sense of purposelessness in life. And while relief in those areas may be a byproduct of salvation, it is not the primary intent. Mankind's true problem of which those issues are only symptoms, is sin!”

And that is why Jesus came. To deal with our sin and bring peace between us and God. Yes Christ does bring salvation and peace, but the peace of Christ is not the peace of the world. There have been and will continue to be wars in our world, Jesus told us that. He also tells us in John 14 and 16 that His peace is not like that of the world and that Christians will never be left in peace here in this world. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you will have trouble: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). The peace of Christ is an internal peace, a sense that everything is going to be ok because God is big enough to make good come out of even the most hopeless of situations. His peace is an internal peace not an external peace.

When we come to Christ as the Savior maybe not that we want but the savior that we need as the Shepherds do a bit later in our text we will experience what the Apostle Paul writes in Rom. 5:1

Romans 5:1 (NIV)

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

We will have peace with God and then that peace keep our hearts and minds free from cripple anxiety.

Listen again to the Apostle Paul from Philippians 4:6-7

Philippians 4:6–7 (NIV)

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The only question left for us then is, how do you receive this Messiah and the peace He brings?

Simply, follow the example of the Shepherds! They sought Jesus out! While others just wondered or stood around in amazement, or aloof in confusion, or were just too busy to even notice the angels or their message, well others did nothing with the proclamation, the Shepherds put their faith into action by seeking out this Christ child to know Him.

Now Church, my wife will tell you , I’m no angel, but I am a messenger from God this morning, and I bring you good news of great joy for all the people. 2000 years ago in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, He is God.

This will be a sign to you: you will find hundreds and thousands of transformed humans, His believers, gathering weekly in homes and buildings all around the world worshipping a baby born in a manager, hung on a cross and raised to new life again 3 days later.

What will you do with this good news? Follow the example of the Shepherds who after hearing the proclamation when to find what the Lord had told them about! The found the savior they needed! Will you?

Pray.