Luke 2:1-21

MPS: Jesus came as God’s gift for you

Find it, Receive it, Rejoice in it.

Key verse (10b-11): , 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.

Intro:

Merry Christmas!!! Welcome to Living Stones Church!!! I’m so happy to be here with you. Thank you for treating us with your presence today. It’s great to be together and share this moment with you.

My name is Taylor and I Pastor along with Mat. Our desire, hope and dream to plant this church is all because of Christmas. Because of Christmas this church exists.

Christmas is all about God coming to Earth. Church planting is all about us going where there isn’t a church, to people that don’t have one and need one. It’s about bringing Jesus to more parts of our world. It’s about Christ reaching every heart and every home.

Key verse from today’s text is spoken by the Angel saying,

I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (10-11)

God with us

Thats a big deal for everyone, right? That’s why we are calling the series, Not So Silent A Night. Even while we have that epic christmas song, Silent Night, Holy Night- God showing up to Earth is not a silent matter. It wasn;t 2000 years ago and it still isn’t today.

In this scenes there are:

the cries of a baby,

the pains of a mother in labor,

the songs of angels,

the shepherds caught up in a scavenger hunt.

The scene reminds me of looking for presents as a kid- My 3 brothers and I would make a plan. We would circle up and discuss the details:

-1st Where should we look? Mom’s closet- always mom’s closet.

-2nd When should we look? can’t get caught, ya know? haha.

-3rd How will we know when we find them? Maybe tags, bags and boxes.

-4th question and the toughest one: how will we each know which one is ours?

This morning we get the story of the shepherds who, like my brothers and I would go out to hunt for our presents, they head out in search of God’s son.

MPS: Jesus came as God’s gift for you

How would you know when you find God’s gift? Where would you even start looking? What would be the signs?

[non-christians] Maybe thats you this morning, you are seeking answers to lots of questions. Some of these questions are about God, some could be answered by God. My hope and desire is to show you the gift God has given you, and unwrap it a little.

Lots of you are christians, and we know the christmas story. My hope is to remind you of the reality of God coming to be with you in in the person of Jesus. I hope and pray that the reality of Jesus is the most beautiful, valuable, treasured and transformative bit of info in your whole life. And that you would be filled with joy because of it today.

pt 1: God Has come to you:

[READ vv2:1-2:7]

When would God come? Where? How? and why?

That’s what these verses are answering.

When: Caesar Augustus, Quirinias in Syria. 31 bc–ad 14)

Where: To Bethlehem. The City of David. David was born here and grew up as a shepherd. in these very hills and caves. God promised that the king who would save and rule over the nations in unity and peace would come from David’s line. This detail of Bethlehem is that it fulfills prophecies, promises of God written down hundreds and hundreds of years before.

Micah 5:3

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.

And it’s a census, a decree made my Caeser that brings them here.

How:

In the middle of a census

Why David had to go to Bethlehem. He is from David’s family who is still there.

to a very young and humble couple

At the end of a lousy road trip

with plans and people falling through.

Staying at the inn.

Where was Joseph’s family to care for them? Why were they gunna stay at an inn? Were they outcast? or was the trip that rough that they were just that late getting in? Maybe both.

And in this setting and scenario God declares: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

What does all this mean for us?

God entered into our reality.

This is not just a story, the birth of Jesus is history. It’s Your history. It’s part of your story. God Has come to you.

God is not far off. This world doesn’t spin while he watches from afar. Neither do you live your life without his nearness. God is hands on with his creation! So much that he entered it.

God wants to be there for the hard times: You may think your life is boring when tax season hits in a couple months. You may think you life is mundane, unnattractive to God. Who wants to be stuck in rush-hour traffic with you? Who wants to share those lowsy road trips? Be there when your plans flop and you’re stranded?

God does. He did and he does. That’s the beauty of christmas. We celebrate the reality that God is so interested, so passionate about us that:

a. He has come to meld your story into his

b. He has come to be near to you

c. He has come to share the good moments and the tough ones. To be in it all with you.

d. God is not scared away by anyone. The outcast, the forgotten, the young, the tired.

God has come to you.

Jesus came as God’s gift for you

Pt 2: Know the signs and significance of your gift

vv2:7-2:12

This is the picture of Christmas morning. It’s time to go find your gifts!

That’s what the angel is saying. There is a gift of Good New and Great Joy waiting for you in Bethlehem, for all people, a savior, a king, the fulfillment of a promise.

Jesus came as God’s gift for you

Know the signs and significance of your gift

Now before we get into those three signs. Let’s take a moment to discuss shepherds. They were the ones on this actual scavenger hunt, right?

Have you ever thought, why did God want his messenger to go gather the shepherds? Why not the priests? Why not the kings? Why the shepherds?

Shepherds and seekers

We know there were lots of sheep around Bethlehem. David shepherded here as a young boy.

You might not know this, but what’s unique about shepherds from any other vocation, is (now this is really profound) they care for sheep. (joke)

Okay, but here’s the thing: Sheep or baby sheep, lambs weren’t just food, they were the sacrificial animal for the jewish people. Study the OT:

the first appearance of a lamb is in Genesis, when a lamb appears and is used as the sacrifice to save the life of Abraham’s son, Isaac.

second appearance is at the Exodus, when God’s people are set free from harsh slavery and captivity. God’s people are saved from his final plague of wrath only by the blood of a lamb.

The people of God continue this tradition, each year, killing a lamb in remembrance of God’s saving work and in an effort to pay for their ongoing sins. The law required a spotless perfect lamb.

Raising lambs meant that these shepherds had a trained eye to spot the perfect lambs. The ones that their laws demanded for sacrifice. Because you couldn’t bring just any sheep to make payment and it had to be a perfect young lamb. These were valuable- very valuable and these shepherds made it their life’s work to raise and care for these animals.

These shepherds were seekers. They were looking for the perfect lambs. They were looking for the atonement that God would provide for his people. God wants to reveal himself and his plan to those who have a heart that is seeking. Application:

Are you someone looking, seeking, exploring or just curious? There is nothing you will ever find or discover that can be compared to the goodness, delight, beauty and power there is in Jesus Christ! and he wants to give all of himself to you today and every day.

The messenger gathers these seeking shepherds and tells them go find your gift! A good gift is here for you, for all people, a savior. And he gives them signs.

Like my brothers, how were we going to identify the gifts our parents were hiding? Tags, bags and boxes. What are the signs of this gift from God?

Baby

wrapped in clothes

laying in a manger

These signs are also clues about the gift.

The signs point to the significance of the gift.

They are told:

This will be a sign, a Baby born in Bethlehem- a baby that is both savior and king.

KING- a baby is the fulfillment of promise and hope. In this case, this baby fulfill the promise of God to give the world the gift of a leader and ruler who will lead with mercy and justice and honesty and his reign will never end.

Now, we don’t like the sound of a king. I get that. We don’t believe in kings in our country. But we do have leaders and authorities. We have leaders in the government, leaders at work, leaders at home.

Jesus, God himself has come to lead your life. Receiving christ Jesus as a gift can’t happen until we are ready to admit that we are not the best kings of our own lives and we need a better and perfect king to rule over us.

Do you lack wisdom? the king of wisdom is with you in Jesus. to direct you, bless you, prepare your way and set you on straight paths.

Do you need strength and power outside yourself? The king of Earth and heaven has come to be with you. To make you a citizen of his kingdom. Under his protection. a recipient of his power.

Are you hungry? Feast at the table of the king from heaven

Are you lonely? hangout in his courts.

Are you scared, take comfort under the protection of God.

Jesus came as God’s gift for you- a leader and a savior

The baby is also the sign of God’s promised savior:

to the shepherds, a baby is young, spotless and blameless. Lying among the sheep, He is one of them. This is perhaps why God sent them.

Men from Bethlehem, ready for the king. Shepherds ready to spot the lamb.

Jesus’ cousin John will say of him, (John 1:29) “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

God’s gift is both a king and a savior. your leader and your scapegoat. The Good Shepherd and one of the sheep.

What leader can be compared to Jesus? He wants to both lead your life, and is willing to exchange his life for yours.

 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Jn 10:11–14.

2. This will be a sign: a baby wrapped in Swaddling clothes lying in a Manger

While I may not understand all the meaning behind swaddling cloths, it’s certainly a normal practice- the shepherds didn’t either! They shared with Mary what the angel told them and she treasured it. (vv18-19)

But I know this, God’s gift was wrapped. Both in swaddling clothes and in some mystery. Many, may not have understood until later the significance of these things.

Like that the day Jesus was crucified, he was stripped of his clothes and strung up naked. And later that day, he would be wrapped and laid in a tomb. Just as his mother, takes him here, naked, wraps him and lays him where animals eat.

Jesus came as God’s gift for you- a leader and a savior

The signs and significance of your gift:

Not boxes, not bows, not tags and bags. A Baby. Wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

a king who would come to die for you and be your scapegoat.

No more trying to excuse your sin, compare your sin, deny your sin. How about delete your sin? Jesus Christ the savior has come to do just that for you.

No more being trapped in your loneliness and weakness. God with you.

If we don’t understand Jesus, it’s because we have not yet unwrapped the gift of Christmas.

We must look at the cross to see God’s gift on full display.

This baby was born amongst lambs to be our sacrificial lamb. our scapegoat, our fall-man.

This baby was born in Bethlehem as the promised king and among sheep as both one of us and our Good Shepherd!

And he did not stay dead. He rose from the dead. That’s the only reason we really celebrate christmas 2000 years later

The gift was faithful, until the end. He conquered, he sits on the throne. He hears the prayers of his people. And he will return.

The gift of Jesus was not a blank gift card- seemed good but really got us nothing. Jesus paid it all.

Church, God is with you and for you.

Jesus came as God’s gift for you

Pt 3: Seek, Find, Rejoice in God’s gift

[READ vv 2:13-21]

Seek

v15

If you are a seeker, today i have told you some very basic things about Jesus. I’ve given you some things to ponder. And I hope you do.

I hope you take a bible with you. I hope you read it

I hope you speak to God and ask him to reveal himself

I hope you speak to myself, Mat or another member

We can pray for you, encourage you and answer more questions

We hope you come back.

Because this is a place to explore what it means to be in Christ Jesus and to be part of the church.

You can belong here before you believe everything

Find and Rejoice

[v16-20]

Find: For those of you who are finding christ, get deeper involved in christian community, learn from others about how to live in his grace and follow Jesus.

Get baptized on 1/28.

Rejoice:

Sing

share

treasure

celebrate

Conclusion: