Christmas Message 2023

The Journey

Caesar Augustus decreed a world wide census for the purpose of taxation. Every living person was to be accounted for by going to their home of origin and register for the purpose of taxation. Rome was doing this to control people through taxation.

God was using this Census to give the greatest gift to humanity. He was giving His only begotten Son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for our sin so that we may obtain everlasting life. Jesus had to be born in Bethlehem because Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would be born of a virgin and Micah prophesied that he would be born in Bethlehem. Is. 7:14

Isaiah 7:14 NASB95

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.

Micah 5:2 (NASB95)

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.”

Joseph was from Nazareth but was born in Bethlehem. Nazareth is over 90 miles from Bethlehem. There is no occasion or way Joseph would make this Journey with a fiance that is nine months pregnant other than a decree from the highest authority in the world.

God used the highest office in the world to accomplish His plan to bring reconciliation to humanity. This is a wonderful illustration of how God is in complete control of all things. He can use wicked rulers to bring about the most holy of events. It is kind of like Joseph and his brothers. Gen. 50:20

Genesis 50:20 NASB95

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.

This is a foreshadowing of what God was going to do with His Son Jesus Christ. Rome did a Census for the purpose of unfair taxation (wickedness), but God used it to deliver His Son for salvation ( Righteousness).

I believe that the application we see here is that no matter how bad things get, God can and will use it for His glory and good. Rom. 8:28

Romans 8:28 NASB95

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

We should not get distraught over evil circumstances, but instead pray for the Lord’s good to come from them. Our faith will prove to bring about our good and God’s glory when we exhibit this kind of faith.

Joseph and Mary

Can you imagine Mary and Joseph condition after traveling 90 miles to Bethlehem. They where probably worn out and frustrated because of the long trip and Mary’s condition. Luke explains that the days were complete for her to have the baby while they were in Bethlehem.

They needed a room at the Inn so she could have her baby. However Luke says that there was no room for them at the inn. Why? Was it overcrowded? Did they not have the money to pay for a room? Was it because Mary was pregnant and they were not married yet? Or was there another reason that they were not given a room? The Bible is not clear as to why there was no room for them at the inn. I have have my suspicions as to why and it has to do with who God was going to use to spread the word that the Messiah would be born. I will go into this a little bit later.

Back to Joseph and Mary. Can you imagine what Joseph was thinking when he was told that there was no room for him and Mary at the inn. It is probably the same thought we would have if we had traveled 90 miles on foot with a pregnant fiance. “Lord, I am doing everything I can to do the right thing and I can’t even get a hotel room for my fiance to have your Son.”

Have you ever felt this way? You seem to be doing everything your suppose to be doing and yet find yourself in a very difficult circumstance? I mean you are going to church, helping other people out, you have gotten better on your cussing, you have stopped drinking, you have started being kind to your in-laws. I mean you have really gotten your act together and you expect God to live up to His part by keeping these difficulties out of your life or fix the ones that are already there.

Unfortunately, God does not work this way. He is all about fulfilling His purpose to bring Him glory. If it means that he allows difficulties in your life or chooses not to remove the existing difficulties and it ultimately brings Him glory then we should be willing and honored to suffer for the glory of God

So you may ask, “ how does Joseph and Mary’s difficulty of not getting a room in the inn for her to have the Son of God bring Him glory?” I am glad you asked! Let me share with you how I believe God used this to bring Him glory.

The Shepherds

There were some shepherds that were tending their flocks of sheep in Bethlehem. Shepherds were the bottom of the barrel when it came to social status. They were not even allowed in the temple because of their job and reputation. Their job made them unclean. They would work with nasty sheep and consequently be in no condition to enter the temple. Their reputation was one of dishonesty and crookedness. They were treated like pagans.

One thing you should know is that Bethlehem is only 5 miles from Jerusalem. This means that these shepherds were the ones that were providing the sacrificial lambs for the people to give to the priest for the remission of the people’s sin. I find it ironic that the Shepherds were not able to worship in the temple but were able to provide the most important thing in the temple. The SACRIFICE!

So God chose the lowest people on earth to reveal His plan of salvation in a place that was meant for a trough that sheep drink from. God chooses to use the least of things and people for His greatest purpose. 1 Cor. 1:27

1 Corinthians 1:27 NASB95

but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,

I believe that God did not allow Jesus to be born in the Inn because the shepherds need to have access to find the Messiah in a place that they would be familiar with. Though it was very inconvenient for Mary and Joseph, God used it so that the Shepherds could find Jesus and tell everyone about the message God sent form the angels.

The point here is that God can use the down and out and the ordinary for greatness. Most of us here today would fall in one of these two categories. I don’t see any kings or queens or dignitaries in the bunch today. However, I do see a multiplicity of people that can and do bring glory to God. Take joy in knowing that God can and will use you for the ultimate purpose. HIS GLORY!

The Angel’s Message

The first hing that the Angels told the shepherds was not to be afraid. You can imagine that this was very unusual for them. They were typically in a field watching sheep every night. The most excitement they would get is if a predator was entering the sheep pen or a bandit was trying to rob them. The last thing they would expect is for the sky to be filled with a multitude of angels lighting up the sky and praising the Lord.

Another thing that could have frightened them was that they believed what people told thought about them. That they were unholy and could not worship God. They believed that they were not able to be saved. All of a sudden they were in the presence of glorious holiness. They probably had the same reaction Isaiah had when he was in the presence of God. Is. 6:5

Isaiah 6:5 (NASB95)

Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”

or when Peter recognized the holiness of Jesus. Luke 5:8

Luke 5:8 NASB95

But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!”

The presence of holiness causes fear because of our sinfulness. The shepherds knew that they were sinners and perhaps thought that they were finished because of the Angeles holiness. This is why the angels shred with them the good news.

Luke 2:11 NASB95

for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Notice this wonderful message of salvation for the lowest of all people. I love the fact that the angels said the salvation was for “YOU”. It wasn’t a message that said you are good for nothing and this child will save the priests. The angels proclaimed a message for the greatest of sinners.

Friends this is a message that we need to hear and share. There is no sinner to great that can eliminate them from salvation. There is no life that has been lived that cannot be rescued from the pits of hell. For a Savior has been born to “YOU” for the remission of all sin

Notice what happened when the gospel was proclaimed! There was immediate worship. Luke 2:14

Luke 2:14 (NASB95)

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

Glory to God in the Highest is the ultimate worship. Peace on earth is the result of worship. God is pleased with men who live in their Savior Jesus Christ!

Response To the Gospel

The shepherds hurried to find Jesus. They left the flocks to find the true lamb of God. They too were good shepherds. Matt. 18:12-14

Matthew 18:12–14 (NASB95)

“What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? “If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. “So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

These shepherds left the 99 to find the 1 that could save them! I find that it is more interesting that Jesus left heaven to find these shepherds! The point here is that nothing was more important to the shepherds than finding Jesus.

When they found Him they told everyone about Him. The people that heard the good news were amazed at their sharing of the gospel.

Friends, Are you excited to tell people about Jesus. The disciples had to find him before they could tell others about Him. Have you found Him in your life? Are you telling others about how Jesus is your Savior?

Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. When the shepherds told Mary about what happened in the shepherd field she was amazed at what took place. It probably took her back to her encounter with the angel Gabriel. She pondered it in her heart to imagine how she could be chosen to be the mother of the Son of God.

Friends, God is a miraculous God that can take the largest of all and the smallest of all and fulfill his purpose. He used the most powerful man in the world to call for a census to drive the lowest of all Mary and Joseph to a place where that which was meant to take the most from people to give the greatest gift of all.

Friend this gift is available to you this morning! You can receive it today. Your past and your present sin can be forgiven this morning. You can have everlasting life. If you will repent of your sins and put your faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins and salvation, you will be saved.