A reminder of the reason for the season

Luke 2:1–15(ESV)

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 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, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 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.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 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. 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. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

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.”

Luke 2:16–20 ESV

And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Its christmas.

Tomorrow, we will wake up and celebrate The season in many different ways..

We will give aqnd receive presents..

Well cook and eat dinner

we may travel over the river and through the woods to grandmas house..

And some of us may even read the christmas story.

Real

But today..

I want us to take some time reflecting on the true reason for christmas..

The reason that God himself gave to the first ones who heard of the birth of Jesus..

The reason God self proclaimed was the purpose of Christ coming..

The reason that we should celebrate and be mindful of during this time of year.

No Room

When we come into lukes account of the christmas story..

we find that Mary and Joseph have come the bethleham..

and they have come because ceasar has said that everyone is to be registered..

but when they arrive in bethlehem..

We find that there was no place for them to stay

because of everything that is going on with the census.

all of the travelors

all of the people coming to thier home towns..

there is no place for the duo to stay..

and so they end up in a stable..

a place for animals..

The setting

and this stable becomes the setting for the most signifigant birth to ever come to the world..

Jesus..

Christ the King of kings and lord of lords is born..

not in a hospital..

not in a home..

not in an inn

but in a stable..

manger

the bible tells us that when he was born..

He was wrapped in swaddling clothes..

and laid in a manger..

not a bed..

not a crib..

not a home..

but a feeding troth for the animals..

Humble

you see most kings who are born..

were wrapped int he finest of cloths..

laid on the best of beds..

in the nicest of rooms..

but the king of kings was laid in a manger..

why?

BEcause this king did not come in arrogance or pride..

He didnt come to boast or over throw other kings..

He came in humility..

and Jesus was born into the humblests places..

in a lowely manger..

the least likely of places…

But god would have a reason..

Not comotion..

we get the sense..

that no one in town even noticed this signifigant moment..

that the comotion of the day..

almost drowns out this moment..

because the bible doesnt record that anyone in the town ever notices that the baby has arrived..

and the most signifigant moment in history..

is drown out by the comotion of the day..

and relegated to a simple barn..

careful..

you know if were not careful …

the same thing can happen to us as well during the christmas season..

we get caught up in the decorating..

in the tinsel and lights..

we get caught up in the eating..

and the food..

caught up in the giving.. and receiving..

caught up in family and friends..

or maybe even caught up in the misery of the season because we are in pain..

and in the middle of the chaos.. the true reason for the season goes un noticed and uncelebrated..

Just like setting of the first christmas..

Intentional

during this season..

we have to be intentional..

about making time..

to take notice of the most important gift we have been given..

the gift of our savior Jesus..

The Shepherds..

While the bible doesnt record anyone in the city taking note..

it does record the first angelic birth announcment

The announcement that God himself sent through the angels..

and it doesnt go out to royals..

or even the religious crowd..

but we see that God chooses to announce the birth first..

to a humble group of shepherds..

Least of

in bible days..

shepherds were a lowly group..

they were often poor..

dirty..

and they smelled like the sheep..

after all they lived in the feilds and tended to their flocks..

they were looked down upon because of their low social status..

BUT THIS IS THE GROUP THAT GOD ANNOUNCES THE BIRTH TOO FOR THE FIRST TIME..

And we see the beginings of why in verse 10..

Luke 2:10 ESV

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.

Good news..

for all people..

the birth..

was good news..

for all people

Everyone..

why would God choose to tell sheperds first?

because the humble birth that just took place..

was good news for all people..

not just for the religous..

not just for the royal..

not just for those that had it all together..

but for all poeple..

John tells us in JOhn 1:12

John 1:12 (ESV)

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

and in John 3:16 Jesus tells us..

John 3:16 (ESV)

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

You see the birth of Jesus..

was not just a gift for the few..

but for the many..

in fact for all..

It doesnt matter who we are or are not..

what we have or dont..

the announcment to the shepherds tells us that Jesus is a gift for all..

For anyone who would believe..

and not just any gift.

but a signifigant gift..

look what the angel continues to tell them..

Savior

Luke 2:11 ESV

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

A savior..

For all people..

good news..

for all people..

the savior, christ the lord, the messiah, has been born…

waiting

you see the jews had been waiting for messaih..

they had been waiting for a liberating king..

and they wanted a king who would come in the way of david and free them from the opression of the romans..

but God has sent the liberating king FOR ALL..

who would free them from something greater..

from their sin.. and spiritual opressions..

Good News..

You see the good news..

the reason for christ..

really is about giving..

but its not the gifts we give or get..

its about the gift that has been given to us..

its about the good news..

its about the savior who has come..

to liberate us from our spiritual slavery

and set us free..

Jesus was that liberating..

is that liberator..

God tells the sheperds..

your savior has come..

Rest of the story..

in the moment..

they probably didnt know that that ment..

but we have the beauty of knowing the entire story..

we know Jesus will live..

grow..

teach..

and then give his life for us in an even greater act of humility..

and because of his blood that is shed..

we can be free..

but that salvation started on this day..

when he was born in to the world..

the savior has come..

Manger

the angles tell the shepherds..

listen..

you have been given a sign..

you will find the child wrapped in swaddling cloths..

lying in a manger..

..

you see there was a reason there was not room in the other places..

god used the manger as a signal of salvation..

a sign proving to the sheperds that Jesus was the mesiah they had heard about..

but the manger was also the proof that Jesus came not just for the elect..

but the very men who lived with the sheep..

found thier savior on thier own level in the manger..

in the place the sheep ate..

us

you see in all the hustle and bustle of the season..

I want to encourage you this mornign..

that we make the manger one again a symbol of salvtion..

a reminder that Jesus came..

not a reminder to buy gifts..

for put up the lights..

but to stop

and pause..

and reflect of christs coming.

and do the same thing the angles and the shepherds did when they found him..

rejoice..

for we have been given a gift..

Closing

salvation altar call