Advent 2024- The Prophesied Eternal Life Giving Messiah is born

Notes
Transcript
Luke 2:1-20 / John 1:1-5; 14
Scene 1/The life of Jesus is one of incredible contrast.
Over and over again we read in the Gospels that Jesus was humbly born, gloriously proclaimed.
Just have a think about that.
The contrast of physical environments cannot be more confronting.
Have you ever sat and thought about the confronting contrast between the endless nights of an Antarctic winter and summer on the Equator.
Between the depths of a deep sea trench and the heights of the Himalayans.
Or between the floods and fires of an Australian summer.
The contrast of the physical environment Jesus was born into; as opposed to the one he left is incredible.
The contrast of social situations is even more confronting.
The Glory of heaven verses the poverty of a stable, is a far greater contrast than the riches of a European palace and the misery of the untouchables of the Indian caste system!
The Glory of heaven verses the poverty of a stable is a far greater contrast than the freedoms of a Western democracy and the horrors of a North Korean Gulag.
The Glory of heaven verses the poverty of a stable is a far greater contrast that the tranquillity of a tropical paradise and the stress of the stock market.
When you read the Gospels there is this stark contrast between the glory of Christ and the humility of the incarnation.
Scene 2/The Glory of Christ is simply and profoundly placed before us in Luke’s account of the nativity.
8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified,
There is intensity about this statement.
Shepherds are used to the dark.
They bring their flocks into a common area at night so that they can take it in turns to keep watch.
Things do not catch them by surprise, they are acutely aware of their surroundings.
They hear the movement of the sheep.
The wind blowing in the tall grass, the sound and smell of a predator.
Suddenly; an angel of the Lord appears to them.
The radiance of the Lord’s glory shone around them.
They were terrified.
This is no ordinary occurrence.
Strong outdoors men were terrified.
The radiance of the Lord’s glory suggests power, awe wonder.
This is more than the power of one of the world’s great waterfalls.
This is more than the power of a volcanic eruption, a tornado or a cyclone.
This is more than the awe of a solar eclipse.
This is the glory of God.
All encompassing.
Penetrating to the very core of their being.
Glory which leaves them simply awestruck and utterly aware of their insignificance.
They receive a message.
And just as their heart rate settles.
Suddenly!
A vast host of others,
The armies of heaven. (Luke 2:13)
We simply cannot imagine the sight.
We cannot imagine the power on display.
The grandeur.
The incomprehensible greatness of the armies of heaven.
But this is what these shepherds saw.
Innumerable angels praising God.
Before them was a display of absolute, total, complete power.
All simply because Christ was made incarnate.
As a result of this message.
As a result of this experience, the Shepherds go to Bethlehem.
And just as the angel had told them they find the baby. (Luke 2:20)
They can do none other than glorify and praise God for all they had seen & heard.
If you have ever encountered a person whose life has been totally transformed by the power of God.
A life that has literally been turned around on the spot.
Then you have just a small glimpse of the experience of these shepherds that night.
Firstly the Angel glorifies God.
Then the Angels glorify God.
Then the Shepherds glorify God.
When you read the Gospels there is this stark contrast between the glory of Christ and the humility of the incarnation.
Scene 3/The humility of the incarnation is simply & profoundly placed before us in Luke’s account of the nativity.
When Jesus became flesh & blood he was suddenly subject to human rule (Luke 2:1-5);
Until the moment of his incarnation he was subject to no human.
The creator did not answer to his creation.
But now he does.
We read in Luke 2 verse 1 that an Emperor has decreed that a census will be taken.
The creator of the universe is born in a stable, in a small town called Bethlehem.
Because an Emperor has directed that Joseph & therefore Mary must return to this small town to be counted in a census.
The Lord of the Universe, whose birth is announced by angels, is now subject to human rule
When Jesus became flesh & blood he became fully human.
To demonstrate that humility, that life of service he was born in the most humble of circumstances. (Luke 2:6-7, 12, 16)
Maybe it was a stable behind an inn.
Maybe it was a cave that served as a stable.
Maybe it was the animal enclosure within a one room house of a peasant family.
Maybe as some scholars now say it was the home of a relative and because the modest home would already be full to overflowing, the only place available was to find a corner for Mary and Joseph and put the newborn baby in a manger hurriedly taken from the adjoining animal enclosure.
The exact details are lost in time.
But we know this; there was no place for this child.
The only bedding available for this newborn was a manger, a feed trough for animals!
The Lord of heaven is now humbly born and residing in a feed trough.
His birth is announced to the town, not the nation.
His birth is in the most humble of circumstances, not in the royal palace. (Luke 2:17, 20)
His birth is announced by Shepherds, not the royal court
Shepherds were considered common people, certainly not royalty.
The humility of the incarnation is a stark contrast from the Glory of heaven.
“Immanuel … God with us” (Mt 1:23) is the motif that permeates the accounts of Christ’s nativity: God becomes a common man; the transcendent becomes immanent. The most beautiful story ever told is highlighted by the wonder of the incarnation, the union of the divine and the human. The exalted and the humble are juxtaposed in the nativity. Angels in all their glory greet common people-shepherds, a carpenter and his fiancée-in the midst of their daily activities.
Ryken, L., Wilhoit, J., Longman, T., Duriez, C., Penney, D., & Reid, D. G. (2000). In Dictionary of biblical imagery. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Why?
Why the Glory & Humility
Scene 4/The Reason for the Glory is declared in John 1:1-5, 14c.
1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
John 1:14 (NLT) John 1:14c
And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
The reason for the Glory is because Jesus is God.
He is one with the Father & with the Holy Spirit.
He is creator, he is sustainer, and he is life.
No darkness can ever hide him.
No power can ever defeat him.
Jesus is the Lord of Glory.
But why?
Why did the Lord of Glory, the creator, the sustainer, the source of life come in humility to be born in a stable?
Scene 5/The reason for the humility is this;
John 1:14 (NLT) John 1:14 a & b
14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.
Simply because of God’s unfailing love for us.
Simply because he wants to save us from our sin.
There is no other reason; than God is love!
The creator can do nothing but love his creation.
We do not deserve this love; but it is given.
We cannot earn this love, but it is offered.
We are faced with this simple and profound truth
The incredible contrast between the humility of Christ’s birth and the glory of heaven testifies to God’s love.
Our appropriate response can be nothing but to respond with simple humility to his gift of Christ.
This Christmas, do not get caught up in the gifts.
Get caught up in the gift of Christ.
This Christmas do not get caught up in the empty festivity; get caught up in the celebration of Christ who saves you from sin.
This Christmas by all means, if you are able, enjoy your family, but remember our heavenly Father gave his son for you and your family.
This Christmas let that little baby, born in the most humble of circumstances, become your Lord and King.
Humbly accept him as he humbly came out of love for you.
For there is light, life & love!