It’s All Upside Down!

Notes
Transcript
Most of us here are likely familiar with the Scriptures used around Christmas. A decree. Joseph and a very pregnant Mary. Bethlehem. No room in the inn, so she gives birth in a shelter for livestock and lays Jesus in a feeding trough (a manger). Shepherds. Angels. It’s easy to forget the scandal of it all.
Mary was betrothed to be married to Joseph - they weren’t married yet - was pregnant. They’re living in an agricultural community not on, but not far off a major trade route with Egypt. It was a small community where everyone knew everyone else’s business. They knew Joseph wasn’t married. No doubt they also knew Mary was pregnant. No doubt it was a blight no only on Mary’s reputation, but on Joseph’s as well. Perhaps it was a welcome relief to have to go elsewhere even for a bit.
The town they go to is Bethlehem, about 5 miles south of Jerusalem - a small, unpretentious town, in Judah. First mentioned around the 14th century B.C. it is perhaps best known in the Old Testament as the family home of King David. It is in Bethlehem that David is anointed as king of Israel by the priest Samuel, even while Israel’s first king, Saul, was still reigning. But it’s not a great or central city in the commerce of the world. In Israel’s history, it is known as the city of David who was up until then considered their greatest king.
When a child is born, announcements go out - there is much to be celebrated. The people to whom the announcement of Jesus’ birth goes are shepherds, watching their flocks by night. They’re sleeping in the fields with the sheep. In the same fields the sheep ate, and … and… well, you know. Shepherding is not easy work, there is a lot of walking, taking the sheep to water, lifting the sheep over obstacles, etc. No doubt it had been a while since they’d had a decent bath, shepherds were not exactly considered the societal elite. Yet these are the people to whom the announcement of Jesus’ birth goes.
We read in Luke, Luke 2:9–14 “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!””
Let’s think about this for a moment.
The Israelites were expecting a King, they had read in Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Hear those words, “government” and “prince”.
Future Kings are born from royalty, not from carpenters and people from backwater towns in of little import.
Kings are born in great cities not in little agrarian towns.
Kings are born in palaces. They have nurse maids and every advantage that they may be raised to ascend to the throne. They’re not born among the shelter for the livestock. They have fancy cribs for their bed, they’re not placed in used feeding troughs.
They’re announced to the most important people in the land from palaces. Not to the lowest. Not to common shepherds and certainly not out in some field in the middle of nowhere.
What did they expect?
What did they expect?
They expected one who would run the government.
They expected one who be wise and give good counsel.
They expected one who would be mighty and strong.
Instead they got…
a baby!? A baby. A baby?
Everything was Upside Down. In the weakness of a baby lay the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace. In the weakness of the baby laid the one who had come to set them free. In the weakness of a baby lay their salvation. It wasn’t as expected.
There were no court couriers carrying the message of his prince’s birth from kings court to kings court. Instead, there were some lowly, smelly shepherds, telling what they’d heard and seen.
How strange it must’ve sounded.
We have the benefit of reading the Scriptures. We have the advantage of the New Testament that shows us how the prophecies made about the Messiah would be fulfilled in the person of Jesus, who would show himself to truly be the Son of God.
Christmas Past/Christmas Future
Christmas Past/Christmas Future
That’s what happened all those years ago. They’d been waiting for this Messiah. They’d had prophecies that he would come, and I can only imagine that there were many who though they held on to some hope that one day the Messiah may appear they lived as if it was mainly good folklore, a good story to keep them positive.
Sounds a lot like today. Except today we have the benefit of knowing how the prophecies of the Old Testament were fulfilled in the person of Jesus. We have the benefit of being able to look back not only to the writers of the New Testament but to other authors as well that express the reality and uniqueness of Jesus as not just a real person, but one who rose from the dead.
Evidence for Christianity (4A. Conclusion: Change of Venue)
Our problem, however, is that our ability to see the evidences God has given us is often obscured by the misconceptions that have been programmed into our minds. We have been indoctrinated, rather than educated, by various opinions void of evidence, to such an extent that we need a change of venue. Just as trials often need to be moved out of an area where preconceived biases would prevent a potential juror pool to arrive at an accurate decision, so each one of us must step back and give the evidence an honest trial. In effect, we need to have a change of venue within our minds.
Today we live in much the same dilemma as the people of Jesus time. The promise had been there. The prophecies had been there. Many people knew them, and many who knew them believed them. Yet, it’s been a long time. We too may find it easy to cry out with the psalmist and others, “How long? How long, O Lord!?”
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
Jesus came and reminded us that he is the light of the world.
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
So many people are struggling to find their way. They seek and seek, but they don’t feel like they are finding. Why? They’re seeking after the wrong thing. We look for significance in fame, being an “influencer,” in wealth, in family, in prestige - and then we find all of these are fleeting. Significance is not found in anything we can do, accomplish, or earn. It is in what has already been given. Unto us a child is given, unto us a child is born.
If I can share one challenge with you tonight it would be this: If the God of all the universe would love you so much as to send His One and Only Son, might it be worth seeking that love out.
Let’s get off these hamster wheels that take us nowhere. And intentionally consider God love as shared with us in God’s Word. Jesus said, John 8:31-32
John 8:31–32 (ESV)
So Jesus said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Jesus came once to show us the love God has for us. Jesus himself gave the promise He will return. Won’t you join me in actively holding to that promise?
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