ADVENT: HOPE IS ON THE WAY He Is Here! (Luke 2:1-20)

do you feel this world is broken?

turn on news

not surprised by politicians squabbling about another government shutdown

know our medical insurance situation is a mess

but never justified to murder a CEO over it

not surprised by another school shooting

but surprised that it was a teenage girl

don’t have to turn on news to know world is broken

feel it in our own lives

work

just read a 41-year veteran, head baker who baked 1.5M pies over career

was laid off the Friday before Christmas with no advanced warning

and forced to sign 5-page contract to receive severance pay

some love jobs

others endure to receive a paycheck

family

Christmas time may be more of a reminder of disfunction than joy

self

things haven’t turned out like you hoped or dreamed

you know some of your thoughts and are disgusted that you even think them

no one has to convince you that you are broken, too

is there any hope?

while the circumstances were different over 2 millennia ago

the same hopelessness was present

they were waiting on the Messiah to come

who could ever imagine that hope would be bound up in a baby laid in a manger???

let’s turn to the reason we celebrate Christmas

anticipation has been building for not just a few decades

but more than 2 millennia

ADVENT: HOPE IS ON THE WAY He Is Here!

but not quite like you would expect

this new king would reign over an upside-down kingdom

He would upend all expectations

starting with His grand (or not so grand) entrance

God has a nac for turning things upside down

Jesus’ Birth

how do you get Son of God to be born in Bethlehem as prophesied

when mother and father are in Nazareth?

God chose a world event to accomplish His plan

2:1-5 pew Bible # 1,018

little did these pagan rulers know that their actions were fulfilling God’s plan

Cyrus

census the size of Roman empire (map)

no small event

why? taxes

little did Joseph and Mary know

they were part of a census to bring them to the prophesied town

map

from Nazareth to Bethlehem

Bethlehem

ancestral home of David

85-90 miles if through Samaria

90 mile journey through Trans-Jordan

734 feet uphill climb from Nazareth to Jerusalem

God chose insignificant parents

what you would expect

king and queen

at least royalty

we are talking about the Son of God

not what you would expect

Joseph

carpenter (construction worker)

ordinary Joe

Mary

regular girl

plain Jane

engaged yet pregnant

disgrace

maybe explains why they are alone

pregnant

not yet married

but shunned

remember Joseph’s predicament (Matt 1)

engagement was more formal than today

required divorce to break

only through an angelic message did Joseph stick it out

how else would Joseph believe Mary had not been unfaithful?

how can this be explained?

1:35

incarnation

for such a special person…

God chose a humble beginning

what you would expect

golden crib

finest silk to swaddle the Son of God in

2:6-7

not what you would expect

well…the way it really was

not fit for the King, God’s Son, God Himself

likely tattered cloths would swaddle the baby Jesus

and a manger (animal feeding trough) would be His crib

because of the angry inn keeper?

because there was no place for them in the inn

why no room in the inn?

speculated that all of the Jews returning for census

must consider all of the Roman workers for the census

Jews were terribly afraid of coming into contact with non-Jews

census officials were likely housed in public places (not in private homes)

most likely put them in the inn (hence no room)

because no Jew would take them in because of Mary’s pregnancy

innkeeper is assumed

if true was probably not being cruel but just overrun

fact is there was no room for them

Bethlehem was a small town

probably was only 1 lodging accommodation

had to go to a less desirable area with a manger (feeding trough)

likely in a cave

needless to say

the Son of God did not come to this world like anyone could have predicted

Jesus would be king of an upside-down kingdom

insignificant parents

obscure cave/stable

laid in an animal feeding trough

God’s ways are not our ways

the Son of God’s strange entrance doesn’t stop there

Jesus’ Witnesses

God chose to pass up the distinguished witnesses

what you would expect

caesar, king, nobility, important, famous, religious leaders

the foolishness of God on display (1 Corinthians 1:28-29)

God chose to tell lowly shepherds

2:8

not what you would expect

Shepherd

responsible for master’s flock

sheep are helpless

need shepherd to find pasture, water, shelter, protection

nomad

lived in tents made of goat’s hair

always out in the elements

carried food with him in bag made of goatskin

bread, olives, cheese

got milk from goats

rod/staff

knot or knob on the end

hold his bag on the end

think hobo

walking stick

club

fend off predators

some were skillful with a slingshot

lonely life

talked to his sheep and they recognized his voice

think of how weird he could turn out

sometimes played a reed pipe

early on it was a family business

now, viewed as dishonest and dirty

accused of robbery and using land that wasn’t theirs

free grazers

later could not testify in court

shepherds are who God chose to reveal His plan & spread the news of the Son of God’s birth

God chose to give the shepherds an unbelievable story

2:9-20

imagine the shepherds minding their own business

the night sky lit up with the glory of the Lord

pic of the Shepherd’s Field

prior slide

Angel’s message

good news of great joy that will be for all the people

Savior, who is Christ (Messiah) the Lord

not go to the palace

tell this to the servants so they will let you see the Messiah

but go to the sleepy city of Bethlehem

sign

baby wrapped in swaddling cloths (not unusual)

“to wrap in pieces of cloth used for swaddling infants” BDAG

lying in a manger (very unusual)

manger—“a box or crib where animals feed” LN

how did they know something big was happening?

not only 1 angel

with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host (2:13)

the angels were longing to see what God was up to

prophets foretold

angels longed to see

1 Peter 1:12

and now the angels get to declare God’s plan

Glory to God in the highest (2:14)

John Owen: "The infinite excellency of God, in his inconceivable perfections, raised up in such brightness as utterly exceeds all our apprehensions."

we cannot comprehend the glory of God

but if you want to see God’s majestic glory

look no further than His Son

Heb 1:3a

when the angels sing “Glory to God in the highest,”

they point to the powerful majesty of God the Father

and how this ultimate glory would manifest in the birth of Jesus, the Son

2:18 says that all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them

maybe thought these guys were nuts

many would think God was nuts

since He didn’t send Son of God

in the midst of human royalty

or to be the mighty victorious warrior (don’t worry; it’s coming)

the announcement to Joseph tells why Jesus came

Matt 1:21 “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

God chose to come to the world

Mary knew that Jesus was special, but did she know He was God

theology kicks in

Trinity—the Son of God is God the Son

skeptic may ask

If I told you that child over there was born without a human father,

would you believe me?

Yes, if he lived as Jesus lived.

virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, substitutionary death, and glorious resurrection

God chose to save the world

upside-down kingdom

King did not come to be served but to make a way back to God

God made a way for humanity to be with Him

our greatest problem is sin

sin had to be removed for us to be with God

2:34-35

Tripp—the great fault line is Jesus (12/19)

bow or reject

worship or mock

confess you need Him or turn in independence away from Him

all who turn from sin (repent) and trust Jesus PAID DEBT (death, burial, resurrection)

experience forgiveness

have HS come to live inside

start living eternal life now

sealed for eternity

C.S. Lewis quote—“The Son of God became a man so He could enable men to become sons of God.”

THAT IS GOOD NEWS!!!

sounds like hope has a name = Jesus

felt needs vs. real needs

you may feel that your biggest problem is

turning your business around

if only find spouse

if only arch enemy would get out of the way

but even if you get what you want

you will still live in a broken world

and want something else to fill the void in your soul

your biggest problem / enemy is SIN = separation from God

and Jesus is your only hope

until you surrender to Him

life will not be complete; life will feel broken

Advent: Hope Is on the Way He Is Here!

have you experienced HOPE in Jesus?

just as shocking as Jesus entrance on earth

is that God would save you from your sins

reason we have written Word (Bible)

John 20:31 “but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

“Believe it and live like you believe it.” Mohler

to those who do believe

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service (5p); One Worship Service (12/29; 10:30a)