God’s Incredible Love
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This morning, we will look at the “Real Christmas Story,” which is the story of Jesus' birth. But have you ever paused for a moment to think about how and why God may have chosen this time to send His Son to mankind as a baby?
If you have your Bible with you, I want you to open it and turn to Matthew 1.
Now turn back one page.
Most Bibles have a single page separating Matthew and Malachi, the end of the Old Testament and the start of the New Testament.
In this one page, there are about 400 years of silence…
But that doesn’t mean God wasn’t working.
By the time Malachi was written, the Jews had returned from Israel.
The Medo-Persian Empire still ruled Israel, and the temple had been rebuilt.
About 100 years later, the Greeks would conquer Israel, and the Jews would adopt the Greek language, many of its customs, and manners.
In fact, it was during this time that the Old Testament would be translated into Greek.
While Jesus and many in Israel spoke Aramaic daily, Greek was the trade language.
Rome by then was a world power and was beginning to build extensive road infrastructure.
While our Bibles don’t reveal everything that was happening in history on that page, it doesn’t require much imagination to see that God was preparing a way for the known world to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. The good news as described in John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
Micah prophesied long ago that the Savior would be born in a small town just 6 miles south of Jerusalem called Bethlehem. This is where the “Real Christmas Story” begins.
Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth.
This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city.
Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,
in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.
Song - O Little Town Of Bethlehem
While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.
And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
The very creator of Mary herself was now born by Mary.
He could have been born in a palace and celebrated as the next king.
But no, Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, chose to be born in the humblest of settings.
The creator of the universe’s first cradle was a feed trough for animals.
Symbolizing the humility of Jesus Himself as He took the form of a man
Showing He could identify with the poorest of the poor
Just as a manger is designed for food for animals, Jesus would spend His ministry identifying Himself as the bread of life.
Song - Away In A Manger
In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.
And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;
for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
“This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Isn’t it interesting that, other than Mary and Joseph, the first to learn about the Savior’s birth were shepherds.
Jesus is referred to as the Chief Shepherd in 1 Peter.
He is also called the Lamb of God, by John the Baptist in John 1:29.
You see, these shepherds may not have been your typical shepherds.
It’s possible these shepherds were Temple shepherds, tending to the lambs for sacrifice.
And yet, they got to witness and see The Lamb shortly after He was born.
Song - It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
What an incredible sight it must have been for these shepherds to hear of the good news that the Savior had been born, but then to witness many angels in harmony, shouting and singing “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
All of heaven was overjoyed, knowing that the curse of sin, which was brought on long ago by Adam, was soon going to be conquered. God's incredible love for mankind led Him to send Himself to save them.
Song - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”
So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.
When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.
And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.
Can you imagine being one of those shepherds witnessing this incredible sight?
The stories they would share with each other and others about everything they had seen and heard.
“Did you see what I saw?” one shepherd might have shouted excitedly to another.
As they started to head toward Bethlehem, filled with awe and wonder at what they had just experienced, and as they approached the humble manger where Jesus lay, you could imagine they might have overheard Mary and Joseph talking, heard noises from the animals surrounding them, or perhaps even detected sounds from the newborn baby Jesus.
In their excitement, one says to the other, “Do you hear what I hear?”ar?”
Song - Do You Hear What I Hear?
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
The Magi were wise men, seekers of truth.
As the skies revealed Jesus's location, they set out to find the King of the Jews.
But as seekers of truth, not only did they find the King of the Jews, they found the King of kings.
They found the very person who would soon refer to Himself as the way, the truth, and the life.
They gave gifts that could only be for one person, and that person is Jesus.
Gold - represented Jesus’s kingship and royalty, His divinity as God in the flesh.
Frankincense - represented Jesus’s role as our High Priest, but also His willingness to become a sacrifice for you and me.
Myrrh - a bitter spice used for anointing and embalming, symbolizing Jesus’s suffering and death. Foreshadowing His crucifixion and sacrifice for all of mankind.
Song - We Three Kings
But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.
After the visit from the Shepherds and likely after the visit from the Magi, Mary must have been full of thoughts and wonder. This baby boy she carried, nursed, and clothed was indeed who the angel Gabriel said He was. He is the Son of the Most High. He will reign for eternity. He was not only her son, but He is available to all. I am sure Mary had a mix of emotions ranging from fear to joy and everything in between.
Song - Joy To The World
The “Real Christmas Story” is truly a love story.
It’s a story of God’s love for you and me.
We were all headed for hell unless God Himself intervened by sending Himself to us.
There is no greater gift ever given. No greater love ever shown.
So this Christmas, let us remember to love others by sharing His love.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
Song - We Wish You A Merry Christmas
