Relationships Renewed Jesus

Luke 2:1–20 HCSB

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. 2 This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, 5 to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a feeding trough—because there was no room for them at the lodging place. 8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.” 13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: 14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors! 15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the feeding trough. 17 After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard, just as they had been told.

Relationships Renewed

I pray we can grasp the coming of Jesus that allows us to have a renewed relationship with Jesus

God used Caesar Augustus

Jesus is coming as a baby but he is still using the “plans” of men to carry out the will of God.

Scripture prophesies that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem

Micah 5:2 HCSB

2 Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; One will come from you to be ruler over Israel for Me. His origin is from antiquity, from eternity.

Bethlehem means “house of bread” the ideal birthplace for the Bread of Life

God uses Mary

We spoke of this last week

God Chose Shepherds

The first announcement of the Messiah’s birth was given by an angel to some anonymous shepherds. (Their names are not mentioned)

Why Shepherds?

Why not priests or scribes?

By visiting the shepherds, the angel revealed the grace of God toward mankind.

Expound on this...

Shepherds were outcasts in Israel.

They were ceremonially unclean

Their work kept them away from the temple for weeks at a time so that they could not be made clean.

God does not call the rich and mighty but he calls the poor and the lowly!

Perhaps the shepherds are caring for sheep that would be used to provide sacrifices to God at the temple services. To some degree, the coming of Jesus meant that their sheep would no longer be needed because of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

Luke 2:10–11 HCSB

10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David.

I proclaim to you good news that will be for ALL PEOPLE

Not just the Jews but this news is for ALL PEOPLE

TODAY A SAVIOR, WHO IS MESSIAH THE LORD WAS BORN IN THE CITY OF DAVID

God chose shepherds

The grace of God to think that God chose you as well.

Luke 2:15–20 HCSB

15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the feeding trough. 17 After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard, just as they had been told.

The Glory of the Lord

In this series of Relationships renewed, we have seen the Glory of the Lord appear to Zachariah, Mary, and now this morning the Shepherds

I have to share this with you this morning

2 Chronicles 7:1–3 HCSB

1 When Solomon finished praying, fire descended from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. 2 The priests were not able to enter the Lord’s temple because the glory of the Lord filled the temple of the Lord. 3 All the Israelites were watching when the fire descended and the glory of the Lord came on the temple. They bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground. They worshiped and praised the Lord: For He is good, for His faithful love endures forever.

The priest are not able to enter the Lord’s temple because to the Glory of the Lord filled the temple

Their response...

The fired descended and the glory of the Lord came on the temple and they bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground and they worshiped and praised the Lord:

For He is good, for His faithful love endures forever

I marvel at the Glory of the Lord both in the Old Testament and the New

I get why they were afraid when the Glory of the Lord appeared

Ephesians 5:32 HCSB

32 This mystery is profound, but I am talking about Christ and the church.

Now read the verses before this

Relationships Renewed

Ephesians 5:22–32 HCSB

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord, 23 for the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of the body. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. 27 He did this to present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless. 28 In the same way, husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hates his own flesh but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, 30 since we are members of His body. 31 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. 32 This mystery is profound, but I am talking about Christ and the church.

verse 25 Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her

Relationships Renewed get this understand this. Christ came born of a Virgin not so you can get Christmas gifts, have time with family, get time off from work, but Christ came born of a virgin for the church

Ephesians 5:27 HCSB

27 He did this to present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless.

The relationship between husband and wife is to reflect the relationship between Christ and the church. Not what we experience or see in relationships but this should be one that reflects Christ and the church.

Who is the Church?

Is this a building?

1 Corinthians 3:16–17 HCSB

16 Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s sanctuary and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s sanctuary, God will destroy him; for God’s sanctuary is holy, and that is what you are.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 HCSB

19 Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.

I marvel at this mystery that I become a dwelling place for God.

When the Glory of the Lord shoed up in 2 Chronicles it was so much that they could not enter the temple and they fell face down and worshiped.

Here scripture tells us that those who believe in Jesus are a temple for God’s dwelling

WOW!

The Church

Ephesians 2:19–22 HCSB

19 So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. 21 The whole building, being put together by Him, grows into a holy sanctuary in the Lord. 22 You also are being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.

Relationships Renewed

The Glory of the Lord showed up and they were terrified

God orchestrated all of this for you and I GOOD NEWS FOR ALL PEOPLE

The grace of God is all throughout the coming of Jesus and who he chose to use.

Jesus came because we needed a Savior to Renew our relationship with Creator God

Through Jesus you are the dwelling place of God

Be careful how to talk about the dwelling place and how you treat the dwelling place of God.