The Birth of God's Messiah

Introduction:

An important life began with an important and miraculous birth!

Sometimes we are afraid to think about the birth of Jesus because we don’t want to appear to be worshiping/celebrating an event for which we have no authority.

However, that fear should not cause us to run away from considering the great story of Jesus’ birth and how we should respond to His birth and looking at the benefits of Jesus’ birth.

Worship God

The angels appeared to the shepherds and announced the birth of Jesus -

The angels were praising and worshiping God for these events; heaven was celebrating -

Luke 2:13–14 NASB95

13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

As a result of this angelic appearing, the shepherd went to Bethlehem to see about these events -

When departing Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, they left glorifying and praising God for all that “they had heard and seen” -

Luke 2:20 NASB95

20 The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

Why was God being worshiped by the angels and by the shepherds?

Not only was the birth of Jesus was significant because of its miraculous nature (virgin conceived and gave birth), but it was significant because this was the long-awaited for plan of God - cf. ; ; ;

Since sin entered the world, God had promised One who would come and defeat Satan.

Heroes of faith were promised that one of their heirs would come and establish their people/kingdom (Abraham & David). This child was going to be like Abraham and like David—only better! That is cause for rejoicing.

This child was fulfilling the predictions of the prophets! God was doing what He said He would do!

God humbled himself and left the glories of heaven to be born and live as a man -

While the text does not explicitly say that the shepherds worshiped Jesus, Matthew records that the wise men do come and worship Jesus -

The birth of Jesus should cause us to realize all of these things and stir up our hearts to worship God for His wonderful plan!

Peace with God

God is praised because peace is being made available to those who are pleasing to God -

Luke 2:14 NASB95

14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

This is the glad tidings and good news (gospel) that is being proclaimed and announced.

The angels announce that men can have peace with God! Those who seek God by faith will be made friends of God.

The gospel is essentially about peace with God -

Through faith, we can have peace (not strife) with God -

We were once enemies, deserving God’s wrath -

But through Christ and His death, we can have peace with God and be saved from punishment.

Consolation and Hope

Mary and Joseph took Jesus to make themselves pure and to present Jesus to God, they met Simeon and Anna - ,

Simeon was an old man who was looking for the “consolation [hope/comfort] of Israel” -

Luke 2:25 NASB95

25 And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

When he sees the Child, He blessed God for the work that the Child would accomplish bringing “glory of Your people Israel” - (esp. 32)

Faithful Jews were longing for the fulfillment of God’s covenant that He had made with Abraham, Israel, and David. Simeon praises God for being faithful to His words and covenant!

With the birth of Jesus, the consolation and hope of Israel was not a promise any longer—it was being accomplished!

God remembered His covenant and it is being fulfilled - cf. , (Mary’s Magnificat and Zecharias’ prophetic words)

God’s people, Israel, are not forsaken—however, this is not merely physical/national Israel—it is spiritual Israel -

Not Israelites by blood or lineage, but by faith -

Paul stood trial for the hope of Israel - ;

Why did he stand trial? It was for his preaching God had fulfilled His promise of the Messiah! - ,

According to Paul, who was that Messiah? Jesus of Nazareth who had suffered and been raised from the dead - , ,

Seeing Jesus on the road was the pivotal moment for Paul! He thought Jesus was a fraud, but the heavenly vision forced him to realize that Jesus was indeed God’s Messiah!

The Jesus Paul had been persecuting, now Paul is standing trial saying that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies and that this is the hope and consolation of Israel!

Paul finally understood what Simeon understood at the birth of Jesus!

Suffering and Salvation

Christ, the Savior, is born!

Unity of All People

Conclusion:

Christ, the Savior is born! It is an occasion to thank and praise God for His wonderful scheme of redemption.

God sent a Savior to the world. One who would deliver us from our sins and iniquities, restoring peace with God, causing us to be reconciled back to the Father in heaven.

God promised that He would do that ages ago—and He did it; He is faithful to His covenant.