Jesus: The Savior of the World (Luke 2:1-21)

this morning the title of my message this morning is Jesus the savior of the world and we're continuing our Christmas sermon series having looked at several different accounts of the Christmas story. You've seen John tell us that the word of God became flesh Jesus the word of God. We've seen the Apostle Paul tell us that in the fullness of time. God sent his son born of a woman born under the law to redeem those who were under the law Jesus the righteousness of God last week. We saw the account of the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary and then to Joseph and announcing that Jesus would be born by a miraculous virgin birth. And so he would be called The Son of God Jesus because he would save his people from their sin. This morning we're looking at Luke's account of the birth of Jesus Christ Jesus the savior of the world. You got the text in front of you from Luke Chapter 2 and we'll make our way through it. What we do know is that Jesus Christ was born and the world changed. From his birth looking forward and looking back. All history is taken into account in relationship to that day. Even if the day in which all of humankind stands before God Almighty, we will give an account for our lives in relationship to this child who was born in a manger. Luke tells us that his account began at a very specific time is Jesus was born in a very specific day in those days. Luke writes a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. Are we hear the name Cesar and we've all heard the stories of the Roman Empire in her familiar with many of the different rulers of that Kingdom. Well this particular Caesar Caesar Augustus was an interesting figure Caesar is simply the title that is given to him as a leader much as we would call a president a president. And so it's a title that he shared with many other rulers that held that office. Augustus is an adjectives that describes him and the power of His rule Caesar was called a gust because in 27 BC the Roman Senate determined that he would be addressed in that way. He was revered and respected and honored as a majestic and mighty ruler. But Caesar Augustus was known personally as Gaius Octavius. He was Julius Caesar's favor nephew and became Caesar's adopted son such that he would be The Heir Apparent to Julius Caesar's Throne as you may know from your high school English class and studying those Shakespeare plays. Julius. Caesar was assassinated my line and 6th grade in our play with e tu Brute I that was out there. I was getting there but something like that and he was struck down his son Octavius became one of three men who would rule over the Empire along with Marc Antony and another of seizures generals eventually the other two men would turn their backs on Rome. Marc Anthony struck up a relationship with Cleopatra from Egypt in a war broke out between the forces of Octavian and the forces of Mark Antony. The battle was fought in the season at the Battle of actium that Roman armies defeated the Egyptian Legions and Rome became the greatest Empire the world had seen up until that day will from that point forward Octavian Augustus Caesar began to consolidate his powers and expand his Empire. He was very effective at picking generals to run the battles that were overseen. Is he conquered new territories and he ruled all the way from the British Isles to Baghdad over and ever-increasing Empire his administrative skill saw to it that his Rule and Reign continue to peacefully through his life and he was Spain for establishing the Pax Romana, not simply by the submission of people's butt by the power of the Roman army that backed it up with almost as soon as he established that power he began to draw upon the resources of these conquered lands and so not too long into the course of his leadership. He established a taxation senses that would take place every 14 years across the Empire and the decree that went out from Caesar Augustus that Luke records here in his gospel was the first of those taxation synthesis is to be affected in the Empire at large. In fact is Luke puts it the whole world. It was decreed by Caesar would be recorded both so that they can be enlisted in the Roman armies. And so that the funds of the Empire might be brought in to build it up in the image that he Octavian desired. Luke goes on his account in those days and decree went out from Caesar Augustus Octavian that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration. We're Phineas was governor of Syria. Now this historic detail tells us a few things first and foremost. It tells us that we're not reading a myth that we're not meeting reading us a made-up story or some kind of a spiritual notion about how things should be but we're reading about the days in which these people lived each and every one of the readers of this gospel would know exactly who Augustus Caesar was and they would equally know exactly who quirinius was quirinius was a Roman Senator a very well-respected leader in the Empire. He had served in mini provincial posts. And at this time he was serving as the senior advisor to Caius who was Justice Caesar's son who was given authority over the provinces of Syria and Karine has helped an act that taxation census over all the land here for the first time until Luke tells us that the as this decree went out all over the world perennius oversaw its enforcement in the area of Syria which included Judea and so the people in Judea were taxed according to the demands of Caesar and one of those demands was that each one of the Roman citizens would return to their ancestral home where they were from so that they could very clearly ensure that everyone had been identified. Mary and Joseph were at that time living in Galilee the region of Galilee in the town of Nazareth made their way to the city of Bethlehem, and we'll learn from this account. So clearly was that this was no accident. We talked last week about the prophetic puzzle pieces that are placed before us on the table. And so to today another one of those puzzle pieces emerges. It's no surprise for a careful biblical student to realize that the city of Bethlehem had significant importance in the Messianic story. In Micah chapter 5 700 years before Jesus was born by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the prophet Micah spoke these words but you owe back laham a fresa score too little to be among the clans of Judah from you shall come forth from me one who is to be ruler in Israel. Who's coming forth is from of old from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth in the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel and he shall stand and Shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord in the Majesty of the name of the Lord his God and they shall dwell secure for now. He shall be great to the ends of the Earth and he shall be their peace. These are remarkable words. They were not words about David who had lived three hundred years before Micah wrote, but they were words about one of David's descendants who would take a hold of the Throne of David and Rule and Reign forevermore one who would be known as the Prince of Peace a piece that would know no end and interesting ly and importantly they were the words about one whose days were from of old from ancient days. Not a prophetic statement about a messiah who would come simply from the line of men but a statement about the Messiah who would have divine origins hit interesting how similar Micah's words are to the words of Isaiah that we've already reviewed in the course of our series as he wrote in his gospel. For unto us a child is born unto us a son is given and the government shall be on his shoulders and Name Shall be Called wonderful counselor Everlasting father, Mighty God Prince of Peace. It's remarkable how these prophets speaking 700 years before Christ birth were so specific about the nature of his birth the location of his birth and who he was and he was even before he was born. It's so here in this remarkable Act of sovereignty God brings about the course of human events the birth of his son Jesus Christ in exactly the city would that was foretold. So that would be unmistaken that he was exactly who he claimed to be. What else would bring Mary and Joseph in the ninth month of her pregnancy from Nazareth and Galilee the 90 mile journey by a donkey back or by foot to Bethlehem near Jerusalem Imperial decree. But that's exactly what the Imperial decrees demanded interesting ly enough. We've got archaeological evidence of these very decrees that in Egypt in a hundred for a DD-214 year taxation. That were established by Augustus Caesar continued. We actually have physically the the archaeological evidence of one of those proclamations. We read it thus from 104 ad from the prefect of Egypt Gaius livius Maximus being that the time has come for the house to house census. It is mandatory that all men who are living outside of their districts return to their own homelands that the senses may be carried out. So that this is the way that this Roman taxation census was affected in particularly in Judea. So confident were the early Christians at the reality that historicity of these events that Justin and tertullian to 2nd Century Christian leaders reference them in the face of their opponents. And so Justin who lived from 100 to 165 ad would actually tell his opponents who opposed his proclamation of the Gospel to go and find the public Census records themselves, which were accessible to them and they wouldn't find the name of Joseph and they would find the name of Mary in those very very Census records that Luke recorded. What did they demonstrate to us that God is Sovereign over the events of History. Shut the birth of his son was no accident, but it was planned long ago in the fullness of time. Paul told us God sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law to redeem those under the law. And so God by his Sovereign purposes over the most powerful man in the world has ever seen Main Events come to pass that would bring Mary and Joseph into the very City that the prophet Micah had identified that his son might be born that that one from ancient days from of old would come to sit on the throne of his father David the bring about a peace that would know no end. I'm so Mary and Joseph make that long trip all the way from Galilee to Bethlehem. Luke tells us and Joseph also went up along with the whole world From Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea to the city of David which is called Bethlehem because he was at the house and lineage of David to be registered with Mary his betrothed who is with child. They made that 90 mile Journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem that Jesus might be born exactly where his father had planned Luke tells us that while they were there the time came for her to give birth and she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a Manger because there was no place for them in the end. How many of you remember getting the news that you would have a child? Can you remember that far back when when either you were there together at the doctor's office and you learned of what was taking place or perhaps your wife went and then she came back and shared it with you. That's the experience that a husband has I don't even know what it's like as a as a mother to have that experience as you go to that appointment and hear those words for the first time. Are we expected the great many of you anticipated that that might be what was going on for some of you it may have been a surprise of course for Mary in the story that we've seen. It's been an utter surprise because that event was a miraculous one was the angel Gabriel said the Holy Spirit would come upon her so that the one to be born with in her would be called the Holy One the son of the most high. What Jesus was born to Mary there in Bethlehem in a unexpected way in a way that we might think at face value was unplanned? I remember when Melinda and I got the news that we would have Brayden of course rice as well and just the other day. We were cleaning up some some drawers at the house and I found the pictures of the ultrasound pictures of the boys and frankly. I was thinking as I was getting her the message if I didn't write their names on the back, I probably have no idea which is which I guess maybe there's date so I can look on the bottom with you you learned that a child is coming into the world and then you begin to prepare you prepare your hearts in your lives and and and you don't just prepare your hearts in your lives, but you prepare a room at least if you have the means that that child might come into the world. When did I prepared a room? I remember she was faithful and careful in the way in which she decorated in prepared it and got it ready and then the decor in the curtains in the toys and the different things that would make up that space that this first child would come and experience were carefully planned in the last thing that was playing was the crib itself. Even the bedding was carefully selected so that the place that this precious child would lay wood would be perfect for them as they entered into this world and had their first experiences as we read the story of Jesus's birth. We might wonder if his birth was planned because his Luke tells us there was no room for him where they were staying. And yet what we'll find is that God did not leave these events the happenstance, but the humility of his son's birth with planned long before. Why was that he might impress Upon Our Hearts very plainly that this would be a king like no other that we had ever seen if Pious Augustus Caesar son was born in a palatial Palace the Son of God Jesus. The Christ would be born in very humble circumstances. Now our familiarity the story often leaves a great deal to the teaching of preschool children. Just this past week. I was adorning Bryson the Garb of a magi as he came and presented his gift pointed at the star very powerful in the children's presentation and you can imagine we got the whole thing. But so often this story of Christmas is presented to us from preschool children, and we remember it that way. Perhaps the most hated character in The Christmas Story is who do you think it might be the most hated character in The Christmas Story? Well carry could be one right but maybe The Innkeeper who denies Mary and Joseph entrance into the end and forces them to go out into the stable where the animals are checked and yet his poop tells the story. That's not exactly necessarily what took place. Luke tells us that while they were there the time came for her to give birth and she gave birth to her first born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a Manger because there was no place for them in the In the actual Greek word that uses his kataluma, which is not the word for in its the word for guest room and he's very familiar with the word for in uses it later on in Jesus's story of the of the let's see. What's his name Jesus story of the man who helped the other man who was hurt. His name is V. The Good Samaritan the story of the Good Samaritan when Jesus Luke records Jesus the story of the Good Samaritan. He says that the Samaritan took the Man 2 and in a pan do you pay on which is the Greek word for in the Lucas very familiar with that word. He does not use it here and uses the word kataluma. There was no room in the kataluma and the cats of Lou, means upperroom our guest room with Jesus sent the disciples into Jerusalem to prepare for the Last Supper. He sent them to a man and told them to ask the man was the kataluma the upper room the guest room ready for them to celebrate the Passover meal it so it's not an in that they're thrown out of but it's there perhaps in the residence of one of Joseph's distant relatives who is who is caring for them in the midst of this senses as so many have returned to their ancestral homes that did Joseph and Mary Hi Heather, 90 mile Journey with her is pregnant along the way have maybe slow down their there. They're travel a bit. So they arrive later in the process in the the traditional guest room is already filled with relatives from far away. And so there's no room for them there. And so they stay somewhere else not the traditional spot that you would expect and hear Scholars will differ as to where exactly they stayed wherever it was. There was a Manger readily available where Jesus was laid. We'll talk about that in a moment with some archaeologists have excavated the homes there in Bethlehem have found homes with guest rooms in the upper room and a main living and dining area in the lower room a place where it was very common for them to bring in animals during the cold season who were not able to endure cold weather. And so it's very possible that Joseph and Mary a stayed there at the bottom of the house the untraditional space along with the animals who would have been brought in that time during the winter to be cared for regardless of where Jesus was born in terms of a room where he was placed is very surprising. We're told it she gave birth while they were there and she wrapped him in swaddling cloth and laid him in a Manger. When did I carefully prepared the room that Brayden would be born into and be careful Erie prepared it for Bryce's entry into the world. I think we've been got a new crib bedding and some new things like that. So his entrance into the world would be just as wonderful as brayden's and yet Jesus is father prepare to very different place for him know Mary and Joseph might have been disappointed at the accoutrements that welcomed their son into the world. God himself had planned this day from the very foundation of the world. It was no accident. But the Son of God was laid in a feeding trough. It was meant to us to tell us plainly that his life would be very different than the lives of kings and princes that we are accustomed to it. So Jesus was humbly born in a manger as a crib. It would be very different than other royalty the sons of men who are royal lived analysis and had very pampered lives. But Jesus as he told his here is very plainly the son of man would have nowhere to lay his head in this life. He began his life in a Manger as a crib and he would end his life on a cross as a mission that his father had given him to redeem those who had come to save from their sin. It's a remarkable story that strikes us so clearly the character of Jesus and his very nature in mission is set before us even it is birth. But here with the birth of Jesus Christ the reality of that birth and the the great hope that that birth had brought about would expand beyond that Holy Family to the Grady fields that surrounded the city the fields in which David had raised his sheep before he had been called to become the king of Israel anointed as he was by Samuel there in those fields and the Darkness of night in a cold unsheltered by a Bethlehem home Shepherds watched their flocks by night in the midst of that Dark Knight an angel appeared to them head-first just one and certainly they were surprised. Shepherd said figured prominently in the Redemptive work of Christ in the past as we mentioned David was a Shepherd who was called ultimately to Shepherd God's people. So to Moses was shepherding the flock when he saw there in the distance of bushed that burned it did not go out and it was there at the burning bush that God appeared yet heard the cries of his people and he would deliver them. Well now the shepherds in the fields surrounding Bethlehem are confronted by an Angelic testimony to the events that were about to come to pass. So Luke Faithfully record. What took place in verse 8 in the same region where Jesus was born. They were shepherds out in the field keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord Shone around them and they were filled with 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. What a remarkable witness that the Angels gave to the Shepherds. Now if you study the gospels you find that the testimony that God provides to the work of his son is always very questionable. When Jesus was resurrected the first people who were given testimony By Angels to what had taken place were women. Their testimony was not accepted publicly. It wasn't accepted in courts of Law and they weren't trusted to corroborate important events, even in an important event interesting me enough whether it was his resurrection or his birth his father provided him with a full testimony because Shepherds also we're not recognized publicly to be trustworthy individuals and their testimony was not accepted in courts of law either and get it to them that the Angels appear and announced the coming of God's son into the world that he would be one who would come a savior Christ the lord born in the city of David one who would come to bring good news to all people not simply to the Jews or the nation to whom he would be born but to all of those as far as the curse is found who had been born of a Adam and Eve who would come to taste the painful fruit of that sinful tree, the curse that had spread across their descendants that this savior would be for all people for Jews and Gentiles alike that he would bring peace to them in a way that it never been experienced before obviously the Shepherds were amazed and awestruck at what they had seen and so at the angel a makes his pronouncement almost immediately a great host of angels joined in and suddenly there was with the angels up 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 well pleased. 1 Angel alone is not enough to proclaim the coming of the Son of God into the world. And so this host of angels joins them to praise the Lord into adore his name and in the power of His might I think of this Angelic hosts not simply as angels with the beautiful Wings who are are pretty to look at but these are there very host of Heaven the language they're literally is the army of God appeared to Proclaim. What they're keying was about to do as he entered into the world to redeem his people at that very Resurrection site. Some of the most remarkable soldiers that roam provided guarded that tomb and when just one of those angels appear they were all struck dumb at his sight. Will hear the shepherd's witnessed the Legion of angelic Army a host that could not be numbered proclaiming the coming of the Son of God their King to this world to redeem those who he would call his own and as quickly as they had come they vanished into the heavens. The shepherd's response is a wise one though. They were not commanded to go to the city of Bethlehem to find the child. They determined that they would do just that the day has been told that this great event had taken place and they had been told we're and then given been given a very unique sign about what they could look for if they wanted to see what God was doing the angel told them plainly that they're in the city of David in Bethlehem. They would find a child in swaddling cloths at that point in time with all the guests of this Roman census Bryson. I'm sure there were a multitude of children in swaddling cloths in that City, but this child that they would find would have one very notable difference about him. He would not be laying in a beautifully adorned room or in the nicely prepared crib, but he would be set emits animals in a feeding trough and that distinctive sign would be so striking that the Shepherds would be able to locate this child and witness to the fact that this is the one of whom the Angels spoke first 15 when the angels went away from them into heaven. The shepherd said to one another let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to have listened carefully to the Wrath and they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the manger and when they saw it They made known the saying that have been told them concerning. The child was interesting is when they entered into the city, they did not begin to immediately Proclaim what they had heard they waited until they saw the sign that the Angels spoke up and confirm that what the angel said was true and so struck certainly were they by the unique place in which this child lay? but they shared it with all who would listen and the first ones who give public witness to the coming of Jesus Christ are the Shepherds from the fields of the city of David speak of the glory of God and the peace that is sun will bring to all people Luke concludes his account in this way.

And all who heard it wondered if what the Shepherds told them about the child, but Mary treasured up all these things pondering them in her heart and the Shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the it heard and seen as it had been told to them. It's an interesting rejoinder that comes up with each time that Mary is spoken to either by the angel or by the shepherd's Luke tells us that she pondered these things in her heart. You can only imagine how striking these truths are to us from afar. What would they have been like for this young 13 or 14 year old girl would become the mother of the Messiah as she heard from the angel Gabriel as her body physically changed and she began to give birth to a son though. She had never known a man as the Shepherds who she had never seen before came into our presence after that Brewers been corroborated the accounts of the angels and everything that she had been told. We're not told from the scriptures that Mary shared this story openly with everyone. We don't even know how many people she might have shared it with certainly she shared it with Elizabeth as they met before John's birth, but we are told that she pondered these things in her heart and she prepared herself to take care for this very unique child. That was to be born to her. At the end of the eight days Luke tells us when he was circumcised. He was called Jesus the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. Of course there. He's referring to the conversation that Gabriel had with Joseph when he said that this son that is to be born to marry is the Son of God and when he is born you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sin. The Christmas story is sometimes a twisted just slightly as we recall it and there's one statement from the Angels that's very important to pay attention to when they meet the Shepherds and sing the Lord's Praises. This is what they Proclaim glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace among those with whom he is pleased. I quite often as we tell that story. We read it as saying glory to God in the highest and peace on Earth to men. But that's not exactly what it says. It says glory to God in the highest and peace on those to whom his favor rest. Jesus Christ the son of God is the peace of God that has come into the world, but that peace is not for all men. But pieces for those who call upon his name and who recognize him to be who his father has said that he is the Son of God and our savior. Who Do You Think Jesus Christ is and you can call come to confess him as your lord and savior and you come to know that piece that God brought about in that crib on that day long ago, but this piece is for those who confess Christ is Lord who confessed his virgin birth. They are in this feeding trough who confessed his faithful life throughout his righteous obedience to his father in word and deed who can fastest sacrificial death there on the cross from the crib to the cross for the sake of that remarkable who confessed his resurrection from the dead when the Angels appear again to pronounce. What why are you looking for the living among the dead did he not tell you that he would rise again just as the prophets foretold. It's the peace of God, which is the greatest gift of the Christmas season is it peace? Not for all men. But for those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ God's one and only son the great news for our community is that so many of us have trusted in this Christ, but the great opportunity of this season, is that many that we love have not and so as you move through the events of this week, I strongly encourage you to open the share the gospel with your families. For some of you you are a matriarchal or a patriarchy in that family. It's a family that you have given birth to that you have cared for in and some of them may not be Believers but there's no reason to midst of the Christmas season. You can not stop and take a moment in the midst of your celebration to share the good news of who Jesus Christ is your witness in your family might be the only witness up that great truth. And so as the shepherd's had that courage than once that they had seen this sign corroborating who this boy was they confess freely and courageously to all who would listen that Jesus Christ was the anointed one the Prince of Peace who brought life and Life to men I encourage you to have that same Courage by the power of the Holy Spirit to share that good news with those who you love with those who God will bring into your life around your Christmas table at this. Fairyseason that we two might proclaim the glory of God at the Angels proclaimed it and the peace that Christ Alone brings to those he favors in Christ in Christ alone that's close with our closing song and then we'll have our benediction.