Reporting on the Birth of Christ

Luke Reporting on the Birth of Jesus

Hopewell Baptist Church

December 22, 2019

Opening Illustration – Talk about the children’s Christmas play and how it was a fictional news story event.

The Gospel of Luke, from which most Christmas plays are based on, just like the Children’s Play from Thursday night, is actually a narrative from a reporter’s perspective, as Luke wasn’t one of the twelve, and his Gospel is a work of reporting, which includes Jesus’ birth.

Big Idea: All of Scripture points towards the redemptive coming of Christ. While made of 66 books, the Bible is but one story of redemption, of God sending His Son to save His people from their sins.

Pray

I. The Census – – God’s Perfect Timing –

a. v.1-2 – In those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

i. Caesar Augustus ruled from 27BC to 14AD. Ruthless ruler, yet a great administrator

1. He helped bring peace to the Roman Empire after two decades of civil war

ii. Census – to be enrolled in public records – would take years given the size of the Roman empire

1. Recorded census’s happened at 28BC, 8BC, 14AD

2. This, along with the time of Quirinus as governor of Syria, puts the birth of Jesus actually around 6-4BC, as a census would take years.

iii. Quirinuis, governor of Syria. Served from 6BC to 4BC.

b. v.3 – And all went to be registered, each to his own town.

i. Back then, during a census, you didn’t get counted where you were living, but where you were ancestrally from.

1. So, regardless of where you were from, you went to where your family originated from.

c. Main Point 1 – God’s Timing is Perfect! –

i. Here, we see God manipulating human events, causing things to happen as to make everything perfect for the coming of the Messia, His Son, Jesus the Christ.

II. The Journey – – Fulfillment of God’s Prophecy – (and more)

a. v.4 - And Joseph also went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,

i. Up from Galilee- While Jerusalem was south of Galilee, it’s higher in elevation

ii. They had to make the trip. They had to go where their lineage was from, not just where they lived.

b. v.5 – to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

i. Betrothed – Mary was living with Joseph and his entire family

ii. Chances are, Joseph’s entire family was traveling with him to Bethlehem from Nazareth in Galilee.

iii. Mary was with child

1. – a child conceived by the Holy Spirit of God.

c. God’s Prophecy is fulfilled – , and others.

i. Jesus was born in Bethlehem ()

ii. He was born not to a royal family that people should look at him ()

iii. He was born of the line of David – ; ,

III. The Birth – – God’s Fulfillment of Redemption –

a. v.6 – And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.

i. Once again, we see God’s perfect timing, that they would have to travel to Bethlehem at, or at least very near to, the end of her pregnancy.

1. It became time, the best time orchestrated by God, for Mary to give birth to her baby.

b. v.7 – And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid in him a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

i. The birth of Jesus marks the beginning of God’s eternal plan for redemption.

1. First advent, i.e., The Birth of Jesus, was to save His people from their sins ()

a. He came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many ().

2. Second Advent – The eschatological fulfillment of redemption, complete restoration and reconciliation between God and ALL of Creation

a.

c. God Fulfills and Begins His Eternal Plan of Redemption –

i. God fulfills His plan of redemption

ii. God sets up his plan for total reconciliation and restoration and redemption

IV. Three Things we learn about God and His plan for redemption through the story of Jesus’ Birth

a. God’s Timing is Perfect –

b. God does what He says –

c. God fulfills His plan of redemption –

V. Application

a. Because God’s timing is perfect, we must know and trust that God knows best.

b. Because God fulfills prophecy, we can trust that God will be faithful in our lives

c. Because God fulfills His plan of redemption, we can rest upon the assurance that Jesus paid the penalty for our sin…in full.

VI. Invitation

a. Repent and believe

b. Be Baptized

c. Surrender to the call ministry.