The One Who Is Greater Than John
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
The One Who Is Greater Than John
Forerunner, Part 4
Luke 2:1-20
Good morning everybody!
How can a Christian communicate that Jesus really is the Son of God, worthy and willing to receive all our praise and worship?
It’s the story of Jesus’ birth, found in Luke 2.
If you’ve ever seen the Charlie Brown Christmas Special, you’ve heard this passage. Linus quotes it when Charlie Brown moans, “Won’t somebody please tell me what Christmas is all about?”
During the final segment of Luke 1, he tells the story of the birth of John the Baptist – who was, according to Jesus, the greatest man who ever lived.
Immediately after that, he tells the story of the birth of Jesus. What is Luke doing? He’s comparing the greatest man who ever lived, to the Only God who ever lived: Jesus.
Let’s read the story and see how they compare.
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 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, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 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 inn.
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 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. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was 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 those with whom he is pleased!”
15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
When John the Baptist was six months old, the Emperor of Rome decided to number his people.
Caesar Augustus wanted to make sure all of them were registered because he wanted to make sure they all were paying taxes.
This is the same Caesar who was credited with creating the Pax Romana – the Roman peace. Rome controlled 1/3 of the world back then, so Augustus was given credit for bringing pretty much worldwide peace.
As Roman Emperor,
● Caesar was called “Savior” and “Lord” by his citizens.
● A herald announced him wherever he went.
● A choir accompanied him and sang his praises.
This is the one who decreed the census of the entire Roman world. Caesar was interested in property taxes, so he required people to register, not where they worked, but where they owned property.
This census forced a carpenter named Joseph to travel 90 miles south from his job in Nazareth to his ancestral home in Bethlehem. As a descendant of David, he and his brothers and cousins owned property there.
Luke tells us that Joseph traveled “up” to Bethlehem, because Bethlehem is in the hill country of Judea. Nazareth is at 1,100 feet. Bethlehem is at 2,500 feet.
Most of the Empire taxed the head of each household, but in Syria, they taxed women also. This is why Joseph was accompanied by his pregnant fiancé.
Arriving in Bethlehem, they had a dilemma: swelling numbers of Joseph’s relatives also had to come and register, so the house was brimming over with guests. The master bedroom was full, the living room was full, even the place where the animals stayed was full.
Mary needed some privacy to give birth, and to dress and feed her newborn. So the couple chose to stay in the cave next to the house. The cave where the animals were housed during the winter.
It was then that all heaven broke loose. At first, a single angel appeared. He was sited a mile north of the stable. Over the field where the sheep where raised for slaughter in the Temple in Jerusalem, 5 miles further north.
Shepherds in watchtowers that surrounded that field were minding their own business when the Angel of the Lord announced the birth of the Savior.
His announcement was followed immediately by an army of angels who had been waiting for nine months, but really, for all of eternity, to sing their anthem song: “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to men.”
Luke doesn’t record their decibel level, but it’s almost certain their singing woke the shepherds’ family members. The hills surrounding the shepherd’s fields are lined with caves line the perimeter of the shepherds’ field. Those caves have become so sacred that they’ve all be turned into worship chapels today. People worship there, because the greatest news in history was announced there.
The shepherds decided to investigate the birth for themselves. When they saw the Messiah in a manger, they were overjoyed. Their intuitive response was to tell everyone they could find that the Savior of the world was born.
These shepherds were the first evangelists of the Christian era. They were Jesus’ first worshipers.
Jesus’ mother took all of this in. She thought about it deeply.
– What did it all mean?
– What all was going to happen now that Messiah was in the world?
– Years later, she told it all to Luke, who recorded it carefully, so that we might know and believe.
When Luke recorded the story, he wanted to be sure no one missed the point. Luke was convinced by the evidence that
● Jesus was greater than the greatest man who ever lived,
● and greater than the most powerful man alive.
So he wrote his story. To tell us the story. And to compare Jesus to John, and Jesus to Caesar.
How do they compare?
Why Jesus Was Greater Than John:
Why Jesus Was Greater Than John:
Let’s run down the list:
Both John and Jesus had miraculous births.
John was born to elderly parents. Jesus was born to a virgin (Lk. 1:27).
Which was the harder miracle?
Being born to elderly parents is improbable.
Being born of a virgin is impossible.
Who wins this one?
Then there are the birth settings.
Elizabeth gave birth in her home. Mary gave birth in Bethlehem (Lk. 2:4).
Elizabeth’s delivery was normal. Mary’s delivery in Bethlehem was 90 miles from her home, and in direct fulfillment of a 500-year-old prophecy given in Micah 5:2 in the OT.
Which is more impressive?
Score so far = Jesus 2, John 0.
How about birth circumstances?
Luke 1 says,
Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she had a son. Luke 1:57
Luke 2 says,
7 Then she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Luke seems to be saying…
John’s birth was normal. Jesus’ birth was humble (Lk. 2:7).
Like nothing you would expect from a prophet, priest, or king, because Jesus was like no other king.
Which is more impressive for a man of greatness? Normal, or humble?
How about their announcements?
Since Zechariah was unable to speak at the time…
John’s birth was announced by Elizabeth. Jesus’ birth was announced by an angel. (Lk. 2:10).
What do you think?
I score it: Jesus 4, John still 0.
Let’s compare their songs:
Zechariah sang at John’s birth. A choir of angels sang at Jesus’ birth (Lk. 2:13).
Jesus wins that one hands down.
And, how about the results of their births?
Everyone who heard about John’s birth was impressed. Everyone who heard about Jesus’ birth was amazed (Lk. 2:18).
Final score = Jesus 6, John 0.
Even from birth, the greatest man who ever lived can’t compare to the only God who ever lived.
So let’s look at Luke’s comparison of Jesus and Caesar. At that time, Roman governed 1/3 of the population of the earth. Their ruler, Caesar, was so powerful, they called him, “August,” which means, “majestic one.”
How does this most-powerful, majestic one compare to Jesus?
Why Jesus Was Greater than Caesar:
Caesar’s birth was noble. Jesus’ birth was humble.
There was pomp and circumstance surrounding the birth of any Roman nobleman.
There was nothing pompous, and only lowly circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus in a cave.
You can’t really score this one. You’ve got to collect some more facts before you decide which was more impressive, because it depends on how you measure impressive.
So let’s compare heralds:
Caesar’s herald was a human. Jesus’ herald was an angel.
Who wins that one? [Jesus.]
And how about choirs?
Caesar had a choir to sing about his glory. Jesus had a better choir.
What kind of choir did Jesus have? An army of the heavenly host.
Jesus 2, Caesar 0 - and maybe it’s time to say that for someone with the resources Jesus had at His disposal to let Himself have a humble birth so that we could all identify with Him, may be one of the most impressive things about Him. – He was so impressive He didn’t need to impress us with a pompous birth.
Jesus 3, Caesar 0.
(You can see where this is going, can’t you?)
And how about claims?
In the first century world, everyone knew that…
Caesar was called Savior and Lord. Jesus is Savior and Lord (Lk. 2:11).
By the time Jesus was through, everyone who investigated His accomplishments knew that Jesus was and IS Savior and Lord.
Then, how about actions?
Caesar demonstrated his power by issuing a decree. God demonstrated His love by sending His Son.
Love is more powerful than any decree.
5 to nothing. And finally, how about motives?
Caesar sent Joseph to Bethlehem to ensure he would pay taxes. God sent Jesus to Bethlehem to ensure He would pay for our sins.
Which is more impressive?
The God who cares for us, not the ruler who wants things from us.
OVERVIEW/SUMMARY
Most of the time, when we want to read the Christmas story, we start in Luke 2, verse 1, and read the miraculous story of Jesus’ birth… and it is enough for us. More than enough.
But when we step back and look at the whole story, in context, Luke is not only saying that this is a birth like no other, he’s saying, “This is a life like no other. Compare Jesus to anyone: to the greatest of humans or the greatest of kings and there is no comparison.”
In the time in which Jesus was born, “Caesar” was the most powerful name in the world. Israel was a backwater part of the empire. Nobody knew Jesus names like Joseph and Mary.
Today we name our children “Jesus, Joseph, and Mary,” and we name our dogs “Caesar.”
To be fair, Augustus Caesar was so powerful, our calendar still has a month that is named after him. But, we number that calendar by the birth of Jesus!
RESPONSE
Jesus Christ is Lord, Savior, Messiah and King.
He is worthy of our worship.
This is why we sing to Him.
This is why people in churches raise their hands to Him.
This is why Jesus freely and readily receives our praise and worship, our offerings, our exaltation.
This is what you should tell anyone who ever wonders if Jesus would want to be worshiped. Jesus has to be worshiped. He’s the great one, we’re His subjects!
APPLICATION
If, in the future, you’re ever hard-pressed to articulate how you know this, turn to this passage.
Say this: Jesus is greater. Jesus is worthy of all my praise and worship.
Whoever you’re comparing to Jesus, Jesus is greater.
He has no rival.
He has no equal.
His is the name above all names.
He came to give to us, because He didn’t need anything from us.
He only wanted things for us.
His name is “Jesus,” in Hebrew, “Yeshua,” which means, “Savior.”
- He came to save us from the justice we deserved for the things we’ve done wrong.
- He came to over us forgiveness.
- And eternal life.
No one else has done that.
Because no one else could do that.
Say this after me:
Jesus
- That means Savior.
Say this:
Messiah
- That means “Anointed One,” or “Chosen One,”
- The one who was promised.
- The one who was foretold.
- The one who is for us.
Say this:
Emmanuel
- That means, “God with us.”
Because Jesus was God… in a bod.
APPLICATION
Luke 2 is a familiar story. So what do we do with it?
Luke says,
19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
And, Luke says, the shepherds…
17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
And…
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Mary’s response was to meditate (which means to think deeply about all that had happened)
How to Respond:
Mary meditated (Lk. 2:19).
The shepherds worshiped (Lk. 2:20) and told others (Lk. 2:17).
And the shepherds’ response was to worship Him and to tell others about Him.
1. Find a quiet spot to just think about Jesus and thank Him for coming.
2. Find a friend or two and say, “Hey, this Jesus thing, this birth at Christmas was real. Can I tell you about it?”