The Gift of God
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
My dear friends, thank you so much, it is good to see you all.
First off,
Thank you for your prayers, for calling and checking on us, and sought to help meet our needs during this time of quarantine. We are blessed for Shanley’s improved health and for us not getting the virus as well.
Thank you all so much for loving us.
Here we are almost at the end of the year… 2020 has been a year to remember my friends and in 11 days it will be a New Year, 2021.
But here we are the Sunday before Christmas and we are all so incredibly thankful
Here is a question for you..... is your Christmas shopping done.
Today I want us to walk through the Christmas story and consider the gift of God.
The gift of God that has changed the lives of millions upon millions of people across thousands of years, and the gift is alive, seated at the right hand of God and He is still at work in our lives and the future lives of many as we wait His coming into the world.
So this morning lets look at Luke chapter 2, verses 1-7
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.
What beautiful verses my friends, the blessing of God’s son coming into the world.
So lets unpack these verses and see that God would tell us my friends and I want us to examine three thoughts today...
A Purposeful Journey...... The Promised Gift..... The Praise of Heaven
So lets begin...
1. A Purposeful Journey
1. A Purposeful Journey
Luke starts us off with a wonderful point my friends, he says “in those days”. Now that may not seem like much of a statement, but Luke is looking backwards, remembering the detail of the event and He is a stickler for accuracy, remember he is the doctor and he is a detail orientated person. I think that is one of the reasons God used Him.
In those days speaks to the days God had prepared for His people....the world was ready for the gift of God.
4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,
Now we know Caesar Augustus, ruled from 27 b.c. until 14 a.d., and at this particular time, Caesar calls for a census to be taken, the decree is an Imperial Edict...
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
The census is strictly for money purposes, Rome needs tax dollars just like Washington DC, amen. They had to pray for all those soldiers and officers living living and serving in areas like Jerusalem.
Now we are given another piece of information here.., it was the first census taken under Quirinius, who was governor of Syria, as we see in verse 2. And so with the evidence of his work, scholars figure that this event is no earlier that 6 b.c and no later than 4 b.c.
So this lays the framework for the time of Joseph and Mary’s travel and the birth of Jesus.
Look at verses 3-5
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.
Now we know that because of the Census every male that was of age would need to travel to ancestral hometown to register and be counted.. For Joseph that meant Bethlehem, the city of David. ( literally the house of bread).
So the Scriptures say He went up to Bethlehem. Went up literally it was 2564 feet above sea level… and Mary was with him...
Normally this would never happen, wives didn’t make this journey, simply only the men are counted and taxed if you will… but her time is close to being complete, she is almost full term with the Son of God so i am sure she was nervous and so was Joseph.
She didn’t want to be alone and Joseph being a good man didn’t want to leave her alone with the birth of God’s son being so close…
But the journey had to be made.. and remember it is all apart of God’s plan.
I would remind you my friends that during the number of our days, we are on a journey and at times it heads in directions we never imagined… but God knows. He has prepared every step of our path, knowing our days and calls us to come and follow him.
You see even today, no matter if you are lost or saved today… God prepared you days, he gave you live, He has called you to believe, to have faith, to trust him and yes to follow where He leads..
His leading is always for our best...
Today, has He lead you here for any purpose you want to follow Him after?
Today follow him..
2. The Promised Gift....
2. The Promised Gift....
Has someone ever told you, hey I got something for you, a gift. I’ll bring it by soon… Isn’t that special? You get excited, you wonder what it is… it’s a promised gift.... God had prepared a gift for all mankind.
The nation, the people were waiting for God’s promise....
For a very long time the nation of Israel had lived in anticipation of the gift God would send to them, the Messiah..They studied the word, they prayed and they were looking, they were unaware of just how God was working in their midst.
Now during this faithful time, as Joseph and Mary entered into Bethlehem, something happens, the time of her completion is at hand...
Look at verses 6-7
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.
My friends, can you imagine the scene that night…
First off, can you imagine the panic if you will when Mary tells Joseph it is time. the baby is coming and they cannot find a suitable place, no rooms to lodge in that night, no place that is out of the weather and warm…
And after a time of searching, the stable area, a grotto is the only place they can get in out of the elements, its not warm and it’s not necessarily clean but the labor is progressing and soon the child would be there...
Mary and Joseph made do, and I am sure Joseph helped this young maiden that he loved so dearly welcome this special child into the world.
Now there are some certain things I want you to pay attention too.
Ole Luke makes mention that Mary gave birth here to her first born soon. This wording is to remind all that Jesus was the child of a virgin, her first born. Other children would come from the union Joseph and Mary, we know this to be true.
But this child was God’s own son, He was a special child whose name would be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father and prince of peace. This child would hold the Gov’t upon his shoulders and He would free the world from the bondage of sin.
God was at work, just as Psalm 118 tells us...
23 This is the Lord’s doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
How wonderful my friends...
Verse 7 we are reminded that she wrapped him in these swaddling cloths, these strips of cloth used to wrap children to keep them warm to hold them secures and make them feel secure and safe...
I am reminded here of Pauls words in Phil 2:6-7 Jesus humbled himself ..
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
He laid said his place, His throne and took on mortal flesh, being born as a child.
And instead of a elaborate cradle, some stylish bed for this child born King, Mary laid him in a simple manger… a feeding trough for animals, hay used for his bed there in that simple frame.
This night my friends, the promised Gift of God came into the world, became flesh as John testifies and dwelt among us.
Praise the Lord for God’s good gift!
And this walks us into my last thought for this morning, the Praise of heaven...
3. The Praise of Heaven...
3. The Praise of Heaven...
Right here is one of my favorite portions of the story of the birth of Jesus.
I love hear that Jesus came into the world, that little baby boy, laid in a manger, but I also love that God took His message, that glorious message of Jesus birth to the lowly shepherds.
You see once again God has demonstrated that the message of Good news was for everyone.
Lets look at verses 8-15
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.”
Man, I love that story...
So lets open this up...
The angel of the Lord came to them and we are not told his name, it might be Gabriel again, but that doesn’t matter it is the message he gave to the group...
The group is important, a group of shepherds. Shepherds are the lowest of the working class of people in that day nomadic, traveling from place to place caring for the sheep, often these faithful people were not accepted or welcomed in the temple worship or even around many groups of people.
But God loved them… just like he loves us my friends, just like He loves the world world…
Aren’t you glad you were a part of the whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved...
Now look at verse 10
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.
Now lets break that down just a bit; listen to the phrase: Good news, of great joy that will be for all people..
A. “Good News” literally means the gospel. It was a wonderful message, good news for all. You and me, all those from that moment forward…
B. “Great Joy” There was joy with the birth of a child, joy that a son had come into the world.
The Joy would be defined in all that the Son came to do and say about the Kingdom of Heaven, the joy would be made manifest to all in a shameful cross that forever reminds me that I am forgiven. Great joy that God loves us so much that He gave his one and only Son.
C. “Will be Given for All People.” This is continuation of the previous phrase... the message as meant not just for Jerusalem, not just for Bethlehem, instead it was a message meant for all. The whole world….
The phrase here “All People” reminds us that Jesus came for all. Tao Ethonos…all people, every language…
Luke 2:32 says “— a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
Man, we should praise His high and Holy name all the more because of Jesus.
And listen to the rest of their message…. Verses 11-12
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.”
Then we have this wonderful declaration… verse 11 a Savior has been born to you...In the city of David ( Bethlehem) make no mistake a Savior has come… a Savior is one who saves, who rescues and delivers people from tragedy, from adversity….
We understand that He would deliver them from Sin.
Listen to the prophesy that Zechariah gives when His mouth is opened after the birth of john.
68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
Wow… a horn of Salvation, a means to be saved...
And then the next praise in verse 11 says this child I”…who is Christ the Lord.”
The word Christ is the Greek version of the Hebrew word Messiah, the baby that was born this day is the long awaited Messiah, they never thought He might even dare come into this world as as the Messiah, the long awaited one was here!
Then something wonderful happens… something that will just bring awe to these shepherds., with the one angel, a multitude of angels are revealed, a host of heaven are seen..
Verses 13-14
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!”
They were praising God, you see that is what God deserves, today and everyday, not just from the host of the heavenly angels, but from our lips as well my friends.
Glory to God in the highest...
The one who sits above all, the one who created all, the great I AM gets all the praise for not sparing His own son, but gave Him as a ransom for many.
And on earth peace… among those with whom He is pleased.. The peace of God only rests truly upon the son, but in following the Son, in being His disciple we can know peace as well. And with His peace in our heart, God is well pleased my friends,
Do you remember Jesus in John 16:33
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
True peace is only found in Jesus...
Now look at verses 15-20, this is our last section my friends..
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.
I love this the Shepherds were so excited, so blessed by the visit, by the message and by what lay ahead of them. And they went and found the child just as they had been told
Verse 20 is key… they went away glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Can you imagine the joy in their hearts, they have seen the angels, they saw that there message was true and they knew that God was with them…
They worshiped him… glorifying and praising God…You know when God shows up and shows off, doing something wonderful in us or someone we know.
Don’t you tend to worship him and give him praise… Of course you do..They have the opportunity to see and to worship.... And we can still worship Him today…
But it must begin in your heart…..
And Mary treasured up all these things.. all that she knew about, all that she continued to experience with God… She just held them up in her heart knowing this Child would be used of God in a great way…
This little boy named Jesus will be more than she could even imagine, He would be the Lamb of God
That is the message of God my friends,
A Purposeful Journey...... The Promised Gift..... The Praise of Heaven
This we know to be true, it is the Christmas story… We hold it close and praise God for His wonderful gift…
Do you praise our God for the Son..
Jesus came, the greatest gift mankind has ever received not just on Dec 25, but to who so ever, any day of the year.
Do you know Jesus?
Give plan of Salvation...
If you do know Him as your Savior, are you living like you should, if not..take a moment and ask the Lord for forgiveness and draw close to God and experience His forgiveness, and start afresh today.
If you need prayer or a church home. Don’t put off what God is leading you to do… follow Him.
Pray