A Historical Birth: Luke 2:1-20

Introduction

People have a narrow view of history. They will often believe what they want to believe; even when the evidence to the contrary is overwhelming. Such could be said of holocaust deniers. Deniers claim that the systematic murdering of around 6 million Jews, those who protected them, and anyone who stood up to the Fuehrer didn’t happen. They dismiss the killing centers. They dismiss the survivors, both Jews, and Christians like Corrie Ten Boom who was sent to a concentration came. There her father and sister both died because of their protection of Jews. Why do they deny the holocaust? They deny it because they want to.

As some deny the Holocaust, many deny Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. They deny it even though there is more historical evidence for the reliable transmission of the New Testament, including its account of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, than any other book, event, and person from antiquity. Yet, Muslims deny Jesus’ death on the cross. Skeptics deny the resurrection of Christ. Not because the evidence leads to their conclusion, but because their presuppositions won’t allow for these events. Skeptics deny the supernatural on the onset, so resurrection can’t happen. Therefore, they say it didn’t. Muslims deny the death of Jesus on the cross because a murderous cult leader who lived 600 years after the New Testament was written said so.

Luke, being carried along by the Holy Spirit, writes the Gospel we are studying this morning to confirm the events of Jesus birth, life, death, and resurrection for first century Christians and you. He, also, in recounting what happened in the life of Christ explains what Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection means for you and the rest of the world. People will deny it. People will form arguments to support their denial. However, at the end of the day, their denial stems from rebellion, not intelligence. Pride, not evidence. Assumption, not reason. So, what does Luke want us to know about Jesus’ birth? Luke wants you and me to know that Jesus’ birth happened. In the remainder of our time, we will examine Luke’s account and see three additional aspects of Jesus’ birth.

Body

1. Jesus’ birth happened, and it was gentle: 1-7

a. 1-3: Caesar Augustus, sometimes called by his original name Octavian, was the sole emperor of the whole Roman empire. His rise to power came after the assignation of Julius Caesar, and Octavian and Antony’s defeat of the those who carried out the assassination. Octavian ruled alone from 27 B.C. to 14 A.D. During this time, he issued a census of the Roman Empire, likely for tax purposes. The administrator of this census was Quirinius a Governor of Syria, who would have overseen the area Palestine for the Roman Empire. In obeying this census, each person was required to return the town of their tribal ancestry. This likely was a political move by Herod the Great. By requiring them to return to the town of their tribal ancestry, Jews might have seen the act as a form of tribal patriotism. Otherwise, to take a census for merely tax purposes would have angered the Jewish people because it would be a reminder of their subjection to Rome. Luke mentions these details to place the work of God through Jesus Christ in human history. Luke sees God as the Lord of that History, guiding it to conform to His sovereign and wise purposes. The Messiah and Redeemer of God’s People, according to the prophet Micah, would come from the town of David, Bethlehem.

b. 4-5: Luke informs us that Joseph and, His betrothed wife to be, Mary went to Bethlehem. The city that king David hailed from. Mary was pregnant and likely far along in her pregnancy. It was a 3-day 90-mile journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem so this journey wouldn’t have been easy for this young family. It wasn’t common for a woman to travel with her betrothed for a census. Joseph would have been enough, but apparently, he didn’t want to be away from her with the birth of Jesus so imminent. Therefore, he took her.

c. 6-7: When the young couple was still in Bethlehem, Mary went into labor. Unfortunately, much of what we hear about the birth of Christ doesn’t come from Scripture. There is no mention of a long stressful search for a room, nor is there any mean innkeeper. No, there was no room for them in a convenient place for a baby to be born, so the birth took place in a cave, stable, or poor persons home were animals commonly were stored. He was born, swaddled, and laid in a feeding trough. Don’t miss the irony and humility of this event. The Messiah King’s first throne room was a stable. His first throne was a feeding trough. The lowly birthplace doesn’t match with the greatness of the child. God the Son entered the world as a human baby boy. The promised Messiah had come.

d. I: Heroes, whether they be fictional or historical, can come from unexpected places. Whether it be the raggedy fellowship in the Lord of the Rings: a ranger, elf, dwarf, wizard, and four frail hobbits. Hobbits being one of the weakest species in Middle Earth. Frodo, being no different, with the aid of his friends especially Sam defeated the powerful Witch King Sauron. Or consider King David, the Lord Jesus’ ancestor. He was the runt of his family from an obscure village. He went on to defeat a giant, become king, and expand and protect Israel. Therefore, we shouldn’t be surprised when the origin of our King and Savior is humble because that is how God works. He does what conventional human wisdom thinks foolish. Jesus, the Lord and Messiah, was born, and it was gentle. In applying this concept, my encouragement to you is believe it.

e. A: Believe God. Believe His Promises. Believe His Word. Believe His Son. God has spoken and continues to speak. He spoke through the prophets. He spoke through the Law. He spoke through His Son and His apostles. The prophets and apostles by God’s Spirit committed what God desired to writing. That writing we find in the 66 books of the Holy Bible. In it, we find God’s interpretation of history. In it, we find God’s promises and their fulfillment. In it, we find God’s Law. In it, we find God’s Savior Jesus. As we read today about Christ birth, I want you to believe it. Believe it so much that you are moved to study it more. Believe it so much that you take comfort in the fact that your redemption is not rooted in mere feelings, but in a person, who is real and historical. The real Jesus is the one of the Scriptures. He was born in humility in Bethlehem as God directed Micah to foretell centuries earlier. Believe it.

f. T: Jesus birth happened, and it was gentle. That is one aspect of Jesus birth, let's take a look at the next one.

2. Jesus birth happened, and it was good news: 8-12

a. 8-9: Somewhere near Bethlehem there was a group of shepherds watching over their flock at night. This flock possibly was kept for temple sacrifices. Shepherds as a class were not liked or trusted. They were considered unreliable. Their tendency to confuse what belonged to them and what belonged others didn’t help. Also, the nature of their work made it impossible for them to observe ceremonial law which meant quite a lot to religious people like the Jews. However, an angel with glorious light appeared to them at night. This angel’s arrival struck them with great fear. A shepherd might have expected thieves or predators, but an angel was surprising and a lot scarier.

b. 10-12: The angel encourages them not to fear. His reason is that he has come to bring “good news of great joy for all the people.” The news is about the Savior and the Messiah-King being born that day. This news was good news and great joy for the Jews because their promised Messiah had arrived. The one who would save them from their sins and their enemies had finally come. Though he came in a way they didn’t expect, though He wouldn’t be the type of man they thought, this child who laid in the manger was the promised Messiah King, their Savior. Not only was He to be the Savior of the Jews but of all kinds of people. The shepherds could find this baby wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger in Bethlehem.

c. I: Sometimes the good news of Jesus Christ is told like advice. However, news is different than advice. Advice is eat right, exercise, and get sleep. News is to tell of the birth of a child. Advice may be good or bad. Even good advice might not be taken with great consequence. News, not fake news, is true whether you believe it or not. The birth of Christ is news. It is something that happened which has eternal significance for all who believe it or reject it.

d. A: Sure I can advise or encourage you to believe the gospel and believe the birth of Christ which is the beginning of the gospel, but I only do so because it is true. I do it because I am convinced that it is the only way that you will have reconciliation with God and eternal life. I don’t merely suggest that you believe the gospel I urge you to because it is life if you believe and death if you don’t.

e. T: Jesus birth happened, and it was good news. It, also, was gentle. That is two aspects of Jesus’ birth. Let’s look at the third aspect Luke wants us to notice.

3. Jesus birth happened, and it was glorious: 13-20

a. 13-14: The angels celebrate. After the angel reported the good news of the birth of the Saving Messiah King, a multitude of heavenly host appear and began celebrating the good news that had been reported. They celebrated with a song of praise and thanksgiving, giving God credit and glory for what had happened. They wish peace upon those who God has shown special favor of hearing and believing the good news. Even angels celebrate the birth of the savior. But they aren’t the only ones who celebrate.

b. 15-17, 20: The shepherds celebrate. After voicing their celebration, the angels left. Then the Shepherds decided they wanted to see what God had done and told them. Like Mary, John, and Elizabeth in the previous chapter, they believed what God promised them. The shepherds rushed to Bethlehem where they found Mary, Joseph, and the baby, the Saving Messiah King, lying in the manger. Instead of keeping the news to themselves they told everyone who was present. News that we see as truly good news is hard not to celebrate and hard to keep a secret. It is like when someone hears a good report from a doctor that the cancer is gone or in full remission, they won’t keep it secret for long. After reporting their news, the Shepherds left glorifying and praising God. They came celebrating, and they left celebrating. How does the audience respond to the news?

c. 18: The audience celebrates. They celebrated in amazed wonder. What the Shepherds told was remarkable to the those that heard because it was great and long-awaited news. It was told to a people aware of God’s promised Savior. It was told to people who were aware of their need for that Savior. So, when they heard it was He that laid in the manger, a celebration was appropriate. Though the audience is filled with amazement and wonder, they are not the last to celebrate.

d. 19: Mary celebrates. Mary probably didn’t comprehend all this news, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t believe it or celebrate. In fact, she stored it in her mind and heart. She pondered it over. She, too, was amazed. All who heard and told the good news of Jesus Christ, His birth, title, and work celebrated. They couldn’t help but celebrate. The Savior had been born.

e. T: Considering the last two aspects of Jesus’s birth, that it was good news and glorious let me encourage you to apply it by telling about it and celebrating it.

f. A: Tell about the birth of Christ. Tell others about the story of God’s salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. Tell others about how God the Son willingly became man to save sinners like them and us. Tell others about humility of Jesus’ birth and what is so good about it. Tell about how it was promised millennia and centuries before. Share this story not as a fairytale but as history because it is history. Jesus, the Savior, Messiah, and Lord was born in Bethlehem. He grew up, lived in perfect obedience to God, to the point where he bore the wrath of God for sinners like us on the cross willingly, He rose from the grave, ascended to the right hand of God and will come back to complete what He began in Bethlehem. Tell others to believe in, that is trust in, the Lord Jesus for their eternal salvation. Tell others that it is something worth believing and celebrating, which leads to our next application.

g. A: Celebrate the birth of Christ. The gifts we gave and received this past week should point us to the greatest gift, the gift of Jesus, our savior. We can delight in these temporary gifts because we know that we have hope and eternity to enjoy greater gifts, including unhindered communion with God without sin and its effects. Jesus was born, so Christians should be able to find joy even in difficulty. You can cry out about your pain and loss, but you can always hold onto the fact that the Savior was born, and He will come again and right every wrong and make all things work for your good. If you have trusted in the Lord Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins, then you have hope. You have a future. You have Salvation. So, let’s celebrate. Celebrate by believing the story. Celebrate by reading it to your kids, grandkids, parents, grandparents, and weird uncles. Pray prayers of thanksgiving for it around your dinner tables. Celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus who is the Christ.

Conclusion

In our text, you have seen that Jesus’ birth happened. You have seen that it was gentle. You have seen that was and is good news. You have observed that it was glorious. However, you should also know that Jesus birth was the beginning of the story and not the end.

That baby in the manger grew into the man that healed the sick and freed the demon possessed. He grew into the man that preached to and fellowshipped with sinners. He grew into the man that hung on the cross willingly bearing the wrath of God for sinners like you and me. He rose victoriously from the dead, demonstrating that He paid in full the sin debt that all who trust in Him owe through their sinful rebellion. He ascended to the right hand of God inaugurating a new world order, and His reign is being furthered day by day. He will return in fury against His enemies and in love of His people, establishing His kingdom entirely and forever.

Those that deny Him will eternally be tormented in the lake of fire with its smoke that goes up forever and ever. Those who placed their trust in Him will reign with Him over the New Earth. If you died today, which group would you belong to? Have you trusted in the Lord Jesus for the forgiveness of your Sins? Have you confessed that He is Lord with your mouth and believed in your heart that God rose Him from the dead? To deny His birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, Lordship, and return is more foolish and costlier than denying the Holocaust that certainly happened. To deny Him is death. To accept Him is life.

O, unconverted sinner, Jesus can change your hopelessness into hope, your sinfulness into holiness, and your vanity into meaning. If you want to live life to its fullest and have life after you die, then repent of your sins and trust in the Lord Jesus.

O, converted sinner, celebrate the good news of your humble savior, Jesus. Rejoice in His birth, trust in Him and His substitutionary work on your behalf. Live in humble obedience and share the good news of Jesus with all who God places in your life. Jesus’s humble birth happened. Jesus’ holy life happened. Jesus’ sacrificial death happened. Jesus victorious resurrection happened. Jesus’ royal ascension happened. Jesus’ triumphal return is going to happen. Get ready.