The God Who Came - Luke 2:1-21; Matthew 2:1-23

Intro:

New Testament 2:1–7—Journey to Bethlehem

By A.D. 6 wide-scale censuses were taken every fourteen years; before that time, periodic censuses seem to have occurred at less regular intervals. A tax census instigated by the revered emperor Augustus initiates the contrast between Caesar’s earthly pomp and Christ’s heavenly glory in 2:1–14.

Luke 2:1–7 CSB

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. Then she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger,D because there was no guest room available for them.

Point #1: Luke Gives Us the Context Jesus’ Birth!

Caesar August called a census for the purpose of taxation...

It was a fund raiser...

Caesar August was Roman Caesar from 27 b.c. to 14 a.d.

Does anyone know what B.C. means?

Before Christ...

Does anyone know what A.D. means?

After Death...

After whose death...

Jesus’ death...

Thus, our sense of time is a little messed up...

New Testament 2:1–7—Journey to Bethlehem

Some scholars dispute whether Quirinius was governor of Syria at this time. Quirinius was certainly governor of Syria during the much-remembered later census of A.D. 6, when Sepphoris and some Galilean patriots revolted against the tax census of that year. This passage seems to refer to an earlier census while Herod the Great was still king (before 4 B.C.); thus Luke’s “first census under Quirinius.”

2. Jesus allegedly lived from 0 to 33 a.d.

1. More likely Theologians and Historians believe Jesus lived from 4 b.c. to 29 a.d.

3. Some dispute the timing because of Quirinius time governing Syria...

4. Joseph travels from Nazareth to Bethlehem, which is his ancestial home…the city of David…because he is from the line of David! (This is important)

Scripture prophesied that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem!

Micah 5:2 CSB

2 Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; one will come from you to be ruler over Israel for me. His origin is from antiquity, from ancient times.

5. They register for the census...

a. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 Then she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger,[d] because there was no guest room available for them.

Continuing in Luke 2:8

Luke 2:8–21 CSB

In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.” Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors! When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger. After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told. When the eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus—the name given by the angel before he was conceived.

Point #2: By God’s Providence (God’s Plan), God Reveals His Plan to the Least in the Society, Shepherds! The Messiah is for All People!

Shepherds were doing what shepherds do watching over their flocks at night...

The Angel of the Lord is a Theophiny (either God the Father or God the Holy Spirit appearing to the Shepherds)

The glory of The Lord shone around them (The Shekinah Glory of God)

10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:[f] 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host[g] with the angel, praising God and saying: 14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!

15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

16 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger.

17 After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

19 But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them.

20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told.

The shepherds had much to glorify God about they were eye-witness to the coming of God to save his people!

TS: Before we continue we need to remember that Joseph got his family out of the manger…they were there for a brief time but Joseph procured a residence for his family!

Matthew 2:1–6 CSB

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born. “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”

Point #3: After Jesus Was Born, Wise Men, Prompted by God, Arrived in Jerusalem Search for the Baby That Was Born King of the Jews!

These Wise Men (Magi) were pagans (they didn’t know God)…But God revealed Himself to them and directed them to take gifts and go to the one born as Messiah...

When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

Herod was disturbed because this child threatened his power...

Herod was appointed by Roman rulers...

He had not right to be King of the Jews…but Jesus did!

4 So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born.

5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet:

6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”

Continuing in Matthew 2:7

Matthew 2:7–12 CSB

Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship him.” After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was—the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.

Point #4: Herod Hatches a Plot to Kill the Child in Order to Protect His Kingship!

7 Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared.

8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship him.”[c]

9 After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was—the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was.

10 When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy.

11 Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him.[d]

Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.

Gold - was God’s provision for the flight to Egypt that was to come...

Frankincense was symbolic that because Jesus is God, He is worthy of worship!

it was used in a mixture to make an incense that was burned in the Tent of Meeting continually before The Lord (Ex 30:34)

Myrrh - was a burial spice used to prepare Jewish bodies for burial...

Jesus was a child born to die for the redemption of mankind, The Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the World!!! (John 1:29)

TS: Sum Up Matthew 2:13-18

Matthew 2:13–18 CSB

After they were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt. He stayed there until Herod’s death, so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: Out of Egypt I called my Son. Then Herod, when he realized that he had been outwitted by the wise men, flew into a rage. He gave orders to massacre all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, in keeping with the time he had learned from the wise men. Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; and she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.

Point #5: Herod Flies into a Rage and Does the Unthinkable!

Sum Up Matthew 2:19-23

Matthew 2:19–23 CSB

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, because those who intended to kill the child are dead.” So he got up, took the child and his mother, and entered the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned in a dream, he withdrew to the region of Galilee. Then he went and settled in a town called Nazareth to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.