Luke #2"For Everyone" 2-13-21

Overview

Topics: Nativity, Incarnation, Christmas

Big Idea of the Message: The nativity story shows us that in Jesus we should expect the unexpected.

Application Point: When God doesn’t do what you expect him to do, do you accept him for who he is or reject him?

Housekeeping

-Be in prayer for next Sunday: Student Ministry will be down at Lone Tree for Winter Retreat. There will be a Marriage Retreat as well next weekend, 20 couples attending.

-Bill returns from Israel this coming Thursday. Safe arrival home and easy transition back into MST.

Pray

We are in our second part of our study in Luke.

This morning, our hope is that we see Jesus not as “expected” but instead, as followers of Christ, we expect the unexpected in our lives from Him.

Let’s read Luke 2:1-20 together

Luke 2:1–20 CSB

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. 2 This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 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, 5 to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. 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, because there was no guest room available for them. 8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 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: 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 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.

(As it is being read, I’ll stop and reset the nativity scene the way it should go.)

Before we go deeper in Chapter 2, let me do a recap through chapter 1.

Re-Cap

The Gospel of Luke begins with the story of John the Baptist. John the Baptist’s father was a priest, and his mother was a daughter of Aaron (1:5).

Luke 1:5 CSB

5 In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest of Abijah’s division named Zechariah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

His parents were old and past childbearing years when his mother miraculously conceived (1:7, 13).

Luke 1:7 CSB

7 But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years.

Luke 1:13 CSB

13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.

This miracle to come is announced publicly in the temple (1:22).

Luke 1:22 CSB

22 When he did come out, he could not speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was making signs to them and remained speechless.

Eventually, when John is born, his father makes a prophecy about his life (1:67–79).

Luke 1:67–79 CSB

67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: 68 Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and provided redemption for his people. 69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, 70 just as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets in ancient times; 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of those who hate us. 72 He has dealt mercifully with our ancestors and remembered his holy covenant— 73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham. He has given us the privilege, 74 since we have been rescued from the hand of our enemies, to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness in his presence all our days. 76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77 to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. 78 Because of our God’s merciful compassion, the dawn from on high will visit us 79 to shine on those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Shortly after this, a poor man and woman enter Bethlehem, and she gives birth to a child, placing him in a manger because there was no room in the inn (2:7).

Luke 2:7 CSB

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.

One of these children would become a prophet, the other the Savior of the world.

Again, it is so clear...The birth stories of John and Jesus make clear that God did not enter the world in pomp and circumstance but came to ordinary people living ordinary lives.

Ask: “How has Jesus shown up in unexpected ways in your life?”

Now

Let’s now get into Chapter 2...

Humility!!

The birth story emphasizes the humility of God in Christ. This act of incarnation, of God becoming flesh, was not something that would have been clear to more than a few people, and Jesus’s physical appearance wasn’t even necessarily that attractive (Isaiah 53:2).

Isaiah 53:2 CSB

2 He grew up before him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He didn’t have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at him, no appearance that we should desire him.

There was no public miracle in the temple.

Baby Jesus came to a young girl engaged to be married. Instead of a public miracle, she was given a scandal.

Yet Luke shows us that this is God’s chosen method of entering into his creation.

At the same time, he also makes clear exactly who is entering this world: he is the Savior, Christ (the Messiah), the Lord (2:11).

Luke 2:11 CSB

11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.

Immediately, Luke lets the reader know who Jesus is and that we should expect the unexpected with this Messiah.

This point is driven home further when we see to whom God decides to announce the birth of his son first: shepherds.

Think about this...

Shepherds were not socially acceptable within first-century Jewish society.

Commentator William Barclay states they were despised by the religious leaders of the day because their work meant they could not hope to fulfill the ceremonial obligations of cleanliness and holiness.

Yet this group was blessed to see the heavenly host celebrating the birth of the Messiah (2:13–14).

Luke 2:13–14 CSB

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

It is hard not to wonder why God didn’t have this same host appear in the temple before the Sanhedrin.

But as we see throughout Scripture, including the Gospel of Luke, God doesn’t operate in ways we would expect.

After all this, I ask the question again, with a slight twist...

Ask: “What is something unexpected that God has done in your life?”

Land the Plane

Let’s now get to the nitty gritty.

What would you answer if I asked you, “Do you accept God for who He is as revealed in Scripture?”

Hold onto your answer right now...

During the Middle Ages, royalty would travel throughout their kingdom in disguise so that people would not know they were talking to a king or a queen.

This was known as being incognito.

Barclay also tells the story of one such European royal who, against the advice of his advisers, continued to travel incognito in his realm.

When they asked him to stop doing it, he replied, “I cannot rule my people unless I know how they live”.

In Jesus, we can see a God who set aside the glories of heaven for a humble life and then experienced life exactly as we do.

We can have hope because our God is not far removed from sufferings.

He is a man of sorrow (Isaiah 53:3)

Isaiah 53:3 CSB

3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; he was despised, and we didn’t value him.

who has faced every temptation, and because of this we can approach him with our every need, without fear or

hesitation (Hebrews 4:14–16).

Hebrews 4:14–16 CSB

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.

Instead, let me refine my earlier question. Remember what I said at the beginning, “In Jesus, we should expect the unexpected.”

So,

Ask: “When God doesn’t do what you expect Him to Do, do you accept Him for Who He is or reject Him?”

For next week, read Luke 18:1-8.

Let me ask this question to prime the study: “How is your prayer life?”

Satisfying or Dry...

Closing Prayer