Transcript

Well, grab your Bibles and let’s go to Luke chapter 2. I want to spend this morning just giving a very simple message on Jesus’ birth. Luke chapter 2. We’ll read verses 1 through 11. A desire would be that we would be moved to worship at the greatness and the wonder, and the glory, and the wisdom, and the power of God in this condescension of God becoming man and in such a remarkable way. Luke chapter 2:1-11.

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was with child. And while they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son. wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a feed trough because there was no room for them in the inn.

In the same region, there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terribly frightened. The angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all the people. For today, in the city of David, there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

First of all, and this will be a two-parter, we’ll finish up, Lord willing, next Sunday. Note the condescension. What a condescension. That big word literally means just brought to a lower place. And that’s the understatement of all time. That’s the understatement of the universe for God to come as he came.

Now notice the text says this in verse 11 that the Lord came. Let’s read it there again in verse 11. Who is a Savior, who is Christ the Lord? So he’s called here the Savior, and he’s called here the Lord. But you understand, those two always go together. You see, the Lord did not send a Savior. The Lord is the Savior. Don’t just run through that. That’s very significant. The Lord came to be the Savior. He never stopped being Lord. He just chose to become Savior and Lord. He didn’t have to become Savior. He’s always been Lord. He will always be Lord, but he is the Lord who became our Savior. He is God who came to dwell among us.

How did he come? In wondrous humiliation, humbling himself to become one of us. Everything surrounding his coming speaks of humility. Bible text says that for a little while he made himself lower than the angels. That means coming down to our realm. There’s the holy realm, the angelic realm, and then you get down to the base level where mankind is. As I often say, it is a condescension beyond comprehension. How can you wrap your brains around the glory of this?

Three simple, obvious points, all right? A in our outline, notice the place to which he came. The place to which he came. How this speaks of his humiliation. How this speaks of condescension. Bethlehem, the text says. Matter of fact, back up in verse 7. And she gave birth to her firstborn son. And that, of course, according to verse 4, was in the city of David, Bethlehem. Now, let’s think about Bethlehem for just a moment. Bethlehem was a place of King David’s birth. And, of course, King David is such a powerful and vivid foreshadow, if you will, type of Jesus Christ. But Bethlehem itself is an insignificant town, sparsely populated, surrounded by fertile fields, fig and olive orchards, and some vineyards. David actually, in his days, years before this, of course, shepherded his father’s sheep on the fields around Bethlehem. And that reminds us that God often does his greatest work in what would humanly speaking, be a very insignificant thing or very insignificant place. There’s nothing significant about Bethlehem.

David was anointed king there in Bethlehem. David was anointed king in a private, unpretentious, informal ceremony, and yet he became Israel’s greatest king. In like manner, God chose this sleepy little farm town, this sort of nowhere place, surrounded by hills with the faint echoes of sheep baying. This place was the place of the birth of Christ, the humility of it, the condescension of it.

Micah 5:2 prophesied of this, “but as for you, Bethlehem, Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah. From you one will go forth for me to be ruler in Israel.” I love that centeredness of God in that phrase. I’m going to send one from Bethlehem who, in effect, is going to go forth for me. God says, I’ve got a purpose. I’ve got a reason for what I’m doing. I have my agenda, and I’ve got one I’m raising up out of a nowhere place. Bethlehem, who will go forth and do the work I want him to do. He’ll go forth for me. His goings forth, the last part of Micah 5 to his goings forth are from long ago from the days of eternity. There’s no way this could mean anyone other than Jesus. It’s a prophecy of him. this one who comes forth from this little tribe, too insignificant to be thought of anything important in Israel, but God said, I’ll have one come forth from there. That would do a great, great work, even the great work for me.

Now, you might think if you haven’t maybe heard me preach much or thought about this very much, if you’re not very God-centered in your thinking, and that is to be reminded that salvation is primarily about God and for God. He had a purpose to have for himself a people for his own joy and for their joy, that he might get glory from them for all eternity as they would know him, love him, treasure him, and worship him forever. And he wanted to secure that people, so he brings them forth from one who will come to a very tiny insignificant place, Bethlehem. Well, that’s the place to which he came. The insignificant, lowly, humble abode of Bethlehem.

Now, secondly, let’s notice the position in which he came. The position in which he came, and very obvious, is it not? No mystery here. “And she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger”. Then down in verse 11, the last part, “there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord”. Here Jesus is being born. He’s coming as this small infant child. We’ve all heard it before. We’ve all talked about it before, but should we not pause this season and think on it again? He did not come as a king. He did not come as a ruler. He did not come as one with any outward splendor or majesty. He did not come with even the appearance of strength or might. He didn’t even come as a lowly adult. He came as a baby. Baby. A baby that required everything essential for life to be provided for him. Think about that. You see, he was identifying with us. And we are lowly. He was identifying with man and we are fallen. We are weak. For a holy God and in any measure of thinking of how we can cure ourselves or fix ourselves, we are of no consequence. We have no ability to do that. And he comes and displays one that has no ability. He had great ability, but he displays himself as one, as this baby.

In John 6:35, Jesus speaks, after he’s grown up, of course, and speaks that he is the bread of life. And here is the bread of life, the very source of life. And he is suckling on his mother’s breast. Baby. Colossians 1:17 tells us, in effect, that He sustains the entire universe. The entire universe is held by Him, and yet here He is held in the arms of a frail, small woman.

Maybe. Isaiah said it 700 years earlier. “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear son, and she will call his name. God is now with us.” How penetrating that is. How overwhelming that is. Wait, now God, when he comes, it’s majesty and glory and awesomeness and might. No, not this time. Not this time. A baby.

Verse 7, look back up there with us and notice the setting of it all. She gave birth to a firstborn son and she wrapped him in cloths, that’s the cloth of the very poor, laid him in a manger, that means a feed trough because there was no room for them in the inn, a barn stall, a livestock feeding trough for his bed, the wondrous humiliation of it all. You can’t think of more pathos in an event, a more pathetic picture. I’m not saying he’s pathetic, but I’m saying the picture’s pathetic. Can you imagine that this lowly, poor girl is, and she’s probably just a teenager. She’s having a baby and she’s in a barn stall. It’s an enclave in a hillside. There’s manure all over the floor. There’s a stench of livestock urine. He has a baby in that. How do we grasp that? But that’s God’s will. Pathetic, lowly, humility. You know, it makes you just want to go put your face in the floor and say, God, that’s what you did to identify with us because that’s what we are. That’s what we are. before Holy God.

Well, not only just the place to which he came and the position in which he came, but thirdly, the parents to which he was born. That also speaks of this condescension beyond comprehension, this wondrous humiliation of Christ. Joseph and Mary, Leaving Nazareth, about an 80-mile journey, I understand. Difficult trip. Finding themselves in Bethlehem. Mary comes to the point of delivery. There’s no place to go. The inn has no room. Obviously, we’ve heard the analogy of that through the years, but it is a good analogy that the world has no room for a God like this. The world has no room for a Savior like this. He doesn’t fit what we’re looking for. So, he’s born in this stall, if you will, for livestock, and his parents are these lowly people.

Let’s talk about them for just a moment. We know Joseph and Mary both resided in Nazareth. They were required, because of the census, to go back to their people’s native area. They go back to Bethlehem. Joseph himself was born into a poor carpenter’s family. He learned to become a carpenter, a trade which he taught Jesus. That’s why I like to think of Jesus as something of a blue-collar guy, kind of rough and rugged. Of course, this was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy because Joseph was of the line of David and the Messiah, the Savior, had to come of the line of David. Mary, likewise, from all indications, came from a very poor and lonely and humble family. She, like Joseph, was also of the line of the descendant of David. Fulfilling Scripture. And another note to the status of these two as being in the out-scourings, you might say, of the culture is that Jewish law required the offering of purification 40 days after the first male-born son. And the offering that you would bring for your first male-born son was a turtle dove and a lamb, unless you were very, very poor. If you were very, very poor, you could bring two turtle dove and not have to bring a lamb. You just couldn’t afford it. Well, that was Joseph’s offering for Jesus. He didn’t have the means to bring a lamb and a turtle dove. So to represent Jesus and the dedication of Jesus by his human parents, the lowliest of offering was made. Speaks of his condescension, speaks of his humiliation.

But one thing that does really stick out to us about Joseph and Mary, and the biblical text seems to make this quite clear, and that is, though they had nothing materially, they were of godly character. Remember in Matthew 1:19, when Joseph first hears about Mary being pregnant, he knows he has not had relations with her. He chooses as a godly man of character to put her away and not disgrace her publicly. To keep it as veiled as he could, yet to put her away privately. That speaks of his godly character.

Mary in the same way, when the angel speaks to her, she shows a remarkable faith in God. In Luke 1:46-55. Matter of fact, notice what Mary says here. Now think about this. She hears this announcement that she’s with child of the Holy Spirit and immediately her faith… I mean she must have been taught well from the scriptures. I mean she just by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is able to put the pieces together and notice her faith here.

Luke 1:46-55. “And Mary said, my soul exalts the Lord and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” What a great statement. She knows that God is going to be her Savior. I think too often maybe in this modern age, we think God sent us a salvation. No, God is your salvation. Do you get that? That’s why we’re secure. If the God who should judge us has chosen to save us, you can’t be lost. “God, my Savior”, she said, for he has regarded, notice, the humble state of his bond slave. “For behold, from this time on, all generations will count me blessed. Well, the mighty one has done great things for me and holy is his name and his mercy is upon a generation after generation toward those who fear him. He has done mighty deeds with his arm. He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down rulers from their thrones and has exalted those who were humble. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent away the rich empty-handed”. In other words, the people of the earth who have no need of God because they’re sufficient in this world, God is bringing them down. “He is given help to Israel, his servant, and remembrance of his mercy as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever”.

What faith this lady had. Powerful. What godly character. So the human parents of Jesus are poor and they are lowly, yet they are godly. Humble, but godly. Now, as we think about the place he came to and the position he came in as a baby and the parents he were born of, Joseph and Mary, we think of all of this, but I want to again kind of put that in contrast with who he really is when he’s not veiled of his glory. And we can’t comprehend that either. It’s a glorification, a magnification beyond comprehension.

So think about the lowliness of this event, but then think about these other texts. For example, Daniel 7:9,10,14. Daniel in his vision said, “I kept looking until the thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His vesture was white like snow, and the hair of his head was pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, and its wheels were burning fire. A river of fire was flowing and coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands were attending him, and myriads upon myriads were standing before him”. This is the same person. This is the same person. “The court set, and the books were opened, and to him was given the dominion, glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and men of every language might serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away, and his kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.” This is the one born of Mary. This is the one in a filthy The stitch of a livestock stall.

Isaiah sees him also. Human language cannot, human vocabulary is insignificant to speak accurately of his glory, but these witnesses and the Bible writers do try. Isaiah 6:1-3 “In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim were standing above Him, each having six wings: with two each covered his face, and with two each covered his feet, and with two each flew. And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of His glory.””

Makes me think of as baby Jesus is laying there in that feed trough. that any moment God the Father could pull the veil back and the entire universe would be illumined with Shekinah glory from that little baby. Powerful. Powerful.

Revelation 19, here’s the same one. This is the one who was laid in Bethlehem’s feed trough. “And I saw heaven open, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called Faithful and True. And in righteousness he judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems”. That’s because one diadem is not enough. “And he has a name written on him which no one knows except himself. He’s clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. The armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following him on white horses. And from his mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it he may strike down the nations. He will rule them with a rod of iron, and he treads the winepress, the fierce wrath of God the Almighty. And on his robe and on his thigh he is a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” This is the same baby born to Mary.

When he came that first Christmas morning, he did not come to a major city. He came to lowly Bethlehem. He did not come as a mighty king. He came as a baby. He did not come through the line of royalty. He came through lowly parents, Joseph and Mary.

So here, church, we have the infinite entering the finite. We have the eternal coming in to dwell among the temporal. We have the spiritual entering into the realm of the physical. We have the all-powerful entering into impotence. We have the one of all authority entering a world of only pseudo authority. We have the holy entering into the unholy. We have God entering into the world of the ungodly. Wondrous humiliation. He must love you. He must really, really love you.

The Lord, not “a” Lord, “the” Lord has become our Savior. This is why he can save. because he’s the Lord who chose to become our Savior, and nothing can stop him. I’ve told you before, that’s what I love about Christmas, because when he comes, it’s on. I mean, the ball’s been handed off, and the star player has it, and he’s not going to be stopped. It’s just as good as done now. Now, look, it’s been as good as done from eternity past. We all know that.

But for us, just like the angels, you understand, the angels did not know the whole story. They did not know the whole picture. And as it unfolded to them, the Bible says the angels themselves long to look on all that God had planned to save His people. And they marvel, the scripture says. They look in amazement. And I think that’s why you have the picture of the angels coming to those shepherds there on the hillside, lowly, quiet, pastoral setting. They’re just watching the stars twinkle. And boom, right up before them, holy and mighty angels cannot hold back, because they’re saying, oh, we see it all now. And they’re glorying at the wisdom of God the Father to bring God the Son in such a way. We would have never figured this out. We would have never written the story this way. We would never develop the plan this way, but God would.

Well, let me close with two verses as these connect to, of course, his coming. First is Zacharias. Zacharias is John the Baptist’s dad, and he’s filled with deep joy over his son, John the Baptist, but he knows, he knows, my son is the point to another son. My son, John, is to point to the Savior, the promised Messiah, the Lord who’s come to save, and he prophesies about this precious one who’s going to be born to Mary. And Zechariah says in Luke 1:68, “blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited us”, that’s Jesus coming, “and accomplished redemption for his people”. That’s why he came. That’s why he’s born. And I love the past tense there. Jesus hadn’t been born yet, but Zechariah says this is as good as done. He has, pastor, he has accomplished redemption for his people. Jesus cannot fail.

And then to Joseph, the angel says to Joseph, telling him of what is taking place. And the angel says, Joseph, in Matthew 1:21, “She, Mary your wife, will bear son. You shall call his name Jesus”. That’s the Greek equivalent to the Old Testament Hebrew, Joshua, which means Jehovah is salvation. Mary’s going to have a baby, and this baby’s going to be God, Jehovah, who’s come to save us, come to be our Savior. For he, the idea is he himself, he encompasses all that’s necessary. He’s both prophet, he’s priest, and he’s king. Really, you can wrap all that up in one word, savior. To be a savior, he needed to be the prophet we needed. We need to know the truth. We needed one to intercede for us and connect us sinners to a holy God. He needed to be a true priest. And we need someone to rule over us who rules over us in righteousness. And he’ll be the true king. He is the Savior. He fixes everything that’s wrong with us personally and as a people. He himself will save his people from their sins.

A.T. Robertson, the Baptist Greek scholar, says the little word from there really has the idea of a way from. He will save his people away from their sins. And Dr. Robertson says it this way. He will cast our sins into oblivion and cover them up out of sight. He will cast our sins into oblivion and cover them up out of sight. That’s what the angel told Joseph that Jesus would do for us. That’s why he came. That’s why he was born.

Have your sins been taken away and covered over and remembered no more? Mine have. Not because I’m a better sinner than you. I’m probably a worse sinner than you, but because I have a Savior who is the Lord, who came in this incredible, wondrous humiliation, a condescension beyond comprehension. Behold, the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world.