O Little Town of Bethlehem, Micah Fulfilled (Luke 2:1-21)
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Luke 2:1-21
O Little Town of Bethlehem, Micah Fulfilled
Sunday, December 22, 2024
Land O’ Lakes Bible Church
Introduction
Introduction
An Anglican Bishop of Liverpool who ministered in the 1800’s by the name of J.C. Ryle once wrote, “Every birth of a living child is a marvelous event. It brings into a being a soul that will never die.” How true these words are. Every birth is a remarkable birth, including the joy of seeing the birth of my own three children. Something about seeing them arrive and hearing that healthy first cry is a breathtaking event, that is until you hold them for the first time, and then it is a bigger breath taking moment.
And yet, as remarkable as each of my three children’s births were, as remarkable as every other birth is, there is one that stands out above all. And that is the birth of Jesus. And it is his birth and his arrival that we want to look at this morning. At this time then, I’d like to ask you to take out your copy of the Bible and turn with me to Luke 2:1-21, our passage this morning. Luke is the third book in the New Testament, following Matthew and Mark. It is about ⅔ of the way through the Bible. If needed, please feel free to use the Table of Contents or if you want to grab that Red Bible in your seat, you can find Luke 2:1-21 on page #1018 of that Bible.
While you are turning there, let me set the stage. As a church for the last three weeks we have spent our time studying the Old Testament book of Micah which was written sometime between 750 BC and 687 BC. Micah was written for the purpose of God’s word being prophesied to his people, Israel. Particularly in that prophecy was the warning of coming judgment and exile. Yet, in the midst of this warning of exile, hope was proclaimed with the promises of God’s coming restoration. This is being mentioned, because one of those promises in Micah was of a coming Shepherd King who would come and be born in the least of the cities in Judea, the little town of Bethlehem. Therefore we go from this prophecy as late as 687 BC and fast forward to a work written in the late 60’s, not 1960, but 0060. So, nearly 700 years between the book of Micah and the book of Luke.
Luke is written with the intent to give an orderly account of the life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus that we may believe in and follow him as his disciples. And as Luke starts, Luke introduces two births foretold in the opening chapter. The revealing of the coming birth of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus. And the revealing of the coming birth of Jesus through the virgin Mary. However, where the two start to be made distinct is in their birth accounts. John the Baptist’s birth is communicated in Luke 1:57-58, two whole verses. But, our text this morning is 21 verses, with 20 of those verses regarding the birth of Jesus. Because Jesus is the one to whom our eyes are to turn to. And our hope this morning is that as we consider the birth of Jesus, that we will leave with awe and wonder at his most extraordinary birth. Let’s begin by reading God's word from Luke 2:1-21.
Main Idea: Along with the angels, give glory to God who came as a lowly baby to bring peace on earth.
1. A Lowly Birth (Luke 2:1-7)
2. A Joyful Message (Luke 2:8-20)
3. A Name Given (Luke 2:21)
1. A Lowly Birth (Luke 2:1-7)
1. A Lowly Birth (Luke 2:1-7)
In these days, the Roman Empire had begun to take more and more control of the known world. And as their empire grew, they sought to flex their muscles to show how strong and mighty they were. We see that flex in the opening 3 verses of our passage here. Look with me again at V.1-3.
Caesar Augustus was the ruler of the Roman empire, and to show his might, along with the Romans, he called for this registration, this census. In part it was for taxes, but likely it was also to flex how many were now under Roman rule as the entire world under them was called to be registered, to be counted.
The timing of this registration is said here to come when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Unfortunately some debate and confusion enters with this statement for some. For it is noted that Quirinius had made a census decree in Syria in the year 6 AD, a few years too late for the birth of Jesus.
However, Luke would have known about Quirinius and his later census as he writes about another census in Acts 5:37, with him being the author of both this gospel account and Acts.
Therefore, it is probable that there were multiple censuses during these periods with the likelihood of Luke also meaning before Quirnius was Governor of Syria, as before fits into the semantic range of the words used in the original manuscripts.
It is also possible that Quirnius was acting in an official capacity over the census before he was Governor of Syria, but at the time of the writing, would have been recognized as Governor. Therefore with these likely probabilities, let us not be persuaded by doubt of the account of this birth. Instead, we should be strengthened by this account as we see it further unfold.
For while the decree of Caesar Augustus called for each to travel to their own town to be registered for the purpose of taxation, a greater authority and power was at work in decreeing something much larger than the census. For while Caesar Augustus and Rome were flexing their muscles, God was working quietly behind the scenes to accomplish his greater plans and greater purpose. V.4-7.
The decree of the census went out from the mouth of Caesar Augustus, but the Sovereign LORD was using a pagan ruler to orchestrate and bring about his prophecy that his ruler would come from the little town of Bethlehem.
Micah 5:2
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
The Sovereign LORD then takes this ruler, puts in his heart this desire to take a registration of the people in order to bring Joseph, a relative of David back to Bethlehem with his betrothed, Mary. The word betrothal simply means a commitment to become married in a future time from an arranged marriage.
This registration then comes in the time of Mary being pregnant with child, and as she is near her due date. And the sovereignty of God further shows that while they are in Bethlehem, the baby is born. None of this was by coincidence, it was by God’s greater decree for his promised ruler to be born in Bethlehem.
To borrow from J.C. Ryle,
“The heart of a believer should take comfort in recalling God’s providential rule of the world. A true Christian should never be greatly upset by the conduct of rulers of the earth. He should see with the eye of faith a hand overruling all that they do, to the praise and glory of God.” [2]
Truly the plans of the LORD have prevailed over the Roman ruler, Caesar Augustus. Luke will continually show that his readers need not fear Rome. For as much as Rome tried to flex, their plans were subject to the plans of the LORD.
Beloved, if this was true of the Roman empire, it is still true today. There is not a ruler or nation that can flex their power more than God. The Almighty’s plans will always prevail over every other.
But that is not the only take away from this birth narrative. To paraphrase Sinclair Ferguson, “We see the love of God that has come down at Christmas”. We see this love come down in that he who is the Son of the Most High, the Son of God left the glory of heaven to come down and take on human flesh with the immaculate conception through the Holy Spirit and the Incarnate Birth. We see the love of God come down at Christmas in that God took on flesh to become man. We see the love of God come down at Christmas in that God left glory to be made lowly, lowly as one wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger, an animal feeding trough as there was no place for them in the inn.
For there were no Fairfield Inns, Holiday Inn Expresses, there weren’t even any Motels 8. Travelers depended on the guest room in other’s houses. And so, the guest room inn was full, and there was no place to lay a baby except in a manager, a feeding trough for animals.
A son promised to be the Shepherd King as long ago promised back in Micah. And yet, the Shepherd King enters the world in such a humble and lowly birth. A birth in which God became man and where the eternal God left glory to be laid in a manger. Truly this birth is something to marvel at as we see God’s love come down at the first Christmas.
And for what purpose did the Son of God leave the glory of heaven and descend to earth as man for? That’s where we turn in our 2nd point.
2. A Joyful Message (Luke 2:8-20)
2. A Joyful Message (Luke 2:8-20)
Our text leaves the lowly birth of a baby laid in a manger and shifts to those of a lowly position. The position of shepherds. V.8.
Shepherds had an important job to keep sheep, and yet, the job of shepherding was not a much sought after position culturally. It was not a glamorous job that was thought highly of. As a good comparison, one could think about how often jobs of being a plumber or handyman are looked down on. Yet, they are important jobs that are needed.
And yet, despite the lowliness of their jobs in regards to societal thinking, it is to these lowly shepherds that an angel of the LORD appears with news of the lowly birth. V.9-10.
In the appearance of the angel of the LORD we see that the shepherds had a great fear. In fact, a literal translation would be rendered, they feared a great fear. As would any of us if an angel of the LORD was to appear.
Too often when we think of angels, we think of the precious moments figures or an angel somewhat like Clarence in the movie It’s a Wonderful Life who is someone trying to be helpful and earn their angel wings. Neither of these are what angels according to the Bible are like.
According to the Bible, including here in Luke 2, angels are warrior angels who would strike fear in any before them. For they were created by God for such purposes as they gathered around his throne to worship him for all eternity.
And yet, as this angel of the LORD appears, he encourages the shepherds’ hearts to not fear. For he tells them that he brings them a message of good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
A group of shepherds is the first to hear the good news, that is the gospel. For the gospel means good news. In fact, the two phrases are from the same underlying Greek word, εὐαγγελίζομαι. And why is the gospel good news? Because it is the pronouncement to all people that a Savior has been born. V.11.
The good news is that the son promised to David has come, the long awaited Messiah has now arrived. Since the fall took place in Genesis 3:15 and the first gospel promise of a seed of the woman was made, the people had been looking, anticipating, hoping for the day that the seed of the woman would come. And here is the pronouncement that he has come! He has come to crush the head of the serpent. He has come to defeat the curse and make all things new. This is the good news brought to lowly shepherds by the angel of the LORD.
And as proof of such, the angel tells them where and how they will find the child. The sign of him being wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger will be witness that this is the one whom the angel has spoken. That the message of the angel is true. Any doubt can then cease.
But as the angel finishes declaring the message of good news of great joy that a Savior who is Christ has been born, a chorus of praise breaks out. V.13-14.
A multitude of the heavenly host, that is a large large number, breaks out in praise at the announcement of the good news of God’s salvation having now arrived. Those who had never sinned, never abandoned the Almighty are the first to do this, they are the first to praise God for his making a way to rescue men and restore them to himself!
But we must look closely here at verse 14. For we see that there is to be peace on earth. But this peace does not come for all men. The peace being praised here is not a peace for the whole of the human race. It is a peace for those with whom God is pleased.
A Savior has entered the world as God the Son Incarnate. God himself became man in order to rescue people from their sin. He would do this not as a baby, but as he grew and would live a life like ours, but without sin, and then die a death that not he, but we deserved as he became the sacrifice for our sin on a bloody cross.
A sacrifice that was accepted by God and satisfying in covering the sin for all who would believe. And this is further seen in the fact that following his sacrificial death, Jesus did not remain dead, but rose on the third day as the Christus Victor over sin and death.
But here is where it comes in this phrase among those with whom he is pleased. Who are these with whom God is pleased? Is it those who do enough or more good than bad? The good person? The one who works hard enough? By no means. It is not these whom God is pleased.
Those with whom God is pleased are those who have lifted up their eyes to the Son of God Incarnate as their only hope in life and death. Those who have lifted their eyes to Jesus as their only Savior. It is with those who believe whom God is well pleased. It is those who have believed in Jesus who will have peace on earth, as Jesus makes a way for his Father in his holiness and sinful man to be reconciled together. For without this peace, none could stand before God and live.
And yet, God has found a way to resolve this tension by the sending of his beloved Son, Jesus to save the world as he takes on human flesh to dwell with man and take on their sin and the guilt of their sin in death, so that all who believe may live.
Truly glory be to God for such a wonderful plan of salvation that brings peace on earth between him and sinful man! May our hearts join the chorus of the heavenly hosts in this praise!
And belief is what the shepherds have. A belief that is not an empty belief, but a belief that acts. V.15-17.
Too often we have watered down a belief to a mere outward profession that has no inner workings. But true belief always produces works. Works that give evidence of one’s belief. In the case of the shepherds here, their belief leads them to go and search for the one in whom they have just been told about.
An action that is not delayed, but acted on with haste. And as they go, they tell what they have heard from the angel of the LORD.
How often we could learn from these lowly shepherds who simply went and proclaimed what they had heard from the messenger of the LORD. We need not wonder what we shall say in proclaiming that the Christ, the Savior has come. We need simply to go and proclaim what we have heard proclaimed from the word of the LORD!
And we need not wonder how others will respond. For even with the shepherds, there were those who wondered at what they heard from the shepherds. V.18.
Those who hear the claim that a Savior has come in the birth of a lowly child wondered at what they heard, but this wondering is not to be confused with belief. There were those on that first Christmas Night who heard the good news of great joy. And while they wondered, they did not come to the place of belief.
Friends, you can sit here and wonder at what the angels declare, you can love Christmas, you can even declare you love Jesus. But if you do not believe that Jesus and Jesus alone saves, nothing changes for you. The wonder will be lost and replaced with something else.
Yet, for those who treasure this message, who ponder in awe and believe, there is great hope. V. 19.
Mary is intended to stand in drastic contrast to those who heard and wondered. For that but there is meant to be a comparison.
The news that a baby born will be the savior for all people, that is peoples of the world, for any and all who come to believe in him will be saved, this news should be treasured in our hearts. Treasured as we delight in the God of our Salvation. As we treasure the riches of salvation that have come to us at Christmas.
Beloved, treasure Jesus more than anything else this Christmas. Treasure that a Savior has been born to us! Treasure this message as it is the hope of our belief.
A belief that should cause us to praise God. V.20.
With the shepherds this morning, let us glorify and praise God for this salvation that has come through the Son of God Incarnate.
3. A Name Given (Luke 2:21)
3. A Name Given (Luke 2:21)
V.21. Mary’s faith along with Joseph’s continues to increase and be visible through their obedience. For upon seeing the birth of the child, hearing what the angel said to the shepherds, they go and give the child the name, Jesus. This obeying what they were previously told when the angel had appeared to Mary, then Joseph.
Faith continues to lead to obedience for them, and it should for us, beloved. May our faith be ever growing, ever increasing as we come under the name of Jesus and seek to live to the glory of his name.
Let’s pray.
Endnotes
Endnotes
[1] Ryle, J.C. Luke: The Crossway Classic Commentaries Series. (Crossway, Wheaton, IL, 1997) 35.
[2] Ryle, J.C. Luke: The Crossway Classic Commentaries Series. (Crossway, Wheaton, IL, 1997) 36.
