Luke 2:1-20: What Child Is This?
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
Introduction:
Why is this child so important?
Who is He? And why is his birth so important to us more than two thousand years later?
This passage explains to us who Jesus is, how He operates in this world and what His purpose in coming to the earth
I hope that as we see this passage we could fall before Him in adoration and that our lives would be surrendered to His will
1. This Is a Common Child v. 1-7
1. This Is a Common Child v. 1-7
As you read these verses it is amazing to note the lack of excitement in the verses
Jesus has no welcoming committee or party as He enters the world
We see some details about the historic event
But it shows us that no one cared about His birth
We could think of it as an “epic” time in history, and it was, but the world didn’t receive Him
The details are incredibly anticlimactic
Rome would do a census of the whole empire ever 14 years and now was the time for every jewish man to go back to his city and register his name, occupation, property and family
It doesn’t seem like it was “necessary” for Mary to go with him
But it seems that they knew a few things:
That the baby would be born during this trip
That they wouldn’t want to be separated during this event
That they both knew the child would be the Messiah
And they knew that it was necessary for this child to be born in Bethlehem
The paragraph ends in a very monotonous way
The baby was born, they wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, they laid Him in a manger
The very fact that Mary had to wrap her own baby points out that this was a very lonely, poor and rejected birth
When we speak of a manger we don’t have many details about what it looked like
Some people think that He was born in a cave where animals were kept
Others believe that it was in the middle of a town square where the animals were kept at night
Other believe that it was under the house of the family who owned these animals
But what we do know is that this baby was placed in a feeding trough
It shows us poverty, darkness and even rejection
It’s amazing to think that this baby’s birth wasn’t received with music or “congratulations” balloons
He wasn’t born in a palace
He showed up in a small town and was born in a stable
This is exactly what Paul was speaking about in 2 Corinthians 8:9
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
The eternal God - now a baby
The omnipresent God - wrapped in a cloth
The Savior - laying in a manger Philippians 2:5-8
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
The way in which God came to this world was a very poor and “common” way
The Bible tells us that there was nothing in His appearance that would make us desire Him Isaiah 53:2
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, And as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; And when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
He came as a servant Mark 10:45
45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
2. This Child is For Everyone v. 8-9
2. This Child is For Everyone v. 8-9
Again we see that this great news of the birth of Jesus wasn’t announced in the temple, in the palace or to the richest people of this world
God doesn’t call the rich and powerful but the poor and lowly Luke 1:51-53
51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, And exalted them of low degree.
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; And the rich he hath sent empty away.
These shepherds might have been watching the very sheep that would be used for the passover sacrifice
In those days shepherds were the lowest people in their society
They were known as dishonest, dirty and separated from society
These were the sinners Christ came to save Luke 19:10
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
It’s ironic that the most important event in the history of the world took place in a stable and was announced by shepherds
We can’t ignore this
It shows us that God exalts the poor and humble and rejects the proud and powerful
As the angel visited these shepherds it reveals God’s grace to all mankind
This isn’t a VIP party
This isn’t an event that’s only exclusive to those who have a budget for it
This isn’t limited to knowledgable religious people
This isn’t an exclusive piece of news that only a few can hear about
Jesus came to the common, poor, dirty, depressed, desperate and hated sinner
3. This Child Is The Savior v. 10-12
3. This Child Is The Savior v. 10-12
This is the great promise
That He isn’t just any ordinary child
This child is the Savior of the world
These are the good tidings - good news, great news!
Of great joy - This news changes lives, fills us with joy
To all people - There’s no limit, this is for everyone
Unto you is born - what great news!
This child is born to a group of ostracized shepherds
In the city of David - The prophecy is finally fulfilled Micah 5:2
2 But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
A Savior - What’s the great news? Not that God sent a soldier, a judge or a revolutionary. God send a Savior because that is our greatest need
Which is Christ the Lord - Christ is His title, He’s the Messiah and his position is that of Lord
This is God made flesh John 1:14, 18
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
In His humanity He sympathizes with us and understands us
He was like us in every way yet without sin
And when we feel weakness in us, He understands
There’s no aspect of the human experience that does not resound with Jesus Hebrews 4:15
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
He has an unmatched ability to sympathize with us
His compassion goes way beyond an intelectual understanding
Jesus doesn’t imagine how His children feel
He feels what His children feel
Sometimes we feel like there’s no one in the world that could understand what we are going through, but Jesus has compassion on us
He understand and came to save and give peace
4. This Child Is Worthy of Worship v. 13-20
4. This Child Is Worthy of Worship v. 13-20
I could just imagine what these shepherds felt like
All of the sudden there wasn’t just one angel but a whole army of angels glorifying and worshipping God
This child isn’t just a child, He’s God made flesh and He deserves our worship
He deserves worship from heaven and from man
The angels appeared and gave a message of glory, peace and good will toward men
Epictetus said, “While the emperor may give peace from war on land and sea, he is unable to give peace from passion, grief, and envy. He cannot give peace of heart for which man yearns more than even for outward peace.”
But Jesus came to give us peace
Peace is only found in the only begotten Son of God
It was customary that when a child was born that musicians would come and sing to him to receive him in the home
But since Jesus was in a stable and no one received him, the angels came out to sing and worship a song that no other human could sing
An answer of faith v. 15-20
An answer of faith v. 15-20
We’ve seen how Zechariah and Mary responded to Gabriel’s message
But it’s beautiful to see how these simple, uneducated shepherds respond
The just said “let’s go see”
The just believed the promise, simple as that
They take it as words from God himself
They came with haste to see the child
These poor, hated, marginalized shepherds became the first evangelists of Jesus’ birth
What a beautiful thing to see God use simple people for His work
Worship is the right response from every believer and all of creation
Conclusion
Conclusion
The incarnation was real
Christ’s identity was complete
His understanding and compassion are real because He had the same physical body that we have and He still has it
The fact that He completely identifies with you means that He can save you, no matter your situation
This baby, the Son of God, demands our complete loyalty
He truly entered this world and if He can enter this world he can enter your heart