LOC 008: Life of Christ:
The Birth of
Jesus in Luke
Last week we looked at the quick survey Matthew gave to the
annunciation to Joseph and the birth of Jesus.
In the annunciation we saw the angel comforting Joseph telling him that
it was alright for him to take Mary as his wife because the child that was in
her was of the Holy Spirit. The Child
was special. He would come to be the
Messiah of Israel. He would come to
accomplish salvation. Matthew simply asserts the birth of Jesus in Matthew 1:25
by saying, and [he] did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn
Son. And he called His name JESUS.
In Matthew, the next event is the coming of the Wisemen from the
East which was after the fact of the birth. In Luke’s Gospel, however, we find
more detail about the birth itself and the political context around it. Luke is dating the time of the birth through
the ancient method of equating one significant event with another. Turn to Luke 2. Starting at verse one we read of:
1. The Politics vs 1-3
2. The People and Places vs 4-5
3. The Pregnancy & birth vs 6-7
1. The Politics
Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world
should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing
Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
2. The People and Places
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the
city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary,
his betrothed wife, who was with child.
3. The Pregnancy & Birth
6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed
for her to be delivered.
7 And she brought
forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a
manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke is showing the hand of God in providence behind all of these
events. He firmly believes in the
miraculous nature of this birth. It is
not only a miraculous conception,, but the timing of it all shows the strength
and sovereignty of God in unusual ways.
The ruler did not just happen to require a census, Joseph didn’t just
happen to be in Nazareth, in need of travelling to Bethlehem, and the birth
didn’t just happen while they were on the road.
The odds, humanly speaking of these things occurring at any one point
and time are astronomical. The only
explanation is the powerful hand of God’s providence brought these things to
pass.
Just as we mentioned when we looked at the genealogies, we need to
point out here, God is ruler of the details of life. It wasn’t an ordinary successions of births
through which the Messiah came, it was a special succession of births leading
to what the Scriptures call the Fullness of time. When time was itself pregnant, God sent forth
his son: Gal 4:4-5:
Galatians 4:4 But
when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a
woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we
might receive the adoption as sons.
At the right moment in history, when the world was unified with a
common language, when there was relative peace in the Roman empire, when there
was a network of roads upon which Jesus and his disciples could travel to
preach the gospel, when the appointed succession of births came to fruition in
order that the one who would be son of david and son of Abraham would come
forth from the womb of a virgin woman, Jesus was born.
But God tells us the benefits this Son of his would bring to his
other adopted children:
6 And because you are
sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out,
"Abba, Father!"
7 Therefore you are
no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
8 But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature
are not gods.
Jesus saved his people--he made them God’s adopted children. They are no longer relegated to the servant’s
quarters with no rights or inheritance, Jesus saved his people, those who once
were idolaters by nature, have been
brought into God’s family.
This is what Jesus did in coming to the Earth. He brought men back to God.
Jesus as a baby makes no demands upon men to believe. If they don’t believe there is no Spirit
operative in them to change their affections.
People can go on in their sin and not think twice about what they are by
nature. The birth of Jesus is just the
beginning of the story of salvation. His
name was given as Jesus, because he would be the one who would save his people
from their sins. But even as a toddler,
Jesus was to be worshipped. But that’s
next week.
People don’t mind Jesus as long as you leave him wrapped in a
diaper and leave him in the manger. Then
he is cute, he makes no claims upon men’s souls. But the events cry out for men to worship the
God who sent him and to follow the life of this special gift sent from heaven
to man.
Consider the text we read:
1. The Politics
Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world
should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was
governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
Occasionally, rulers over Roman provinces or the Roman Empire
would send out a decree for people to go to one place or another in order to be
registered. There was not a lot of
travel, but some. In this case, Caesar,
the Roman King, sent our a decree that demanded obedience so that all the world
should be registered.
Does this mean China was to involve itself in this Caesar’s
decree? After all, it says the whole
world? What about Native Americans or
Africans? It says the whole world, does
it not?
This is an example of exaggeration or overstatement used within
literature to show the size or stature of a thing. The phrase does not mean the whole world
without exception, for the Roman Caesar did not have control over the whole
world to compel all men without exception to report to their home towns. He only had power over those in his
realm. Caesar could only command those
of a great number and over a vast empire over whom he had political authority
to compel to obedience. Often in
Scripture, this sort of language is used to show the grandness of a rulers
power or his absolute authority within his realm. It is used of human authorities in this way
and sometimes used to explain the grand scope of the work of God. The whole world is always qualified in some
sense and even the word all is used more in a qualified sense than an absolute
sense. God inspires these words that the
readers might see the great and glorious thing that Caesar commanded. He had the power to command all of his
subjects to return to their hometown’s in order to be counted.
Luke gives further detail of this census by adding, 2 This census
first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.
As far as we can date this reign of Quirinius, the petty governor
of Syria (where Gentiles lived and perhaps a place where this Gospel was first
sent) at about 4-6 AD with what we understand of the changes in the way the
Western world reckons dates and calendars.
Jesus very likely wasn’t born in December and not in the year 1 or
zero. Our calendar and years came much
later. We are too locked into the
religious aspects of our calendar. We should seek to use the materials of the
Scripture to date the events accurately.
God’s people are always subject to the affairs of the world.
Even here we see the bondage of Israel to another in that Augustus
could command them to travel in order for him to take a counting of the people,
probably for taxation purposes.
The power seemed to be departing from God’s ancient people. There had been no prophets word for 400
years. No Messiah, although a number of
false ones claimed to be. In the words
of Gen 49:10 it seemed as though Shiloh was about to come. God needed to deliver his people. Genesis
49:10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his
feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall
be the obedience of the people.
Even in Genesis we find the future obedience of God’s people in a
day when Shiloh comes.
2. The People and Places
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the
city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary,
his betrothed wife, who was with child.
Joseph was in Nazareth, the city of his betrothed wife, he had to
travel to the city of David, Bethlehem.
This is where Joseph becomes important. In Matthew’s genealogy, Jesus is
traced back to David through Joseph.
Mary was now under the authority of Joseph as they moved on to stage two
in the betrothal process. Joseph is a
son of David, MAT 1:16 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was
born Jesus who is called Christ.
MAT 1:20 But while he
thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a
dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to
take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy
Spirit.
Jesus is the son of Joseph and the son of David. There was no more appropriate place for him
to be born than in this royal city. That
God’s Word might be fulfilled, this had been spoken by the Prophet Micah.
Listen to these remarkable words:
Micah 5:2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting."
3 Therefore He shall
give them up, Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth; Then the
remnant of His brethren Shall return to the children of Israel. 4 And He shall
stand and feed His flock In the strength of the LORD, In the majesty of the
name of the LORD His God; And they shall abide, For now He shall be great To
the ends of the earth;
Oh whom do they speak? The
Lord Jesus Christ. Born to an unknown
woman of virtue that he might be great to all nations bringing a salvation that
only he gave.
Joseph and his very pregnant Mary travelled as those under human
authority to Bethlehem, the city of the great King of Israel. What a sense of irony in the providence of
God.
3. The Pregnancy & Birth
6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed
for her to be delivered.
7 And she brought
forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a
manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
There they are, May and Joseph in Bethlehem, and she is ready to
be delivered. Without pomp and fanfare,
Jesus comes forth, they wrap him in clothes made for a baby, lay him in a
cattle trough. Why? Luke adds, there was no room for them in the
inn.
This is where many preachers romanticize about Joseph going to the
Inn to beg for a room for his pregnant wife.
Some preachers would pull at your heart strings to make a point about
how Mary and Joseph must have been treated so poorly by the ruffians. None of that is in the text. The barn or manger was a natural place to go.
Many travellers would have been in Bethlehem. It was an insignificant out of the way
town. A good place to be from. There must have been many people in need of
shelter. It appears that the manger was
as natural a place to go as any other.
The traveller’s inn may have been small.
In a small town out of the way, without the ceremony befitting a
princely birth, in a manger where animals may have been or may not have been,
we have the King of Israel and Messiah of his people come into the world. He did not come into the world to lead
according to man’s rules and desires, he came as Luke tells us in Chapter 19,
verse 10, LUK 19:10 "for the Son
of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Jesus’s reign as King was not according to the pattern of this
world, nor its way of thinking. He came
to serve, not to be serves. He came to
work for men to do what they could not do themselves. His life was a life of service to God as he
served others. He came, as the angel had
foretold, to save or deliver those in great need.
At the end of his life we find this interesting exchange:
John 18:35 Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and
the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?"
36 Jesus answered,
"My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My
servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now
My kingdom is not from here."
37 Pilate therefore
said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say
rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have
come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of
the truth hears My voice."
Even in his birth, Jesus was to be worshipped and adored. One minute old while resting in a manger he
was as much King and worthy of all praise as he is today seated at God’s hand
of authority.
Look at the excitement of the angels as they tell the shepherd of
the news:
Luke 2:8 Now there
were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over
their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and
the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
10 Then the angel
said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of
great joy which will be to all people. 11 "For there is born to you this
day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 "And this
will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths,
lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude
of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 4 "Glory to God in the
highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
What is your reaction to the news that Jesus Christ was born?
Indifference? Apathy? Just another birth story? Or do you fill up with awe and wonder that
God would become man that you might be brought back into fellowship with God as
one of his adopted children?
When we consider who Jesus really is, and what he came to do, we
should rejoice even more than the multitude of angels. We should proclaim, Glory to God in the
highest, and of earth true peace and goodwill towards men.
Why? 1 Peter 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the
pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of
the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to
you and peace be multiplied.
3 Blessed be the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has
begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does
not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God
through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you greatly
rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by
various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious
than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise,
honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you
love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy
inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith--the
salvation of your souls.
10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully,
who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what
manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He
testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would
follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were
ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who
have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things which angels desire to
look into.
The praise of angels does not come from a redeemed heart. They will never know what it is to be a
sinner and to be saved from the penalty of sin.
They desire to know of these things.
The news of the coming of Jesus to save is good news to God’s
people. It should make us overflow with
praise and adoration. God orchestrated
the politics, the people and places, the pregnancy and the birth of his Son for
those he elected, called and set apart to be his very own. A greater blessing than even the angels of
heaven will ever know. What will you do
with this Jesus? Will you rest in him by
faith for your soul’s salvation? Come to
him who alone can deliver you.
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