 Chapter two, beginning at verse one, it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. 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. To be registered with Mary is betrothed wife, who was with child. We'll stop there and begin our study. You know, when my children were small, we wanted to teach them the significance of Christmas. I don't know if we succeeded or not, but we sure tried. We wanted to awaken them to the fact that Christmas is a celebration concerning the birth of a savior. And we know that children enjoy their presence in all and we wanted to give them presence and we wanted them to enjoy that, to be able to unwrap and enjoy present. But the first thing we wanted to teach them was the significance of Christmas because we had seen the commercialization over the years and wanted to do our best to help them to know that there's something greater than receiving a gift under a tree. And so what we would do with them is we would read this story. And so that's basically what we're doing this morning, just remembering, just going through the word to remind ourselves concerning what it means to be Christians and why we celebrate this time that is referred to as Christmas. As we look at this passage here, we need to put it in context. For over 400 years, God had been silent towards the nation of Israel. The last book of the Old Testament is a book of Malachi. And Malachi was a prophet who ministered in a time when Israel had become terribly corrupt. Israel's religion had been overtaken by outward religious practices. And the result was that the people had become callous. They'd become hard hearted. And the priests had tired of serving the Lord. Corruption had entered into their religious system. So as that was taking place, God raised up a prophet. His name was Malachi. And when you look at the book of Malachi, you'll see that the message that God gave to him was one of rebuke. It was one of a call for repentance, a calling back to God. Because the time of Malachi was drastic. It was a bad time, so drastic measures needed to be taken. A strong message had to be given. When you look at the book of Malachi, you'll see that the people were led by ungodly compromising priests. They were making worthless offerings to God. They were divorcing their wives to marry heathens. They were living in a false sense of security. They believed themselves to be living lives that actually were pleasing to God. When you read the book, you'll see the argument that goes on between the people and their God. So Malachi was sent to bring a message, but these people would not repent. They wouldn't respond to the message that he brought them. They were so lacking in fear of God. They were so devoid of spiritual discernment that even when their deeds were pointed out, they still could see no harm in what they were doing and they never repented. And because the people of Israel, during that day, 400 years before Christ would not repent, God remained silent. God stopped speaking to them. So Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament and from Malachi to the New Testament, they refer to it, theologians refer to it as 400 years of silence. Now God is about to break his silence. God is about to keep his promise to his people. God had made a promise. He had stated in the book of Micah, he had stated that the Messiah would be born in a small village called Bethlehem. In Micah chapter five verse two, it says, you Bethlehem ifroth, 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. So God had promised 700 years before through Micah that Messiah would come and he would be born in a place called Bethlehem. But the question is, how can a resident of Nazareth be provoked to go south to a place called Bethlehem? The answer is God moved a petty ruler to order a census. That's what it says in chapter two verse one and two where it says it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. The census first took place while Quirinias was governing Syria. God moved him and he made an order that people were to return to their villages to partake in the census. In Proverbs 21 verse one, the writer says the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord like the rivers of water. He turns it wherever he wishes. And so God moved Caesar Augustus and he issued a decree that all the Roman world would be registered. He ordered a census. And so as this takes place, it says in verse three, all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. 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 to be registered with Mary his betrothed wife who was with child. So Mary's espouse husband Joseph was a descendant of King David. King David had been born in Bethlehem a thousand years earlier and the Jews kept track of their genealogies. So Joseph knew he needed to go to the city of Bethlehem. Now by law, Mary didn't have to go but she went with him anyway. There were several reasons why she would take that trip. One was her time was close at hand. Joseph wouldn't want to leave her. Second, he wouldn't want to leave her alone because he knew how she'd be treated by the people there in the village. And third, it may be that Joseph knew that Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem. And so they make their trip. It says in verse six, so it was that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered and she brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling cloths, laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. In spite of the fact that Mary was obviously pregnant, nobody would give up their room for her. So they were forced to lodge outside. Notice in verse seven how it says she brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling cloths. When you look at that, let me give you a couple of insights into this. Firstborn, firstborn has at least two applications. One, firstborn would be obvious, he's the first child that she gave birth to. You know in scripture that she had other children, sons and daughters, but he was the firstborn. In Matthew 13 verses 55 and 56, Jesus's brothers are named. The question is asked, is this not the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary and his brothers, James, Josie, Simon, and Judas, and his sisters? Are they not all with us? Where then did this man get these things? So when it speaks of firstborn, it would be speaking one in terms of just the fact that he was the first of her children. But secondly, it would speak of his preeminence. It gives us insight into his greatness. It gives us insight into his glory because Colossians 1.15, speaking of Jesus, says he is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. He has preeminence and he has prominence. And what does she do? Verse seven says she wrapped him in swaddling cloths and she laid him in a manger. Swaddling cloths were wrapped around the baby so the baby looked like a little burrito. That's how they would wrap him up. And it became his clothing for a year. But she laid him, notice, in a manger. And manger is where the animals would feed. Why would that be significant? Well, that reveals to us the humility of our God. In 2 Corinthians 8, verse nine, it says you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich. You would have thought that he would have been placed in a palace, but instead he was placed in a manger. Somebody once said he was placed in a manger that people who act like beasts might have the bread of life. It says also in verse seven, there was no room for them in the inn. When you look at the word inn in the original language, there are actually two words that are translated by the single word inn. One of the words really speaks of what would be called a hotel or a hostel. But the other speaks of an enclosure, an enclosure that was used for the care of animals. This particular inn had no water, rather it had water but no host. There was no food or ordinary comforts that were supplied. It wasn't a hotel with a stable outside, it was like a stable. It says that there wasn't room for Mary even in basically a stable. So Mary gave birth to Jesus in the place that was used for the care of the sheep. We're gonna look at that in just a moment. So as all of this is taking place, verse eight. Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Behold an angel of the Lord stood before them. The glory of the Lord shone around them. They were greatly afraid. And the angel said to them, boo, now he didn't. The angel said to them, do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good tidings and great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a savior who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you. You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger. Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. These shepherds. When you look at shepherds in the history of Israel very often the shepherds were disrespected. Part of the reason why the shepherds were disrespected is because their duties kept them from observing the law. They weren't able to be observant. What is today you go to Israel they'll refer to you to Jews as observant Jews. They weren't able to observe the law. And so they were disrespected because of that. They were also not schooled in the law and therefore were considered ignorant. But what this gives to us is an insight that God made his son available to any who might come to him. Any who might desire him. In 1 Corinthians 1, 26 through 29 Paul said it like this. He said, brothers think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards. Not many were influential. Not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things, the things that are not to nullify the things that are so that no one may boast before him. God reached out and he spoke to these and touched these people through the angelic visitation. These shepherds out in the field were undoubtedly keeping the sheep that would be used for temple sacrifices. And in the ordinary event of their life an extraordinary thing occurred. I've discovered in some of you that God has a way of interrupting the ordinary events of our lives in order to do something extraordinary. He has a way of doing that. I don't know what you were doing before you got saved. I don't know what your life was like before you got saved. Mine was just simply an ordinary life and God has a way of interrupting ordinary events in our life to break through and to awaken us to our need for him. And that's what's taking place here. They were on the job doing what they normally do. When suddenly the light just shines brightly about them there's an angel of the Lord above them and they see the glory of the Lord and God's glory is revealed. His glory becomes visible to them in the way that it had when Moses had his encounter with God at that burning bush. His glory was revealed as it had to the Jews when they were in the wilderness and he went before them in a pillar of fire. It was revealed to them as it had been to their fathers when he revealed his glory in the temple and they saw what was called the Shekinah glory of God. And I say see this glory their hearts are trembling in fear. You know they had heard of the things that had taken place in the past. They knew of angels that visited the leaders like Abraham and Gideon and Daniel but now an angel is standing before them and the natural response notice with me as they feared for their lives and as they're afraid their verse 10 says do not be afraid or bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. So the angel commands them do not be afraid even though it's natural for them to be. Their fear is going to be changed into joy because the hope of the ages has been fulfilled. Messiah has been born in verse 11 there is born to you this day in the city of David a savior who is Christ the Lord. This day he's saying signals a new day. Dawn has broken spiritually. Man has been living in darkness but the darkness is being driven away by the light. In Isaiah 9 verse 2 it says the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death upon them a light has shined. He says in verses 11 and 12 there's been born a savior one who's going to confront all the sin of the world. There's been born to you the one who will one day conquer Satan the one who will one day rule. In Colossians 2.15 it says having disarmed the powers and authorities he made a public spectacle of them triumphing over them by the cross. Revelation 19.16 identifies Jesus as king of kings and the Lord of lords. And the angel states very clearly he's the savior. He is Christ the Lord. He had told Joseph call his name Jesus. He will save his people from their sins. Messiah will save and he'll save any who believe both you and the Gentile. Isaiah 52.10 says the Lord has made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all nations and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. He said he is Christ he is the Lord. He is Christ the anointed one. The prophets and kings and priests would be anointed with oil when installed into their offices, but he's also the Lord because it's at the name of Jesus that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that he is Lord. And he says in verse 12, this will be the sign to you. You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloth lying in a manger. I wanna talk to you about that for just a moment. Lying in a manger. The shepherds were in the field carrying for the sheep but there was an enclosure that would be used. That would be used to actually, it would be the place where certain sacrificial sheep as well as the scapegoat and the sacrificial goat would be kept. These goats would be used in what was called the day of atonement. When you consider that Jesus was placed in a manger where the sheep, the sheep that were sacrificed as well as the goats, it gives you some insight because in the sacrificial system of Israel, during Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, the priest would lay his hands on one of the sheep, they would end up sacrificing, the blood would be spilled, he'd be a blood offering. But the other one would receive also a laying hand on of hands and he would be driven into the wilderness symbolically taking the sins of the people away. So you have in this particular enclosure, you have these goats, but you also have the sacrificial sheep. And when you consider that Jesus Christ was born in a place that housed the sacrifice, it gives you greater insight into the knowledge of what Jesus Christ came to do. Jesus Christ came to be sacrificed in order that he might take away the sin of the people. That's why John the Baptist would say concerning Christ, behold the Lamb of God who taken away the sin of the world. So the sin of mankind would be placed on this one who was to be offered as sacrifice. And so it's symbolic and it's revelatory to us in that the people came into an area, Jesus was placed in an area where the sacrificial sheep were raised, where the goat that was the scapegoat in the sacrificial goat would be. And it gives us insight into Jesus Christ coming in order to be that offering to God. So he was born for us to be savior of the world. And for me that's a very important thing to never forget because especially here in the United States, we the church are to be the conscience of the nation and we're to preach a message that speaks to the nation to remind the nation and to remind all people who don't know the Lord that Christmas is much more than just a time of celebration for us to enjoy with our families. It's a great time to be with my family. It's nice to have a meal with them and it's nice to be able to see the joy as they open the gifts that they've received and all of that's good, there's nothing wrong with that. But for me, especially today in these last days that we're living in, it is of much more import for us to make sure that we the church don't forget why we celebrate. That's why I'm blessed you're here. I really am, that's why I'm blessed you're here. You could be so many other places right now but you came this morning to take a time, take some time to think about who Jesus Christ is and what he's done to be equipped so that when you go and speak to your family now, you can give them a message of salvation. Jesus Christ's birth was intended to bring mega-carous, great joy to all people. Why? Because a savior had been born. You see, the gospel message is a message that is not intended to simply appeal to man's intellect. The gospel message is a message that is not simply given in order that people might hear words and begin to think concerning the things related to what's being said as if it's a historical narrative of some sort. The gospel message has been given to us because it's a message that is moral, it is moral in its message and it is intended to speak to man's conscience. Man who had been living in darkness, the word darkness there doesn't simply speak concerning of being dark-conditioned where there's no sun shining. It's speaking of the moral darkness. And man who had been in darkness, those who lived in the shadow of darkness, those who are in the darkness, those are the ones that the great light has shined upon. That's the whole point. When the gospel message is preached, it's not intended to simply cause people to have an intellectual conversation with the word of God. The gospel message is intended to speak to the conscience and heart of man. So that awakens in us a sense within us of a lostness, a sense of a spiritual darkness, a sense of need, something that you know you need but you cannot put your finger on it. It's kind of like when my mom, sometimes when I was growing up, my mom would say to me, she'd say, I have hunger for something but I don't know what it is. She'd say, I've got something and she used to kind of smack her lips. She'd go, you know what I mean? Have you ever been hungry for something but you really don't know what it is? My mom would say that when in reality what I had, all my life was the same kind of thing spiritually. There was something inside of me. I have a hunger for something but I don't know what it is. And it isn't simply so that I might be happy because I knew even as a kid that happiness is fleeting. Happiness is related to happenings. It's my circumstances. So something good may occur and therefore I'm happy. I needed something deeper than that. I needed something that was deeper than just the happiness that I could experience because certain things are going right. I needed joy. I needed something that would be deep within my soul. Something that whenever I'd go through a pain or sorrow or hurt of some sort that I could go to the well of joy and it could spring up within me and I could say it's all gonna be all, it's good because there's something better than this and that comes from Christ and that's why, amen. And that's why the Bible says that there'll be mega-carous. There'll be great joy in your life. Great joy. See that's what I wanted my kids to know. That there's something deeper. There's something better. I mean, as a kid I loved the gifts and toys when we'd get them on occasion. You know, I enjoyed it. The bicycle my dad bought me or whatever I liked. That of course I did. But every one of us know that the things that we have perish with the using. We know that. We know that you can do all that you want. You can save up for as long as you want. You can get what it was. And there's nothing wrong with that. But once you get it, you say there's got to be something else. But do you know that when I came to faith in Christ I never said there's got to be something else? Because I found what there is. It's him. I don't need something else. I don't need something else. That's a fact. I'm just telling you the truth. I don't need something else. I didn't come to faith in Christ in desire to hear what Mohammed had to say. I didn't come to faith in Christ and wonder what the Buddhists believe. I came to Christ and my soul was satisfied. My thirst was quenched. My hunger was filled. That's what happens when you have a real relationship with Jesus Christ. You know, the world likes to call us Christians hypocrites. It's their favorite word for us. But you tell me who's a bigger hypocrite? The person who believes in Christ and fails but still believes and tries or the person who doesn't believe in Christ but celebrates Christmas. You tell me who's the hypocrite. Who's the hypocrite? It doesn't make sense to me. It never has. I mean, if you don't believe in Christ, then don't give gifts. If you don't believe in Christ, then don't go to parties. If you don't believe in Christ, just stay at home. What's the point? What's the point? See, but for those of us who love the Lord, it's an amazing time because we get to celebrate the birth of our Savior. We get a chance to share once again to a world that's in darkness that the light has sprung and that the Lord Jesus Christ has come for us. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And no wonder, as this is being spoken, it says in verse 13, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. In a moment of time, we see something that changes lives. You see, there is no peace on earth except among those with whom God is well pleased. The Bible says it very clearly. Men are in a state of hostility. They're in opposition to heaven and they're in opposition to one another. But God has provided a way of peace and he did it through his son, Jesus Christ. You see, when men become reconciled to God through the Son, they're gonna learn to love one another. Goodwill will dwell among them. Goodwill will speak in them. Goodwill will speak through them. And goodwill will work through them. And peace comes. When you're reconciled to God, the Bible makes it very clear that there is a cosmic war between man and God. God is sent to man in terms of peace. It's called the message of the gospel. It is calling on God's part to man for an unconditional surrender. We're not gonna have a treaty that's made where both parties say, I was wrong, I was wrong, let's get along. The gospel message is called the message of reconciliation because God is sending terms of peace to man, but they're unconditional terms saying, I am victorious, you have lost, I'm calling you to peace with me, recognize your lostness and ask for forgiveness. That comes to the gospel. And so when you come to faith in Christ, you don't come saying, well, I'm guilty with an explanation. You come before the Lord and you say, I am a sinner and I'm in need of grace and I'm in need of forgiveness. I have no excuse. I can't blame anybody anymore. I'm not gonna blame my mom. I'm not gonna blame my dad. My circumstances, my race, my education are lack thereof. I'm a sinner in need of your grace and forgiveness. And I ask in the name of Jesus, the savior of the world, I ask that you would forgive me. And God does that. See, so glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill towards men. I'm gonna close by jumping ahead to verse 19 and 20 and I wanna show you something and we'll close. As all of this takes place and they find Mary and Joseph, they see the baby in a manger and they begin to make known the things that have happened. It says in verse 18, I'll start with verse 18, all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. They were the first evangelists, if you will. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Mary pondered these things. Mary thought of what she had been told by the angel at the annunciation. Mary thought of how Joseph shared what he had been told by the angel. Mary pondered how the shepherds were overwhelmed by the angels and considered the response of the people who only wondered at the strange story. And she thought, what will this lead to? The birth of the child, what will this lead to? She thought, she kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. What will this lead to? This amazing moment where this girl, she was probably about 14 years old, gave birth alone, carried her child alone, placed a child in a manger, all of that. This 14 year old girl, and she's thinking, what will this lead to? In verse 34 of the same chapter, it says, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, behold, this child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, for a sign which will be spoken against, yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. What will this lead to? Being placed in a manger leads to being placed on a cross. Being placed on a cross leads to being placed in a tomb. What is this going to lead to? What do you think about Mary? That one day this blessed son will be beaten, tortured and crucified. A sword will pierce through your own soul. You will watch this one whom you love through all your heart, as he is spitefully treated, as he is abused, spit upon, as his beard is pulled from his face, as a crown of thorns is hammered into his brow, and as he carries with a bloodied back a wooden cross to a hill called Golgotha, and you will stand there and you will watch the light of your life as he dies. A sword will pierce your own soul, Mary. You gave birth to the one who can give you new birth. You brought life to the one who through his death will give you life. The one that you birthed will be the one who saves you. And when you see this take place, you're going to see the cost of joy, because joy came at a cost. That's why we don't take Christmas for granted because Christmas finds its summation in Easter. We don't take it for granted. We don't just party on Christmas. We don't just give gifts and complain that we didn't get enough ourselves. We don't simply overeat and kind of ignore what the day means. Thank you for being here with us today to remember who Jesus is. Thank you. Thank you for your heart for Christ, your desire to know him and to worship him. May we never forget what he's done for us. For the savior of the world was born Christmas day. Our savior.