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Scripture Reading:  Luke 2:8-16

The Day Jesus was Born

Intro.
1.  Asked to teach a lesson on birth of Jesus.

2.  Men presumptuously establish holy days (religious festivals) that God has not commanded (Psa. 19:13; Matt. 15:7-9; 28:18; Col. 3:17); Christmas is one such presumption.

3.  The Bible doesn’t give the date of Jesus’ birth:

  a.  Days of Herod the Great (37-4 BC) & Caesar Augustus (27 BC-14 AD), Matt. 2:1; Lk. 2:1.  (perhaps 5-4 BC).

  b.  Text discourages wintertime, Lk. 2:8 (SS 2:11, cold & rainy).

  c.  “But the exact time of his birth is unknown; there is no way to ascertain it.  By different learned men it has been fixed at each month in the year.  Nor is it of consequence to know the time; if it were, God would have preserved the record of it.  Matters of moment are clearly revealed; those which he regards as of no importance are concealed…”  (Albert Barnes on Luke 2:8)

  d.  God could have told us if He had wanted us to know.  (Deut. 29:29)

4.  No Bible approval for celebration of Christ’s birth (resurr., etc.).

5.  Celebration of Christ’s birth is based on human authority.  

6.  Day of Jesus’ birth a unique day in history.

 

I. AN OBSCURE DAY (hardly noticeable).

  A.  His Entrance into the World was Humble & Lowly, Lk. 2:4-7, 12, 16.

    1.  King lying in a manger (meek & lowly in heart, Matt. 11:29).

    2.  Certainly not the trappings of earthly kings (Isa. 53:2).

    3.  A Nazarene (His lowly estate; despised, rejected), Matt. 2:23.

  B. We Must Seek Jesus Like Others Did.

    1.  Shepherds, Lk. 2:15-16 (cf. Acts 17:27; Matt. 7:7).

    2.  Wise men, Matt. 2:1-2, 11 (to worship Him).

  C.  We must be Humble like Jesus, 1 Pet. 5:5-7.

 

II. A MIRACULOUS DAY (virgin birth), Lk. 1:31, 34-35, 37-38.

  A.  Conception, Matt. 1:18, 20-23 (Isa. 7:14) – God-given sign.

  B.  Bethlehem (fulfilled prophecy), Matt. 2:4-6 (Micah 5:2).

  C.  God became Flesh, Isa. 9:6-7 (Jno. 1:14; Heb. 2:14).

    1.  The “Mighty God” (Isa. 9:6) left heaven’s glory & took on Himself flesh (human identity, “nature or essence” of man), Phil. 2:5-8.

    2.  A body prepared for Son of God to die for sins of man, Heb. 10:5.

 

III. A DAY SALVATION WAS BROUGHT DOWN, Matt. 1:21.

  A.  The Unfolding of God’s Plan to Save Sinners, Gal. 4:4-5.

    1.  Mary (Lk. 1:54-55) & Zacharias (Lk. 1:67-75) saw this birth as God sending salvation to the people of God.

    2.  Angelic announcement, Lk. 2:8-10.

    3.  When Simeon saw child he saw the Lord’s salvation, Lk. 2:28-32.

  B.  It was a Day of Worship.

    1.  The angels, Lk. 2:13-14.

    2.  The shepherds, Lk. 2:20.

    3.  The wise men when they (eventually) arrived, Matt. 2:11.

    4.  Our worship of “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” should turn heavenward every day!  (Lk. 2:11)

  C.  It was a Day to Tell Others of Christ, Lk. 2:17-18.

    1.  Shepherds heard good news, 2:10-11.

    2.  Given a sign to consider & saw angelic chorus, 2:12-14.

    3.  Considered the evidence, 2:15.

    4.  Told others what the Lord made known to them, 2:17.

    5.  We must do the same.  (Matt. 28:19)

 

Conclusion

1.  The child in the manger is now King of heaven & earth, Rev. 12:1-5 (Matt. 28:18).

2.  His judgments are righteous & we must humbly obey them, or He will bring fierce judgment against us, 12:5.

3.  We overcome through His blood; therefore, we rejoice, 12:10-12.