Audio - The Circumstances of Jesus' Birth

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The Fourth Sunday in Advent
December 21, 2008
The Circumstances of Jesus' Birth

TEXT:  NKJ 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. 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. 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.
 
From the fall of man into sin—God promised a Savior—and throughout the Old Testament we see that Savior appearing at different times and in different situations—let’s briefly examine some of those references
 
NKJ Exodus 3:2 And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn."
 
The Apostle Paul understood the things of the Old Testament—and he wrote these words under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
 
NKJ 1 Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
 
Jesus came as a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes—but He was no stranger to this world—He guided the Israelites—God’s people—as they escaped the bonds of Egypt—He guided God’s people through the wilderness for 40 years—and now, in a manger in a strange stable in the middle of the night—He is returning as a human—to defeat the Law on man’s behalf—He would defeat death—so all believers could have eternal life
 
What a beautiful example in Scripture for us to consider—to understand that Christ could have come as the Angel of the Lord—and led us to safety—but instead He chose to come as a little Babe—to make the Way for each of us to go to heaven for all eternity
 
And now we begin to examine our text—and we will answer four questions—1) Why this time?—2) Why this place?—3) Why this mother?—4) Why this form of birth?
 
WHY THIS TIME?
 
TEXT:  NKJ 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.
 
Caesar Augustus was the most powerful Caesar of all time—he had the entire world under his control—the entire known world—with a few exceptions—were under his jurisdiction
 
Those of this world might call this a time of peace—but the war was about to begin—a war that was promised in the first book of the Bible—immediately following the fall of man
 
NKJ Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel."
 
God promised a Savior—and He said that Savior would come as the Prince of Peace
 
NKJ Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
 
The government of which Isaiah speaks is the spiritual kingdom of the Church on earth—there will be no end to the Church until Judgment Day—the peace God speaks of through the Prophet Isaiah—is a peace between man and God—God is not telling us Jesus came to make peace in a worldly sense—because Jesus came to give us the power to send the devil reeling at the mere mention of the Word of God—Isaiah’s words definitely speak of a peace with God—
 
NKJ Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
 
We celebrate the birth of the Savior in the winter—during the darkest month of the year—which is symbolic of the darkness of the earth spiritually at the time of Christ’s birth
 
NKJ Isaiah 9:2 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.
 
NKJ John 1:5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
 
Jesus—the Light of the Word—was born during a dark time in history for the Israelite nation—a time of 400 years of silence from God—a long time for God’s people to go without a prophet or a king—and so God sent the greatest Prophet—and the Greatest King
 
Why at this Place?
 
TEXT:  NKJ Luke 2:3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. 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.
 
It is obvious to those familiar with Scripture that the birth had to be in Bethlehem—the Prophet Micah told us the place of the Savior’s birth
 
NKJ 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."
 
Bethlehem was also the birthplace of David—and God had promised the Christ would be of the lineage of David—that’s why we call Him the Son of David
 
NKJ 2 Samuel 7:12 " When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. …16 "And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever." ' " 17 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.
 
NKJ Psalm 89:3 "I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: 4 'Your seed I will establish forever, And build up your throne to all generations.' " Selah
 
If we examine the name Bethlehem—it means “House of Bread”—and certainly Jesus is our soul bread of life—and it is therefore appropriate that He be born in the House of Bread
 
NKJ John 6:51 "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."
 
So we see that even though Joseph and Mary live in Nazareth—our Lord must be born in Bethlehem—and the peace of the world—the ruling power of Rome—allowed the world-wide tax to be ordered—and the travel of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem
 
WHY WAS OUR SAVIOR BORN TO THIS WOMAN?
 
The Scriptures say that the mother of the Son of God would be a virgin
 
NKJ Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
 
The Old Testament prophecy of Daniel saw the coming of the Christ—and that the hands of man would not be necessary—it would be the miraculous work of God
 
NKJ Daniel 2:31 " You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. 32 "This image's head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 "its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 "You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 "Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. 36 " This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king… 45 "Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold -- the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure."
 
The stone that would smash the other kingdoms of this world—would be cut without the help of man—and so Jesus was conceived without the help of man—Jesus had to be born of a virgin—the virgin betrothed to marry Joseph
 
WHY WAS OUR SAVIOR BORN TO THESE CONDITIONS OF BIRTH?
 
TEXT:  NKJ Luke 2:6 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.
 
The picture of the Baby Jesus lying in a manger—wrapped in swaddling clothes—is one etched in all of our minds—we often think of the hardship and the undignified manner that the Savior of this world endured at His birth as a bad thing—how could He be treated that way?—but perhaps we are not seeing this in the proper perspective—the Bible is full of symbolism to help us understand the things of God properly
 
Due to the circumstances surrounding the birth—Jesus was not born where His parents lived—the Christ was born in a foreign place—He wasn’t where some would think He belonged—just as we are in a foreign place—this world—our citizenship is in heaven
 
NKJ Philippians 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
 
Also, Jesus wasn’t comfortable with His surroundings—and neither should we be expected to be comfortable—we are surrounded by the evil things of this world—the things of the devil himself—trying his best to distract us from the things of God
 
This birth was perfect for our learning who Christ is—and remembering who we are
 
ALL GLORY BE TO GOD!