God in a Manger

December 15, 2013

Luke 2:1-20

I’ve preached on this passage at least dozen times during my ministry. The telling of the Christmas story can become so familiar that we miss the significance of how amazing this incident is. I want to challenge you to see this story again as if you were hearing it for the first time.

I. The MOVING of the Spirit (vs. 1-6).

And it came to pass… One of my favorite phrases in all of Scriptures. Whatever you may be facing presently will pass.

A. ThePROPHECY of God.

Mary and Joseph were both made aware that Mary’s pregnancy was miraculous and would bring the Messiah into the world. However, they lived in Nazareth and it was prophesied the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2).
Beth=House; Lehem=Bread — House of Bread. It was appropriate that the One who is “the Bread of life” (John 6:35) would be born at “the house of bread.”

B. The PROVIDENCE of of God—

The ORCHESTRATION of events.

God arranged a set of circumstances that would bring Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem to fulfill Scripture. The Spirit of God moved on the heart of Caesar to issue the taxation decree. Little did Caesar Augustus know that he was being used as the instrument for bringing about the birth of Christ at the right time and in the right place. Augustus Caesar was ruling, but God was in charge.
God can use evil men and their devices to accomplish His purpose. He did so to chasten Israel (Babylon). He did so to crucify Jesus (Rome). He did so here.
The OBEDIENCE of Joseph and Mary (v.4). Joseph and Mary were law-abiding citizens. Scripture exhorts us to obey the laws of the land. It is a mark of righteousness to obey the laws even if they cause inconvenience.

The story of Christ’s birth reminds us that God is the One who allows the things that happen in our lives and arranges the circumstances to bring His will to pass.

C. The PROTECTION of God. Several considerations:

1. Health of Mary—Joseph would have never just taken Mary in her condition on a 90 mile trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem, unless he had to. This journey would be very difficult for a women who was “great with CHILD.”

2. Hardness of the trip.Rough roads riding on camel or donkey. Bethlehem’s elevation was about 1500 feet higher than Nazareth which meant the journey would be mostly uphill, making the trip much harder.

3. Hazards along the way.The risks were either that she could miscarry or that she would go into labor early and the baby would be born somewhere else besides Bethlehem and break the prophecy of Christ’s birth. But God was in all of this, and Christ was born in Bethlehem as Scripture predicted. The Scripture cannot be broken!