A Christmas message from God

Luke 2:1-20

Introduction

A king worried his security guards by often disappearing and walking secretly with his people. When he was asked not to do this, he said, “I cannot rule my people unless I know how they live.” This is what God did for us at Christmas. In Jesus Christ, God came to live with his people. This is God’s Christmas Message, and so it is…

A Message From Heaven (Vs.1-7)

The central figure

Luke 2:1-4 says, “Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world… and everyone went to their own town to register. Joseph went from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea. He did this because he belonged to the line of David.” Caught up in this government census are two ordinary people who are central to the story. More important, however, is the child in Mary’s womb. He is the central figure in this political headcount.

Jesus born below

Verse 5 seems straightforward to us, but it would have been shocking at the time. It says, “Joseph went to Bethlehem to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.” With this in mind, it was expedient that Joseph leave Nazareth for a while to stay with in Bethlehem.

Bethlehem is about 90 miles from Nazareth—the same distance from here to Birmingham. For us, it would take about two hours by car, but Mary and Joseph would have taken three or four days. When they arrived, there was no room so they had to sleep downstairs with the animals. Beneath the rest of the family, therefore, and alongside the animals, Jesus is born. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says, “Though he was rich, yet for our sake he became poor, so that we through his poverty might become rich.”

Jesus born for us

Jesus was born in obscurity, and too often, this is where he is left. He is left in the dark alleys of Bethlehem; he is left in the archives of history; he is left in the closed pages of an old Bible; he is left behind in Christmas Carols. We have other things filling the rooms of our life, and there is little room for the Son of God. In doing this, we deny ourselves God’s greatest gift and God’s greatest blessing. To receive God’s blessing, we need to recognize the person of Christ, we need to realise the presence of Christ, and we need to release the power of Christ. John 1:10-12 says, “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to his own people, but they did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him… he gave the power to become children of God.” This leads to a further point because God’s message from heaven is…

A Message To Earth (Vs.8-20)

While shepherds watched

In Luke 2:8-12 we read how God’s message from heaven came to a group of shepherds on earth. They were keeping watch over their flocks at night when an angel of the Lord appeared, and the glory of God shone around them. These shepherds, looking after sacrificial lambs for the temple, were about to see the Lamb of God!

Arrival of the Good Shepherd

These shepherds saw the good shepherd of Psalm 23 who would help them lie down in green pastures, lead them beside quiet waters, and refresh their soul. In vs.10-11, an angel said, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Then, v13 says, “A great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.”

A positive response

Notice the response of the shepherds in vs.15-20: “When the angels left, the shepherds said, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see what has happened” (v15). They hurried to Bethlehem where they found Mary and Joseph with the baby (v16). Verses 17-18 tell us that when they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed. Verse 20 says, “The shepherds returned, glorifying God, and praising him for all they had heard and seen.” Mary, however, treasured up these things and pondered them in her heart” (v19).

Today, we have a clearer revelation of God’s message, and our response ought to be at least the same. We too should have a sense of wonder and worship as we witness to the Christ of Christmas. We too should treasure up these things and ponder them in our heart.

Conclusion

It is sometimes said that politicians can lose touch with their people. This is not true of our God and King. God has come to live the life we couldn’t live, and to die the death we should have died. He did this in the Christ of Christmas. In his love, there is hope, there is peace, and there is joy…

Bernard Cartledge