Well we are turning our attention once again to the very familiar story of Luke chapter 2 verses 1 through 20. This is a reading of the living word of the living God. Let's give our attention to that word. Luke chapter 2. 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, his betrothed wife, who was with child. And 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, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were, in that same country, shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them. The glory of the Lord shone around them. They were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of 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. There was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us. And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told them. So far in the word of the living God, may that word be in us a living stream of living water. Let's approach the throne of grace once again. Let's pray together. Almighty God, we have worshiped you in various ways this evening and would now worship by hearing. It's not just a passive thing. We are to be actively involved. So we pray, Father, that you'd give us spiritual attention, help us to set aside the events of the past week and the anticipations of the week to come, and give us, O Lord, hearts, minds, ears, spiritually tuned to receive and hear your word. We ask it, Father, for the sake of Jesus. In his precious name we pray. Amen. September 5th, 1639. A village surrounds the palace of King Louis XIII in Paris. It's crowded with all the noble and well-to-do of France. They're waiting They're waiting that night for the birth of the child to the king. The bishops of the church are waiting outside the bedroom. The nurse comes out of the bedroom with a baby. Sire, it is my honor to bring you this son and heir. The proud king carries the baby to an open window, and the silent crowd waits The king exclaims as he lifts the child, my son, bells rang, people shouted, and for a week France was wild with joy. A few years later, 173, March 19, 1812, is the eve of another great birth in France. A little Corsican, man of destiny, is on the throne. He had divorced one wife, taken a second wife who was expecting a child. And part of the celebration was to be that if it was a girl, 21 cannon shots would be fired. And if it was a boy, 100 cannon shots. March 20th, 6 a.m., cannons started firing, and the people of Paris waited and counted till they got to 22, and they knew that a son, an heir, had been born. And there was again a mighty shout that went up all over France. The dynasty of Bonaparte had a son, an heir to the throne, Well, as we celebrate the anniversary of another birth, it is impossible to overlook the differences in those births and the way that they were announced. The one that we've read about in our text is in Bethlehem. There's no royal celebration. There's no palace, no cabins. It's a stable. it is a manger because there was no room so there are you know there's been some argument about what kind of a barn was it was it a stall was it a it was it was not an inn it was an animal containing place what a contrast paid to the babe born in Bethlehem and by the whole world over the past 2,000 years. Louis XIV was called the Grand King, but he lived to see his kingdom reign and fade. And by the time Louis XVI came around, Louis XVI was executed Little Bonaparte, the little Bonaparte boy died alone and neglected five years after the cannons roared. His father was a prisoner of war and the Bonaparte dynasty was done. But in this manger, in this very familiar scene that we have, We see a royalty that rules the world. What a conquest is his. What a history is his story. This great light that came into the world on that night. It brings an indescribable joy and peace to the world on that night. No cannons. I think angels singing is a much bigger, much more important, much more amazing thing. Twenty crowded centuries of hustle and bustle, technology and science have not dimmed the events of that night. We keep counting them, rehearsing them, singing them, That night began with this, Mary and Joseph and a babe, wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger. Seemingly simple statement. Now they were in that same country, shepherds, living out in the fields. That's not surprising. It's exactly what you would expect. Suddenly there was with the multitude a heavenly host praising God and saying, now that's a little surprising. They made widely known the sayings which were told them concerning this child. And we're told that all those who heard these things marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. We see in this familiar story the wonder of the normal and the wonder of the supernatural and the wonder of his love. It came to pass in those days. This is a story that tells us factual facts. We are not being told a fairytale. This is not. a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. That's make-believe. No, this is the recounting of historical events. The story is not fiction. The story is not fantasy. It's not make-believe. It came to pass in those days. that there was a political decree. How are you going to get this newly married couple living way up in Nazareth to Bethlehem? No reason for them to go until this decree. Caesar Augustus sends out a dogma is the word. That is he exercises executive privilege. Tells all the people of his dominion go back to where you should be taxed. It's the law of the land. But it's said that Caesar wanted to tax all the world. talk about a grandiose vision of power. You can read in the history accounts of those particular rulers, how they thought they would have all the money of all the earth under their control. The whole civilized world was ruled by one powerful government, all of them, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, with all of their poets, architects, philosophers, artists, and all of that just proves 1st Corinthians 121, the world through wisdom did not know God. For all their accomplishments, all their achievements, They did not know the living God. It was a world of idolatry. And into this world comes the Christ. Truly our times are in His hands. The course of human events, brothers and sisters, is not out of control. Seems like that a little bit right now, doesn't it? when you watch the news. But the true believer, the true Christian, should never be upset by the comings and goings of rulers of this earth, including our own. Frankly, I'm not looking forward to this coming summer and this next election. Pox on all their houses. No, this is not the answer to the problems of the world, a political solution. Faith, because of a revelation even like these angels coming and singing, faith sees a hand that overrules. I remind you of some of the big names, guys like Darius and Zemechareb. who ruled the world in their times. Daniel and his friends are prisoners of war, captives. Augustus, Caesar, Louis XIV, Napoleon. There were talks when he was in power. that the whole world would soon be speaking French. Praise God that wasn't the case. It's a hard language. It looked like that was going to be the world power and all the creatures who with all their power can actually do nothing but what the Creator allows. Because even though Bonaparte was who he was. There are even hints, you can read various occasions, where soldiers said certain things and Napoleon would look up at the stars and say, not even I can make those. He knew he wasn't the all-powerful. The Creator allows the creatures to do what His will says, God's way, God's timing. And when rulers set themselves against the Lord, take comfort in the words of Solomon. Ecclesiastes 5.8 in the King James. There be higher than they. That's a great line. There be higher than they. Joseph and Mary were people who lived. A real couple. A young couple. A stressed couple. And the story is told of this birth, this baby, this travel. My dramatic mind wants to know what the conversations were between Mary and Joseph as they were on their way from Nazareth. The Lord hasn't given us those. Very interesting things though to think about. They were real people. Where are we going to stay? They knock on the doors. We don't have any room for you. Everybody's here. Got this little barn thing out here. Go stay out there. It's an unmarried couple finds that she's pregnant. There was all that slander. Now they're on this journey. It is, as I have said before, she may not have been any older than 16. She may have been as young as 14. Joseph wants to break. The engagement, quietly, if you remember. What does it take? It takes an angel to appear to Joseph and say, don't worry, this baby is the Savior. So this couple from Galilee goes to Bethlehem because the law demands that they do so. It's a very normal thing. over at a night in Bethlehem. There's something going on in Bethlehem. And of this virgin girl is a king and the light of the world. The real story is about to be told. The real labor and the real delivery of this baby I remind you, little baby, with those little hands, pinchable cheeks, wrapped in baby cloths, lying in a manger stall. This is a holy wonder to behold. This is how the road to the cross begins. And it doesn't just end by being this couple there. What happens? There are shepherds. out in the field. Everyday work being done by everyday people. Isn't it interesting again that God doesn't announce the birth of his son through Caesar? Not on any of the social media programs of the day. The birth of this child is not announced through MIT, or Harvard, or Oxford, or Hollywood, or any of the big venues. No cannon shots. The announcement is made in the middle of the night, privately, at first, to a group of shepherds. Isn't it interesting that it's not to theologians? He didn't come to the people with MDivs and THDs. He doesn't come to the priests who know all the history. The scribes who know the law. The Pharisees who carry out these things. No, no. He comes to, can I put it this way, smelly men. They smell like sheep. They're wearing shepherd's clothes. They sleep under the open sky. Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love them? James chapter 2. When it's all over, by the way, they go back to being normal. They go back to being shepherds. Although there's an evangelistic aspect of their lives, they didn't become missionaries and pastors. They went back to being shepherds. And they told people all the things that they had heard. What an amazing thing. What a wonder of the normal. Some people think that the only way to serve the Lord is to become a pastor, a missionary, to go and do something heroic, something out of the ordinary. These shepherds went back to their sheepfolds and they made widely known the saying which was told them. How did they do that? In their normal lives, they talked about Jesus and His coming. They told people, you should have seen the angels. Brothers and sisters, you can glorify Christ in your job right now. You don't have to wait for something. You don't have to wait for a New Year's resolution. You can glorify God in your family. the way you live your life, the testimony you give to neighbors and friends right now. And yet this was a supernatural thing. So it was when the angels had gone away from them into heaven. I think we take that little phrase We read it, we hear it, and we kind of almost skip over it. So it was, the angels went away from them into heaven. I read that sometimes and I go, what? There they were. And then they disappeared. The birth had been announced to Mary by an angel, Gabriel. The virgin conception. Joseph, again, sees an angel. He's already made a decision. I'm going to divorce her quietly, put her away, be done with this, find another wife. He's going through all that stuff. And an angel comes and says, Joseph, calm down. Hark the herald angels sing. I like that song. It's a great song. We sing that song, you know, every year. But what did it do to them? Verse 9. They were greatly afraid. God intervenes, intrudes from the realms of glory into these real people's lives. And the shepherds saw a multitude of the heavenly host. I want to know what that multitude consisted of. How many? The Bible doesn't tell us. It was more than just the one. Isn't it interesting of God? He brings one angel to talk to them. To prepare them for what? This multitude. And they heard them saying amazing things. And then they were gone. Again, my dramatic mind wonders how long that silence was. And they looked at each other. One of them finally said, let's go. They believed what they had seen. And they acted on it. They were not satisfied with the hearing. They didn't just sit there and say, haven't we had a wonderful experience? Too bad nobody else does. No, they were going to go find this newborn Savior. They put feet to their faith. They're going to actually go. And they went. And verse 16 says, they were amply satisfied, amply rewarded. There they found the baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes, just like the angel said. They believed the word that was spoken, acted on it in faith, and the Lord gives them the full testimony of that proclamation by the angels. Brothers and sisters, we should, in faith, tell others about Christ. You are a social being. Your existence affects other people. Your experience affects other people. Your life is meant to have an effect outside of your individual life. God works in you to work out that faith. That nativity scene was one of a kind. This baby is born a king, born a savior, born the Lord of all. And yet when those shepherds walk into that animal stall of whatever kind it was, what do they find? They find a normal looking mom and a dad, this little baby, shepherds, Animals. I don't think the drummer boy was there. But this scene was the living God made a living man. And where was he born this way? He was born to live a perfect life. His life is the life that matters for your life. This is the wonder of the supernatural, that God sends forth His Son. And all those who heard this, verse 18, marveled at those things. Why? Because this quiet birth, again, there's no parade, there's no canons, there's no banner, It's a quiet birth. And there is the wonder of mercy. You realize that God could sweep all of humanity into a pit of destruction and be completely justified in so doing? But God has devised a wonderful plan of redemption. He doesn't leave us to ourselves. He himself will become our Redeemer. He himself is going to pay the ransom price that we owe. He is going to take on the nature of the creature that we are. He was in all points like us. I think it's hard for us to think about because we get too close to images of God and all that sort of thing but there was a Jesus you could sit right next to just like the people you're sitting right next to right now. The real Bobby was a real man and he would take on that nature the nature of the creature that he created in order to redeem them. He would do what Adam could not do. That's why he's called the second Adam. He would keep the law in exhaustive, exacting detail. Christ Jesus is the only perfect man. The Holy Son of God. And what is he going to do? This story is obviously, we were talking about that in our Sunday school this morning, the difference between the Eastern Church and the Western Church. Eastern Church focuses almost exclusively on the incarnation. The Western Church says, that's just the beginning of the story. Without the crucifixion, there's no justification. God devised this wonderful plan that Christ Jesus would shed his own blood, give his own life, die in the place of sinners so that sinners could become the children of the kingdom. And how did that story begin on earth, if you will? It began with the birth of this baby. I was talking with a brother earlier that We don't have an ecclesiastical calendar, but it's sort of been our practice. I find it very hard to not talk about Christmas at Christmas when all the rest of the world is talking about Christmas. No, we don't have an ecclesiastical calendar. But this story is more than just a seasonal holiday. The Lord God accomplishes the work of redemption with the beginning of this baby being born. What is the wonder of His love? The wonder of His love is that Jesus Christ gives Himself to redeem sinners. That story begins one night in Bethlehem. The great wonders of the world pale in majesty. You read some of the things that Bonaparte did, some of the things that the Caesars did, some of the things that Alexander the Great did, some of the things that the great leaders of the world have tried to accomplish. They all pale in majesty to the wonder of the manger that points to the cross of Christ. Somebody has put it this way, there is more of God to be seen in the manger than in all the stars or the deepest sea. This night began, very simple statement, Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in the manger. I think in our family, at Christmas time, A lot of the Christmas Eve were finished with us reading this chapter. How many times is that? You know, over and over again. Very familiar words. We should not take it for granted that this very comforting, familiar, homey story is the story of redemption. What a scene. I mentioned this morning that there are more angels that appear surrounding His coming, the announcement of His birth, His coming, the night the shepherds heard it. After that, there are no testimonies all through church history of the appearance of angels, but they came for that night. That makes the birth of Christ pretty important thing, isn't it? Merry Christmas. Let's pray together. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you that in the fullness of time you sent forth your Son, born of a virgin, in a very particular place. And you did so with great fanfare, heavenly fanfare. We thank you, O Lord, for that testimony that has been written down for us, that we might by faith look into those very same details and behold and marvel at the wonder of the God-man who has become completely man in order to bear our sin. Father, thank you for this story of redemption and for the full accomplishment of it. We thank you for the empty grave after all the events of the Passion Week, and that Christ is risen, ascended into glory, and has promised to come again in glory. Oh Lord, even so, come. Lord Jesus, we pray in his name. Let's close our worship by turning once again in the Trinity Hymnal. This time we're turning to number 195. If you are able, let's stand together and sing joy to the world, the Lord is come.