1 00:00:06,470 --> 00:00:10,600 Lord, we pray for our various ministries, for those leading in 2 00:00:10,610 --> 00:00:13,460 coordinating among our different ministry teams. 3 00:00:13,630 --> 00:00:16,079 Lord, we pray that all of us would grow spiritually and 4 00:00:16,090 --> 00:00:19,480 increase in passion for, for serving you through the 5 00:00:19,490 --> 00:00:20,770 ministries that were involved in. 6 00:00:21,420 --> 00:00:23,350 Lord, we pray for our missionaries this morning. 7 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:26,650 We pray for the Petula family, pray for them as they make a 8 00:00:26,660 --> 00:00:29,570 trick of several 1000 K's to go to a conference and just pray 9 00:00:29,580 --> 00:00:32,930 for safety for that and justice. Pray that it's a, it's a 10 00:00:32,940 --> 00:00:34,590 blessing to them and a blessing to you. 11 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:37,410 So they do this. So we pray for Kirsty over in 12 00:00:37,420 --> 00:00:42,210 Zambia and we pray for the, the valleys in, in Bangladesh in a 13 00:00:42,220 --> 00:00:45,530 place that's, you know, often not, not a safe place to be. 14 00:00:45,580 --> 00:00:49,880 Lord, we pray for the popular family as they look to make your 15 00:00:49,890 --> 00:00:52,250 trip back to New Zealand at the end of the year. 16 00:00:52,260 --> 00:00:55,170 And we'll just look forward to seeing them maybe early in the 17 00:00:55,380 --> 00:00:58,150 new year and just pray for that trip as well. 18 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:02,150 Lord, we pray for all the people we're we're our missionaries are 19 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:04,890 ministering that they would have hearts open to receive the 20 00:01:04,900 --> 00:01:07,500 gospel message. And we pray for our missionaries 21 00:01:07,510 --> 00:01:11,360 as they try and effectively communicate your love. 22 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:16,720 Lord, we we pray for protection from harm and danger, but also 23 00:01:16,730 --> 00:01:21,370 for a a knowledge in the comfort of your presence in challenging 24 00:01:21,380 --> 00:01:25,190 times that they face. We pray for those in our church 25 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:28,500 family who are sick or have health things different issues 26 00:01:28,510 --> 00:01:30,030 at the moment, physical health things. 27 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:34,070 We just pray for healing and restoration according to your 28 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:36,630 will look just a few specific people. 29 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:40,230 We want to pray for Jocelyn and as she recovers from her 30 00:01:40,300 --> 00:01:43,110 pacemaker surgery and just pray that that goes well. 31 00:01:43,320 --> 00:01:46,130 Pray pray for Brian Peden with his surgery coming up on the 32 00:01:46,140 --> 00:01:50,630 17th of this month and pray he's able to yes, stay healthy so 33 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:55,350 that there's no delays there. Lord pray for Catherine Pyne is 34 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:58,730 a she's waiting for the specialist employment and I'm 35 00:01:58,740 --> 00:02:03,400 just pray pray for their pray that comes quickly and can get 36 00:02:03,410 --> 00:02:07,180 in and see the right person to get some a diagnosis And Lord 37 00:02:07,190 --> 00:02:10,919 just pray for Riaz continued recovery from her her surgery. 38 00:02:11,210 --> 00:02:14,100 Well, we just pray for everybody that's going through health 39 00:02:14,110 --> 00:02:18,500 struggles and at the moment and pray for strength and endurance 40 00:02:18,510 --> 00:02:22,070 and hope and the middle of illness and thank you that you 41 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:24,800 provide that. Lord, we we pray for the peace 42 00:02:24,810 --> 00:02:28,530 that comes from knowing you that you're with them even in those 43 00:02:28,540 --> 00:02:30,860 hard times. Lord, we pray for Billy as he 44 00:02:30,870 --> 00:02:33,960 brings your word to us this morning as we carry on looking 45 00:02:33,970 --> 00:02:37,770 at Luke's orderly account of the life of Jesus. 46 00:02:37,780 --> 00:02:41,050 And look, we just pray that we are struck by it, that we are 47 00:02:41,060 --> 00:02:44,540 motivated by it, that we are changed by it, become more like 48 00:02:44,550 --> 00:02:46,160 you. Lord, thank you for your word. 49 00:02:46,170 --> 00:02:48,870 Thank you for our church family. Thank you for this chance this 50 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:52,880 morning to be able to together as a group worship you. 51 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:57,190 And we pray a great prayer of thanks for being able to do 52 00:02:57,200 --> 00:02:58,790 that. We pray these things in Jesus 53 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:03,430 name, Amen. Thank you, Jen. 54 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:07,220 Good morning. Would you open with me to Luke 55 00:03:07,230 --> 00:03:12,260 Chapter 2? Luke Chapter 2 as we continue 56 00:03:12,270 --> 00:03:14,890 our series in the Gospel of Luke. 57 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:18,850 We come now to chapter 2 in, and we're gonna be reading this 58 00:03:18,860 --> 00:03:21,620 morning from verses one through 21. 59 00:03:22,380 --> 00:03:26,330 So let me read for us Luke chapter 2, verses one through 60 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:29,810 21. In those days the decree went 61 00:03:29,820 --> 00:03:33,090 out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be 62 00:03:33,100 --> 00:03:35,880 registered. This was the first registration 63 00:03:35,890 --> 00:03:39,740 when Quirinius was the governor of Syria and all went to be 64 00:03:39,750 --> 00:03:44,280 registered each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from 65 00:03:44,290 --> 00:03:48,580 Galilee, from the town of Nazareth to Judea, the city of 66 00:03:48,590 --> 00:03:51,140 David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the 67 00:03:51,150 --> 00:03:55,100 house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary his 68 00:03:55,110 --> 00:03:58,920 betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time 69 00:03:58,930 --> 00:04:01,980 came for her to give birth and she gave birth to her first born 70 00:04:01,990 --> 00:04:05,450 son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a Manger 71 00:04:05,460 --> 00:04:07,640 because there was no place for them in the end. 72 00:04:08,900 --> 00:04:11,310 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, 73 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:14,860 keeping watch over their flock by night, and an Angel of the 74 00:04:14,870 --> 00:04:17,420 Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around 75 00:04:17,430 --> 00:04:20,019 them, and they were filled with great fear. 76 00:04:21,260 --> 00:04:25,310 And the Angel said to them, Fear not, for behold I bring you good 77 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:28,270 news of great joy that will be for all the people. 78 00:04:28,340 --> 00:04:32,450 For unto you, born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, 79 00:04:32,500 --> 00:04:37,020 who is Christ the Lord, and this will be a sign for you. 80 00:04:37,740 --> 00:04:41,050 You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a 81 00:04:41,060 --> 00:04:43,670 Manger. And suddenly there was with the 82 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:46,760 Angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and 83 00:04:46,770 --> 00:04:50,580 saying, Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace 84 00:04:50,670 --> 00:04:52,870 among those with whom he is pleased. 85 00:04:54,340 --> 00:04:56,690 When the angels went away from them and to heaven, the ship had 86 00:04:56,700 --> 00:05:00,250 said to one another, Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this 87 00:05:00,260 --> 00:05:03,400 thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. 88 00:05:04,250 --> 00:05:07,490 And they went with Heist, and found Miri and Joseph, and saw 89 00:05:07,500 --> 00:05:11,870 the baby lying in a Manger. And when they saw it, they made 90 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:15,450 known the saying that had been told them concerning this child, 91 00:05:16,340 --> 00:05:19,010 and all who heard it wondered at what the Shepherd's told him. 92 00:05:19,730 --> 00:05:23,200 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her 93 00:05:23,210 --> 00:05:26,990 heart, and the shepherds returned, glorifying and 94 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:31,290 praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been 95 00:05:31,300 --> 00:05:34,500 told them. And at the end of eight days, 96 00:05:34,510 --> 00:05:37,820 when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by 97 00:05:37,830 --> 00:05:40,540 the Angel before he was conceived in the womb. 98 00:05:41,460 --> 00:05:46,640 Hey man, what a great passage. Well, since I started reading 99 00:05:46,650 --> 00:05:54,760 that passage around the world, 250 babies have been born around 100 00:05:54,770 --> 00:05:56,830 the world. By the time I finish scheming, I 101 00:05:56,840 --> 00:06:00,860 take about 35 minutes, we'll see 9000 babies will have been born. 102 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:06,910 We have so many babies born everyday across the world and 103 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:10,790 the reality is most of them, outside of the family and friend 104 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:12,750 group, most of them go unnoticed. 105 00:06:13,260 --> 00:06:18,010 Most of them are not necessarily remembered or seen as hugely 106 00:06:18,050 --> 00:06:21,590 significant to the wider world, but there's a handful that as a 107 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:24,350 society we deem to be significant. 108 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:28,610 I remember my mum's a huge royal family fan. 109 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:32,180 I remember in 2013 her sitting us down in front of the TV with 110 00:06:32,190 --> 00:06:37,050 the the announcement of the birth of Prince George, the heir 111 00:06:37,060 --> 00:06:39,090 to the throne. And there was a huge deal. 112 00:06:39,290 --> 00:06:43,080 And what happened was when Prince George was born, this 113 00:06:43,090 --> 00:06:48,180 man, the royal Cryer came out and declared that an ear to the 114 00:06:48,190 --> 00:06:51,930 throne has been born. People awaited the name. 115 00:06:51,940 --> 00:06:54,850 They would put bits on what different name it could possibly 116 00:06:54,900 --> 00:06:56,410 be. But it was seen as a hugely 117 00:06:56,420 --> 00:06:59,470 significant event. It looks very fancy. 118 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:01,960 But if you see that photo from another angle when that scroll, 119 00:07:01,970 --> 00:07:05,270 there's just an A four piece of paper sellotaped onto the 120 00:07:05,280 --> 00:07:07,290 scroll. But there's certain births that 121 00:07:07,300 --> 00:07:09,090 we deem to be hugely significant. 122 00:07:09,100 --> 00:07:11,990 We see from from the announcement of the birth, it is 123 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:15,610 significant. In a similar scenes, what Luke 124 00:07:15,620 --> 00:07:20,010 is trying to do here in this text that we just read is show 125 00:07:20,020 --> 00:07:23,650 us through the birth of Christ, through the events surrounding 126 00:07:23,660 --> 00:07:27,810 the birth of Christ, that this is a birth that is significant. 127 00:07:29,350 --> 00:07:33,200 Luke wants to show us in this section that Christ's birth and 128 00:07:33,210 --> 00:07:34,970 the events around Christ's birth. 129 00:07:35,010 --> 00:07:39,520 They're gonna show us who he is, and they're gonna show us why he 130 00:07:39,570 --> 00:07:43,590 came. They highlight his identity and 131 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:48,540 they highlight his mission. He's gonna show us he's no king 132 00:07:48,550 --> 00:07:52,260 of England. He is of far greater value. 133 00:07:53,660 --> 00:07:56,330 And this comes in the context of where we've been so far in the 134 00:07:56,340 --> 00:07:59,130 first few chapters of Luke. If you'll remember, Luke has 135 00:07:59,140 --> 00:08:03,110 been ping ponging between the birth narratives of John and 136 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:04,810 Jesus. And at every point he's been 137 00:08:04,820 --> 00:08:07,490 highlighting that Jesus is greater. 138 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:10,430 And and no clearer way is that shown in our passage this 139 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:12,990 morning where he's highlighting the events surrounding the birth 140 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:18,400 of Christ, magnifying who he is, magnifying why he came. 141 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:23,010 There's no normal birth that we're gonna read off. 142 00:08:24,340 --> 00:08:26,590 And Luke actually wants to show us that this is a hugely 143 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:28,750 significant birth. This is a birth that reaches out 144 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:33,980 and touches everyone of us here today in in 2025 and Hamilton. 145 00:08:35,289 --> 00:08:38,120 So that's how we're gonna go through this this morning, 146 00:08:38,130 --> 00:08:41,870 looking at who Christ is, looking at why Christ came. 147 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:47,340 So let's jump into it. Who Christ is gonna look at 148 00:08:47,350 --> 00:08:51,030 verses one through 3. Firstly, I just want to note 149 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:56,050 Christ is historical. Let's read. 150 00:08:56,140 --> 00:09:00,810 In those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all 151 00:09:00,820 --> 00:09:05,410 the world should be registered. This was the first registration 152 00:09:05,420 --> 00:09:09,360 when Coronus was the governor of Syria. 153 00:09:09,510 --> 00:09:13,380 I just want to stop there. I think Luke is trying to 154 00:09:13,390 --> 00:09:15,880 highlight just straight off the bat, and it seems like a very 155 00:09:15,890 --> 00:09:20,760 basic point to to say Jesus was a real person. 156 00:09:21,070 --> 00:09:27,350 Jesus is a historical figure. He came when Caesar or Gustus 157 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:30,810 was the ruler over the Roman Empire. 158 00:09:30,820 --> 00:09:34,530 He came when Quirinius was the governor of Syria. 159 00:09:35,750 --> 00:09:38,260 And it's a good night to start on because I think often we can 160 00:09:38,270 --> 00:09:43,510 reduce Jesus to a character in a story, a story that happened 161 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:47,040 long ago in a Galaxy far, far away. 162 00:09:47,750 --> 00:09:50,580 But here, Luke, he's putting these details in here to show 163 00:09:50,590 --> 00:09:55,730 that Jesus came and he entered into time, space, and history at 164 00:09:55,740 --> 00:09:58,460 a specific time and historical time. 165 00:09:58,470 --> 00:10:02,560 When Caesar Augustus was over the Roman Empire, Quirinius was 166 00:10:02,570 --> 00:10:04,810 the governor of Syria. These are two historical 167 00:10:04,820 --> 00:10:06,360 figures. We can place this somewhere 168 00:10:06,370 --> 00:10:13,570 between 4:00 and 8:00 A D and it's a simple point, but it's a 169 00:10:13,580 --> 00:10:17,150 good challenge as we come to this, not to read this narrative 170 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:22,580 like we would a fictional novel. Lucas showing us, hey, hey, 171 00:10:22,590 --> 00:10:26,030 this, this happened. And it's good because we're 172 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:30,310 about to see the truth that God came as a baby. 173 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:34,640 We're about to see angels appearing in the night sky with 174 00:10:34,650 --> 00:10:37,570 the glory of God around them, and then a multitude of angels 175 00:10:37,580 --> 00:10:39,630 surrounding them, singing praise. 176 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:42,400 And so often we can read that and go, ohh, Yep, OK, as if 177 00:10:42,410 --> 00:10:44,010 we're reading it at Jack Reacher novel. 178 00:10:45,610 --> 00:10:49,710 This, this happened. Jesus entered into history here. 179 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:54,160 Here's a real person. It's a simple point, but it's an 180 00:10:54,170 --> 00:10:58,850 important point. Allow yourself to be shocked as 181 00:10:58,860 --> 00:11:02,200 you read. So what is happening? 182 00:11:02,270 --> 00:11:05,950 What is the historical setting? We have two figures here who are 183 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:09,100 not familiar with Caesar Augustus and Quirinius. 184 00:11:09,610 --> 00:11:12,400 Caesar Augustus, he is the head of the Roman Empire. 185 00:11:12,410 --> 00:11:15,970 So at this point, Israel is under Roman rule. 186 00:11:16,630 --> 00:11:19,260 So. So the Romans have taken Israel. 187 00:11:19,370 --> 00:11:21,340 They've taken over the the land of Israel. 188 00:11:21,350 --> 00:11:25,280 They are in control of Israel. And Caesar Augustus is the head 189 00:11:25,290 --> 00:11:29,000 of the Roman Empire. So his name is neither Caesar 190 00:11:29,010 --> 00:11:32,680 nor Augustus. His real name is Octavian. 191 00:11:32,870 --> 00:11:36,780 The Roman title for leader is Caesar, and the name he was 192 00:11:36,790 --> 00:11:39,910 given was Augustus. So you could think of it like 193 00:11:40,250 --> 00:11:42,180 the Pope at the moment as Pope Leo. 194 00:11:42,290 --> 00:11:44,480 His name is neither Pope nor Leo. 195 00:11:44,570 --> 00:11:49,940 His name is Robert, the the title for the head of the 196 00:11:49,950 --> 00:11:53,220 Catholic Church is Pope and the name he was given is Leo. 197 00:11:53,230 --> 00:11:58,700 So same here we have Octavian who is Caesar Augustus and he 198 00:11:58,710 --> 00:12:01,630 orders this registration. It is a census. 199 00:12:02,340 --> 00:12:07,140 Any orders for a Census 2 take place in the Roman Empire and 200 00:12:07,150 --> 00:12:09,150 the purpose of the census is twofold. 201 00:12:09,830 --> 00:12:16,580 I wanna suggest taxation and ego taxation. 202 00:12:16,590 --> 00:12:19,660 Firstly to to get a census to number the amount of people 203 00:12:19,670 --> 00:12:23,340 under Roman rule to then work out how much taxation the people 204 00:12:23,350 --> 00:12:25,600 under Roman rule need to pay to Rome. 205 00:12:26,710 --> 00:12:30,220 But another factor in it, and I think a big underlying factor 206 00:12:30,230 --> 00:12:34,990 behind this, is ego. In order to show his power, 207 00:12:35,230 --> 00:12:37,620 Caesar Augustus wants his name to go in history. 208 00:12:37,690 --> 00:12:41,630 These are the number of people under Roman rule. 209 00:12:41,930 --> 00:12:46,220 These were the number of people under my thumb that we held 210 00:12:46,290 --> 00:12:49,400 captive. These are the people of Rome. 211 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:56,140 He wants to make a name for himself and because of these 212 00:12:56,150 --> 00:12:59,850 reasons, but for the Jewish people, they hated this census. 213 00:12:59,860 --> 00:13:02,580 It was a sign of oppression. They already knew they were 214 00:13:02,590 --> 00:13:05,370 under Roman rule. Now they had to travel to their 215 00:13:05,380 --> 00:13:07,320 hometown. They had to travel to to the 216 00:13:07,330 --> 00:13:13,000 town of of the origin of their birth and be counted just so 217 00:13:13,010 --> 00:13:20,140 this Roman emperor can text them and can boost his ego behind 218 00:13:20,150 --> 00:13:22,160 this. Caesar is just desiring to make 219 00:13:22,170 --> 00:13:27,380 a name for himself, but little did he know God was going to use 220 00:13:27,390 --> 00:13:32,020 this working through his actions to make his name great. 221 00:13:34,410 --> 00:13:39,050 Not only was Jesus historical, Jesus was divinely planned. 222 00:13:39,730 --> 00:13:44,010 Let's read verse 4 to 6. And Joseph also went up from 223 00:13:44,020 --> 00:13:48,600 Galilee, from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city 224 00:13:48,610 --> 00:13:52,880 of David, which is called basically him, because he was of 225 00:13:52,890 --> 00:13:57,250 the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his 226 00:13:57,260 --> 00:14:01,150 betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time 227 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:08,450 came for her to give birth. So caught up in all of this is 228 00:14:08,460 --> 00:14:11,630 Mary and Joseph, who we've already seen so far in this 229 00:14:11,680 --> 00:14:14,530 narrative. Miri is heavily pregnant with 230 00:14:14,580 --> 00:14:18,100 Jesus. They were required to be counted 231 00:14:18,110 --> 00:14:21,980 in their hometown and so they have to travel from Nazareth to 232 00:14:22,030 --> 00:14:25,350 Bethlehem. It says they went up to 233 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:28,670 Bethlehem. It's actually S, but it sees up 234 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:30,970 because they went up an elevation. 235 00:14:30,980 --> 00:14:35,510 It's about 120 kilometre journey from from Nazareth down to 236 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:37,210 Bethlehem. Through the Hills was an 237 00:14:37,220 --> 00:14:43,270 arduous, difficult journey. And then Miri has this baby in 238 00:14:43,350 --> 00:14:44,470 Bethlehem. Now. 239 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:49,390 Why is that significant? It's significant because in the 240 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:52,770 book of Micah, Israel has promised about this ruler, this 241 00:14:52,780 --> 00:14:55,930 king who is going to come to them. 242 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:59,850 They are promised and Micah 5 verse 2, that from Bethlehem, 243 00:14:59,920 --> 00:15:05,610 the little insignificant, barely known town of Bethlehem, your 244 00:15:05,620 --> 00:15:09,570 ruler will come. Who's coming forth is from old, 245 00:15:09,580 --> 00:15:13,760 from Ancient of days. You see, the promise in the Old 246 00:15:13,770 --> 00:15:16,700 Testament is is that the ruler who is coming and will speak of 247 00:15:16,710 --> 00:15:20,690 their more He would come from Bethlehem. 248 00:15:20,700 --> 00:15:24,730 He would be born in Bethlehem. Now how would Christ be born in 249 00:15:24,740 --> 00:15:28,500 Bethlehem when his parents are from Nazareth? 250 00:15:30,710 --> 00:15:36,620 How would that happen? Because God ordained for it to 251 00:15:36,630 --> 00:15:42,560 happen, it was divinely planned that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, 252 00:15:42,570 --> 00:15:48,260 would be born in Bethlehem. And God here is at work through 253 00:15:48,270 --> 00:15:52,380 the mind, through the actions of Caesar Augustus. 254 00:15:53,710 --> 00:15:57,520 Now that's interesting. You have Caesar Augustus 255 00:15:57,530 --> 00:16:01,340 desiring for his own evil intentions to put the census 256 00:16:01,350 --> 00:16:03,980 into place. You have God working through 257 00:16:03,990 --> 00:16:08,020 there saying, yeah, it was my plan, it came from your mind, 258 00:16:08,030 --> 00:16:12,260 but it was my plan that the Saviour would be born in the 259 00:16:12,270 --> 00:16:18,920 town of Bethlehem. We serve a God who is completely 260 00:16:18,980 --> 00:16:21,470 sovereign. He is in control. 261 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:26,350 As young adults at the moment, we're going through the book of 262 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:31,680 Genesis, and we're up now to the narrative of Joseph covering the 263 00:16:31,690 --> 00:16:34,890 last section of Genesis. Many of us are familiar with the 264 00:16:34,900 --> 00:16:38,620 story of Joseph. He was horrifically treated by 265 00:16:38,710 --> 00:16:42,340 his brothers, sold into slavery into Egypt. 266 00:16:42,590 --> 00:16:46,430 When he was in Egypt, he was mistreated, wrongly imprisoned, 267 00:16:47,090 --> 00:16:50,940 yet he eventually rose into power, saving the Egyptians and 268 00:16:50,950 --> 00:16:53,890 saving God's people from a famine. 269 00:16:54,900 --> 00:16:58,390 And at the end of Genesis and Genesis 50, verse 22, Joseph is 270 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:00,530 with his brothers, and his brothers are terrified because 271 00:17:00,540 --> 00:17:03,050 of what they've done to him. And Joseph says these words. 272 00:17:03,060 --> 00:17:07,190 He says you meant it for evil. Everything you did to me, 273 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:12,109 selling me into slavery, you meant it for evil, but God meant 274 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:19,260 it for good. God can work even through evil 275 00:17:19,270 --> 00:17:23,430 to achieve great things, to achieve His plan. 276 00:17:26,079 --> 00:17:28,369 I'm not going to turn there for time sake, but we see a similar 277 00:17:28,380 --> 00:17:32,910 theme in the next chapter, 2 Peter is speaking to a Jewish 278 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:35,500 audience, and he's speaking to them about Christ. 279 00:17:35,510 --> 00:17:39,380 He's speaking to them about the gospel and remember Jesus was 280 00:17:39,390 --> 00:17:43,880 crucified under the hands of of Jews who who commanded for him 281 00:17:43,890 --> 00:17:49,170 to be executed and Jesus sorry Peter speaking about Jesus and 282 00:17:49,180 --> 00:17:52,730 he says this Jesus whom you crucified speaking to the Jews, 283 00:17:52,740 --> 00:17:54,090 he said the blood is on your hands. 284 00:17:54,100 --> 00:17:57,330 You did this. He said you crucified according 285 00:17:57,340 --> 00:18:05,170 to the definite plan of God. We serve a God who is completely 286 00:18:05,220 --> 00:18:07,410 sovereign. It was always God's plan for 287 00:18:07,420 --> 00:18:09,790 Christ to come. It was always God's plan for 288 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:13,210 Christ to die. And he came and Bethlehem as God 289 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:16,950 planned. So Christ is historical, He is 290 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:19,610 divinely planned, and Christ is humble. 291 00:18:19,660 --> 00:18:24,630 Verse 7 And she gave birth to her, her first born son, and 292 00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:28,310 wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a Manger because 293 00:18:28,360 --> 00:18:31,570 there was number place for them in the in in the end. 294 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:40,660 So God himself, the Son of God, comes to 12 among men on earth. 295 00:18:40,670 --> 00:18:42,410 How might we expect them to come? 296 00:18:44,050 --> 00:18:47,220 We might expect him to come like a a mighty leader, like the 297 00:18:47,230 --> 00:18:50,380 character of Caesar Augustus that we see here born in a 298 00:18:50,390 --> 00:18:53,810 palace. Jesus did not come and mighty 299 00:18:53,900 --> 00:18:59,080 wealth or power. With so many in town for the 300 00:18:59,090 --> 00:19:04,680 census, it's likely that there was no accommodation available. 301 00:19:04,990 --> 00:19:07,760 But many houses they would have adjoining rooms where their 302 00:19:07,770 --> 00:19:09,710 animals would stay. So we picture we've seen all 303 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:12,520 these photos of Jesus being born in a stable up on the hill. 304 00:19:12,590 --> 00:19:16,060 More likely, Jesus was born in an animal room adjoining 305 00:19:16,130 --> 00:19:23,840 someone's home, and then he was born in a Manger, which is 306 00:19:23,850 --> 00:19:26,630 probably one of the most romanticised words that we have 307 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:29,270 in the Bible. I'll put it this way, Jesus was 308 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:35,810 born in a feeding trough. This is not the place for a king 309 00:19:35,820 --> 00:19:43,910 to be born. Yet our Lord came, born of a 310 00:19:43,920 --> 00:19:48,180 humble lowly woman and laid into a feeding trough. 311 00:19:49,990 --> 00:19:51,980 The King of Kings, John 1 describes him. 312 00:19:51,990 --> 00:19:53,720 He. He was there in creation from 313 00:19:53,730 --> 00:19:58,470 his as mouth and he was laid into a a feeding trough. 314 00:20:01,110 --> 00:20:03,510 And we spoke about this a couple of weeks ago when we were 315 00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:10,290 looking at Mary's prayer. God views things different to 316 00:20:10,300 --> 00:20:13,030 the world. God views status different to 317 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:15,950 the world. God views blessing different to 318 00:20:16,020 --> 00:20:18,370 the world. And it's shone beautifully 319 00:20:18,380 --> 00:20:21,790 through Merry, but it's shown in its greatest way when we see the 320 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:27,000 Son of God laid here in a feeding trough, and the the 321 00:20:27,010 --> 00:20:31,020 bookings of the life of Christ. On one end you have him laying 322 00:20:31,030 --> 00:20:34,400 in a a Manger, on the other end you have him hanging on a bloody 323 00:20:34,410 --> 00:20:38,740 cross. Christ came as a humble servant. 324 00:20:40,190 --> 00:20:47,470 He became poor to make many rich, and I think Luke wants us 325 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:50,990 to see how this stands in contrast with Caesar Augustus, 326 00:20:51,120 --> 00:20:52,750 who desires to make his name great. 327 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:56,030 He decides to show his power. Well, God was showing His power, 328 00:20:56,040 --> 00:21:00,110 but He was showing it in a different way, and that is our 329 00:21:00,120 --> 00:21:04,310 Lord. He is humble. 330 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:12,100 Let's keep reading. First sight and in the same 331 00:21:12,110 --> 00:21:17,000 region there were shepherds out in the field keeping watch over 332 00:21:17,010 --> 00:21:20,040 their flock by night. Just a quick note on that and 333 00:21:20,050 --> 00:21:23,280 and Jewish culture, shepherds were at the bottom of the social 334 00:21:23,290 --> 00:21:27,750 ladder, near the bottom of the social ladder, often viewed as 335 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:30,460 lowly Judah, The Dirty nature of their work, they're getting 336 00:21:30,470 --> 00:21:33,630 muddy working with the sheep. Many of them didn't keep to the 337 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:36,600 strict ceremonial laws of of cleanliness. 338 00:21:36,610 --> 00:21:38,510 And so many of them were ostracised. 339 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:41,330 And many of the shippers grew a reputation for being 340 00:21:41,340 --> 00:21:44,030 untrustworthy, for being deceitful. 341 00:21:44,140 --> 00:21:46,570 We don't get that idea about these shippers we have here. 342 00:21:46,580 --> 00:21:50,670 But as a proficient shippers were frowned upon to the point 343 00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:54,950 where they were not allowed to testify in a court of law. 344 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:57,490 They weren't seen as trustworthy. 345 00:21:57,700 --> 00:22:00,320 And so here we have these shepherds, and what happens? 346 00:22:01,270 --> 00:22:06,930 An Angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord 347 00:22:06,990 --> 00:22:12,110 shone around them, and they were filled with a great fear. 348 00:22:13,630 --> 00:22:17,680 And the Angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you 349 00:22:17,730 --> 00:22:22,810 good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 350 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:29,170 This is the third appearance that we have in Luke of an 351 00:22:29,180 --> 00:22:32,900 Angel, and each of them have have have shown that the same 352 00:22:33,700 --> 00:22:37,010 events happening where an Angel appears and the person is 353 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:39,670 terrified. And it's fair enough if an Angel 354 00:22:39,680 --> 00:22:43,670 popped out in front of you right now, I think you would be pretty 355 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:46,590 afraid. These shepherds are fearful. 356 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:51,650 But straight away it has meant fear not they. 357 00:22:51,660 --> 00:22:56,170 Fear is to be replaced with joy. They bring good news that word 358 00:22:56,220 --> 00:23:00,160 gospel. I bring you gospel, I bring you 359 00:23:00,230 --> 00:23:10,170 good news of great joy that will be for all the people and then 360 00:23:10,180 --> 00:23:11,830 invites to leave. And they're going to highlight 361 00:23:13,360 --> 00:23:17,390 the final reason of all the final element of who Christ is 362 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:19,300 Luke. Luke is highlighting to us that 363 00:23:19,310 --> 00:23:26,600 Jesus is Saviour, Christ and Lord, since there's four unto 364 00:23:26,610 --> 00:23:32,080 you, as born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, who is 365 00:23:32,170 --> 00:23:36,200 Christ the Lord unto you. This is a a personal statement 366 00:23:36,210 --> 00:23:39,970 here to the shepherds. You see, the the birth of Christ 367 00:23:39,980 --> 00:23:42,530 was not just too merry was to Joseph. 368 00:23:42,540 --> 00:23:47,110 The birth of Christ was to us. The birth of Christ was to the 369 00:23:47,120 --> 00:23:52,050 lowly Shepherd, a gift to mankind. 370 00:23:54,120 --> 00:23:58,010 And then we have this threefold description of who Christ is. 371 00:23:58,020 --> 00:24:02,910 He is Saviour, He is Christ, and He is Lord. 372 00:24:04,230 --> 00:24:06,740 This is the only time in the New Testament that these three 373 00:24:06,750 --> 00:24:12,830 titles are used in one sentence. They're all by themselves. 374 00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:16,440 They used very commonly and especially very commonly in the 375 00:24:16,450 --> 00:24:18,300 Old Testament. Who is Christ? 376 00:24:18,310 --> 00:24:20,370 He is saviour. This word, I mean, we're 377 00:24:20,380 --> 00:24:23,340 familiar with this word. It's a rescue from peril, a 378 00:24:23,350 --> 00:24:27,480 rescue from danger as weird as used plenty in the Old Testament 379 00:24:27,550 --> 00:24:30,980 of Israel describing God. God is their saviour. 380 00:24:30,990 --> 00:24:34,860 He saved them from the Egyptians through the Exodus. 381 00:24:34,870 --> 00:24:38,360 David speaks of God being his saviour, saving him from the 382 00:24:38,370 --> 00:24:40,940 hand of Saul and so on and so on. 383 00:24:41,010 --> 00:24:44,320 And most times in the autistic ment this word is directed and 384 00:24:44,370 --> 00:24:49,090 God now this baby Jesus who was born is saviour. 385 00:24:49,100 --> 00:24:53,490 Christ has come to save. He has come to rescue. 386 00:24:53,540 --> 00:25:00,460 We need rescuing. Christ is our Saviour. 387 00:25:00,770 --> 00:25:04,360 Jesus is our Saviour and he is Christ. 388 00:25:05,860 --> 00:25:09,490 Now I spent a long time thinking that Christ was his last name, 389 00:25:09,900 --> 00:25:12,170 like I'm Billy Hannah. He's Jesus Christ. 390 00:25:12,180 --> 00:25:14,930 No, his name is Jesus. His title is Christ. 391 00:25:14,940 --> 00:25:16,870 We could call him Jesus the Christ. 392 00:25:17,810 --> 00:25:22,140 Christ means it's the the Greek translation of the Hebrew word 393 00:25:22,150 --> 00:25:28,570 Messiah meaning anointed 1 And this is bringing the reader back 394 00:25:28,580 --> 00:25:32,230 into the Old Testament to the promises God made to David and 395 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:37,930 promises God made to Israel that one would come a Messiah, an 396 00:25:37,940 --> 00:25:44,990 anointed one to bring rescue to save God's people, the promised 397 00:25:45,100 --> 00:25:48,910 Messiah. Now this description here is 398 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:56,240 saying Jesus is that Messiah, He is the Christ, so he is our 399 00:25:56,250 --> 00:26:01,100 Saviour, He is the promised 1 He is the Messiah, that Christ, and 400 00:26:01,110 --> 00:26:07,240 he is Lord. That Greek term curious on an 401 00:26:07,250 --> 00:26:11,820 earthly sense it means a ruler, someone who who is hid. 402 00:26:12,010 --> 00:26:15,560 This is also the Greek translation that is used in the 403 00:26:15,570 --> 00:26:18,760 Old Testament for the word Yahweh, which is the description 404 00:26:18,770 --> 00:26:22,530 for God, for the Lord God is Yahweh. 405 00:26:22,620 --> 00:26:26,010 So Jesus Christ here this carrying these implications. 406 00:26:26,020 --> 00:26:29,930 He is of God, He is the ruler sent from God. 407 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:36,290 In fact, He is God himself. Jesus is Saviour, He's come to 408 00:26:36,300 --> 00:26:39,030 save. He is the promised Messiah, He 409 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:45,370 is Lord. That is a significant baby and 410 00:26:45,380 --> 00:26:51,520 that is a baby worth following. And so the shepherds are given 411 00:26:51,530 --> 00:26:55,610 this sign in verse 12 that they will find a baby wrapped in 412 00:26:55,620 --> 00:26:58,910 swaddling clothes and lying in a Manger. 413 00:27:00,020 --> 00:27:02,330 Not where they would expect to find them, but that's the sign 414 00:27:02,340 --> 00:27:06,650 that they are given. So that is who Christ is. 415 00:27:06,660 --> 00:27:10,090 He is a historical person, He was divinely planned, He is 416 00:27:10,140 --> 00:27:14,450 humble, He is Saviour, Christ and Lord. 417 00:27:16,680 --> 00:27:20,890 And now when we're going to see in verse 13 and 14 at simple 418 00:27:20,900 --> 00:27:24,470 clear explanation of why Christ came. 419 00:27:27,450 --> 00:27:29,800 I just want you to picture this situation with me. 420 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:37,240 There's 13 And suddenly they was with the Angel, a multitude of 421 00:27:37,250 --> 00:27:44,280 the heavenly host praising God and saying glory to God in the 422 00:27:44,290 --> 00:27:50,300 highest and on earth, peace among those with whom he is 423 00:27:50,380 --> 00:27:54,540 pleased. So the Angel here is is joined 424 00:27:54,550 --> 00:27:58,430 by a multitude of the heavenly hosts and we get this idea. 425 00:27:58,440 --> 00:28:01,200 This could be similar picture to what we get in Revelation 5 426 00:28:01,210 --> 00:28:05,390 verse 11, where John pictures the voice of mini angels that 427 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:09,240 number myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands. 428 00:28:09,250 --> 00:28:13,410 You've got a heavenly choir here surrounding this Angel. 429 00:28:13,700 --> 00:28:17,810 And in this simple prayer, the simple song of praise, they 430 00:28:17,820 --> 00:28:22,990 highlight to us why he came. What is this baby going to do? 431 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:26,300 What is this baby bringing? He's bringing glory to God in 432 00:28:26,310 --> 00:28:32,690 the highest and peace on earth. Very simply, this baby brings 433 00:28:32,700 --> 00:28:36,420 glory to God and heaven and peace to man on earth. 434 00:28:37,780 --> 00:28:40,570 Glory in the highest that Speaking of the location and and 435 00:28:40,580 --> 00:28:44,350 heaven. Heaven offers praise to God for 436 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:48,010 the sending of His Son of the gift to mankind. 437 00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:53,910 The coming of Christ offers glory to God and on earth, 438 00:28:54,780 --> 00:28:59,240 peace. Paste to man, pace piece really 439 00:28:59,250 --> 00:29:02,580 is something that we all want. We all desire peace, whether 440 00:29:02,590 --> 00:29:06,240 it's in our heart and our relationships and our 441 00:29:06,250 --> 00:29:08,320 situations. There's peace in the Middle 442 00:29:08,330 --> 00:29:10,940 East, peace in Ukraine. We want peace. 443 00:29:12,190 --> 00:29:17,950 How do we get this piece? Robbie Reed earlier from Genesis 444 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:21,400 chapter 3 in the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve were dwelling 445 00:29:21,410 --> 00:29:24,220 with God, there was complete perfect peace. 446 00:29:24,230 --> 00:29:29,100 There was complete rest. There was complete harmony, but 447 00:29:29,110 --> 00:29:32,650 what went wrong is when they chose to rebel against God, when 448 00:29:32,660 --> 00:29:38,760 they chose to choose their own way, eating of the fruit, The 449 00:29:38,770 --> 00:29:42,310 peace between God and man was ruptured. 450 00:29:44,180 --> 00:29:47,570 The peace that we had a harmonious relationship with God 451 00:29:47,580 --> 00:29:53,270 was lost, and from there man lost their peace with one 452 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:55,100 another. Adam and Eve are in conflict 453 00:29:55,110 --> 00:29:57,250 with one another. Kane and Abel were in conflict 454 00:29:57,340 --> 00:29:59,380 with one another. The peace that we had in the 455 00:29:59,390 --> 00:30:07,050 world was completely gone. Our core problem in the world is 456 00:30:07,060 --> 00:30:10,220 that we no longer have peace with God. 457 00:30:12,550 --> 00:30:17,930 We need peace with God, and when we see a world that is broken, 458 00:30:17,940 --> 00:30:20,190 we see a world without peace. The main problem isn't that. 459 00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:24,780 The main problem is this. We've lost our peace with God, 460 00:30:25,750 --> 00:30:28,220 and from there we have lost our peace with one another. 461 00:30:32,670 --> 00:30:35,200 Pulses it this way in Romans chapter 5 verse one. 462 00:30:36,260 --> 00:30:42,410 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have 463 00:30:42,420 --> 00:30:46,340 peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 464 00:30:48,460 --> 00:30:52,170 This piece that this baby is bringing, this piece that this 465 00:30:52,180 --> 00:30:55,200 baby is promising is the most significant piece that we need. 466 00:30:55,210 --> 00:30:58,180 And it's the piece that we've lost, which is our peace with 467 00:30:58,190 --> 00:31:02,580 God through his suffering and death on the cross. 468 00:31:02,670 --> 00:31:06,240 Paul Sears Because we've been justified, means Meg, right by 469 00:31:06,250 --> 00:31:11,600 faith, by our belief in Christ. Through Christ we can have peace 470 00:31:11,670 --> 00:31:16,760 with God. That is our biggest need and 471 00:31:16,770 --> 00:31:18,450 that is what this child has come to offer. 472 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:22,060 That is why heaven is singing God's glory, because God has 473 00:31:22,070 --> 00:31:24,780 made a way for man to be made right with God. 474 00:31:29,810 --> 00:31:32,460 But I will just note what this first says. 475 00:31:32,470 --> 00:31:38,230 This piece is not universal, it is a peace among those with whom 476 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:41,530 he is pleased. And what I mean is this. 477 00:31:41,540 --> 00:31:46,510 Christ does not promise to bring universal peace to the world. 478 00:31:47,650 --> 00:31:49,100 I mean, the world is evidence of that. 479 00:31:49,110 --> 00:31:52,470 Christ has come and the world is still broken there. 480 00:31:52,480 --> 00:31:57,220 There is not peace in the world. There is not universal peace in 481 00:31:57,230 --> 00:31:58,680 the world. Christ hasn't come to make 482 00:31:58,690 --> 00:32:03,440 everything perfect. Christ has come to make an offer 483 00:32:03,510 --> 00:32:06,920 of peace. It is with whom he is pleased we 484 00:32:06,930 --> 00:32:10,210 receive peace. We received this peace with God 485 00:32:10,220 --> 00:32:12,520 by putting our faith and trust in Jesus Christ. 486 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:16,100 If we put our faith in Jesus Christ and what He did on the 487 00:32:16,110 --> 00:32:19,010 cross, we can have peace with God. 488 00:32:20,810 --> 00:32:24,540 The Bible says if we do not put our faith in Christ, there is no 489 00:32:24,550 --> 00:32:27,660 way for us to please God. There is nothing we can do in 490 00:32:27,670 --> 00:32:30,600 ourselves. We need an offer of peace, and 491 00:32:30,610 --> 00:32:32,120 that offer comes through Jesus Christ. 492 00:32:32,130 --> 00:32:36,710 And if you do not know Him, if you forget anything else, I just 493 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:39,030 plead that you consider the fact that we need peace with God. 494 00:32:39,660 --> 00:32:44,170 That is our problem and this baby who was born 2000 years ago 495 00:32:44,180 --> 00:32:47,060 has come to offer peace with God. 496 00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:55,650 There's no other way. This is no ordinary baby. 497 00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:04,410 Not only does he offer peace with God, but through that we 498 00:33:04,420 --> 00:33:07,140 can begin to have peace with one another. 499 00:33:08,150 --> 00:33:10,320 If you tune with me too, if you can. 500 00:33:10,330 --> 00:33:16,710 Ephesians chapter 2 and Paul is speaking to the Ephesian church. 501 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:21,440 He's speaking to a church that is made-up of Jews, Ezra Lights 502 00:33:21,450 --> 00:33:25,660 and Gentiles and non Jews. And there is division and there 503 00:33:25,670 --> 00:33:29,920 is a fracture in this church because these very different 504 00:33:29,930 --> 00:33:33,460 people are struggling to become one people. 505 00:33:34,980 --> 00:33:38,070 And I'll just read one verse and in chapter 2, but that's kind of 506 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:40,770 summarises the whole thing that Paul is doing in the book of 507 00:33:40,780 --> 00:33:42,690 Ephesians. He's saying, hey, because of 508 00:33:42,700 --> 00:33:46,380 what Jesus Christ has done on the cross, because of the peace 509 00:33:46,390 --> 00:33:49,830 that he brings in our peace with God that makes a way for us to 510 00:33:49,840 --> 00:33:54,540 have peace with one another. He sees there's an Ephesians 2 511 00:33:54,550 --> 00:34:00,090 verse 14. He for he being Jesus Christ, He 512 00:34:00,100 --> 00:34:07,300 Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and broken down 513 00:34:07,310 --> 00:34:11,080 in His flesh, the dividing wall of hostility. 514 00:34:13,580 --> 00:34:17,199 First and foremost, Christ has given us peace with God. 515 00:34:17,239 --> 00:34:22,050 But because of what Christ has done as a church, we can have 516 00:34:22,100 --> 00:34:25,310 peace with one another. It is not perfect peace. 517 00:34:25,320 --> 00:34:29,380 We are sinful people seeking to get along and in one body, but 518 00:34:29,389 --> 00:34:32,360 through what Jesus Christ has done, we are one people. 519 00:34:32,429 --> 00:34:34,639 Us here in this room and and the wider church. 520 00:34:34,650 --> 00:34:38,340 We are one body of Christ brought together by what he has 521 00:34:38,350 --> 00:34:40,340 done. Jesus has come to bring peace 522 00:34:40,350 --> 00:34:44,010 with God and through that we can have peace with one another. 523 00:34:44,020 --> 00:34:49,699 We can have unity as a church. That is who Christ is. 524 00:34:49,710 --> 00:34:55,170 That is why he came. This is a birth for us to 525 00:34:55,179 --> 00:34:58,000 celebrate it as good news of great joy. 526 00:34:59,920 --> 00:35:03,950 And so as we close, I just want to consider two different 527 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:08,390 responses to this message that Luke is gonna lay out for us. 528 00:35:09,620 --> 00:35:12,070 He lays out for us a couple of different ways we can respond to 529 00:35:12,080 --> 00:35:14,370 this. Because what happens in versus 530 00:35:14,500 --> 00:35:19,550 15 and 16 is these shepherds, They see what what was happening 531 00:35:19,560 --> 00:35:21,990 in the heavens and they say, well, we need to go and see this 532 00:35:22,060 --> 00:35:23,970 with our own eyes. They've been given the sign 533 00:35:24,040 --> 00:35:25,650 you're going to see a baby in the Manger. 534 00:35:25,720 --> 00:35:28,990 Now they need to go see the sign with their own eyes. 535 00:35:30,990 --> 00:35:35,570 And so for 16, they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph 536 00:35:35,650 --> 00:35:39,260 and the baby lying in a Manger. The sign has been confirmed. 537 00:35:40,950 --> 00:35:44,180 And then the next few verses are going to show them Speaking of 538 00:35:44,190 --> 00:35:47,990 what they just saw in the sky. They're gonna speak it to Mary 539 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:49,400 and Joseph. They're gonna speak it to a 540 00:35:49,410 --> 00:35:52,080 wider group of people. It's not clear whether the group 541 00:35:52,090 --> 00:35:54,680 of people were together with Mary and Joseph and they they 542 00:35:54,690 --> 00:35:57,880 shared it with everyone at once, or they spoke to Mary and Joseph 543 00:35:57,890 --> 00:35:59,680 and then went out and told everyone. 544 00:35:59,690 --> 00:36:03,950 It's not super clear, but I do just wanna note the irony and I 545 00:36:03,960 --> 00:36:09,320 think it's a divine irony that the individuals who went seen 546 00:36:09,330 --> 00:36:12,360 fit to testify in a court of law, they are the first humans 547 00:36:12,370 --> 00:36:15,740 sent out to testify. And when they saw it meaning 548 00:36:15,750 --> 00:36:20,040 this baby and the Manger, they made known the saying that had 549 00:36:20,050 --> 00:36:25,000 been told them concerning this child, and all who heard it 550 00:36:25,070 --> 00:36:27,580 wondered at what the shepherds told them. 551 00:36:27,650 --> 00:36:33,890 But Mary treasured these things, pondering them in her heart. 552 00:36:36,490 --> 00:36:41,920 So the people wondered at what happened, yet merely treasured 553 00:36:41,930 --> 00:36:45,610 them in her heart. And when we read them, they 554 00:36:45,620 --> 00:36:50,040 sound like similar responses. But Luke here is put in the 555 00:36:50,050 --> 00:36:52,860 significant word button. It's there in the Greek as well. 556 00:36:52,940 --> 00:36:55,960 And he's seeking to contrast Miri's response with the 557 00:36:55,970 --> 00:37:00,620 response of the others. So the others even around 558 00:37:00,670 --> 00:37:03,440 wondered. That's not necessarily negative. 559 00:37:03,750 --> 00:37:06,530 You might translate or understand as they were amazed 560 00:37:08,410 --> 00:37:10,680 they were. They marvelled at what happened. 561 00:37:10,730 --> 00:37:14,880 They thought, wow, that is crazy, that is awesome. 562 00:37:15,210 --> 00:37:17,580 They might even celebrate it. Wow, that's amazing. 563 00:37:18,230 --> 00:37:21,920 But the implication here is that that wonder, that amazement, 564 00:37:21,930 --> 00:37:26,360 stopped there. One commentator puts it this 565 00:37:26,370 --> 00:37:28,470 way. The report tickled the crowd's 566 00:37:28,480 --> 00:37:30,230 ears, but it may have missed their hearts. 567 00:37:33,320 --> 00:37:39,570 Yet in contrast, Mary treasured up these things, pondering them 568 00:37:39,640 --> 00:37:44,920 in her heart. This is a deeper, richer, 569 00:37:44,970 --> 00:37:48,360 heartfelt consideration of what she heard. 570 00:37:49,510 --> 00:37:54,300 Myriad treasured who her baby was and her belief was long 571 00:37:54,350 --> 00:37:56,520 lasting. It was impactful. 572 00:37:56,610 --> 00:38:00,370 It touched her heart. And I think that's especially 573 00:38:00,380 --> 00:38:03,790 true for a story like this. The the birth of Christ, the 574 00:38:03,800 --> 00:38:07,050 coming of Christ. That's something that so many of 575 00:38:07,060 --> 00:38:13,070 us are familiar with and it's so easy to hear stories like this. 576 00:38:13,080 --> 00:38:15,740 And maybe God is is highlighted something to you this morning in 577 00:38:15,750 --> 00:38:17,510 your mind you've gone wow, that's cool. 578 00:38:19,060 --> 00:38:23,030 Jesus Christ has brought peace or you've seen some theological 579 00:38:23,040 --> 00:38:25,240 things. You go, man, that's really cool 580 00:38:25,250 --> 00:38:28,960 and to be it's so easy to be amazed in our minds, but not be 581 00:38:28,970 --> 00:38:32,180 changed in our hearts. And and Luke has highlighting 582 00:38:32,190 --> 00:38:34,930 these two different responses. It's laying out two different 583 00:38:34,940 --> 00:38:38,050 ways we could respond to Christ in the coming of Christ this 584 00:38:38,060 --> 00:38:39,730 morning. We could be engaged in our 585 00:38:39,740 --> 00:38:42,490 minds, we could be wowed intellectually, or we could let 586 00:38:42,500 --> 00:38:46,750 that touch our hearts. We could let it change our 587 00:38:46,760 --> 00:38:49,590 priorities, change our interactions, change our 588 00:38:49,600 --> 00:38:52,310 marriages, change our parenting, change the way we go to work 589 00:38:52,320 --> 00:38:57,490 this week, our prayer life. The point Luke is making is that 590 00:38:57,500 --> 00:39:00,810 what we've just read about the the birth, the coming of this 591 00:39:00,820 --> 00:39:07,800 baby, Jesus Christ, his identity, his mission, it should 592 00:39:07,890 --> 00:39:13,470 move us. She changed the way we live. 593 00:39:13,480 --> 00:39:21,230 It is a life changing offer of love, of hope, and as Christians 594 00:39:21,240 --> 00:39:26,700 we need to know who our Saviour is, we need to know who Jesus 595 00:39:26,710 --> 00:39:28,660 Christ is. We need to know the hope that he 596 00:39:28,670 --> 00:39:32,070 offers because He's the one that we follow, he's the one that we 597 00:39:32,080 --> 00:39:34,060 pursue, he's the one that we live for. 598 00:39:35,470 --> 00:39:39,790 We need to know who He is. When we truly know who Christ 599 00:39:39,800 --> 00:39:42,670 is, it changes the way we follow Him, the vigour in which we want 600 00:39:42,680 --> 00:39:46,670 to know Him, read of Him, speak about Him, live in light of the 601 00:39:46,680 --> 00:39:50,730 way He lived, live in the light of the way He has called us to 602 00:39:50,740 --> 00:39:57,540 live. There are a lot of exciting 603 00:39:57,590 --> 00:39:59,940 birth stories I could have come and told you about this morning. 604 00:40:02,290 --> 00:40:05,040 But the Word of God has told us about the birth of Jesus Christ 605 00:40:05,050 --> 00:40:08,470 because it is a birth story that is not just exciting, it is one 606 00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:10,050 that reaches out and touches our hearts. 607 00:40:12,310 --> 00:40:17,130 It is significant. My prayer for us is that we may 608 00:40:17,140 --> 00:40:19,040 go out like the shepherds did in verse 20. 609 00:40:20,140 --> 00:40:22,710 The shippers returned. They went back to their work. 610 00:40:22,780 --> 00:40:27,220 They went back to their lives, but they went back glorifying 611 00:40:27,230 --> 00:40:31,830 and praising God for all they had heard and seen as it had 612 00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:36,360 been told them. May we go out into our weeks? 613 00:40:36,370 --> 00:40:40,560 May we go out glorifying and praising God for the coming of 614 00:40:40,570 --> 00:40:43,720 Christ. It is no ordinary birth. 615 00:40:45,140 --> 00:40:48,530 Now say again, if you do not know Christ, I'd ask you to 616 00:40:48,540 --> 00:40:51,310 consider the hope that is offered in this passage of peace 617 00:40:51,420 --> 00:40:55,010 with God. We have no hope without the 618 00:40:55,020 --> 00:40:57,730 birth of Christ, don't we? Let's pray. 619 00:41:03,060 --> 00:41:07,410 Lord God, we come to you humbly in response to your Word and 620 00:41:07,420 --> 00:41:09,960 response to the coming of Christ, and we thank you. 621 00:41:13,270 --> 00:41:16,400 We thank you, Lord, that this baby is no ordinary baby, This 622 00:41:16,410 --> 00:41:19,820 birth is no insignificant birth, but it is the coming of our Lord 623 00:41:19,940 --> 00:41:25,050 and Saviour Jesus Christ. So I pray Lord, this week that 624 00:41:25,060 --> 00:41:27,930 we may ponder more about who Christ is, the significance of 625 00:41:27,940 --> 00:41:30,570 who he is and what he has brought, what He has done, what 626 00:41:30,580 --> 00:41:34,700 it changed, the way we live. God, we thank you for our Lord 627 00:41:35,370 --> 00:41:37,500 in Jesus name, Amen.