The Birth of Christ

Let's pray together. Father, we thank you that you truly, truly are the one who is called wonderful. We thank you, Lord Jesus, that we had the opportunity to experience the wonder of salvation and the wonder of our God as we understand our relationship with you. And today, as we study the Word of God, may our hearts be truly turned to the stable, to the manger, to the lowly place where Jesus Christ, our Lord, was born. In Jesus' name, amen. I would be remiss in my responsibility if I did not tell you that I was absolutely ecstatic about the opportunity before us this month in July as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

We call Christmas in July. I know some of you think I'm kind of off my rocker and you think I'm a little wacko, and that's okay. I've already received one Christmas card this past week from someone in our church, and I received a phone call this morning at 6 a.m. wishing me a Merry Christmas. They wanted to make sure that they were the first one to do so.

So there are others of me like you out there that have that same kind of anticipation about the Christmas season. But you know, as we have spent the last several months in Luke chapter 1, and now are about to embark in Luke chapter 2, and spend the month of July studying the birth of Christ, I want to let you know why we're celebrating Christmas in July. The Bible tells us very clearly in 2 Timothy 2, verse number 8, that we are to remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David. Paul tells Timothy, listen, you can't afford to forget Jesus Christ.

You can't afford to forget His divinity, His resurrection from the dead. Now that poses a problem, for if Jesus Christ is God, why would He have to die and rise again? The Bible tells us in Revelation chapter 1, verse number 18, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Living One, and I was dead. I am alive now forevermore. That's why Paul says to Timothy, you remember Jesus Christ, you remember His divinity, and you remember His humanity. He is a descendant of David. You can never forget that Jesus Christ is a descendant of David.

You can never forget about the humanity of Jesus Christ. For once you forget about the birth of Christ, and forget about His humanity, then His saving work is out the window. You can't forget about that. We need to come to grips with who Jesus Christ is, that He is the God-Man, and that He is the One who died for us on Calvary's tree. And Christmas is that time that we celebrate the coming of Christ into the world. It is the most monumental event in the history of the world. And therefore we can't afford to forget it.

Because if Jesus Christ was never born, Jesus Christ would never die. And if Jesus Christ would never die, there would be no one to take your place as a substitute at Calvary. And if you had no substitute, you would die in your sins and be lost forever. So He had to be born. So we're celebrating Christmas in July as we embark on Luke 2 and spend this month without any disturbances, any distractions that accumulate during our debt in December. Because you know that during the month of December, there are all kinds of things that are taking place.

There are parties to go to. There is shopping that needs to be done. There are gifts to buy. There are events you want to attend that seem to rob us of remembering Jesus Christ, the son of David, risen from the dead. And so this month, we're going to focus in on Jesus Christ's birth with no distractions. And my prayer is that you will see it in a new light. You will see it in a way it needs to be seen. It is the most familiar story in the Bible. You can put it on a Christmas card. You can watch it in the movies.

It's recited over and over again. Luke chapter 2 verses 1 to 20 or verses 1 to 7 or verses 1 to 11. It's the most familiar aspect of the story of Christ that is His birth. And yet so many people because of its familiarity miss the impact of the story. And today we don't want you to miss that impact. We want you to come to grips with the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord. Let me read to you the first seven verses of Luke chapter 2 because that's what we're going to cover this morning.

It says, Now it came about in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.

And all were proceeding to register for the census, everyone to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee from the city of Nazareth to Judea to the city of David which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and family of David in order to register along with Mary who was engaged to him and was with child. It came about that while they were there the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in cloths, laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.

And that little phrase there was no room for them in the inn has become a very familiar phrase in songs and cards and letters because it truly is indicative of people today. As it was in those days so it is today. That people have the no vacancy sign across their heart. As there was in that day there literally truly was no room for them to stay in any inn in Bethlehem. The no vacancy sign went up. And you know what it's like to have a no vacancy sign go up when you're traveling, you're tired and you want to stay in a hotel and it says no vacancy.

And you wonder where your kids are going to sleep. You wonder where your wife is going to sleep. You're in the car. You're in the van. What are you going to do? Think of Mary and Joseph having traveled 80 to 90 miles to get to where they need to be on the backside of a mule. She being nine months pregnant coming to the village of Bethlehem and realizing there was no place for them to sleep. No vacancy. What would they do? But all that was part of the plan of God as we will see in a few moments. But also there's a phrase that's there that says in verse number one in those days.

In what days? In what days? Well chapter one verse number five in the days when Herod would rule as the king. So it was in the days where wickedness and evil ruled supreme in the land of Israel. They were under oppression. They were amidst great affliction. It was in those days that the Messiah would come. It was in those days where the angel Gabriel had come to Zacharias in the in the temple as he was performing his priestly duties. It was in those days that the angel Gabriel said to him that his wife who was barren would conceive and bear a child.

His name would be called John. He would also be called great and he would be the forerunner to the Messiah. He would prepare the way of the Lord. It was in those days that the same angel would go to Mary and make that great announcement to her in Luke chapter one and say these words. You will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the son of the most high. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and his kingdom will have no end.

As the angel Gabriel made the announcement to Mary about the coming of her son Jesus, the angel Gabriel in those days made the announcement that Zacharias and Elizabeth would have a son. His name would be John meaning God is gracious. That Mary would conceive in her womb a son. His name would be called Jesus. Jehovah is salvation. To give us a story of redemption that because of the grace of God Jehovah brings salvation to man. That's the whole story of the birth of Christ. It was in those days when Zacharias had seen his son and held him in his arms and began to praise God and take us way back into the Old Testament and reiterating the Abrahamic covenant, the Davidic covenant and the new covenant that Messiah has come and because Messiah is coming there will be a land and on that in that land there will be a king who will reign and we will experience the forgiveness of sins.

It was in those days, those days that Jesus was born. The Bible also says very simply in verse number six and it came about that while they were there the days were completed for her to give birth. The classic understatement in those days she gave birth. Now you think about that. This was the greatest birth in the history of man. It was a birth just like every other birth but it was a child unlike any other child and all that it said is that and she gave birth. That's it. You think there'd be a little bit more embellishment of the text.

There'd be a little bit more to say about the fact that she gave birth but there isn't. Not at all. It was in those days. In those days in fact where even her betrothed Joseph had severe doubts about whether or not he should stone her or divorce her. The Bible records over in Matthew chapter one these words and Joseph her husband being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her desired to put her away secretly but when he had considered this behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying Joseph son of David do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit and she will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus for it is he who will save his people from their sins know all this took place that was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled saying behold the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son and they shall call his name Emmanuel which translated means God with us and Joseph arose from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took her as his wife and kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a son and he called his name Jesus it was in those days that she gave birth there are four things I want you to see in the text first providentially a census second prophetically a city third personally a child and fourth practically a celebration point number four is not in your notes I added that one this morning as well so we're going to be able to understand more about the birth of Christ and the celebration of that birth as we understand Luke chapter 2 first of all providentially a census listen to what the Bible says in the first three verses it came about in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth this was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria and all were proceeding to register for the census everyone to his own city you see God is so wonderful at what he does that he orchestrates life's events to bring about his great and wonderful purpose God providentially takes a pagan godless ruler who knew nothing of the Old Testament who knew nothing of the coming of Messiah who had no concern for Israel whatsoever to give forth a decree that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth which would require Mary and Joseph to leave their home in Nazareth and go to Bethlehem because they had to go to the city where they were from and they were both from the line of David they were both from the city of David they were both from Bethlehem so they had to make that truck some 90 miles to get to Bethlehem from Nazareth God was going to get them where they needed to be so that prophetically everything would be fulfilled as he designed it to be you see God is at work even in the pagan king Proverbs 21 1 says the king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord and he turns it wherever he wishes God turns the hand of the king God can turn the pagan ruler because God is in complete control of all that takes place and the very outset what you need to know is that the birth of Christ happens because God is providentially orchestrating the events of life to bring about his sovereign plan that's why in Galatians 4 verse number 4 it says in the fullness of time God sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law it was the perfect time it was the perfect setting everything had run its course it was the exact time for Messiah to be born everything was right politically everything was wrong spiritually and everything needed to be needed to happen in God's prophetic timetable in his own providential way and so in the fullness of time God would send forth his son he would use a pagan king to cause all the people to go back to their hometowns to register their their belongings to register the number of children they had to make sure that that everything was in order to take a census it was a taxation we do it today in our country to make sure everybody's registered so we know who to tax and who not to tax that's what Quirinius did or Caesar did Caesar is his title it's a word that means king or emperor or pharaoh Augustus is an adjective which means redeemed one highly regarded one honored one and the man who was the highly regarded one at that time his name was Gaius Octavius who ruled for 45 years and was a wicked man and yet and yet he was perceived by the world listen as the savior of the world so here is a man perceived by the world to be the savior of the world making the decree so that when the savior the true savior of the world is born he will be born at the perfect time in the perfect place because God providentially had orchestrated the events of life folks we need to understand that our God is in heaven he does whatever he pleases one thing you need to learn about the birth of Christ is that God is in complete control of every event in your life even the hard things was it easy for Mary and Joseph to travel 90 miles why she's nine months pregnant no do you think they wanted to do that probably not was it uncomfortable yes it was but yet God was bringing about his perfect purposes providentially there was a census prophetically there was a city there was a city and that city was called Bethlehem the Bible says in verse 4 and Joseph also went up from Galilee from the city of Nazareth to Judea to the city of David which is called Bethlehem now we'll stop right there this you know is the fulfillment of prophecy the verse is Micah chapter 5 verse number 2 but as for you Bethlehem Ephrath too little to be among the clans of Judah from you one will go forth for me to be ruler in Israel his goings forth are from long ago from the days of eternity now Luke never mentions Micah's prophecy Matthew does but Luke does not but the Jews would know to some degree of the prophecy of Micah chapter 5 verse number 2 I do believe with all my heart that Mary and Joseph knew Micah 5 2 I believe because when the angel came in Matthew chapter 1 to speak to Joseph and confirm that what had been conceived in Mary was of the spirit of God was a supernatural conception and that he was not to divorce her he was not to to put her away he was not to stone her but to take her as his wife the angel said this is in fulfillment of Isaiah chapter 7 verse number 14 Immanuel God with us so he knows from Mary what the angel said in Luke chapter 1 about Jesus the son of the most high God who will rule forever and ever in the throne of from the throne of David he knows what the angel says to him in Matthew chapter 1 that this is God with us that means they'd have to somehow put two and two together to realize that Micah 5 chapter 5 verse number 2 says that in Bethlehem will be the one born who is from everlasting to everlasting that is the eternal one will be born in Bethlehem I believe they knew that and so I believe that when the census went out and the decree went out for the census to be taken that Mary and Joseph knew in the back of their minds that this was the time the child was going to be born and so they would make that journey I mean Joseph wasn't going to leave Mary behind and go to Bethlehem by himself she was about to give birth she truly had no support system because who was really believing that this conception was a pure and true conception by the spirit of God so she had no support system so he would take his his young bride with him and they would make that journey some 90 miles in the anticipation or with the anticipation that the birth would happen in Bethlehem because of the prophecy of Micah now listen this becomes so important because the Bible says that this is the city of David that Bethlehem is the city of David now if you read the Old Testament you'll know that the Old Testament refers to the city of David as that place called Mount Zion that 30 acres called the hill of Ophel that is just south of the southern wall of Jerusalem and that was the place where David is set up in his kingdom his throne and ruled as king of Israel there what is called the city of David in fact a couple of years ago we were in Israel and one of the members of our church asked our guide uh I thought the city of David was Bethlehem and the guide was very quick to say no no this is the city of David the hill of Zion that's the city of David he says Bethlehem is not the city of David so when we got on the bus I I went to that uh individual who was with us on the trip I said I'm gonna let you know that you were right that Bethlehem is the city of David so is the hill of Ophel so is Mount Zion they are both called the city of David why because in 1st Samuel chapter 16 verse number one when Samuel went to Jesse who was a Bethlehemite because he was from Bethlehem in fact he was really truly an Ephrathite 1st Samuel 17 calls Jesse an Ephrathite because Bethlehem before it was Bethlehem was called Ephrath now that's important when it comes to the birth of Christ why is that important well if you're in Micah 5 turn back to Micah chapter 4 verse number 8 and it says this and as for you tower of the flock hill of the daughter of Zion to you it will come what even the former dominion will come what's that the kingdom of David the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem this is important why because to the tower of the flock will come the kingdom of God now how does that all come together what does that mean you must understand that God has orchestrated the events of life in such a way that everything comes into clear focus when you understand prophecy turn back with me if you would to Genesis chapter 35 Genesis chapter 35 it says in verse number 16 these words then they journeyed from Bethel that is Jacob and Rachel and when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath Rachel began to give birth and she suffered severe labor and it came about when she was in severe labor that the midwife said to her do not fear for now you have another son and it came about as her soul was departing for she died that she named him Ben-Oni but his father called him Ben-Hameen so Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath that is Bethlehem and Jacob set up a pillar over her grave that is the pillar of Rachel's grave to this day then Israel journeying on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Adair what you have listen in Genesis chapter 35 is a composite picture of how God was going to redeem Israel through the death of Rachel if you go to Bethlehem today every guide will be quick to point out to you the tower of Adair or Migdal Adair the tower of the flock because that is the place where Rachel's tomb is as the Bible says to this day and you can go there to that very place today the tomb of Rachel now understand this Rachel had a son named Joseph Leah was having all these kids but Rachel was barren and God blessed her with Joseph which means to add and so she believed that God was going to add another son to her and one day on their way to Ephrath on their way to Bethlehem Rachel goes into labor and she dies she dies in in giving birth to her son and she wants to name him Ben-Oni which means son of my sorrow but Jacob says no it's not Ben-Oni it's Ben-Hameen son of my right hand in other words Jacob says this is the way it's going to be it's going to be this way that is this son will not bring sorrow but this son will bring strength and joy because of God's promise to you you with me so far this is very important and the Bible says then Israel drew it on and pinched his tent toward the tower of Adair the tower of Adair is called the tower of the flock why is there a tower of the flock on the north side of Bethlehem it's because in Ephrath in Bethlehem is the place where they raised all the sacrificial lambs to die at Passover they had to be spotless they had to be blameless lambs and the tower of the flock would be that tower that would oversee the raising of those lambs and those shepherds would gather in that tower and that would be the place where the sacrificial lambs were raised for the sacrifice on the day of atonement in the city of Jerusalem because Bethlehem is some six miles south of Jerusalem you with me so far good turn to Jeremiah chapter 31 you're gonna have to put your thinking caps on here I don't want to lose you but you got to understand the significance of the birth of Christ prophetically it was in a specific city and why is this city so important not only because Micah 5 2 says that the one who is eternal will come to Bethlehem Ephrath but there's more to it than just that why Bethlehem why was David born in Bethlehem why is Bethlehem the house of bread called the city of David what's so significant about that location Jeremiah chapter 31 verse number 15 thus says the Lord a voice is heard in Ramah Ramah is not Jerusalem Ramah is not Bethlehem Ramah simply is the territory of Benjamin the furthest point in the north the voice is heard in Ramah lamentation and bitter weeping Rachel is weeping for her children she refuses to be comforted for her children because they are no more the prophet Jeremiah who was the weeping prophet talking to Israel who is in having suffered the Babylonian destruction and devastation and captivity what he's doing is helping them understand that there's going to be hope he wants to give them hope because they are in a situation where they have no hope and he takes us all the way back to Genesis chapter 35 to show us that Israel is representative of Rachel weeping for her children her children are no more she will not have any more children will the Messiah ever come and Jeremiah wants to give them hope he says in verse number 17 and there is hope for your future declares the Lord and your children shall return to their own territory there is hope there's going to be a hope and like Rachel would weep because she was afraid there was no hope that her son would die now Israel becomes those who weep because they believe there is no longer a hope for them that they too will die in Jeremiah like the maidservant said to Rachel you're going to have a son there is going to be hope there is a future there is a land now turn to Matthew chapter 2 Matthew chapter 2 verse 16 then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi he became very enraged and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its environs from two year olds two years old and under according to the time which she had ascertained from the magi then that listen which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet that's Jeremiah 31 the verse we just read was fulfilled saying a voice was heard in Ramah weeping in great mourning Rachel weeping for her children and she refused to be comforted because they were no more the same phrase used back in Jeremiah 31 that Jeremiah took from Genesis chapter 35 is a phrase that talks about the nation of Israel weeping because all the male children under the age of two are being slaughtered there is going to be no coming of messiah our children will be no more there is not going to be any future for Israel because Herod is destroying all the children two years and under what's going to happen messiah will not come and when you go to Israel today and you go to the wailing wall and you see those rabbis genuflecting continuously there at the wailing wall what are they weeping for their children are no more where is their child where was the promise of the messiah when is he going to come why do they weep why do they wail because the promise by God has yet to be fulfilled and they wonder if it ever will be they wonder if it ever will be and so when you go back to the book of Micah the fourth chapter and it says and as for you tower of the flock where's that Migdal Adair on the north side of Bethlehem the hill of the daughter of Zion to you it will come to who who will come to Ephrath who will come to the tower of the flock the lamb that will be slain for the sins of the world to you see that's why Migdal Adair the tower of the flock is on the north side of Bethlehem that's why Bethlehem is the city of David that's why Bethlehem when they went to find David when Samuel went to find the next king that he was to anoint where was he he was a shepherd boy tending sheep in Ephrath in Bethlehem it all ties together it's all about the coming of messiah it's all about God's plan and the hope of a nation and the hope of a nation is centered around one individual and that is the coming of messiah and that messiah will come to Bethlehem that messiah will come to Ephrath that messiah will come to the tower of the flock whose kingdom will last forever and never and that one who is the king will be slaughtered for the sins of the world it's all about how God takes a prophecy in Micah chapter five verse number two 500 years before the birth of Christ and ties it in to the death of Rachel in Genesis chapter 35 why because Benjamin Benjamin Benjamin son of my right hand what Jacob called his son his son of strength his son of my right hand became a type of Christ so what will be born there at Migdal Adair the tower of the flock is the son of God's right hand and the only way he can sit down at the right hand of God is for him to come to earth and to die for the sins of the world and we know that the bible teaches us that he now sits at the right hand of God the father right see it all comes together that's the birth of Christ providentially there's a census prophetically there's a city a city designed specifically by God to talk to us about the significance of the messiah who would come specifically to that city to that village to that place and how God would orchestrate the events of the world to bring about the birth of his son in the exact location that he had prescribed long ago that's why we can't afford to forget Jesus Christ the son of David risen from the dead you need to remember him you need to remember why he was born in Bethlehem you remember why Rachel died at Ephrath you remember why Jacob named his son Benjamin and not Ben-oni son of my sorrow but son of my right hand you know why Jeremiah gave the prophecy out of Genesis 35 concerning the wailing of the nation of Israel because there was no hope for them and he made a promise that there would be a hope and now you know why Matthew records Micah excuse me Jeremiah 31 quoting Genesis 35 it all ties together it all comes together in one simple unique little package that says that God is in complete control of all that happens and we wonder about our little lives and whether God's in control of our lives and we need not wonder anymore God is in control of everything that takes place another thing you need to notice here that I think is important it says that when they went to Bethlehem in order to register along with Mary who was what's the phrase say engaged to him or betrothed to him remember Matthew chapter 1 what do the angels say to Joseph Joseph son of David do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit verse 24 and Joseph arose from asleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took her as what ooh ooh so Joseph took Mary as his wife but Luke says that when they arrived in Bethlehem they arrived as a betrothed couple so how do you answer that so simple because verse 25 of Matthew 1 says this and kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a son and he called his name Jesus Jesus you see it's a lot easier for Joseph to introduce Mary as his wife than as the person he's engaged to who happens to be pregnant right so he obeys the word of the angel Mary comes back to him she explains to him what has taken place he's distraught he's shocked he doesn't understand he doesn't know whether to divorce her or to stone her either one would be okay under the the Jewish system and the angel says no don't do that because that which is conceived in her is of the Spirit of God instead don't be afraid to take her as your wife so what does he do he goes and takes her as his wife so now they're married but listen they're married but he treats her as if they're only engaged that's why she's still a virgin when the baby is born but note she's only a virgin until the birth isn't that what verse 25 says of Matthew 1 and kept her a virgin until she gave birth that means that after she gave birth Joseph and Mary then would have normal sexual relations and we know that took place why because when you read Matthew 12 and you read Matthew 13 and you read John 2 and you read John 7 Mary has other sons and daughters in fact Matthew 13 names the four sons of Jesus or the four sons of Mary four half brothers of Jesus why is that important because the Roman Catholic Church teaches the perpetual virginity of Mary and that's just not true that's not true she did not remain a virgin she was only a virgin until the birth after the birth they had many sons and daughters according to Matthew chapter 13 in fact John 7 says that they didn't even believe in Jesus until after the whole scenario took place of his death and and resurrection so that's an important aspect you need to get a hold of you see Joseph was so concerned about being a righteous man that he would treat Mary as if they were only engaged even though they were married because he wanted to preserve that which is pure and true and holy and he kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a son so providentially a census prophetically a city personally a child the bible says it came about that while they were there where is there how long were they there did they come just for a day a week were they there two days three days four days before the birth took place Luke doesn't tell us it just says while they were there where well some say well they must have went and stayed with some relatives really if they would have stayed with some relatives would their relatives really truly kick them out when she was about to give birth I don't think so if they were staying already in an inn before the birth do you think the inn would have kicked them out when she was about to give birth don't think so I think the text is very clear while they were in their homeless condition no place to stay she gave birth Mary and Joseph for the time in Bethlehem were homeless there was no place to stay and so you begin to understand the son of man who said he had no place to rest his head foxes have holes birds have nests but the son of man has no place to rest his head and so the whole birth of Christ is indicative of what happens when the son of man comes into the world this is not his home and this should never be your home either our citizenship is in heaven right this is while they were there while they were homeless all those ends were taken up by Roman soldiers and those individuals who were Jewish officials who would keep track of the records it was a packed place there was no place for them to go and the bible says very simply these words while they were there the days were completed for her to give birth she gave birth no nurses no anesthetic no tv to watch to occupy your time between your birth pangs no clean environment no warm heaters no air conditioning no clean sheets no nice comfortable bed while they were there she gave birth to the son of the most high god no newspaper no time newsweek people magazine paparazzi nobody taking pictures so they could put their new faces and the face of the baby under front of the people magazine so all could see it the baby Jesus is here none of that while she was there or while they were there she gave birth can you imagine the scene there she sits sweating going through the birth pangs and Joseph he's about 15 she's about 13 young teenage kids experiencing this whole incredible time and one last push and out comes the the son of god the son of man and he gives forth his his first cry and the reality of the word becoming flesh and dwelling among us has hit the air and they hold that newborn son in their arms what an amazing time that must have been for joseph and mary as they sat in that stable area in that grotto area that cave-like area there was no place for them to stay and so like we have today you come to church and you come in here and you park your car outside in those days they had a place an end a place to go where you would go and sleep and you'd park your mule or you park your animal outside that's where they were and they gave birth and the bible says she gave birth to her firstborn son her prototokon not the monogamous her only begotten but the firstborn son that means he was the the priority one he was the one who had the right to the inheritance if by the way if mary was never to give birth again and she remained a virgin the word would have been monogamous her only begotten but because it says that her firstborn was the prototokon that means it was the firstborn of yet many who would come and so we understand from the text that this situation was one in which god had intervened and the bible says when she gave birth to her firstborn son she wrapped him in clothes or cloths she swaddled him you know when a baby comes out you ever if you've been in in the delivery room you know that when the baby comes out man they're flailing everywhere man because they've been so cooked up in the womb for nine months it's so warm and cozy in there and sweet and nice and just such a nurturing kind of place and all of a sudden you bring them into a cold delivery room with all these foreign voices and lights and instruments and all things that they're they're screaming and crying but when you wrap them up like little papoose and you and you hold them in your arm they settle down because they they get back to a realm of familiarity they wrapped him they they swaddled him they took these cloths and he wrapped his arms and they wrapped his body together and held the son close to them it says they laid him in a feeding trough a manger you go to israel today you can see the many feeding troughs most of them are carved out of stone so it probably wasn't a a wood trough it was probably a concrete trough cold damp hard and that's where they laid him stinky smelly stable you can imagine joseph having to remove all the animal excrement from the area so mary would have a place to lay down to sit you ever been to a barn they smell a certain way right smell of hay the smell of manure the smell of fur all those things all that was the environment in which the son of man was born we'll teach us to point number four practically a celebration why was he born there number one to identify with humanity to identify with humanity what better place for the son of man to be born than a place that stinks and smells like sinners stink and smell amen and the bible says in hebrews 4 that he was a high priest who could sympathize with our weaknesses because he was tempted on all points like we yet without sin we celebrate the fact that he came to identify with humanity we celebrate the fact number two that he came to exemplify his humility to exemplify his humility he was made as hebrews a little lower than the angels philippians 2 talks about the great condensation condescension excuse me of god to this earth he didn't think equality with god something to be grasped but took on the form of a servant matthew 11 says come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden and i will give you rest take my yoke upon you learn from me why i am meek and i am lowly in heart he came to exemplify his humility he came to identify with humanity he came to clarify his ministry to clarify his ministry this is what we celebrate what better place for a lamb to be born than in a stable john 1 29 behold the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world right he is the lamb of god the choir sang about worshiping the lamb of god what better place for a land to be born than in a stable he came to clarify his ministry he was born to die that's why bethlehem that's why the tower of the flock that's why he was born in the city where all the sacrificial lambs are prepared to be sacrificed because he was prepared to be sacrificed fourthly he came to solidify your destiny to solidify your destiny because what you believe about the birth of christ and why he came will determine where you spend eternity i wonder today if you have a no vacancy sign across your heart i wonder today you you are filled with yourself you are filled with your idols you are filled with your mission you are filled with your desires you are filled with things you want to do that you have no room for the lamb of god you have no room for the messiah king of israel i don't know your heart only god knows that but if you have a no vacancy sign across it today it would be my recommendation that you turn it off and you open your heart to the king of kings the one who came to this earth to identify specifically with your situation who came to clarify for you exactly why it is he came and that was to die for your sins and only a humble servant would do so and that he died in your stead so you could live with him forevermore don't leave this place today without solidifying your destiny with the master making sure you know that you will spend eternity with jesus christ our lord let's pray our most gracious heavenly father we thank you for today and just the opportunity you give us to study your word and we pray lord that the things that we learn today will enable us to live for you and we do pray for the salvation of lost souls that lord our hearts would be not would not be so preoccupied with things that really truly don't matter but they would be totally consumed with the messiah himself and that lord you would take up residence in our hearts and live within us because you have forgiven us of our sin we pray in jesus name amen