Facts about the Birth of Jesus
23 December 2018 AM – Luke 2:11 – Christmas – Scott Childs
Introduction: We live in a world that wants to hide the true meaning of Christmas. Many think that singing songs about Santa is fine, but singing songs about the birth of Jesus is politically incorrect. Those who hold that view are overlooking the fact that Jesus is the ONLY reason for the season. If Jesus had never been born, there would be no Christmas.
Transition: As we take a closer look at Luke 2:11, I want to identify three facts about the birth of Jesus that are life-changing.
1. Jesus was born into the human race
a. Jesus, God the Son, was born as a human.
1) Jesus is the eternal Son of God. He is the second person of the Trinity – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
2) Therefore, Jesus existed before His birth in Bethlehem.
3) We are going to see that it was absolutely essential for Jesus to become a man so He could help us.
b. Jesus was born of a virgin
1) He was born. He did not just suddenly appear in human form as the Theophanies of the Old Testament.
a) Birth is the only natural way to become a human.
b) Birth allowed him to experience life as a human.
c) His birth assures us that He understands life’s trials and temptations. (Hebrews 4:15) “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
2) He was born of a virgin. By miracle, God cause the young virgin Mary to conceive Jesus with no human father. (Luke 1:34-35) “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”
a) The virgin birth was God’s divine plan. (Isaiah 7:14) “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
b) Virgin birth enabled Jesus to be the God/man. (Matthew 1:23) “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
c) Virgin birth assures us that He was God in human flesh. (John 1:14) “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
Jesus was born into the human race, but a 2nd fact is that …
2. Jesus’ birth fulfilled Bible prophecy
a. He was born on a God-ordained day
1) Luke wrote that Jesus was born “this day”.
2) He was not born premature while Mary was in Nazareth. He was not born during the trip to Bethlehem.
3) God was in control of the time of Jesus’ birth. (Galatians 4:4) “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,”
4) God planned for Jesus to be born in a stable among the poorest of humans. God orchestrated the timing of Jesus’ birth perfectly to bring this to pass.
b. He was born in the city of David
1) Seven hundred years before Jesus’ birth, Micah prophesied these words. (Micah 5:2) “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
c. Jesus’ birth and name were foretold
1) It was first foretold just after Adam and Eve sinned. The woman’s seed would bruise Satan’s head. (Genesis 3:15) “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”
2) We read this a few minutes ago in Isaiah 7:14.
3) We just read this in Micah 5:2.
4) We read how Mary was told of it by an angel before she conceived, Luke 1:34-35.
5) An angel also told Joseph, Mary’s fiancé, about the coming birth of Jesus. (Matthew 1:20-21) “But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”
6) Luke tells us in our text verse that Jesus would be called, “Christ the Lord.”
7) God revealed Jesus’ birth to distant wise men. (Matthew 2:1-2) “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”
Jesus was born a human, His birth fulfilled Bible prophecy, but a 3rd fact is …
3. Jesus came to earth on a mission
a. Jesus came to be a Saviour.
1) He was a physical Saviour as he healed many sick people, but that was not His primary mission.
2) The Jews thought He would be a political Saviour and set them free from Roman rule, but that was not his mission.
3) His mission was to be our spiritual Saviour.
b. Jesus came to save humans from eternal hell.
1) When God created the first humans, Adam and Eve, about 6,000 years ago, He created them sinless. Because He did not want puppets, He gave them a free will to choose between right and wrong. He gave them just one prohibition; do not eat of a certain tree. If they should disobey, God said that they would die (Gen 2:17).
2) Though they had a perfect environment, Adam and Eve sinned and they began to die physically. They also lost their sinlessness and plunged the human race into a sinful condition that separates man from God eternally. That is spiritual death in hell. (Romans 5:12) “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” Since then, (Romans 3:23) “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
3) God knew that His creation would choose to disobey and sin. For that reason, He in love planned a way to pay for our sins. (John 3:16-17) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
4) In love, God planned for His Son to become a man and die in man’s place. (Romans 5:8) “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” (1 John 4:9) “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”
5) God loves humans and He does not want anyone to perish in hell for all eternity. (2 Peter 3:9) “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
6) God offers to forgive and save all who will repent and place their trust fully in His substitutionary death. (John 3:36) “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (Romans 10:13) “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Conclusion: Read Luke 2:11. Jesus was born into the human race. He came to fulfil Bible prophecy. He also came on a mission – to be our Saviour from hell. God came to earth and became a man so that He could die for your sin and mine and save us from hell. That is why Christmas is such an important event. He offers you the greatest gift ever offered – eternal life. Like any gift, you must receive it before it can become yours. If you will humbly admit your need and trust Him alone, He will become your Saviour. You can KNOW you have eternal life.
Song: Only Trust Him – 252