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Luke 2:1-20
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This morning we turn to Luke 2, where we will study the events surrounding the night Jesus was born, and the announcement that followed to shepherds in a field nearby. Jesus’ birth was God’s gift and response to the great need in the world for a Savior. It was a reply from God to all, for all, and a reply that He desires all to reply to!
Read: Luke 2:1-7
As we study these verses, I want to draw your attention to three important replies for all in response to the birth and life of Jesus. Specifically, what to make room for, what to make sure of, and what to make known.
- Make Room for Jesus
- In verse 1 we read that Jesus’ birth took place “in those days,” which directs our attention back to Luke 1:5 were we read about “the days of Herod, king of Judea.”
- These were the days of the Roman occupation of Israel.
- Herod was a vassal king, meaning he ruled in Judea, but himself was under the rule of the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus.
- It was at this time, that Caesar Augustus out an order for all in the land to take part in a census, the purpose for the census was twofold…to make sure everyone was being taxed properly…and to show the greatness of the roman world under the rule of Caesar…whose name meant “exalted” and “sacred.”
- He encouraged worship of himself, he put his picture on the coins with this sentence underneath his picture, “Son of God.” Little did he know that his order would make the way for the One true Son of God to be born in the place that prophesied or foretold in the scriptures hundreds of years prior…
- His order, got a young couple, with a young woman named Mary in her third trimester, to make an 80 to 90-mile journey from the town of Nazareth to the little town of Bethlehem…
- Everyone was required to register in their own city, and with David coming through the line of David, this meant a trip toe Bethlehem.
- What we know, is that through this order, the way was being prepared for Jesus, the Savior, to be born in the way the Scriptures declared, to a virgin (Is. 7:14) and in the town that was promised (Micah 5:2,4). But what we see in verse 7 is that Jesus’ birth story is marked by the fact that there is no place for Him to be born…No room at the inn…
Luke 2:7, she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
- No vacancy is what determined the room Jesus was born in. It was a room where animals were housed…
- After Jesus was born, he was placed in a manger, which was a feeding trough for animals.
- When you think of a manger, most likely you think of a little wooden crib like we see in most nativity scenes.
- Interestingly, a manger was a piece of stone. It was about 3 feet high, and 3 to 5 feet wide. It was used for animal food or hay. A stone feeding trough.
- As we set the scene, we also can consider the room they were potentially in. We know there was no room at the inn, so many suggest since there was a manger, Jesus was born in a stable. Others suggest he was born in a cave.
- Three times in this chapter Luke mentions that Jesus was laid in a manger. Where he was laid then, seems important, and uncommon.
- The shepherds will be able to find him based upon the fact that He was lying in a manger.
- We are not given the details of the conversations Mary and Joseph may have had with the innkeeper; we also don’t know exactly what the inn they tried to get into actually looked like.
- What we know is that they were turned away from a proper sleeping place, and spent the night where animals were typically fed. Some suggest an open courtyard where many mangers were placed.
- We do not know with certainty every key detail, however, we know that the accommodations were not ideal. Not a place Mary and Joseph would want to place their newborn son.
- That said, it was where Jesus was laid upon His entry into the world in human flesh because there was no room for Him in a more proper place.
- It was not just the innkeeper that was not willing to make the appropriate room for Jesus, however…
- Herod, the King of Judea, had no room in his heart. Hearing the news of Jesus’ birth, he began plotting Jesus’ murder…
- He is so intent on removing Jesus from the world that he orders all male children under the age of 2 in Bethlehem, the town of Jesus’ birth be murdered (Matthew 2:16).
- Jesus came to earth, leaving glory…
John 1:11, He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.
- They had no room for Him!
Illus. Can I come in?
John 1:12-13, But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.
- Make Sure You See Who He Was Born For
Luke 2:8-9, In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people.
- After Jesus is born, the news of His arrival, the good news of great joy is shared with a most unlikely group of people. God send an angel of the Lord to Shepherds…
- In the Old Testament we see many prominent figures like Moses (Ex. 3:1) and David (1 Samuel 16:11-13) who were shepherds at some point in their lives.
- We read powerful Scriptures about the Lord Himself called the Shepherd of His people…guiding, guarding and leading them…
- But it important to know that in society at that time, shepherds were indeed lowly in that day from a societal standpoint.
- In Jesus’ day, shepherds were at the bottom of the social ladder. They were generally uneducated, unskilled, viewed as dishonest, unreliable, and had a reputation as those who confused “mine” with “thine,” taking what was not theirs as they roamed about.
- In Genesis 46:34, we read that shepherds were detestable to the Egyptians.
- In Judaism, they were called unclean…They worked round the clock, every day, they did not keep the sabbath, so, ceremonially unclean.
- They were lowly, uneducated, humble people and what we come to understand is that they were generally not those who anyone would expect to receive the most significant announcement in history.
- Yet, they are the first to hear of Jesus’ birth.
- Interestingly, this is the theme we see throughout Jesus’ life. He consistently seeks out those who are outcasts, or on the fringe and welcomes them in.
Illus. First.
- In verse 14 we read about peace coming to those on whom God’s favor rests.
- Upon whom does His favor rest? Those who are in Christ! (In 1:5-6, the same word the angel declared to Mary “favored” is declared to those in Christ: Highly favored, greatly blessed, freely given, by His grace).
- The angel brought “good news of great joy” to these shepherds, but not just to them…The good news and great joy would “be for all people.”
- What is this good news and great joy?
Luke 2:11, For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
- The substance of this good news is that the Savior, Christ the Lord has been born, and the angel makes it specific by saying, the Savior, Christ the Lord has been born for you.
- The angel said I bring YOU, good news of great joy, which will be for ALL people, today was born for YOU a Savior!
- This great joy is written about in 1 Peter 1:8, it is the joy found in Jesus, inexpressible, full of glory, and sure for those who have been forgiven through faith in Him.
John 10:10, I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
- In verses 8 to 10 we see the shepherds referred to as a group: “some shepherds,” “their” flocks, the angel stood near “them,” the glory of the Lord shone around “them,” and “they” were frightened.
- For three verse they are referred to as a group, yet when the angel speaks of the Savior, they are addressed personally, for to “you.”
- It could have been written a different way and would still be true… Born for you all, born for y’all, all of you, this entire group. That is surely right, and implied, it was for them all, but the word “you” strikes me personally.
- The angel said, “there has been born for you” a Savior.
- Jesus was surely born to us…
Isaiah 9:6, For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Illus. Who is it addressed to?
John 3:16, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Illus. Me?
III. Make Known What the Lord Has Shown You
- The angel understood that these shepherds would go looking for this Child, so in verses 11 and 12, the angel tells the shepherds exactly how to find Him.
Luke 2:12, … “this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
- This was not a common place to find a baby. There would only be one in the city, it was Jesus.
- The angel gave the directions to find him so that He could be found by them!
Luke 2:13-14, And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army of angels praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.”
- Here we go from one angel to a multitude of the heavenly army of angels.
- How big was this heavenly army? The exact number is not known; however, we see in Revelation 5 a description of the multitude of angels John sees. It reads there, “myriads of myriads” or 10,000’s or 10,000’s.
- Glory to God in the highest they declared and on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.
Luke 2:14, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (NIV)
- What the angels are saying is peace to those who are in Christ.
Luke 2:15, When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”
- Once the shepherds understand that the Savior was in a manger, they go to find Him.
- They understand Who has been given, they understand who He was born for, and their reply is to go immediately to see what the Lord has made known to them.
Luke 2:16-18, And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.
- Finding Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, they began sharing the story of the angels’ announcement regarding Jesus’ birth.
- I can only imagine the stories that flowed. Mary and Joseph had also been visited by angels.
- The room was filled with amazement and confirmation of the calling the Lord placed on Mary to birth and bear Jesus. A confirmation for Joseph who chose the Lord’s path in choosing to remain with Mary and be the earthly father to Jesus.
- In the shepherds’ brief encounter, they brought confirmation of Christ’s divinity, and while all was calm, Jesus perhaps sleeping in heavenly peace…These shepherds told the story of the loud praise going on in heaven.
- The shepherds did not stop talking about this after leaving Mary and Joseph.
Luke 2:17-18, When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (NIV)
- These lowly shepherds thus became the first human witnesses of the good news of Jesus.
Luke 2:19-20, Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
- The shepherds continued glorifying and praising the Lord for all they had heard and seen:
- They heard the news that the Savior has come,
- They believed it,
- Came to find Him, and
- Went out to tell the world what they had heard, seen, and been told!
- What if when the angels left, the shepherds turned to one another and said, “that was really cool!” But decided to stay out in the fields?
- Who would have heard about Jesus? How would the story be different? Certainly, our manger scenes would be quite different, but after hearing from God’s messengers, they went out and shared what they heard.
- Bringing that same good news of great joy to all who heard!
Mark 16:15, And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
- Gospel means “good news” …Go into all the world and tell them the good news and great joy, that the Savior has come and you found Him!
Romans 10:14, How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”
Luke 2:1-20