Divine Humility: The Birth of Our Savior

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David. [00:01:07]

This story does not begin with the words once upon a time because this is no fairy tale. This is sober history announcing the entrance into this world of our Savior. And so Luke sets his narrative squarely in the context of real history and it came to pass he says, in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. [00:06:56]

The second king sits not on a throne but is wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in the manger. This little king is the King of Kings. He rules over the king in Rome, and it's about the eternal king, the Lord God omnipotent, who reigns from the moment of his work of creation to the moment of his work of fulfillment of his cosmos. [00:08:03]

And so the story proximately speaks of an earthly decree that is issued and executed by the emperor in Rome but that emperor in Rome issues this decree that all return to their home cities to be registered for the census in order to be taxed by imperial Rome. This decree is done in obedience to a decree that took place much earlier, even in eternity when God decreed that his son would come into this world to do his work of redemption for his people. [00:09:03]

The entrance of Jesus into this world is against the backdrop of humiliation, no place for him to lay his head. In fact, as an adult he would say the son of man has no place to lay his head he never had a place to lay his head that wasn't borrowed from someone else. And so the cloak of shame and of humiliation is spread across this babe who's wrapped in these rough bandage-like strips of cloth. [00:15:00]

However, at that very moment, when the babe is wrapped in the cloth of humiliation, the Father God is not satisfied that the circumstances of the birth of his son be only in terms of humiliation, but must also be accompanied with exultation, that that shame must be balanced with glory, not in the manger, not in the cave or the stable where they were but on the outskirts of the village. [00:16:17]

And the angel said to them, do not be afraid, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people, for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger. [00:02:49]

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men. So it was when the angels had gone away from them into heaven that the shepherds said to one another let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass which the Lord has made known to us. [00:03:26]

And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this child, and all those who heard it marveled at those things that were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. [00:04:00]

The angel speaks and says the negative prohibition that is the most frequently uttered negative prohibition in the New Testament that comes from on high, fear not. Don't be afraid. It seemed almost in the New Testament record of the life of Jesus that every time he came into the presence of his disciples he instead of saying peace be with you or hello or good morning or good afternoon he would have to say don't be afraid. [00:22:40]

And the shepherds left doing two things, praising God and glorifying him for everything they heard and everything they had seen. That's the lot of the Christian to give glory and honor, dominion, power, and praise. We join the angel saying worthy is the lamb who was slain to receive the fullness of the glory of God. [00:34:50]

Mary kept these things, everything that she saw, everything that she heard, she kept it and pondered it in her heart. Eight days later when she took the child the temple for circumcision she pondered that. When the boy was 12 and confounded the doctors in the temple she pondered that. Every night that she tucked her son into bed she pondered these things and pondered them and pondered them. [00:33:24]