CHRISTMAS

Main Scripture: Matthew 1, 2

Luke 1, 2

Matthew and Luke give different perspectives of the same event. But they compliment each other and we find the complete story surrounding the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ when we look at the first 2 chapters in both Matthew and Luke. And what we find is the true story of the birth of Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, Savior of the world. It’s not about shopping, decorations, santa clause and stockings. But it is about a gift. The most miraculous gift, God’s gift to you.

Matthew begins with the geneology of Jesus, which in itself is a complete sermon. But the geneology shows the bloodline validating that Jesus fulfilled the blood line prophecy of the Old Testament. Matthew 1:1 The book of the generations of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

If we skip over to Luke Chapter 1, we see that Luke is writing to Theophilus and he says.. Luke 1:3 “It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee, in order, most excellent Theophilus.” Then Luke begins with telling of the angel Gabriel appearing to Elizabeth and Zacharia to proclaim the conception of John the Baptist who was to come before Jesus, to make way for the Lord.

Luke 1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Zacharias responds in doubt to the angel Gabriel saying in Luke 1:18 ”....whereby shall I know this? I am an old man and my wife well striken in years.” Gabriel responds in Luke 1:19-20 ” ....I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God: and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 19”And behold thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fullfilled in their season.”

When an angel brings glad tidings, I am not going to doubt it. Pretty good lesson from Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. So Elisabeth concieves and the word says she hides herself for 5 months. So at that time until she is visited by Mary, nobody knows that Elisabeth is pregnant and Zachariah isn’t telling either. Gabriel made sure of that.

Luke 1:26,27 ” And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth. 27 to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David: and the virgin’s name was Mary. This is also in Matthew 1:18 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.” (This fulfilled the virgin birth prophecy and we have 2 witnesses; Matthew and Luke)

When Gabriel went to Mary to tell her she is going to concieve (Luke 1:28-35), He also tells her that her cousin Elisabeth is 6 months pregnant (Luke 1:36). As soon as she hears this news that her cousin is pregnant she hastily goes to visit her. (Luke 1:39)

Luke 1:41 And it came to pass that when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. 42 And she spoke out in a loud voice and said, blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

No one could have known that Elisabeth was pregnant (6 months) and no one could have known that Mary was pregnant, except that God worked it out this way to validate the news that was given to them both by God through Gabriel and the Holy Ghost. So Mary stays with Elisabeth for 3 months, which would have been around the time John the Baptist was born.( Luke 1:56)

So now Mary has returned home. She is 3 months pregnant. We assume she has told her espoused husband all that has happened. So now let’s go back to Matthew.

Matthew 1:19 Then Joseph her husband being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.

Can you understand the news Joseph has been told and feel the hurt, suffering and turmoil he must be going through, not knowing what to do. But Matthew 1:19 says that Joseph was a just man, meaning righteous man. He doesn’t know what to do. By law he can put her away publicly. In that case she would be stoned to death. If he puts her away privately then people will shun him for getting her pregnant and then divorcing her. Which the scripture says they were espoused. In the Jewish culter when they became espoused it was a serious commitment. Money and valuables were given to Mary and her family by Joseph and his family, and everyone considered them husband and wife. To break an espousement is a serious matter that usually resulted in being shunned and sometimes even death. So Joseph wasn’t taking the matter lightly and it grieved him very much. God knew this, so he sends an angel to visit Joseph in a dream. (Matthew 1:20-21) The angel tells Joseph not to be afraid to marry Mary, for the child she concieved was of the Holy Ghost. Joseph being a just man, believed the angel and did not put Mary away.

Luke 2:1 ” And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cesear Augustus that all the world should be taxed. 3 And all went to be taxed; every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went out from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem (because he was of the house and lineage of David). 5 to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

So Mary has returned from seeing Elisabeth and because she is great with child, she is more than likely at a stage where she could deliver anytime. Her and Joseph have worked things out and have decided to stay together and now they have to go back to Josephs home land to be taxed. So they travel to Bethlehem. (Bethlehem means ‘house of bread’. Throughout Jesus’ ministry He teaches that He is the Bread of Life. Bethlehem fulfilled the prophecy from Micah 5:2.)

We have seen the story portrayed that as they are coming into Bethlehem Mary is in labor, ready to give birth, and they can find no where to stay. But lets see what the scriptures say. Luke 2:6 “And so it was, that, while they were there, THE DAYS WERE ACCOMPLISHED that she should be delivered.” So they were there at least a couple days, possibly weeks before Mary delivers. And if they were going to Joseph’s home land, then it is more than likely they were staying with family. But since everyone had to go back to their homeland and Mary was great with child which would have slowed their travel time, by the time they got to Bethlehem to stay with family, there would not be enough room....where? In the inn?...No. The Greek word for Inn used here in Luke 2:7 is Kataluma which actually means ‘guest room’. Customarily they would have been staying with family in a guest room upstairs or even on the rooftop. Regardless, there was no room for guests, or no guest room. But they would have been with family. And that is an important part of how we celebrate Christmas today, is being with family. But because EVERY ONE was coming back home to Bethlehem and Joseph and Mary were slow in travel, there was no room. But we do know they were staying where beasts of burden were brought to rest, (a stable, barn or cave) because scripture says she wrapped the babe in swaddling clothes and layed Him in a MANGER.

Luke 2: 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

This gives us a clue as to when Jesus was born. Livestock was left out in the field and tended to by shephards from Spring until Fall. This is the only time they would be able to graze, so the shepherds would literally live in the fields until winter when the animals would be brought back to their place of rest and fed grains in the manger. If Jesus had been born in December, he would not have been laid in the manger because it would have been filled with grain. Yet we have been painted of picture of a stable full of animals witnessing His birth. The other clue that we have that Jesus was not born in December or the winter time is that the angels came to shepherds in the fields. Again, the only time the shepherds would have been in the fields was from spring until fall.

Luke 2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields keeping watch over their flocks by night. 9And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the Glory of the Lord shown round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, laying in a manger.

So where do the 3 wise men at the nativity with their gifts bowing down to worship come from? Let’s go back to Matthew.

Matthew 2:1 “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. 2 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. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea for thus it is written by the prophet. .......7 Then Herod when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And sent them and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy 11 and when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him; and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankinscence and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.”

So the wise men show up when Jesus was a “young child’. They followed a star. They went into the ‘house’ where they found the ‘young child’ with his mother. They found him as a young child in a house, not a babe in a manger. And no where in the scriptures does it mention 3 of them. It just states ‘wise men’. The wise men were astologers, educated men that were not Hebrew. Following the star led them first to Jerusalem and then to Bethlehem. They were searching and asking “where is he that is born King of the Jews?” Herod got concerned, because he was king and afraid his kingship was threatened, the people were concerned because Herod had ordered Jews to be killed upon his death. So he asked the priests and scribes where the Christ would be born. They told him in Bethlehem. So the caravan of wise men traveled to Bethlehem.

By the time they got there from the time they began their journey, Jesus was a young child. Astronomers to this day have looked back at the stars during that time and have estimated the time, according to the stars back then, that the wise men found Jesus on December 25th 4 BC. That is the month and day that we celebrate Christmas, not because he was born that day, but because he was honored by the brightest of gentiles on that day, because Jesus was born to be Savior of ALL the world, not just the Hebrews. He came unto His own and His own knew Him not. Even when the Hebrew High Priests, who had been waiting for His arrival for hundreds of years, could not find him, the gentiles did. And they honored Him with their riches as a deserving and rightful king. Once you find the Savior, Jesus Christ, you can worship Him everyday and thank God every day for the gift of Salvation He gave us through His Son, Jesus Christ. In that way we should celebrate everday as if it were Christmas, rejoicing and worshipping Him as the wise men did. The perfect gift and the only gift that matters.

Merry Christmas