From Nazareth to Bethlehem Advent December 11, 2011 Sermon s response = As disciples of Jesus Christ, we celebrate God s supremacy from our life to His life. Introduction I ve entitled our Advent series this year From because in Advent we recognize the incredible transformations surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ First Week = From the Beginning to the Fullness of Time = Prophets = God s faithfulness = From Promises made to Promises kept Second Week = From Heaven to Earth = Angels = God s goodness = From His presence to our presence This Week = From Nazareth to Bethlehem = Mary and Joseph = From their lives to His life Open your Bibles to Luke 2 o Luke 2:1-5 1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. Exegesis Reasons for the Trip Historical reasons o Luke 2:1-5 1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 1
Caesar Augustus. Grandnephew of Julius Caesar Reigned from 27 BC to AD 14 Ordered 3 censuses = 28 BC, 8 BC and AD 14 (accepted, published historical dates start dates not end dates) census. = registration/enrollment not necessarily for taxation (population concerns by Augustus = promiscuity a crime, penalized inheritance of bachelors, political advantages to fathers of 3 or more) 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) Quirinius was governor of Syria. Military man in favor with Augustus following military victories in eastern provinces Served from AD 6 to AD 12 (accepted, historical dates) Records (accepted, published historical dates) seem to indicate his coming alongside the governor of Syria in 7 BC first census. = This is a later, more well-known census of Quirinius in AD 6 but this is the first (earlier) one 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. went to his own town. = Egyptian evidence of such a demand from beginning of 2nd century; no large disruption since most people lived in their own town 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. went up. = Nazareth is around 1200 feet above sea level, Jerusalem at 2500 because. = Indicates his family lineage not the reason for his travel (ie. Bethlehem was his town not just his ancestors town) o The Trip was, humanly speaking, instigated by the desire of the Roman emperor to know how many people he had in his empire (and if the number was increasing or decreasing) 2
Prophetic reasons o Micah 5:2 2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. Bethlehem Ephrathah. = Even though the previous announcements had been made in Nazareth (Galilee north), the promised Messiah (ancient Jewish understanding of passage) was to be born in Bethlehem (the southern one formerly known as Ephrathah) o The Trip was, divinely speaking, instigated by the plan of God, prophesied about 700 years earlier, to have the Messiah be born in the town of Bethlehem, the city of David Application God s Word is faithful you can trust it is accurate God is faithful you can trust what He says He will do Lessons of the Trip Parental Sacrifice o Luke 2:7 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. cloths. = That means less for them manger. = Not good but the best they had o Luke 2:21 21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. time to circumcise him. = They provide religious and medical care for him o Luke 2:41 41 Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. Every year. = They provide religious training for him 3
o Mary and Joseph do what good parents do = they give up a portion of their lives for the life of their child it s no longer about them (the parents), it s about the child Worshippers Surrender o Mary = Luke 1:38 38 "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. servant May it be. = Mary gives up her life in worship to Jesus Mary surrenders her purity in worship to God o Joseph = Matthew 1:24 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. he did commanded. = Joseph gives up his plans in worship to God Joseph surrenders his righteousness in worship to Jesus o Shepherds = Luke 2:15-17 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, go hurried spread. = The shepherds give up themselves in worship to God The shepherds surrender their time in worship to Jesus o Magi = Matthew 2:11 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. bowed down and worshipped. = The magi give up themselves in worship to God The magi surrendered their wealth in worship to Jesus 4
o Mary & Joseph = Luke 2 & Matthew 2 Consider the invasion of shepherds at the manger, strange people at the temple, and the magi at your house Mary and Joseph surrendered their privacy in worship to Jesus o Jesus = Luke 2:11 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. Christ the Lord.. = Jesus is worth yof all this worship Jesus supremacy warrants this worship Dangers of the St. Nicholas (Santa) story The story has a real danger to mislead or confuse our children about the supremacy of God and particularly God the Son Jesus First, there is a danger in telling children a story about someone that they cannot see and then later them finding out the story isn t true it causes them to question what else they were told isn t true. Second, there is a danger in promoting someone who gives them everything they want instead of what they need. Selfishly, they will see the one who gives them what they want as being better supreme. Third, there is a danger in promoting someone who responds simply to what you ask and one who knows when to give and when not to. Selfishly, they will see the one who gives whatever they ask for as better supreme. Fourth, there is a danger in promoting someone who only comes for the nice instead of the one who comes for the naughty. Selfishly, they see the naughty as being less themselves and see the one who treats the naughty that way as better supreme. Fifth, there is a danger in promoting someone who gives their love based on what you do (good works of the nice) rather than what he has done. Selfishly, they will live a life trying to earn the favor of the one rather than accepting the love of the other, holding the first to be better supreme. 5
Sixth, there is a danger in promoting someone who requires nothing of them instead of the one who requires their love and devotion. Selfishly, they will see the first as being better supreme. Seventh, there is a danger in promoting someone who makes them the center of the story and attention rather than the one who is the center of the story. Selfishly, they will thing the first one is better supreme. Application Good parents sacrifice for their children. Good worshippers surrender their worship to Jesus recognizing His supremacy. He s the point of the story not us. Christmas is a trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem from our life to his life. Response As disciples of Jesus Christ, we celebrate God s supremacy from our life to His life. Celebrate His supremacy this Advent Accept His supremacy this Advent 6