GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY

Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on September 25, 2019 under AM Bible Study |

AM Bible Study Group: September 25, 2019 from Luke 2:1-20

Theme: Luke tells us about our Savior’s birth in terms of its situation, its declaration, and its confirmation.

(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).

Today, we look together at Luke’s report to us of the most wondrous birth in all human history—the birth into this world of God in human flesh. It’s a story that is very familiar to us. But we never tire of hearing again and again. And may it be that we never cease to marvel at it.

The story Luke tells us in this passage can best be seen in three divisions: the situation (vv. 1-7), the declaration (vv. 8-14), and the confirmation of our Savior’s birth (vv. 15-20).

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First, let’s consider what Luke tells us about …

1. THE SITUATION OF HIS BIRTH (vv. 1-7).

Luke had told us, in Chapter 1, the events of the birth of John the Baptist. And now, in chapter two, he tells us what happened after that birth. He writes;

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, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn (Luke 2:1-7).

Luke is the great historian of the New Testament. When he tells us a story, he often presents it with historic details that show us that he’s reporting historic facts. In telling us of the Savior’s birth, he includes the names and dates and time-frames that make it clear that he’s telling us about something that truly happened. We can pinpoint it on the calendar of real history.

Caesar Augustus had issued a decree that the population of the Roman empire—which at that time included much of the inhabited world—be “registered”. The King James Version has translated it that he decreed that “the world should be taxed”. And that, as far as Caesar was concerned, was the purpose of this registration decree—that a proper accounting of the citizens of the empire could be made, and so that taxes could then be levied. This “census” appears to have been a long-term enterprise—something that may have required several steps in collecting all of the census data; because we’re told that it “first took place” when the Roman leader Quirinius had been appointed governor of Syria. This would narrow the time period of the events in this passage down to approximately the year 6 B.C.

People from all over the Roman empire had to return to the place of their birth to be officially “registered”; and this included Joseph, and his new bride Mary—who was “with child”. Joseph was a man who had come from the lineage of King David, and who was born in the city that is called by David’s name—also known as Bethlehem. And so, bringing his new wife with him, he made the long 90-mile journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem in order for them both to be registered for the census.

Now; without knowing it, in calling for this census, Caesar Augustus was being used by God to fulfill Scripture. God had made a promise ten centuries prior that, from the very place that Joseph and Mary needed to go—that is, Bethlehem—He would raise up a King for Himself. We’re given a hint of this in 1 Samuel 16:1, where God had told the prophet Samuel, “Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.” Jesse of Bethlehem was the father of David; but this promise from God extended far beyond just David himself. God had later made a promise to David that

“When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:12-13).

This was a promise that the Messiah—the Christ—would be born from David’s royal lineage. As Isaiah 11:1 says, long after David had died, “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.” And God even lets us know where this promised Messiah would be born. In Micah 5:2, the prophet Micah writes; “But you, Bethlehem Ephratha, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be the Ruler of Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” Caesar had his own reasons for issuing this decree. But unknown to him, God had His greater and more astonishing reasons for it being issued. Truly, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes” (Proverbs 21:1).

Now; notice that Mary was called Joseph’s “betrothed wife”. It was not inappropriate for Joseph to have taken this trip with her, though. She was called “betrothed” only because, although they were already married, Joseph had not yet consummated that marriage with her (Matthew 1:24-25). She was still a virgin; and yet bore a Son. And just think of the circumstances that surrounded her Son’s royal birth. The trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem must have been very uncomfortable for her. We’re told that, “while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered”. And because so many people were gathered together for the registration, there was no place available to them in any of the ordinary lodging houses—no decent place for Mary to give birth to her kingly Son. There was no choice but to settle down in a cave attached to the lodge, or in one of its storage areas, or in its stable—someplace where a “manger” (a simple feeding trough) would be found.

From a human standpoint, the circumstances of our Savior’s birth would have seemed contrary to His identity. The timing would have seemed inconvenient; and the setting would have seemed undesirable. Knowing what Joseph and Mary knew about their baby, it might have seemed to them as if everything was going horribly wrong. But our Lord—the pre-existent, eternal Son of God; the King of heavenly glory—could have chosen to have been born in the very best of times and at the best of places. He could have come at a time when life on earth was prosperous and pleasant. But instead, He was born in the midst of people who had to travel far and laboriously; and all because of the demands of an earthly ruler who wished to take their personal information and increase their taxes. And our Lord certainly could have been born in the midst of a luxurious palace, or in a warm and sanitized hospital. But instead, He came on the outside of an already overly-crowded inn; where He was wrapped in swaddling clothes to keep Him warm, and placed in an animal trough to keep Him off the cold ground. He came into the kind of world that is endured by the people He came to save—a world filled with smells and bugs and sin. He stepped into our struggles and miseries with us. He did this in order to display His grace to us. As the apostle Paul wrote; “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

But though His birth was in humble circumstances, heaven rejoiced! Next, let’s consider …

2. THE DECLARATION OF HIS BIRTH (vv. 8-14).

If mankind had evaluated our Savior only by the humble circumstances of His birth, it might have thought that there was nothing significant about Him at all. Poor, lost and needy humanity could never know what a cause of rejoicing His birth was unless God had revealed that it was so. And God did reveal it. Stunningly! Luke goes on to tell us;

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then 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.” 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, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:8-14).

What would it have been like for these shepherds to be out in the fields of Bethlehem at night—and to have been suddenly startled by the bright glory of God shining around them? What would it have been like to suddenly look in the midst of all the confusion, and see a glorious angel of the Lord standing before them? We don’t need to wonder. We’re told that it was profoundly frightening. In the original language, we’re told that “they feared a great fear”—they were “sore afraid”, as the King James Version puts it. The angel had to calm them down before he could speak to them; and told them, “Do not be afraid …” And perhaps it was a particular mercy of God that this one angel came and spoke to them before the heavenly host of angels sang God’s praises in the sight of the shepherds; because the systems of these poor men may not have been able to endure that much shock!

Now; even though it was a terrifying experience, the angel nevertheless told them that the news of the birth of Jesus was “good tidings of great joy which will be to all people”. It wasn’t news meant just for these shepherds; or just for the people of Bethlehem; or even for the Jewish people only. It was news of great joy that was meant to be delivered to all people, living at all times, in all nations, in all cultures, and in all circumstances of life, in all the world. The angel then told them that this was news about someone who was “born to you this day”. And think of what an unusual expression that is! When is it ever the ordinary custom to say that someone was born into this world “to” someone else? But the angel from heaven made it clear that this Child was no ordinary child. He was born into this world for a purpose. The angel went on to explain that this Child was three specific things: He was, first of all, Savior—called by the name ‘Jesus’ because He would save His people from their sins (Luke 1:31; see also Matthew 1:21). Then, He was called the Christ (the Messiah) because God would give Him the throne of His father David (Luke 1:32). And finally, He was called Lord; because He was the Son of God in human flesh (Luke 1:32, 35), and because there would be no end to His reign over His kingdom (Luke 1:33). He came for us! “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

This mighty angel told the shepherds that this very Child would be identified by the humble circumstances into which He was born—that is, that He would be found wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Looking only at the circumstances of Jesus’ birth, humanity might not have known who He was. But these things were announced to humankind by the angel to the shepherds so the world would know! And as if the announcement from this angel wasn’t enough; we’re told that a host of the heavenly angels suddenly appeared and sang praises in two directions. They sang, “Glory to God in the highest”—that is, upward to ascribe glory to God most high for giving His Son to be born into humanity; and they also sang, “And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”—that is, downward to the realms of human beings who experience God’s good favor through the Son He has graciously given.

If the angels of heaven would marvel so much at the significance of this holy birth; how can we help but marvel too?

Now; as great as this news was, the angel didn’t entrust it to powerful world leaders and dignitaries. Instead, it was entrusted to people who were, in that cultural context, considered relatively low on the social order—mere shepherds! And yet, it was to them that the angel said to them, “And this will be the sign to you …”; as if he expected those very shepherds to run and look first, and then to go and tell everyone about this Child who was born in Bethlehem. How gracious God is! He entrusts the greatest news the world could hear to those who are humble and unworthy!

This leads us, finally, to consider …

3. THE CONFIRMATION OF HIS BIRTH (vv. 15-20).

As Luke goes on to tell us;

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 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 which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them (Luke 2:15-20).

Consider the reaction of the shepherds to all this. Once the angels had left them, they then said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” We might read that and say, “‘The Lord …’? But wait! Wasn’t it the angel that had made it known to them?” Yes; but these poor shepherds understood that the message that the angel had given them was good tidings from God Himself concerning His Son. And so, before they did anything else, they were eager first of all to go and see Him about whom they had heard from God. They even came “with haste”.

And then, finding Mary and Joseph and the Baby lying in a manger—seeing the sign by which the angel said that He would be identified—”they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child”. That’s the natural reaction to such glorious news. You can’t help but share it. Mary kept all these things in her heart and pondered them; and perhaps, that’s how it is that Luke is able to report them to us. But the shepherds didn’t keep these things to themselves. They shared them with all. And then, they returned to their flocks; but they themselves were transformed men. They glorified and praised God “for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told them.” And it may be significant to consider that some of the sheep that these shepherds were keeping watch over may have been used as offerings in the temple. If so, then what a picture their testimony gives to us of Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”!

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And do you notice that, in verse 18, we’re told that “all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.” Doesn’t that include us who hear it again today? We have only to read this story again, and to think carefully about what is told to us in it, and to believe on the Savior, to be among the “all those” that Luke mentions who “marveled” at these good tidings!

EA