Two Things I want us to get out of these two sermons:
- How wonderful is the plan of God.
- He did none of this for Himself. He did it all for us!
(These notes are taken directly from Rick Renner’s Book, “Christmas – The Rest of the Story”)
Matthew 1:18-25 | NKJV (18) Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. (19) Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. (20) But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. (21) And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” (22) So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken b the Lord through the prophet, saying: (23) “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD, AND BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which is translated, “God with us.” (24) Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, (25) and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.
Why did the circumstances have to be like they were surrounding the Birth of Christ?
The circumstances surrounding the Birth of Christ are very important simply because they all are fulfillment of what the Lord had been saying for centuries.
Why did Jesus have to born in Bethlehem?
Micah 5:2 | NKJV (2) “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”
It was also said that Jesus would be of the offspring of King David and Bethlehem is where David was born, and God chose for Jesus to be born there as well.
Note that for Jesus to sit on the throne He would have to be human but for Him to reign forever, He would have to be Divine.
Both Mary and Joseph were of the lineage of David.
Jeremiah 23:5 | NKJV (5) “Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
God took advantage of the census that was required in order to get Joseph and Mary back to Bethlehem. We know the story how the angel appeared to Mary to tell her about the Birth of Jesus.
Mary was betrothed to Joseph and during that day betrothal was much more serious than our engagement in that the only way to get out of that commitment was to be caught in a relationship outside of the betrothed relationship.
The character of Joseph came out that even before the angel appeared to him, he was not going to embarrass her publicly, but he thought about how he could put her away privately.
Did Mary ride a donkey when they came into Bethlehem?
Luke 2:4-6 | NKJV (4) 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, (5) to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. (6) So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.
When Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem, she was great with child. Because of this, Joseph probably did not make her walk.
She probably did ride in on a donkey into Bethlehem. They did not have a lot of money at this time, and the donkey was the cheapest form of transportation of the day.
Was Jesus born on December 25th?
The answer is no, He was not.
Luke 2:8 | NKJV (8) Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
In December in Bethlehem, it can get quite cold.
Winters in Israel and particularly Bethlehem can be very cold average highs being 33° – 55°.
Did Mary give birth to Jesus the same night that they arrived in Bethlehem?
Luke 2:6 | NKJV (6) So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.
Mary had the baby after they had been in Bethlehem for a few days.
Did the innkeeper tell them that there was no room for them in the inn?
Luke 2:7 | NKJV (7) 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.
It was actually probably a blessing that there was no room for them in the inn because in that day, inns were very dangerous places where you could be robbed of your belongings, etc. God opened a supernatural door that afforded Mary and Joseph privacy in the birth of Christ.
Was Jesus actually born in a stable?
Luke 2:7 | NKJV (7) 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.
Notice the scripture says that Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.
It is possible that the animals were kept in a cave behind or near the house versus a traditional stable as we know today. It could also have been a shed.
In that day, a manger was a feeding trough usually hewn out of rock and the height of it was dependent on the type of animals that would be feeding from it.
Swaddling clothes were strips of cloth that they would wrap the baby in very tightly to keep it warm and feeling secure.
Isn’t it interesting that when Jesus was born, he was wrapped in strips of cloth and laid in a stone manger in a cave and that is also the way that He was buried when He died for all mankind.
Another reason that Jesus was not born in the inn was because it was the plan of God that the shepherds come and find Jesus and they might not have been able to do this at an inn.
Were the shepherds supernaturally led to the place of Jesus’ birth?
Luke 2:11-12 | NKJV (11) For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (12) And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
Luke 2:15-16 | NKJV (15) 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.” (16) And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.
The shepherds found the place where Jesus was because they knew where all of the mangers would have been because they were shepherds.
Did the wise men come at Jesus birth?
Luke 2:12 | NKJV (12) And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
Babe (v12) – (Greek – brephos) unborn child or a newborn child.
Matthew 2:8 | NKJV (8) And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”
Young Child (Matthew 2:8) (Greek: paidion) a little child, not a newborn
Matthew 2:11 | NKJV (11) And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Wise men or Magi travelled in large caravans of sometimes 50 to 75 people so there were more than just three of them. The Magi brought to Him treasures of gold, frankincense and myrrh; gold because that was the treasury of royalty, frankincense because He was going to be the sweet-smelling savor in God’s nostrils to hide the stench of our sin, and myrrh because that is one of the spices used in burial. He was going to have to die for us.
Why was Jesus born at all?
Luke 2:10-11 | NKJV (10) 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. (11) For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Isaiah 9:6 | NKJV (6) For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Jesus was born as a gift for all mankind but you must still receive Him personally.
Luke 2:14 | AMPC (14) Glory to God in the highest [heaven], and on earth peace among men with whom He is well pleased [men of goodwill, of His favor].
Luke 2:14 | Moffatt NT (14) “Glory to God in high heaven, and peace on earth for men whom he favours!”