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Luke 2:1-20

1            Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.

2            This was the first enrollment when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

3            All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city.

4            Joseph also went up to Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,

5            to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.

6            While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth.

7            She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8            There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.

9            Behold, angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

10         The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great which will be to all people.

11         For there is born to you today, in David’s city a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

12         This is the sign to you: you will find the baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feed trough.”

13         Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God and saying,

14         “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.”

15         When the angels went away from them into the sky, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

16         They came with haste and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough.

17         When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child.

18         All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds.

19         But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.

20         The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had head and seen, just as it was told them. .

Key Events from the Story

This is a classic story we hear during the Advent season and at your local Christmas Eve services. We often only know the story through the Christmas season alone, but how much do we know about it? What do these events connect to the rest of the biblical narrative? There’s a lot of things in this passage, but I want to focus on these things:

• The enrollment and what it means to Joseph and Mary.
• Why Jesus was in a feeding trough?
• The message to the shepherds.
• The preview for the rest of the Gospel.

Importance of the Census

Caesar’s Perspective

This decree was an official order issued by Caesar Augustus. Caesar August was the first Roman Emperor, reigning from 27 BC to AD 14. His reign brough relative peace and stability across the empire. Augustus’s policies and platforms, including censuses, were centered on controlling the empire. Censuses, which was the decree mentioned, were conducted for tax and military purposes. However, we see that this census has a divine purpose, which I’ll mention in a moment. Augustus’s empire extended from Britain to Egypt, showing just how expansive the rest of Luke’s Gospel will be for all people.

Joseph and Mary’s Perspective

Joseph’s journey from Nazareth, a small town in the region of Galilee shows the small-town home-grown beginnings that Jesus’ came from. Nazareth was a small and obscure village, not even mentioned in the Old Testament. Going from Nazareth to Judea, a hilly journey, fulfilled the legalistic requirement for the census. Heading to Bethlehem was important from historical and prophetic purposes. It’s the birthplace of King David. It’s prophesied as the birthplace of the Messiah. God’s promise of an eternal kingdom through David’s descendants, Bethlehem’s name (house of bread) points to Jesus as the “bread of life.” The “house and line of David” shows the fulfillment of God’s promise with David, sharing that the Messiah would come from David’s lineage.

Joseph and Mary went to comply with the Roman census decree. Registering indicates the Roman influence over Judea. Joseph was dedicated to caring for Mary and the child. Mary was engaged to Joseph, a legally binding agreement in Jewish culture. It demonstrates Joseph’s righteousness and obedience to God’s plan. Mary was pregnant with Jesus through a miraculous conception. The cultural context would have been scandalous with Joseph being engaged to a pregnant woman.

Why the Census Makes a Difference

The census was often done for military and taxation purposes, but in this circumstance – there was a divine purpose. The fulfillment of the many Old Testament prophecies that show Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, through David’s line, as a way fulfillment the promises of a future Messiah for the Israelites. Joseph wanted to fulfill the requirements of Jewish culture to fulfill this decree and brought Mary as a way to ensure his care for his fiancé and prepare for the birth of this long awaited promise.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: The census was done for both earthly and divine purposes. What is one thing that you’ve seen or done that has both the earthly and divine purpose?

The Birth Area

Why This Manger Scene Was Important

In Jewish culture, the firstborn son held major significance, often receiving a double portion of the inheritance and having religious duties. It’s both signifying an earthly purpose and a religious purpose. The swaddling cloths were cloth strips to wrap newborns tight for warmth and security. This happening to Jesus was to show how human Jesus was as a newborn. The manger was a feeding trough for animals. Jesus would have been born surrounding livestock, either in a stable or a cave. This was a prophecy fulfillment (Micah 5:2) where Jesus had a lowly start. This is also a way to show how accessible Jesus was to all people. When we think of the inn, don’t think of the local hotel down the road. Inns in ancient times, there were guest rooms or caravansaries. The overcrowding was a result of the census, and it left Mary and Joseph without proper lodging.

Not an Earthly Ideal, but an Eternal One

While it’s not the ideal conditions for the birth of a newborn, we again must read this story from both an earthly and divine perspective. Joseph and Mary had to find a place to rest, and when it comes a full hotel – you make do where you can. I know some people who would stay in their car at a rest area or camp outside if there was no room to sleep at a hotel. Medical care was not as accessible as we think of it today, so it was, again, a case of using what resources you have at the time – the trough would have been the best accessible think for a bed or a crib for a newborn. The hay would have provided a soft mattress-like feeling, and the clothes offered a layer of protection, security, and warmth. From a divine perspective, the firstborn mindset would have connected to the Israelite audience – going all the way back to the story of Jacob and Esau in the book of Genesis. Jesus would have the unique status of a human birth, but a divine placement as well. Jesus would essentially be the firstborn of all creation. Being in a spot like a stable or a cave, would have been accessible to the public. A way to show that the message of Christ would be available to everyone, which we’ll talk about that accessibility next through the shepherds.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: Christ’s human birth was not an ideal birth when compared to earthly birth stories of today, but it was necessary. What is one thing you’ve experience that wasn’t ideal, but God showed you it was necessary?

The Angel’s Message

The Accessible and Ample Celebration

The angel came down to the shepherds and told them some Great News. Jesus, the future Messiah is born. How will they know this? Jesus will be wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. The angel, the messenger of God, delivers the message of Jesus birth’ to the shepherds – your typical everyday workers – in the same way Luke, a messenger of God, tells about the birth of Jesus to his audience and to us – your typical everyday humans. The message goes beyond the initial proclamation, though. There was an army of angels (the great multitude of heavenly hosts) that gathered today. This was a rare occurrence and only reserved for major divine events. The mass gathering came to praise God for the initiation of His redemptive plan through Jesus, to rescue humanity. What was their praise?

The Message of Praise

The angels recognize the greatness of God and the fulfillment of His promise to the world. The birth of Christ was here, and this redemption plan can commence. The peace mentioned here represents a reconciliation between God and humanity that can only be resolved through Jesus. It’s not an absence of chaos, but it’s a restoration of our relationship with God. In the Roman Empire, “peace” was important, but the peace that Jesus brings is deeper and eternal. This peace comes to His chosen people. The favor connects to God’s grace and mercy for those that believe and trust in Him. It becomes a major focus of our salvation through faith in Him.

A Big Future for a Little Baby

How wonderful that our celebration of our rescue from the bondage of sin is here and ready to go. It’s hard for us to often wrap our mind around it because we know how the ending of Jesus’ story will go, but to imagine that this earthly baby born outside of the hospital in not ideal conditions. This child would grow up to perform many miracles to all types of people, reaching, befriending, caring, and loving all the marginalized communities that world typically shuns away. This person would, in essence (this metaphor is for connection purposes only), reach presidency and start enacting core principles, rules, and mindsets that lead us to properly care for each other. Then, this person would later be a sacrifice on behalf of these communities when the opposing parties begin to challenge him. The precedents of this person’s teachings would last throughout eternity. What power that has, especially when we look at the birth of a baby.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: People often believe they can tell the future of a newborn. What was a career people thought you would have when you were a kid?

The Testimony of the Beginning

The Shepherds’ Words

The shepherds’ role as witnesses was important. The shepherds were often marginalized, and yet they were chosen to be the first to spread the Good News of Jesus’ birth. They were witnesses to the transformative power of encountering Jesus. They fulfilled the Great Commission before the great commission was introduced! The shepherds’ testimony serves as an early declaration of Jesus’ identity and mission. In the cultural context of first-century Judea, the news was spread verbally through gatherings in communal spaces like the marketplace or synagogue. The shepherds sharing this news would have been counter cultural. The people that heard their message were curious and shocked. They were ready to see the divine come into the ordinary life.

Our Testimony

How do you share the message of Jesus? How do you verbalize what the impact of Jesus has been in your life? Some people do it through their story, highlighting moments of their past. Some people do it through their actions, showing casing God’s grace and mercy to all people. Never think that you’re not important to share that message of Christ. The lowly servants of shepherds were the first to participate in the Great Commission to share about the birth of the Messiah. They got to experience the mystery, awe, and revelation of God’s redemptive plan finally beginning. After 400 years of silence after the end of Malachi, the new beginning was happening. Our new beginning starts now. We can start to share the importance of what this new baby represents. We can start to share how the impact of this newborn will change the course of humanity and change the course of our lives and the direction it goes. How we do it depends on your relationship with Christ? No matter how seasoned of a Christian you are, Peter calls us to have a testimony ready to share. My question to start that testimony for you is this: “How has your outlook of life changed since you turned to Christ? What was the deciding factor in that decision?” Go from there and allow the Holy Spirit to guide your tongue as you start to share the good news of Christ this holiday season.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: No question, but a challenge. Answer those questions about your testimony and share that story with at least three people.

Next part: The Birth of Jesus – Matthew’s Edition || Curious About Christmas || Part 2