“Waddling & Swaddling”
(Luke 2:1-7)
Dr. Richard S. Koole
Chapel Pointe
June 21, 2009
I. Introduction
A. Trouble in Iran
1. Election of Mahmud Ahmadinejad
a. Violence in the streets
b. His threats to annihilate Israel
c. Islamic world revolution
d. Worried Christians
2. The changes going on in the United States
a. Economic meltdown
b. Key issues
1. Abortion
2. The family
3. Christianity itself being mocked
b. Will America lose the favor of God?
c. We are commanded to pray for our leaders
d. But, how should we pray?
3. Can God use guys like Nero, Ahmadinejad, or Hitler?
a. Can they be used by God to achieve his goals?
b. The answer is “yes”
1. Throughout history
2. And they may have no idea that it’s happening
4. Today one of the most startling examples of God at work
a. Using a leader...without his knowledge
b. The unstoppable providence of God
5. Should bring you some comfort
a. God is still in control
6. It centers around the birth of baby Jesus
B. Why Christmas in June (Luke 2:1-7)?
1. We don’t really know the exact date Christ was born any way
a. Between 6 B.C. and 4 B.C.
2. Why December 25th?
a. Under Constantine….300 years after the birth of Christ
b. The Bishop of Jerusalem asked the Bishop of Rome to determine the exact
date of Christ’s birth
1. He chose December 25
c. The time of disgusting pagan celebrations
1. The winter solstice
2. Hoped it would sanctify all of the pagan celebrations
C. The myths surrounding Christmas
1. Christmas tree…..or “holiday tree”
a. Started in Germany in the early 1600’s
b. A good luck charm for new houses
2. Yule log
a. Revered by Celtic Priests (Druids)
3. Mistletoe
b. Supposed it to have magical powers
4. Puritans refused to celebrate Christmas because of all the stuff added
a. Under Cromwell, Parliament passed a law against it in 1643
b. Lasted much longer in New England
1. Caroling forbidden in Massachusetts till 1856
D. We may not know the exact date
1. But there is a lot we do know
2. …and how God orchestrated the events!!
II. Text
A. The Providential Decree (v. 1-2)
(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.)
1. “In those days” (v. 1)
a. When?
1. Caesar Augustus ruled Rome
2. Quirinius was governor of Syria
a. Syria oversaw Israel and Herod
3. The first census while Quirinius was governor of Syria
a. Details regarding Quirinius discovered in 1764
b. Tivoli, near Rome
b. People reading Luke would have understood exactly what day it was
1. Luke was very precise
2. “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree”
a. His given name was “Octavian”
1. The adopted son of Julius Caesar
2. Declared Rome’s first emperor in 29 B.C.
3. Caesar meant “king”
4. Given the title “Augustus” after his death
5. Greatest ruler in Roman history
6. Died in A.D. 14 at the age of 76
b. Achieved the absolute pinnacle of Roman greatness
3. Appointed Herod to oversee Israel
a. Called him King Herod the Great
b. Never liked by the Jews
4. And the Jews absolutely hated Roman rule
a. They were Gentiles
b. They were idolaters who worshipped many gods
c. Taxation!
1. The Boston Tea Party
2. The American revolution
3. Jews who bought tax franchises
a. Matthew and Zaccheus
b. Charge as much as you can
5. “A census should be taken”
(1) In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
a. US census in 2010
b. The Roman census every 14 years
1. To establish the basis for a tax
c. The Jews hated the tax structure
6. “While Quirinius was governor of Syria” – v. 2
(2) (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)
a. To establish the exact time of the birth
B. The Problem Solved (v. 3)
(3) And everyone went to his own town to register.
1. The Problem….The elephant in the room
a. Every Jew knew the Messiah had to be born in Bethlehem
b. Micah wrote 700 years earlier (Micah 5:2)
“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 old, from ancient times.
c. Joseph and Mary knew she was carrying the Messiah
d. But Joseph and Mary lived in Nazareth
2. How God used the mighty Caesar Augustus…and King Herod
(3) And everyone went to his own town to register.
a. Not required by Rome
b. The Jews wanted everybody to return to their ancestral homes
3. Herod and the Jews resisted it as long as they could
a. Rome grew more and more impatient
b. Likely stretched out a couple of years
c. A strict deadline was finally imposed
4. How God can use world rulers and situations
a. “Little did Caesar Augustus know that he was being moved by the Spirit of God to do exactly what he did on time, on schedule to effect exactly the result God wanted.”
b. Only a few days possible for the baby to be born in Bethlehem
5. God continues to move leaders at all levels
a. The Providence of God
b. Don’t get too worried
C. The Perilous Journey (v. 4-5)
(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.
1. Headed down from Nazareth – v. 4
a. Northern part – Galilee
b. Beauty of the area
c. Visiting their house in Nazareth
2. Both of the House of David
a. Genealogies
b. Had to register in the small town of Bethlehem
c. The story of David and Samuel
d. But this is not referring to David
e. Micah written 300 years after David was born
f. One who existed from eternity past (Micah 5:2)
“out of Bethlehem will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times.”
3. A tough 90-mile journey to Bethlehem
a. The climb up from Jericho
b. Imagine the scene—
1. Joseph with a very pregnant wife
a. Mary due at any time
b. Waddling up the road
* “Waddling & Swaddling”
2. Looked like ordinary people
a. Yet she carried the Son of God
4. Centuries of prophecies came to fulfillment
a. The right place
Micah 5:2—“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.”
b. The right time
1. Daniel 9
2. Galatians 4:4
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman,”
D. The Private Birth (v. 6-7)
(6) While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, (7) and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.
1. How long were they there?
2. Remember when Princess Di gave birth?
3. What we are told about the delivery:
a. “and she gave birth”
b. That’s it!
c. A private moment
4. “her firstborn, a son”
a. “firstborn”
1. Mary would have other children
2. But, Joseph would be their father
b. “a son”
5. She swaddled the baby….v.7
(7) She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
a. Literal Greek, “wrapped him is swaddling clothes”
b. Bound like a mummy
6. Laid him in a “manger”
a. A manger is a feeding trough
b. The humble “Lamb of God”
7. Where were they staying?
(7) She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
a. The guest houses were already full
b. Stayed with the animals
c. Possibly a cave
d. Born in a place lambs are born
IV. Summary
A. The Providence of God
1. Fear not, God’s got it in his hands
a. His plans will not be thwarted
b. In your life also
B. Caesar Augustus
1. The splendor of Rome
2. But consider
Who could have cared about the birth of a baby while the world was watching Rome in all her splendor? Bounded on the west by the Atlantic…on the east by the Euphrates…on the north by the Rhine and Danube…on the south by the Sahara Desert, the Roman Empire was as vast as it was vicious. Political intrigue, racial tension, increased immorality, and enormous military might occupied everyone’s attention and conversation. Israel existed under the crush of Rome’s heavy boot. All eyes were on Augustus, the cynical Caesar who demanded a census so as to determine a measurement to enlarge taxes. At that time who was interested in a couple making an eighty mile trip south from Nazareth? What could possibly be more important than Caesar’s decision in Rome? Who cared about a Jewish baby born in Bethlehem?
Without realizing it, mighty Augustus was only an errand boy for the fulfillment of Micah’s prediction…a pawn in the hand of Jehovah…a piece of lint on the pages of prophecy. While Rome was busy making history, God arrived. He pitched His fleshly tent in silence on straw…in a stable…under a star. The world didn’t even notice. Reeling from the wake of Alexander the Great…Herod the Great…Augustus the Great, the world overlooked Mary’s little Lamb.