WEBVTT 00:00:01.280 --> 00:00:06.160 In the first century, there was a man who claimed to be Lord and King. 00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:09.279 His words were known as the gospel. 00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:11.679 That's Ewangelion, the good news. 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:13.439 His kingdom was advancing. 00:00:13.679 --> 00:00:18.559 He promised his citizens peace and protection, and he was worshipped. 00:00:19.440 --> 00:00:21.920 The man I'm talking about is Caesar. 00:00:22.399 --> 00:00:25.839 Caesar's story began with omens and ambition. 00:00:26.160 --> 00:00:29.679 He was born into privilege and propelled by power. 00:00:30.160 --> 00:00:36.000 He rose through conquest and politics until Rome hailed him as lord and king. 00:00:36.399 --> 00:00:39.759 His victories were announced as good news. 00:00:39.920 --> 00:00:44.640 Again, Evangelion, peace through war, rule through dominance. 00:00:44.960 --> 00:00:50.880 Statues were raised throughout his empire, and worship was expected, loyalty demanded. 00:00:51.200 --> 00:00:54.000 Caesar's life preached a message. 00:00:54.399 --> 00:00:56.880 Rome saves the world. 00:00:58.079 --> 00:01:05.760 On the other hand, Jesus' story began in obscurity, born to poor parents and announced not to senators but to the shepherds. 00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:21.200 He healed instead of conquered, and proclaimed very different good news that God's kingdom has come near as he sends a sacrifice to make peace and reconcile his rebellious creation to himself. 00:01:22.640 --> 00:01:32.719 As we open our Bibles, looking at how Luke begins the account of Jesus' birth in Luke 2, verse 1, Luke wants us to see something stunning. 00:01:33.120 --> 00:01:42.239 Namely, while Caesar claimed to be divine, the man who claimed to be God was actually being used by God for God. 00:01:42.719 --> 00:01:44.159 Let me explain. 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:45.280 Verse 1. 00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:50.799 In those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:56.560 Caesar issues a census for taxes, for control, for power. 00:01:56.719 --> 00:01:59.359 But Luke isn't impressed with Caesar. 00:01:59.680 --> 00:02:02.560 Luke is impressed with God's sovereignty. 00:02:03.200 --> 00:02:08.000 You see, the Messiah was long prophesied to be born in Bethlehem, the city of David. 00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:13.360 And this decree forces Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem. 00:02:13.599 --> 00:02:18.879 And just like that, prophecies fulfilled, and the Son of God is born in the city of David. 00:02:19.520 --> 00:02:25.439 You see, Caesar believed his decree was just one more part of building his own kingdom. 00:02:25.919 --> 00:02:30.159 But it was God's plan to bring the true king into the world. 00:02:30.400 --> 00:02:36.400 What Caesar intended for Rome's prosperity, God intended for mankind's salvation. 00:02:37.280 --> 00:02:41.280 Even when people think they're in control, it is God who's in charge. 00:02:41.599 --> 00:02:47.199 Lamentations 3 37, no one has spoken unless the Lord has commanded it. 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:50.319 So here's the thing about God's sovereignty. 00:02:50.639 --> 00:02:57.840 You know, God can do what he wants, when he wants, how he wants, and with who he wants, because he's God. 00:02:58.879 --> 00:03:07.039 And here's the thing about God's character what he will do in all that is ultimately good. 00:03:08.960 --> 00:03:14.159 When the time came for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem, there was no room for him in the inn. 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:24.319 Now, while many dramatic stories of Jesus' birth include an innkeeper, there's no mention of such a person in this story of Luke and in really any gospel. 00:03:24.560 --> 00:03:33.039 The inn mentioned in Luke 2, 7 is best translated guest room, cataluma in the Greek. 00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:37.199 Now, there was no holiday inns in Bethlehem. 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:42.879 And in guest room would be in most houses. 00:03:43.039 --> 00:03:47.680 A guest room was like a raised second space outside of the living room. 00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:57.520 Most houses would have had a living room space with probably a drops, a dropped floor or kind of a built-on place for animals to come in, stay warm, and not get stolen. 00:03:57.759 --> 00:04:04.560 And in that space where the animals were, right off the living room, would have been where a manger was, where animals would eat and drink. 00:04:04.960 --> 00:04:09.360 Well, it sounds like the guest room was full with Joseph's family. 00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:14.879 Joseph his family would not have left him alone. 00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:17.199 He came home for the census. 00:04:17.439 --> 00:04:20.319 They would not, it was an honor-shame culture. 00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:29.759 So Joseph's family let him stay in the house with Mary, but it was so packed there was no room for Jesus in that special guest room, the inn. 00:04:29.839 --> 00:04:36.879 And so Jesus was most likely born in the middle of a living room in a feeding trough. 00:04:40.079 --> 00:05:02.639 So the Savior of the world could have been born, you just imagine, in Rome, on a temple mount, in a royal palace, but instead was born to a poor village girl from a backwater town wrapped in cloth, not royal robes, cramped in a small home surrounded by family, laid in the ground. 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:03.759 Why? 00:05:04.879 --> 00:05:07.040 To show who the Savior came for. 00:05:07.759 --> 00:05:13.040 Jesus came to save the needy, the broken, and those of humble estate. 00:05:13.519 --> 00:05:17.279 You see, God is not impressed by earthly power. 00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:27.519 Instead, he displays his power in Christ's humility and beside and through his church's humility. 00:05:28.879 --> 00:05:31.839 Which is the reason Jesus is announced first to shepherds. 00:05:32.720 --> 00:05:42.879 You see, while Moses and David had been shepherds in the past, the vocation had become an important role in Jesus' day, an impromptu role. 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:48.720 Shepherds were ritually unclean and had established an untrustworthy reputation. 00:05:49.439 --> 00:05:52.079 And yet God's glory is shown to them. 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:56.639 God's announcement of salvation is brought to them. 00:05:58.160 --> 00:06:00.399 So can you imagine that scene in Luke? 00:06:00.639 --> 00:06:05.680 The Bible says the shepherds met with angels, were filled with great fear. 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:10.079 But the angels say what angels often say fear not. 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:11.839 Why? 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:14.399 Because this is good news. 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:15.839 Verse 10. 00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:30.879 Now here is three titles of Jesus teaching us three truths about Jesus. 00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:34.639 First, he is the Savior. 00:06:35.199 --> 00:06:40.000 He's not an example, not a life coach, but a substitute. 00:06:40.639 --> 00:06:44.399 Jesus took God's punishment in the place of people who deserved it. 00:06:44.720 --> 00:06:50.160 He came to save us from the punishment of our sins, from judgment and wrath. 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:56.240 He came to die in our place, saving us from the punishment we deserve. 00:06:56.959 --> 00:06:59.360 He's not only the Savior, he's the Christ. 00:07:00.639 --> 00:07:03.199 Christ is not his last name, it's a title. 00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:08.079 Jesus is the long-awaited, long-predicted one above all others. 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:11.920 And all the promises of God find fulfillment in him. 00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:16.959 He's the final king reigning on David's throne in heaven forever. 00:07:17.279 --> 00:07:22.480 He's the final prophet prophet, the word of God made flesh. 00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:26.560 He is the final priest through whom we have access to God. 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:28.879 You see, nothing about this is random. 00:07:29.040 --> 00:07:30.879 It's God keeping his promises. 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:34.079 He's not only the Savior of the Christ, but he's the Lord. 00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:35.519 He's not one among many. 00:07:35.680 --> 00:07:37.199 He is the Lord. 00:07:37.920 --> 00:07:42.959 John 8 24, unless you believe that I am He, Jesus said, you will die in your sins. 00:07:43.120 --> 00:07:46.240 So Jesus is the one true King. 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:50.240 So hear me this Christmas Eve night. 00:07:50.480 --> 00:07:53.040 This is good news for you. 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:57.759 Verse 10, a sign for you, for all the people. 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:04.240 You see, Christ didn't come for the powerful and proud, he came for the least, the lost, and the lowly. 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:13.519 So tonight, if you feel unworthy, not good enough, spiritually unimpressive, you're right. 00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:16.800 And that's exactly why he came. 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:23.120 A prerequisite to saving faith is realizing you don't deserve it. 00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:25.040 You're not good enough. 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:26.399 But he is. 00:08:27.279 --> 00:08:30.480 He was, and he's come for you. 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:35.039 Salvation wasn't found, it arrived. 00:08:35.679 --> 00:08:40.080 Hope wasn't found, it arrived. 00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:51.600 The story of God's salvation doesn't begin with man seeking God, but God seeking man and seeking man to bring peace. 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:57.440 Not political peace, not circumstantial peace, peace with God. 00:08:59.759 --> 00:09:08.080 The enmity between sinners and God is over because Jesus has come for peace. 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:12.960 Christ was sent to pay the redemption price. 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:26.159 He came to reconcile us to God forever, so that we are no longer enemies and will not be condemned, but instead be reconciled, redeemed, and at peace. 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:29.200 So who did Jesus come for? 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:31.200 He came for you. 00:09:31.759 --> 00:09:35.759 And if you ever doubt God's love, look at the manger. 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:40.720 Look at the cross and be at peace. 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:43.279 God loves you. 00:09:43.840 --> 00:09:46.159 Look only to Jesus for the proof.