SPEAKER_00: In the first century, there was a man who claimed to be Lord and King.
SPEAKER_00: His words were known as the gospel.
SPEAKER_00: That's Ewangelion, the good news.
SPEAKER_00: His kingdom was advancing.
SPEAKER_00: He promised his citizens peace and protection, and he was worshipped.
SPEAKER_00: The man I'm talking about is Caesar.
SPEAKER_00: Caesar's story began with omens and ambition.
SPEAKER_00: He was born into privilege and propelled by power.
SPEAKER_00: He rose through conquest and politics until Rome hailed him as lord and king.
SPEAKER_00: His victories were announced as good news.
SPEAKER_00: Again, Evangelion, peace through war, rule through dominance.
SPEAKER_00: Statues were raised throughout his empire, and worship was expected, loyalty demanded.
SPEAKER_00: Caesar's life preached a message.
SPEAKER_00: Rome saves the world.
SPEAKER_00: On the other hand, Jesus' story began in obscurity, born to poor parents and announced not to senators but to the shepherds.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: Namely, while Caesar claimed to be divine, the man who claimed to be God was actually being used by God for God.
SPEAKER_00: Let me explain.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 1.
SPEAKER_00: In those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
SPEAKER_00: Caesar issues a census for taxes, for control, for power.
SPEAKER_00: But Luke isn't impressed with Caesar.
SPEAKER_00: Luke is impressed with God's sovereignty.
SPEAKER_00: You see, the Messiah was long prophesied to be born in Bethlehem, the city of David.
SPEAKER_00: And this decree forces Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
SPEAKER_00: And just like that, prophecies fulfilled, and the Son of God is born in the city of David.
SPEAKER_00: You see, Caesar believed his decree was just one more part of building his own kingdom.
SPEAKER_00: But it was God's plan to bring the true king into the world.
SPEAKER_00: What Caesar intended for Rome's prosperity, God intended for mankind's salvation.
SPEAKER_00: Even when people think they're in control, it is God who's in charge.
SPEAKER_00: Lamentations 3 37, no one has spoken unless the Lord has commanded it.
SPEAKER_00: So here's the thing about God's sovereignty.
SPEAKER_00: You know, God can do what he wants, when he wants, how he wants, and with who he wants, because he's God.
SPEAKER_00: And here's the thing about God's character what he will do in all that is ultimately good.
SPEAKER_00: When the time came for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem, there was no room for him in the inn.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: The inn mentioned in Luke 2, 7 is best translated guest room, cataluma in the Greek.
SPEAKER_00: Now, there was no holiday inns in Bethlehem.
SPEAKER_00: And in guest room would be in most houses.
SPEAKER_00: A guest room was like a raised second space outside of the living room.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: Well, it sounds like the guest room was full with Joseph's family.
SPEAKER_00: Joseph his family would not have left him alone.
SPEAKER_00: He came home for the census.
SPEAKER_00: They would not, it was an honor-shame culture.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: And so Jesus was most likely born in the middle of a living room in a feeding trough.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: Why?
SPEAKER_00: To show who the Savior came for.
SPEAKER_00: Jesus came to save the needy, the broken, and those of humble estate.
SPEAKER_00: You see, God is not impressed by earthly power.
SPEAKER_00: Instead, he displays his power in Christ's humility and beside and through his church's humility.
SPEAKER_00: Which is the reason Jesus is announced first to shepherds.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: Shepherds were ritually unclean and had established an untrustworthy reputation.
SPEAKER_00: And yet God's glory is shown to them.
SPEAKER_00: God's announcement of salvation is brought to them.
SPEAKER_00: So can you imagine that scene in Luke?
SPEAKER_00: The Bible says the shepherds met with angels, were filled with great fear.
SPEAKER_00: But the angels say what angels often say fear not.
SPEAKER_00: Why?
SPEAKER_00: Because this is good news.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 10.
SPEAKER_00: Now here is three titles of Jesus teaching us three truths about Jesus.
SPEAKER_00: First, he is the Savior.
SPEAKER_00: He's not an example, not a life coach, but a substitute.
SPEAKER_00: Jesus took God's punishment in the place of people who deserved it.
SPEAKER_00: He came to save us from the punishment of our sins, from judgment and wrath.
SPEAKER_00: He came to die in our place, saving us from the punishment we deserve.
SPEAKER_00: He's not only the Savior, he's the Christ.
SPEAKER_00: Christ is not his last name, it's a title.
SPEAKER_00: Jesus is the long-awaited, long-predicted one above all others.
SPEAKER_00: And all the promises of God find fulfillment in him.
SPEAKER_00: He's the final king reigning on David's throne in heaven forever.
SPEAKER_00: He's the final prophet prophet, the word of God made flesh.
SPEAKER_00: He is the final priest through whom we have access to God.
SPEAKER_00: You see, nothing about this is random.
SPEAKER_00: It's God keeping his promises.
SPEAKER_00: He's not only the Savior of the Christ, but he's the Lord.
SPEAKER_00: He's not one among many.
SPEAKER_00: He is the Lord.
SPEAKER_00: John 8 24, unless you believe that I am He, Jesus said, you will die in your sins.
SPEAKER_00: So Jesus is the one true King.
SPEAKER_00: So hear me this Christmas Eve night.
SPEAKER_00: This is good news for you.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 10, a sign for you, for all the people.
SPEAKER_00: You see, Christ didn't come for the powerful and proud, he came for the least, the lost, and the lowly.
SPEAKER_00: So tonight, if you feel unworthy, not good enough, spiritually unimpressive, you're right.
SPEAKER_00: And that's exactly why he came.
SPEAKER_00: A prerequisite to saving faith is realizing you don't deserve it.
SPEAKER_00: You're not good enough.
SPEAKER_00: But he is.
SPEAKER_00: He was, and he's come for you.
SPEAKER_00: Salvation wasn't found, it arrived.
SPEAKER_00: Hope wasn't found, it arrived.
SPEAKER_00: The story of God's salvation doesn't begin with man seeking God, but God seeking man and seeking man to bring peace.
SPEAKER_00: Not political peace, not circumstantial peace, peace with God.
SPEAKER_00: The enmity between sinners and God is over because Jesus has come for peace.
SPEAKER_00: Christ was sent to pay the redemption price.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: So who did Jesus come for?
SPEAKER_00: He came for you.
SPEAKER_00: And if you ever doubt God's love, look at the manger.
SPEAKER_00: Look at the cross and be at peace.
SPEAKER_00: God loves you.
SPEAKER_00: Look only to Jesus for the proof.