Turn with me to Luke, chapter 2. Luke 2. As we're well aware, this time of year, our nation observes what they call Christmas. I think of it as the time when they observed the birth of our Savior. I think we all know that it's highly probable that Christ was not born on this day or even this time of year. It has become a time when it's observed and thought upon. And for me personally, it's an opportunity when our nation shuts down and there's opportunity to spend time with friends and family. and make nice memories together.

We remember when our kids were young, and it's nice when they all come together, either on Thanksgiving or around this time of Christmas. And it's just nice to get together with them. And it's a nice time, even gifts I don't have a problem with, because they're done in the sense of, I was thinking of you. I was thinking of you, and here's something that I was thinking of you when I gave it. That's how I see it.

But if you are disposed to go to a house, someone's meal or something like that, and you're with them, it may come up. that this is the time when Christ was born. And so I was thinking of some blessed things concerning our Lord's birth. The scriptures speak of his birth. They do speak of his birth. And there's many encouraging things. There's many doctrinal things that we stand upon at the time of our Lord's birth. And so I wanted to speak to some of those things this morning with you.

Now, we're talking about the birth of the incarnate Son of God. The incarnate Son of God, meaning when he took upon him flesh. This is not the birth of the Son of God. The Son of God is eternal God, having no beginning and no end. One with the Father in perfections and glory. There's no difference there. There's no difference in that regard. And so we're speaking of this time when the Son of God was made flesh, was made flesh, and dwelt among us.

Paul says of this in 1 Timothy 3, verse 16, without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. And so this morning, I want to focus on the purpose, the purpose that the Son of God took upon him flesh. And then from there, we'll also look at the time of his birth, the place of his birth, and the manner of his birth, what the scriptures are teaching us concerning these things.

And so the purpose for the Son of God coming to this earth in human flesh is something that ought to strike us marvelously, ought to be something that we do think of at some point in time. Why? would the Son of God come to this earth in the flesh? For what purpose? For what purpose was it necessary for him to come in the flesh? And not only that, but to be born as a man. To be born as a man. To be born like we were born. Why is that? Why was that necessary?

Well, for his being born, let me just say this, it was according to promise. It was according to the Scriptures. Christ fulfilled all the scripture. And the scriptures tell us that the purpose, the reason why Christ had to come in the flesh was to redeem his people from their sins. We are sinners, unable to work a righteousness for ourselves. Even with the giving of the law, it showed the infirmity of our flesh and the exceeding sinfulness of our heart. We cannot save ourselves. Christ came to redeem his people from their sins, he himself telling us that he came to give his life a ransom for many, to purchase that which was lost. And so it shows us, it testifies to us something is dead wrong with us. Something is seriously wrong with us that it required the Son of God to humble himself and robe himself in flesh, come according to the scriptures, fulfill all scriptures to save his people. So it sends a message to us of our sins, of our transgressions and infirmities.

Now before his birth, the angel went and spoke to Joseph. He went and spoke to Joseph about what the Lord had done. You see, Joseph was engaged to Mary. He was engaged to Mary, and because she was found with child, he thought, I should put her away. I'm not going to go through with this marriage. I'm going to put her away. It's not my child. And while he thought on these things, an angel of God was sent to him to speak to him and tell him, don't do that. And so I'm going to quote, I'm going to look at Matthew 1, Matthew chapter 1, verse 18 through 21. We're told now, the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise. When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

You see, Mary was a virgin. She had never lain with a man. This was a miraculous birth. the Holy Spirit coming upon her and and forming Christ in her womb without the seed of a man without the corrupt seed of man and and and as the scripture said according to the promise that he would be born of the seed of woman of the seed of woman and the point in that as I as I can can understand is that man's seed is corrupt. When Adam sinned in the garden, he and all his seed in him became defiled and corrupt and ruined with sin. So Christ cannot be born of man's seed. It's corrupt. It's sinful. It's defiled. And so he's not born of man's seed, but the Holy Spirit formed Christ in the womb of Mary And so that he came as flesh, like unto his brethren.

So verse 19, then Joseph, her husband, being a just man, not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily or privately. And he's a just man. He's not looking to make an example out of her. He's not looking to shame her. He could have stoned her. He could have had her stoned and stoned her himself. but he wanted to do it privately. He didn't want to execute that kind of justice upon her. And while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.

And so the Christ was now come into the world, to fulfill the promise of God spoken to us in the garden, to crush the head of the serpent, to destroy the works of the devil, and to restore that which was lost. To reconcile us to God and restore that which was lost by his sin, atoning blood through the sacrifice of himself on the cross to the Father. to satisfy God's wrath which was justly against us for our sins and our trespasses. He put it away. So he must be born in the flesh to be made like unto those whom he would save and be a faithful high priest able to succor all that come unto God by him. That is to comfort, to comfort and to heal. and to bless, and to establish peace in our hearts with holy God. Turn over to Hebrews 2. Hebrews 2, here the scriptures testify of those things which I've just said to you, of the purpose of Christ coming in the flesh. Hebrews 2, 14 through 18. For as much then, As the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetimes subject to bondage.

When you strive under the law to make a righteousness for yourselves, it is a bondage. It is a fearful and terrifying thing if you're made to hear the law, if you hear what the law is saying. And so there's a fear of dying and standing before holy God because you're constantly wondering, have I done enough? Have I done enough? What Christ has done means nothing. It's unfinished as far as you're concerned, because you're still laboring to secure it for yourselves. You're still laboring to make a righteousness for yourselves. And so there's that constant fear, doubt, and worry, have I done enough? I can settle that for you right now. No, you've not done enough. None of us have done enough. Christ has done enough. It is finished, he said,

for verily He took not on him the nature of angels, right? He didn't come to redeem the fallen angels. He took on him the seed of Abraham, all those chosen of the Father given to him. Wherefore, in all things that behooved him, to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor, to comfort them that are tempted.

" And so Christ is the righteousness of his people. he fulfilled the righteousness of the law perfectly, dying as the substitute of his people, thus satisfying the debt that we owe unto God of a perfect righteousness. The debt we owe, Christ has paid it in full. And all who confess Christ their Lord and Savior believing that God has raised him from the dead, they are righteous, and they have everlasting life, because Christ accomplishes that in them. And it's given forever without repentance of God.

Romans 5.21 confirming that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. If it's not finished, then it's not righteous, but it's a perfect righteousness in and by the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the good news. This is the good news. This is what sinners rejoice in and angels wonder at and worship God for. This is why the angels sang the praises of him who was born that night in Bethlehem when they came to the shepherds by night saying, glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men.

If it was still relying on men, There would be no goodwill, no peace, no rejoicing, no gladness. It would be sorrow, fear, doubts, worries, suffering, pain only. And so the purpose for Christ in coming was to save His people who were chosen of the Father and given to Him to accomplish their redemption for and to the everlasting glory and praise of His name. Because we rejoice in Him. He's everything to us. He's everything to us.

Next, then, now understanding the purpose, because it is a wonderful thing to think of that the Son of God came to this earth in flesh because I cannot save myself, but he accomplished it. What a glorious purpose. What a glorious thing to tell others when you're speaking of these things.

Next, then, we're told of the time in which Christ was born. Let's look back at Luke now, Luke 2. verses 1 and 2. And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

Now, Matthew Henry notes that at this time, Rome had reached its greatest breadth, all the way from Parthia to the east, all the way over to Britain to the west. It was very large, it had grown great and large, and at that time, it was called, Rome was called, the empire of all the earth. The empire of the whole earth. In our text, it's called here, all the world. All the world, and that's significant. There was one ruling government over all the world at that time. That's what the scriptures are saying there in saying that this was the government there over all the world. And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. And so this is a significant time.

There are two prophecies that I want to speak to that tell, that foretold of the time when Messiah should be born, when the Christ should be born. First of all, this Rome here is the fourth kingdom spoken of by Daniel. This is that fourth kingdom strong as iron when Daniel was interpreting Nebuchadnezzar's dream to him, which he saw. And Daniel said in Daniel 2, verse 43 and 44, He said, Whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men. but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay."

You see, Rome had set up one government, one ruling government over the empire, over the world that they had conquered, and it was consisting of many nations and many peoples that were subservient, made subservient to Rome. Rome had conquered them. And so here's this nations of people coming together, and it mixed like iron and clay. That is not good. It wasn't good. You need only look at what we read of in the scriptures concerning Israel. They weren't happy that Rome had conquered them, that Rome was ruling over them and making laws for them and telling them what to do. They mixed like iron and clay. That's what it's saying there.

And so, in those days, in the days of that fourth kingdom, of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom. God himself shall set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, not left in the hands of men, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

so that by the Lord Jesus Christ, he conquers our hearts. And we are made his servants gladly, willingly, not as iron and clay, but our hearts are turned toward him, and we rejoice in him, and we thank God for him, and we serve him joyfully, gladly, gladly, we serve him, rejoicing in what he's done for us, because he's set up his kingdom in our hearts.

kingdom which has outlasted all other kingdoms kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall they come and they go but not Christ's kingdom established in our hearts it has not faded away or disappeared or gone away and so we see that in in that one prophecy and then another going back to Jacob's prophecy all the way back in in Genesis 49 verse 10 and Jacob spoke of Christ, of Shiloh, the peace of God that should come, saying, the scepter shall not depart from Judah. The scepter meaning a king who rules by a scepter that shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh come, and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. And so this enrollment for the taxation of the people signified Israel was conquered. They were under the rule of another governor, another king. The scepter of Judah had departed. This was the time when Shiloh would come. And it's during this taxation that Christ the king was born. during this taxation, to set up his kingdom, to overthrow all other kingdoms in the hearts of his people, and to establish his glorious kingdom in our hearts. To do that for us. And so all the world was perfectly arranged for this time. God had arranged it. God did as it pleased him, the sovereign over all.

Like the world at this time, we too, think about it, just as this time was in bondage to the empire of the whole world, when we are born, when we are conceived, we are born into bondage, brethren, bondage to sin and death, dead in trespasses and sins. serving an idle God, serving another God, not serving the true and living God. We're born of Adam's corrupt seed and ignorant of the truth, in darkness, not knowing the God that we worship, who he is, or what he said. But now the Savior is born, come to set his people free from that bondage, from that darkness, from that death, from the grave, he has come.

Galatians 4, 4 and 5 says, but when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons, that we might know the true and living God. as his family, as his people. He did that. So God ordained this earthly kingdom of Rome. He ordained this kingdom of Rome here. And Rome, when they came, they built roads. They set up protections on those roads. They made trade routes. They did a lot of things. But it wasn't done for the technological advancements of men. It was done for the glory of God. It was done for his glory to prosper the gospel, to send the gospel forth freely over those roads that Rome had built, under those protections, and to send that gospel word out to the nations, that they too should hear of the Christ and what he had done and accomplished for his people.

Peter tells us in 1 Peter 1, 10 through 12, saying, of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you. The grace, the hope of our grace. In the next hour, I want to speak to the grace by which we are saved more fully. To speak to that which has come unto you searching what or what manner of time the spirit of Christ which was in them did signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. unto whom it was revealed that, not unto themselves, but unto us. Us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you, by them that have preached the gospel unto you, whom the Holy Ghost hath sent down from heaven, which things the angels desire to look into."

And so the timing of God is perfect. It's always perfect, both in the birth of his son, And in the timing of his death, all right? In closing that loop, as the timing of his come was perfect, so his death was perfect. Romans 5, 6 says, for when we were yet without strength in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. And so all things are appointed of God. Even the day of our birth in Christ, when we are born again, it's appointed of the Father, who sent the Son. All things are in his hand. And so he's accomplishing his will and purpose in our hearts. And that gives great comfort to us who are weak, fickle, failing sinners. But all confidence in him. Having no confidence in the flesh, but all confidence in him.

Now, not only was the time ordained of God, but so was the place of our Lord's birth. The place. God brought our Lord to Bethlehem. carried in the womb of Mary that he would be born in the city of David according to the word of prophecy, according to the scriptures, according to this word here. Mary and Joseph at this time, they lived in Nazareth of Galilee. And Christ was to be born in Bethlehem, the city of David. That's what the prophet said, Micah 5, 2, but thou Bethlehem Ephrata, Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of these shall he come forth unto me, that is, to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."

And so for that cause, that's why the heart of Caesar was moved to tax the people, to set up an enrollment for the people, and to do it in the manner that he did it. Because God ordained it to be so. It's not that God looked down and saw Caesar wanting to do something and said, oh, that's good, I'll piggyback on that. No, the heart of the king is in the Lord's hand. To turn it whithersoever, he will. And so Caesar set this time up, let's look at that in Luke 2, verse 3 through 5. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so there's the sovereign hand of God turning the heart of the king whithersoever it pleases him, brethren. And again, we take great comfort in seeing the sovereign will of our God being accomplished as it pleases Him. In all, in our hearts and in the hearts of the wicked, no one is off limits to Him. He's able to do all things to glorify Himself and to save His people. That's why we have such great comfort, because He is able. He is able. We're not, but he is.

Now Bethlehem means house of bread. And that's a fitting name for him who is the living bread, the bread of life, the bread of heaven, come down to feed his people, to nourish his people. And David was also born in Bethlehem. That's why it's called the city of David. And so it's fitting that the son of David should also be born there in that same city. And just as David was born, what? A shepherd over his father's sheep. So the Lord Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God. And the good shepherd to shepherd his people, given to him of the father, of his father's sheep also.

And so, just like David was born into meanness, lowliness, poverty, so our Lord came in lowliness and in poverty. Showing that his salvation is not only for the rich and those that have, but you and I who have nothing, and nothing to boast in. and nothing to be confident in. He came for sinners, lowly sinners, such as we ourselves in this flesh. And so he came as a shepherd and he came as the Lamb of God to sacrifice himself unto the Father to propitiate the wrath of God which was against us, to satisfy God's wrath which was against us, and to accomplish our redemption, for our good, for our peace, for our life, for our light, for our salvation. He did it all, brethren, and now he rules in the hearts of his people. Seated on the throne, the right hand of the throne of God, ruling and reigning all things in heaven and in earth.

Peter says this way in Acts 5, 30-31, The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a savior, for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And so Jesus Christ was born and is now the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, right? Declared, justified by the Father, justified by the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world to the praise and glory of his name, ascended into glory. And so he's doing all things well, brethren.

Now, Finally here, before that glory of his death for his people, we behold a few more pictures of his grace and provision in the manner, the manner in which he was born. Luke 2, 6 and 7. And so it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And so they first went to the inn, which suggests something to us of our Lord, a stranger and a pilgrim in this world. It speaks something to us who are born again of Him, strangers and pilgrims in this world. And if you're passing through a place, where do you go? And that day, they went to the inn. We might go to a hotel today. If you don't know somebody in the area and can't stay with them, you go to a hotel. Well, that's what the inn served as. And it showed that he is but a sojourner in the earth. Come for a purpose. Come for a purpose.

And finding no welcoming habitation for him there at the inn, They instead took shelter, we're told, in a stable, in the stable of the inn, where the animals stood to be fed and kept at night. And only having, when he was born, only having swaddling clothes, they wrapped him in these rags and laid him in a manger. Now that word swaddling refers to something that is torn and ripped. So they wrapped him in rags. and pieces, strips of fabric in those pieces, and laid them in a manger, which is a place from which the animals feed. A picture of we who are his sheep who feed upon Christ, who live and are nourished by Christ in the new man.

But there's also something peculiar about that. If you look at Luke 2, verse 12, When the angels were speaking to the shepherds, they said, this shall be a sign unto you. Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." Now, I'm not a shepherd at that time. I don't know. But what I've read concerning that, I'm told that what the shepherds would do in Israel for those lambs which would be sacrificed. They had to be without blemish, without spot, without any harm done to their body. And so what the shepherds would do is they would take these rags and swaddle that young lamb. And they lay it in the manger where it couldn't move. It was snug in that manger there to protect it. And that being the case, you can imagine what they thought of when they heard this. That's peculiar. That's what we do for the lambs for the slaughter. We swaddle them and lay them in the manger, and that's where he's laid, in the manger, so that they would know that this one was the Lamb of God, born to die for his people, to be a sacrifice for the people unto the Father.

And so we see many beautiful pictures in the manner in which our Lord was born, and it speaks to his poverty, it speaks to his humility, it speaks to his condescension that he would come and minister this salvation to us in full. in full for our peace, to make us to know the goodwill of our Father toward us who are sinners, rebellious, enemies to Him, that we would hear Him who loved us and gave Himself for us, that we would want to know why the Son of God came in the flesh to this place.

And so it ministers these truths to us. We would know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, yet he became poor for the sakes of his people that we through his poverty might be made rich, rich in him.

And so that's what our Lord did. He made many rich by his sacrifice on the cross as the Lamb of God to make satisfaction for his people, to bless his people with the gifts of his Holy Spirit and the ministration of his word and faith in him to the praise, glory, and honor of his name.

And so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

So I pray the Lord would bless that sweet meditation of our Savior's birth to your hearts.