Big Idea: Everything about the birth story of Christ points us to a very significant reality; Jesus came to offer sinners to the least of us. His salvation is for those who humble themselves, recognize their dire situation, repent of their sin, and trust in His life, death, and resurrection.
4 Things that Point us to the Reality that God’s Salvation in Jesus is for the least of us:
____________________ back to Bethelhem
Luke 2:4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
What is significant about Bethlehem is that Bethlehem is not very significant.
Micah 5:2 (ESV) — 2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
_______________________ to the Shepherds
Luke 2:8-9 (ESV) — 8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
Shepherds were outcasts, and thus their presence at the manger shows that salvation is for everyone. We tend to romanticize the shepherds, especially since there are so many good shepherds in the Bible, but they did not enjoy a very good reputation in their day. Because they lived out in the fields, they were unable to keep the ceremonial law, and thus they were treated as unclean. They were also regarded as liars and thieves, which is why their testimony was inadmissible in a court of law. Shepherds were despised. With the exception of lepers, they were the lowest class of men in Israel.
The salvation that Christ offers is not one reserved for high-society. It is for the meek and the lowly, the outcasts and the sinners, for you and for me.
______________________ for a Crib
Luke 2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
Luke 2:16 (ESV) — 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.
Philippians 2:6–8 (ESV) — 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
_____________ ______________ by the Heavenly Hosts
Luke 2:13–14 (ESV) — 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Luke 18:9-14
