1. Life Lessons for All Generations
Nativity
Life Lessons for All Generations
God's Plan

2. that is not where the story begins…
Introduction:
In this season of Christmas,
most Christians who want to examine
the event of the birth of Jesus
would open their Bibles to Luke chapter 2.
However,
that is not where the story begins…
The news of the birth of Messiah is told
long before Dr. Luke ever penned his gospel –
long before
a baby was born in a stable in Bethlehem!

3. We must go all the way back to the book of Genesis
to find the first proclamation
of the coming of Yeshua.
Open your Bible to Genesis 3:15
where we find God admonishing the serpent
immediately after sin and death
entered into
the perfect world
He had created for man.

4. Yeshua Genesis 3:15 “…and I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your seed and her Seed.”
Enmity:
a deep seated dislike
or ill will
The woman God is speaking of is Mary.
The seed is Jesus
the Messiah.
Yeshua

5. From the time of the Garden of Eden,
God knew that the price of sin is death
and the cost
of the redemption of His creation
would have to be
a perfect sacrifice
as payment.
God was telling Satan
what He intended to do
about the situation…

6. the events recorded in God’s Word - from this time forward -
ALL
the events recorded in God’s Word
- from this time forward -
are illustrations of:
Who God is
2. How much He loves His people
3. What would be required to redeem us back to Him

7. Now... Luke's account of the Nativity
In those days
Caesar Augustus issued a decree
that a census should be taken
of the entire Roman world.
Luke 2:1 NIV

8. The original Greek translation and the King James Bible both say:
“ALL the world”
1. At this point in history,
there is a single ruler of the known world.
2. Caesar
had the power and authority to
“decree”
and get everyone moving
to the town of their birth
to be counted.

9. God used this mighty earthly ruler, the prophecy given by Micah.
his power,
and this event,
to get Mary and Joseph
to Bethlehem…
in order to
fulfill
the prophecy given by Micah.

10. One “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small
among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for Me
Who will be Ruler over Israel,
Whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times."
One
Micah 5:2 NIV

11. Here Micah foretells of Messiah
1. Ephrathah: the ancient name for Bethlehem
2. In the King James translation,
the phrase “from ancient times” reads
“from everlasting”
Here Micah foretells of Messiah
Who was
- and Who is -
and Who is to come
- from everlasting -
(eternity past)
born in Bethlehem

12. was not a new idea to God…
A king,
in the line of David
- from Bethlehem -
was not a new idea to God…
He did this
once
before...

13. “I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem.
1Samuel 16:1
“I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem.
I have chosen one of his sons to be king."
God sent Samuel to Bethlehem
to anoint the next ruler of Israel
after He had rejected Saul.
2. King David was from
Bethlehem.

14. Why
Bethlehem?

15. 1. Bethlehem is four miles south of Jerusalem.
a. Shepherds provided lambs to be
sacrificed in the temple in Jerusalem.
b. Bethlehem’s purpose for being was
to provide lambs that were acceptable
by the priests - for sacrifice.
c. The lambs had to be perfect
- unblemished -

16. Luke 2:8-20 “And there were shepherds living out
in the fields nearby, keeping watch
over their flocks at night.
An angel of the Lord
appeared to them,
and the glory of the Lord
shone around them,
and they were terrified.
(vv. 8-9)

17. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid.
I bring you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
Today in the town of David
a Savior has been born to you;
He is Christ the Lord.
This will be a sign to you:
You will find a Baby wrapped in cloths
and lying in a manger.
(vv )

18. appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
Suddenly
a great company
of the heavenly host
appeared with the angel,
praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace
to men on whom
His favor rests."
(vv )

19. When the angels had left them and gone into heaven,
the shepherds said to one another,
"Let's go to Bethlehem and
see this thing that has happened,
which the Lord has told us about."
(v. 15)

20. Mary and Joseph and the Baby, Who was lying in the manger.
So they hurried off
and found
Mary and Joseph and the Baby,
Who was lying in the manger.
When they had seen
Him,
they spread the word concerning
what had been told them about this
Child, and all who heard it were
amazed at what the shepherds
said to them.
(vv )

21. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
v.19

22. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God
for all the things
they had heard and seen,
which were
just
as they had been told.”
(v.20)

23. 2. God wanted these shepherds to be the first to receive the news
(temple shepherds)
to be the first to receive the news
of the “great joy”
for “all the people.”
The Lord was telling the shepherds that
the Perfect Lamb had been born.
b. The shepherds spread the word.
They glorified and
praised God!

24. “Therefore the LORD Himself and will give birth to a Son,
What's in a 'Name'?
Isaiah 7:14
“Therefore the LORD Himself
will give you a sign:
The virgin
will be with Child
and will give birth to a Son,
and will call Him
Immanuel.”

25. “…for to us a Child is born, and the government will be
2. Isaiah 9:6
“…for to us a Child is born,
to us a Son is given,
and the government will be
on His shoulders.
And He will be called:
Wonderful
Counselor
Mighty God
Everlasting Father
Prince of Peace.”

26. “and you are to give Him the Name
Mathew 1:21
“and you are to give Him the Name
Jesus
because He will
save His people
from their sins.”

27. Jesus a. Yeshua is His Hebrew Name it means “salvation”
b. The Hebrew name Joshua
means “Jehovah is savior”
c. The Greek translation of Joshua is “Jesu”
where we get the English version of
Yeshua’s Name
Jesus

28. The Not So Silent Night”
The broader picture:
Most people at the time of the census were
not ready to receive a gift from God;
even Mary and Joseph were probably
not prepared for what was to come.
They had just traveled 90 hard miles
and were dirty, tired, and physically
in the same state as everyone else
with the exception that Mary
was ready to give birth.

29. A census had been called for the entire
Roman empire.
a. Everyone was on the move to get
to where they were born.
They were distracted by the chaos of the time.
b. Bethlehem was so crowded that the
only accommodation available
for a VERY pregnant woman was a stable.
1) In reality - a cave or alcove was
being used as a stable.
2) It was dirty, smelly and
filled with livestock

30. 2. The setting and conditions God
chose
to be born into:
a. The least of comfort
b. The least of provision - Luke 2:7 says
Mary delivered the Baby and
Mary placed the Baby in the manger
no one was there to help her
c. Chaos - all around

31. Yet there was 'great joy'! God knows our needs
- provides for our needs -
He blesses!
God knew the time was right
and the world was in need.
He provided the most humble setting
where He brought the greatest blessing
the world would know –
Messiah!

32. Closing Prayer: Father, remind us today that great joy
comes from You and is not dependent on,
nor is determined by our circumstances.
In this season, we will celebrate the birth of
Your Son - our Messiah - Whom You gave,
not only to be the perfect sacrifice for the
payment of our sins,
but also to demonstrate Your love for us.
How deeply You must love us
to provide the atoning sacrifice
for complete victory over death
and the salvation of your people!

33. Thank You, Father God... Seal in us today Your Word
and let us leave this place with a new focus
- not on our circumstances
or the chaos of this world -
but on the Great Joy we find in a little Boy,
wrapped in cloth,
Who was laid in a manger
some 2000 years ago.
Thank You,
Father God...