5. and the government shall
be upon His shoulder, and
His name shall be called
Wonderful, Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting
Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 NKJV
7. December 24â
Christmas Eve Serviceâ
5:00 p.m.âSanctuary
Celebrate Christmas with
a Candlelight Service,
Baptism and Observance
of the Lordâs Supper
9. The prophet Isaiah 700 BC
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Isaiah_%28Bible_Card%29.jpg/537px-Isaiah_%28Bible_Card%29.jpg
10. Isaiah 9:6 NKJV
6 For
unto us a Child is
born (earthly perspective),
Unto us a Son is given
(Godâs perspective)
(both are in the past now);
11. and the government shall
be upon His shoulder, and
His name shall be called
Wonderful, Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting
Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 NKJV
12. Isaiah 9:10 NKJV
10 âThe bricks have fallen
down, but we will rebuild
with hewn stones;
The sycamores are cut
down, but we will
replace them with cedars.â
14. Isaiah 9:10 NKJV
10 âThe bricks have fallen
down, but we will rebuild
with hewn stones;
The sycamores are cut
down, but we will
replace them with cedars.â
19. 3 Virgin birth verses:
2,000 years from Adam
(Gen 3) to Abraham
2,000 years from Abraham
to Jesus (Luke 1)
2,000 years from Jesus
to us (Rev 12)
20. Galatians 3:16 NKJV
16 Now
to Abraham and his
Seed were the promises
made. He does not say, âAnd
to seeds,â as of many, but as
of one, âAnd to your Seed,â
Who is Christ.
21. 3 Virgin birth verses:
1) Genesis 3:14-15 - Adam
2) Luke 1:34-35 - Jesus
3) Revelation 12:1-5 - us
22. Genesis 3:14-15 NKJV
14 So the LORD God said to
the serpent:
âBecause you have done
this,
You are cursed more than
all cattle,
23. And more than every
beast of the field;
On your belly you shall
go,
And you shall eat dust
All the days of your life.
24. 15 And
I will put enmity
Between you and the
woman,
And between your seed
and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His
25. heel.â Gen 3:14-15 NKJV
http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4743732472972389&w=168&h=182&c=7&rs=1&pid=1.7
27. He shall bruise your head
http://blog.hillsbiblechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/jesusresurrection8.jpg
28. Genesis 3:15 has been
called the
protoevangelium,
the first Gospel.
29. Martin Luther said of this
verse: "This text embraces
and comprehends within
itself everything noble
and glorious that is to be
found anywhere in the
Scriptures."
30. God wanted more than
just innocent man; His
plan was to bring forth
redeemed man.
31. âRedeemed man â
this being who is greater
than innocent man â
is only possible because
man had something to be
redeemed from (a terrible
choice).â
David Guzik
32. 3 Virgin birth verses:
1) Genesis 3:14-15 - Adam
2) Luke 1:34-35 - Jesus
3) Revelation 12:1-5 - us
33. Luke 1:34-35 NKJV
34 Then
Mary said to the
angel, âHow can this be,
since I do not know a
man?â
34. 35 And
the angel answered
and said to her, âThe Holy
Spirit will come upon
you, and the power of the
Highest will overshadow
you; therefore, also, that
Holy One Who is to be
35. born will be called the Son
of God.
Luke 1:34-35 NKJV
39. Revelation 12:1-5 NKJV
1 Now a great sign
appeared in heaven: a
woman (Virgo the Virgin)
clothed with the sun, with
the moon under her feet,
and on her head a garland
44. 4 His
tail drew a third of
the stars of heaven and
threw them to the earth.
And the dragon stood
before the woman who
was ready to give birth, to
devour her Child as soon
45. as it was born.
5 She bore a male Child
Who was to rule all
nations with a rod of iron.
And her Child was caught
up to God and His throne.
Revelation 12:1-5 NKJV
47. 3 Virgin birth verses:
2,000 years from Adam
(Gen 3) to Abraham
2,000 years from Abraham
to Jesus (Luke 1)
2,000 years from Jesus
to us (Rev 12) Now?
56. LUKE 1:26-56 NKJV
Christâs Birth Announced
to Mary
26 Now in the sixth month
the angel Gabriel was sent
by God to a city of Galilee
named Nazareth,
64. The betrothal prohibited
the woman to all other
men and was so binding
that it required a religious
divorce (Get) to dissolve
the relationship.
65. During the betrothal the man
and woman were considered
legally married, even though
the marriage ceremony
(huppah) and consummation
often did not occur until as
much as a year later.
70. It was up to her.
If she drank from it, she
was considered betrothed
to him.
If she did not, no marriage
would take place.
71. Paul tells the church in
II Corinthians 11:2
2 For I am jealous for you with
godly jealousy. For I have
betrothed you to one
Husband, that I may present
you as a chaste virgin to
Christ.
II Corinthians 11:2
72. When the bride drank of
the cup, she drank of the
marriage covenant or
contract, accepting it.
73. It is no wonder what Jesus
tells His disciples in
Matthew 26:27-28
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lIako-gmfB0/Ta7eDFQ9AkI/AAAAAAAABeI/v1F_vfAj6iU/s1600/jesus+passover.jpg
74. Matthew 26:27-28 NKJV
27 Then
He took the cup,
and gave thanks, and
gave it to them, saying,
âDrink from it, all of you.
75. 28 For
this is My blood of
the new covenant, which
is shed for many for the
remission of sins.
Matthew 26:27-28 NKJV
77. As we drink of His cup,
we accept His invitation
to be betrothed to Him
and to be forgiven of our
sins so we can be like He
isâsinless, spotless, and
without fault in His
78. presence at the Marriage
Supper of the Lamb.
http://zionsgate.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/marriage-supper-of-the-lamb.jpg
79. Yet it means far more!
âDrinking the cup" means
to accept whatever that
cup represents.
80. The drinking of the cup is
similar (but more binding)
to the part in our marriage
ceremonies when we vow
âto have and to hold from
this day forward,
for better for worse,
81. for richer for poorer,
in sickness and in health,
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Money/Pix/pictures/2009/8/24/1251118125012/sick-day-couple-in-bed-001.jpg
82. to love and to cherish, till
death us do part
https://02varvara.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/00d-love-05-12-till-death-do-us-part.jpg
83. When the mother of James
and John approached Jesus
with her request to have
her sons sit on each side of
Jesus when He came into
His Kingdom, Jesus replied
with a question:
84. Matthew 20:22
But Jesus answered and
said, "You do not know
what you ask. Are you
[James and John] able to
drink the cup that I am
about to drink, and be
85. baptized with the baptism
that I am baptized with?"
They said to Him, "We are
able."
Matthew 20:22
86. They did not take the cue
from Jesus that they may
have to drink more than
they cared to swallow!
87. They answer affirmatively
before they realized what
Christ's cup contained.
Jesus continues:
Matthew 20:23
So He said to them, "You
will indeed drink My cup,
88. and be baptized with the
baptism that I am baptized
with; but to sit on my right
hand and on My left is not
Mine to give, but it is for
those for whom it is
prepared by My Father.â
Matthew 20:23
89. What happened to them?
James the son of Zebedee
was the first apostle
martyred, beheaded early
on by Herod (Acts 12:2).
94. Beyond this, he had to
watch the church
disintegrate through
apostasy and persecution.
Part of what Jesus' cup
entails is suffering.
95. When we drink of His
cup, we are saying we are
willing to suffer with Him
and experience with Him
whatever He ordains for
us. (Philippians 3:10)
96. Philippians 3:10 NKJV
10 that I may know Him
and the power of His
resurrection, and the
fellowship of His
sufferings, being
conformed to His death,
98. We do not just drink the
wine at the Lordâs
Supperâwe drink "of the
cup" of Communion, we
are proclaiming our
willingness to share in
similar trials as Jesus did.
99. We are willing to endure
whatever
He has
appointed for
us as our lot.
http://mudpreacher.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/communion-with-jesus-hands.png?w=241&h=300
100. We are also identifying
ourselves with Him
exclusively.
We are cupbearers to the
King of kings and to Him
only.
101. Psalm 16:5 NKJV
O LORD, You are the
portion of my inheritance
and my cup; You maintain
my lot.
102. Do we grasp the meaning
of this?
We cannot serve two
masters (Matthew 6:24).
We cannot simultaneously
identify with Christ and
Satan.
103. Our lives, our actions, our
words, our thoughts,
continuously announce
which one is our father,
God in Heaven or Satan.
104. Drinking of Jesus' cup
means to live His way of
life and renounce Satan's
ways.
Are we drinking of the
Master's Cup?
105. Mary did drink of
Josephâs cup and was
engaged to him.
Both of them had come
from the line of David.
107. LUKE 1:28 NKJV
28 And having come in, the
angel said to her,
âRejoice, highly favored
one, the Lord is with you;
blessed are you among
women!â
108. Mary is blessed among
women but not above
women.
http://historyswomen.com/images/mary.jpg
109. Mary is not lifted above
women; but she lifted up
womanhood.
This is the role she played.
110. It is so easy to say that a
woman (Eve) brought sin
into the world, but
remember, it was also a
woman (Mary), and not a
man, who brought the
Savior into the world.
111. *Gabriel's greeting is
literally, "Grace, you who
are highly graced!"
*Although she was a godly
woman, it was God's grace,
not Mary's character, that
made her God's choice.
112. The phrase "highly
favored" is used of all
God's people in Eph 1:6
("which He freely
bestowed on us" [NASB]).
113. Ephesians 1:4-6 NKJV
4 just as He chose us in
Him before the
foundation of the world,
that we should be holy
and without blame before
Him in love,
114. 5 having
predestined us to
adoption as sons by Jesus
Christ to Himself,
according to the good
pleasure of His will,
115. 6 to
the praise of the glory
of His grace, by which He
made us accepted in the
Beloved (that He highly
favored us in the
Beloved).
Ephesians 1:4-6 NKJV
116. LUKE 1:29 NKJV
29 But
when she saw him,
she was troubled at his
saying, and considered
what manner of greeting
this was.
117. It is understandable that
Mary was troubled at the
sayings of the angel.
When the supernatural
touches the natural, it can
certainly create fear.
118. Mary "cast in her mind
what manner of salutation
this should be."
http://beckydvorak.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/shining-cloud-of-glory.jpg
119. LUKE 1:30-33 NKJV
30 Then
the angel said to
her, âDo not be afraid,
Mary, for you have found
favor with God.
120. 31 And
behold, you will
conceive in your womb
and bring forth a Son, and
shall call His name JESUS.
121. 32 He
will be great, and
will be called the Son of
the Highest; and the Lord
God will give Him the
throne of His father
David.
122. 33 And
He will reign over
the house of Jacob forever,
and of His kingdom there
will be no end.â
LUKE 1:31-33 NKJV
123. This is plain language.
There is no way of
misinterpreting it.
This passage is quite
literal.
124. Those folks who deny the
virgin birth also do not
believe that the Lord is
literally going to sit on the
throne of His father
David.
129. The coming of the Son of
God to earth involved not
only our personal
salvation but also the
fulfilling of God's
promises to His people
Israel (vv. 32-33).
131. If the angel's words in
vv. 30-31 are to be taken
literally, so should his
words in vv. 32-33.
132. LUKE 1:34 NKJV
34 Then
Mary said to the
angel, âHow can this be,
since I do not know a
man?â
133. Unlike Zacharias, Mary
had faith that God would
do what He promised.
http://ts4.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4864017330603935&pid=1.7
134. The virgin birth is a
miracle of God that
brought the eternal Son of
God into the world
without any taint of sin in
His human nature (v. 35; 2
Cor 5:21; 1Peter2:22;Heb).
135. *Mary was the first one to
question the virgin birth.
She said, "How can it be?"
*This is still a good
question. Dr. Luke quotes
the angel Gabriel and
gives us the answer.
136. LUKE 1:35 NKJV
35 And
the angel answered
and said to her, âThe Holy
Spirit will come upon
you, and the power of the
Highest will overshadow
137. you; therefore, also, that
Holy One Who is to be
born will be called the Son
of God.
LUKE 1:35 NKJV
138. Have you ever felt like the
Holy Spirit
was upon
you?
http://ts4.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4509966012778623&w=220&h=188&c=7&rs=1&pid=1.7
139. Have you ever felt that the
Holy Spirit was so heavy
upon you that you felt
overshadowed â like the
Spirit was all over you?
140. An awesome feeling â
being so overshadowed
by the Holy Spirit that
you felt soaked in the
Spirit - drenched in His
presence â completely
surrounded by Him.
141. When you pray â when
you read the Bible â when
you worship â donât be in
such a hurry â donât come
with an agenda â allow
time for the Holy Spirit to
speak to your spirit.
142. We should be still
and listen!
http://www.fuentesevangelism.com/holy-spirit-by-power5.jpg
143. The verb for
âovershadowâ
speaks of
the direct,
personal
presence
of God.
http://dephnevictorious.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/arch_of_covenant_glory_of_god1.jpg
144. The word overshadow
means "to cover with a
cloud," like the cloud of
Shekinah glory (Exodus
16:10; 19:9; 24:16; 34:5;
40:34)
146. or the cloud of the
transfiguration (Matthew
17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:34).
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dNIXAAtvEOc/TS-w6P6qmMI/AAAAAAAAAFs/iFu8h1pzgg0/s1600/Transfiguration+3.jpg
147. The verb form is used in
all three accounts of the
Transfiguration to
describe the cloud that
enveloped Jesus, Moses
and Elijah (and Peter,
James and John) on the
149. From that cloud came a
voice saying,
âThis is My Son,â even as
Gabriel told Mary,
âThe holy One to be born
will be called the Son of
God.â
150. The virgin birth was
Godâs way of
announcing
to the world
that Jesus
was indeed
His Son.
http://www.revelation2seven.org/UsedImages/amarvel.gif
151. Through the virgin birth, the
Son of God entered the
human race, taking upon
Himself all aspects of true
humanity, yet remaining
sinless, and without
surrendering any aspect of
His deity.
153. Dr. Ray Pritchard says that
through some means
unknown to us, during the
âovershadowingâ He created
within the womb of Mary the
unborn (yet fully human and
fully divine) Person of Jesus
Christ.
154. The virgin birth is the
only way God could get
that "holy thing" into the
human family.
155. The union of man and
woman can only produce
a child with a sin nature.
156. We are told in the Book of
Leviticus that the birth of
a child caused a woman to
be unclean because she
brought a sinner into the
world.
157. *In Psalm 51:5 David said,
âBehold, I was shapen in
iniquity; and in sin did
my mother conceive me.â
*No man had anything to
do with the birth of Jesus
Christ.
158. *Mary is told that she is
not bringing a sinner into
the world but that this
Child is holy.
*Mary's Son would be
different, He would be
virgin born!
160. Unlike when Jesus was
born, when we were born
again, we had to be
adopted into Godâs family.
http://makashadorsey.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/adopted-by-god-p1.png
161. Like Mary, we are highly
favored and blessed.
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/18/96/ec/1896ec0877041db6c2938e8933df23ca.jpg
162. LUKE 1:36-37 NKJV
36 Now indeed, Elizabeth
your relative has also
conceived a son in her old
age; and this is now the
sixth month for her who
was called barren.
163. 37 For
with God nothing
will be impossible.â
LUKE 1:36-37 NKJV
165. *The birth of John the
Baptist is also miraculous,
but it is not a virgin birth.
*The statement of the
angel, "For with God
nothing shall be
impossible," is a good one
166. and something we need to
hold onto during these
days.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZpLCaNG9ERw/TwQHgFgD57I/AAAAAAAAYAA/XO6-lN4b4lk/s1600/withGod.jpg
167. There are folk who have
taken this statement and
twisted and distorted its
meaning (prosperity
gospel preachers, name it
and claim it).
168. There is nothing
impossible with God
when He has determined
to do it, but He will not
necessarily do the
impossible we ask of Him.
(Ask in His name)
171. When a man says,
"Nothing is impossible
with God" and fails at
some task he claims the
Lord gave him to do, it
causes unbelievers to
ridicule God. (belittle)
173. But that does not mean
He will do everything
believers want Him to do,
because some things are
not included in His plan.
174. Let us put everything in
proper perspective before
we do a lot of talking that
will hurt and harm the
cause of Jesus Christ
rather than help it.
(Magnify the Lord!)
176. LUKE 1:38 NKJV
38 Then Mary said,
âBehold the maidservant
of the Lord! Let it be to
me according to your
word.â And the angel
departed from her.
178. *This verse reveals Mary's
free will submission to the
will of God.
*Mary's submission is a
very lovely thing.
*"Whatever God says, I
accept."
179. Mary had learned to
forget the world's most
common prayerâ
"Thy will be changed"â
and prayed the world's
greatest prayerâ
"Thy will be done."
180. Mary yielded herself to
the Holy Spirit (âpresent
your bodies as a living,
holy sacrificeâ Rom 12:1)
knowing full well that she
would experience shame
and misunderstanding.
181. When Mary told the angel,
"Be it unto me according to
thy wordâ, at that very
moment a cloud came over
her life, and that cloud was
there until the Lord Jesus
Christ came back from the
dead.
182. The resurrection of Christ
proves His virgin birth.
It was questioned until
then.
183. *You cannot deny the
virgin birth and believe
the Resurrection, or vice
versa.
*The virgin birth and the
Resurrection go together;
they stand or fall together.
184. LUKE 1:39-40 NKJV
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 Now
Mary arose in
those days and went into
the hill country with
haste, to a city of Judah,
185. 40 and
entered the house
of Zacharias and greeted
Elizabeth.
LUKE 1:39-40 NKJV
187. Zacharias and Elizabeth
lived in one of the priestly
cities (Joshua 21), so Mary
had to make
a journey to
get there.
http://www.mormonchannel.org/sites/default/files/SS-NT-02-01.jpg
188. When she arrived and
greeted Elizabeth,
wonderful things began to
happen.
189. LUKE 1:41 NKJV
41 And it happened, when
Elizabeth heard the
greeting of Mary, that the
babe leaped in her womb;
and Elizabeth was filled
with the Holy Spirit.
191. LUKE 1:42 NKJV
42 Then
she spoke out with
a loud voice and said,
âBlessed are you among
women, and blessed is the
fruit of your womb!
192. *This begins the first song
given to us in Luke's
Gospel, and it is lovely.
*Dr. Luke was the poet
who gives us all the songs
of Christmas; this one
comes from Elisabeth.
193. This is a lyrical song on
the blessedness of Mary.
Nowhere can we better
see the paradox of
blessedness than in
Maryâs life.
194. *To Mary was granted the
blessedness of being the
mother of the Son of God.
*Well might her heart be
filled with a wondering,
tremulous joy at so great a
privilege.
195. Yet that very blessedness
was to be
a sword
to pierce
her heart.
http://eborg2.com/BibleNT/42-Luke/SwordHeart.jpg
196. It meant that some day
she would see her son
hanging on a cross.
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/c9/b9/ea/c9b9ea1de9c37feeebaae5d1d271edd7.jpg
197. To be chosen by God so
often means at one and
the same time
a crown of
joy and cross
of sorrow.
http://biblicalproof.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/it-takes-a-crown-of-thorns.jpg
198. The piercing truth is that
God does not choose a
person for ease and
comfort and selfish joy but
for a task that will take all
that head and heart and
hand can bring to it.
199. God chooses a man in
order to use him.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vhw4SzNlC9A/TvFA2gv5czI/AAAAAAAABGw/XkEsF0er_As/s1600/pieta4.jpg
200. When that is realized, the
sorrows and hardships
that serving God may
bring are not matters for
lamentation; they are our
glory, for all is suffered for
God.
201. A great Spanish saint
prayed for his people,
"May God deny you peace
and give you glory."
202. A great modern preacher
said, "Jesus Christ came
not to make life easy but
to make men great."
203. It is the paradox of
blessedness that it confers
on a person at one and the
same time the greatest joy
and the greatest task in all
the world.
204. Hebrews 12:1b-2 NKJV
1b let us lay aside every
weight, and the sin which
so easily ensnares us, and
let us run with endurance
the race that is set before
us,
205. 2 looking
unto Jesus, the
Author and Finisher
of our faith, Who for the
joy that was set before
Him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and
has sat down at the right
206. hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1b-2 NKJV
http://www.chick.com/catalog/videos/images/thumbnails/01.gif
207. LUKE 1:43 NKJV
43 But
why is this granted
to me, that the mother of
my Lord should come to
me?
208. *Note that Elizabeth
called Mary "the mother
of my Lord," which is a
proper title.
*It was Mary's faith that
was extolled most of all
(v. 45).
209. LUKE 1:44 NKJV
44 For
indeed, as soon as
the voice of your greeting
sounded in my ears, the
babe leaped in my womb
for joy.
211. Elizabeth gave praise to
God for what He had
done for Mary, and the
unborn John the Baptist
leaped for joy in his
mother's womb
(see John 3:29-30).
212. LUKE 1:45 NKJV
45 Blessed
is she who
believed, for there will be
a fulfillment of those
things which were told
her from the Lord.â
213. *Little is said in Scripture
about Elisabeth.
*She sang the first song of
the New Testament, and
when you have a soloist
like this, you should not
ignore her.
214. She is a remarkable
person.
She had faith while her
husband Zacharias did
not.
215. *He was struck dumb
because of his unbelief,
but Elisabeth was not.
*She believed God.
*Now she as an old
woman encourages the
young woman, Mary.
216. Elisabeth had walked
with God for many years,
and she assures Mary that
there would be a
performance of those
things which had been
revealed to her.
217. Mary needed the
encouragement that
Elisabeth could give.
http://ec.aciprensa.com/newwiki/images/4/4d/Champaigne_visitation.jpg
219. Now Mary sings a song.
This is known as the
Magnificat.
This song teaches us
several interesting things.
220. Mary tells us in her song
that she needed a Savior
and that she rejoiced in
Him.
We also need to call her
blessed.
221. *Mary is a wonderful
person, and it was no
accident that she was
chosen by God.
*It was His definite
decision, and God makes
no mistakes.
222. It was her glorious
privilege to be the mother
of the Son of God, to bring
Him into the world.
Listen as Mary continues
to sing her song:
223. The Song of Mary
LUKE 1:46-56 NKJV
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S6z1yUF3PRk/Tzv_MLzadfI/AAAAAAAACH8/Pwmwq669nTs/s1600/magnificat.jpg
224. Mary's song of praise is
called "The Magnificent"
(from the Latin word for
"magnify").
225. Mary knew the Scriptures,
for there are at least
fifteen OT quotations or
allusions in her song.
(See 1 Samuel 2:1-10)
226. Mary praises God and
eight times tells us what
God has done
("He has . . . " NKJV).
227. Note that Mary
acknowledged God as her
Savior (v. 47), which
indicates that she had
trusted the Lord for her
own salvation.
228. She praised God for what
He did for her (46-49), for
all who fear Him (50-53),
and for His people Israel
(54-55).
229. Mary took God's promises
to Israel literally and did
not explain them away.
230. LUKE 1:46-48a NKJV
The Song of Mary
46 And Mary said:
âMy soul magnifies the
Lord,
47 And my spirit has
rejoiced in God my Savior.
231. 48a For
He has regarded
the lowly state of His
maidservant;
LUKE 1:46-48a NKJV
232. Psalm 66:18 NKJV
18 If
I regard (pay special
attention to) iniquity in
my heart,
The Lord will not hear.
233. LUKE 1:48-56 NKJV
48 For He has regarded the
lowly state of His
maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all
generations will call me
blessed.
234. 49 For
He Who is mighty
has done great things for
me,
And holy is His name.
235. 50 And
His mercy is on
those who fear Him
From generation to
generation.
236. 51 He
has shown strength
with His arm;
He has scattered the
proud in the imagination
of their hearts.
237. 52 He
has put down the
mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
53 He has filled the hungry
with good things,
And the rich He has sent
away empty.
238. 54 He
has helped His
servant Israel,
In remembrance
of His mercy,
239. 55 As
He spoke to our
fathers,
To Abraham and to his
seed forever.â
241. Here we have a passage
which has become one of
the great hymns of the
churchâthe Magnificat.
242. It is saturated with the
Old Testament; and is
specially kin to Hannah's
song of praise in 1 Sam
2:1-10.
243. It has been said that
religion is the opiate of
the people; but, as Stanley
Jones said, "the Magnificat
is the most revolutionary
document in the world."
244. It speaks of three of the
revolutions of God.
(i) He scatters the proud
in the plans of their
hearts. That is a moral
revolution. Christianity is
the death of pride. Why?
245. Because if a man sets his
life beside that of Christ it
tears the last vestiges of
pride from him.
246. *Sometimes something
happens to a man which
with a vivid, revealing
light shames him.
*O. Henry has a short
story about a lad who was
brought up in a village.
247. *In school he used to sit
beside a girl and they
were fond of each other.
*He went to the city and
fell into evil ways.
*He became a pickpocket
and a petty thief.
248. *One day he snatched an
old lady's purse.
*It was clever work and he
was pleased.
*And then he saw coming
down the street the girl
whom he used to know,
249. still sweet with the
radiance of innocence.
*Suddenly he saw himself
for the cheap, vile thing
he really was.
250. *Burning with shame, he
leaned his head against
the cool iron of a lamp
standard. "God," he said,
"I wish I could die."
*He saw himself.
251. *Christ enables a man to
see himself.
*It is the deathblow to
pride.
The moral revolution has
begun.
252. (ii) He casts down the
mightyâhe exalts the
humble.
That is a social revolution.
*Christianity puts an end
to the world's labels and
prestige.
253. *Muretus was a poor,
wandering scholar of the
middle ages.
*In an Italian town he
took ill and was taken to a
hospital for waifs and
strays.
269. LUKE 2:2 NKJV
2 This
census first took
place while Quirinius was
governing Syria.
270. In the Roman Empire
periodical censuses were
taken with the double object
of assessing taxation and of
discovering those who were
liable for compulsory
military service.
271. The Jews were exempt
from military service, and,
therefore, in Palestine a
census would be
predominantly for
taxation purposes.
273. In the phrase, "all the
world should be taxedâ,
the Greek word for world,
oikoumene, means
"inhabited earth" and
referred to the civilized
world of that day.
274. Caesar Augustus was the
adopted son of Julius
Caesar.
Actually his name was
Octavianus and he took
the name Caesar.
276. When the senate
submitted to him certain
titles like king, emperor,
and dictator, he was not
satisfied.
Instead he chose the title
Augustus.
277. It had religious
significance, it was an
attempt to deify himself.
It was no accident that Dr.
Luke mentioned the name
of Caesar Augustus.
278. *This man signed a tax bill
that the whole world (of
that day) be taxed.
*He needed money to
raise an army to control
his vast empire and to live
in luxury himself.
280. LUKE 2:3-5 NKJV
3 So
all went to be
registered, everyone to his
own city.
281. 4 Joseph
also went up
from Galilee, out of the
city of Nazareth, into
Judea, to the city of
David, which is called
Bethlehem, because he
was of the house and
282. lineage of David,
5 to
be registered with
Mary, his betrothed wife,
who was with child.
LUKE 2:3-5 NKJV
283. Joseph and Mary came
out of Nazareth in Galilee
and went into Judea to
Bethlehem, the city of
David.
284. *Joseph did this because
he was of the house and
lineage of David.
*Why did Mary have to
go to Bethlehem?
*She also was of the
lineage of David.
289. *But that little baby in
Mary's womb -- many of
us worship Him today
and call Him our Savior.
*Caesar Augustus was
merely the tool in God's
hand to bring to pass the
290. prophecy, "But thou,
Bethlehem Ephratah,
though thou be little
among the thousands of
Judah, yet out of thee
shall he come forth unto
me that is to be ruler in
291. Israel; whose goings forth
have been from of old,
from everlasting" (Micah
5:2).
This is a remarkable
account.
293. If anyone had said to
Caesar, "Wait a minute;
women about to give birth
are going to have to be
moved in order for you to
get your taxes," I think he
would have replied,
294. "I do not care about babies
or their mothers; I am
only interested in taxes,
armies, money and
luxury."
*That is all gone now,
including Caesar & Nero.
295. The journey from
Nazareth to Bethlehem
was 80 miles.
The accommodation for
travelers was most
primitive.
296. The eastern khan was like
a series of stalls opening
off a common courtyard.
297. Travelers brought their
own food; all that the
innkeeper provided was
fodder for the animals
and a fire to cook.
298. The town was crowded
and there was no room for
Joseph and Mary.
So it was in the common
courtyard that Mary's
child was born.
300. LUKE 2:6-7 NKJV
6 So
it was, that while they
were there, the days were
completed for her to be
delivered.
301. 7 And
she brought forth her
firstborn Son, and
wrapped Him in
swaddling cloths, and laid
Him in a manger, because
there was no room for
them in the inn. Luke 2:6-7
302. Dr. Luke gets right down
to the little human details
in this passage.
303. He is saying that Mary
put swaddling clothes on
this little child -- baby
clothes and diapers on the
Son of God!
306. The child was first
wrapped in the square of
cloth and then the long
strip was wound round
and round about him.
307. The word translated
"manger" means a place
where animals feed; and
therefore it can be either
the stable or the manger
which is meant.
308. *That there was no room
in the inn was symbolic
of what was to happen to
Jesus.
*The only place where
there was room for him
was on a cross.
309. He sought an entry to the
over-crowded hearts of
men; He could not find it;
and still his searchâand
His rejectionâgo on.
310. Some preachers and some
people who present
Christmas pageants like to
condemn the innkeeper
because he did not give Mary
a decent place to give birth to
her Baby, but the Bible is
silent about the matter.
311. âInn" was probably a
typical Eastern
"caravansary," a two-story
structure (the lower level
was for animals) built
around a courtyard where
travelers could camp.
312. Jesus must have been
born in one of the cattle
stalls; the feeding trough
was His bed.
Phil 2:1-11 and
2 Corinthians 8:9.