“UNTO YOU IS BORN...A SAVIOUR” -     LUKE 2:11

-Introduction

-In Luke 1, God’s angel, Gabriel, appeared to Zacharias and to Mary with information

  regarding the births of John the Baptizer and Jesus. 

-Approximately 400 years of silence from heaven was now broken.

-What an exciting time!

-Luke 2:2-11

            -Upon the birth of Jesus, His arrival was announced by angels of heaven.

            -The Christ had arrived.

-Christ - (Vines) - “Christos” - anointed

-the One sent by God - the Messiah

-The people had been looking for, anticipating, longing for the coming of the Messiah.

            -John 1:40-45 (4:25)

                        -How did they know?  How could they know? - Old Testament prophecies

-Significance of Prophecy

-amazing developments of mankind - inventions, technology, all that’s available today, etc.

-Yet, there are still many things that mankind simply cannot do.  One of which is predict

  the future.  It simply goes beyond our abilities.

            -James 4:14

            -Yet, God knows the end from the beginning - Isa 46-9-10

            -We see this demonstrated in His predictive prophecies.

-prophecy - “...It is the declaration of that which cannot be know by natural means.” (Vine's

                    Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
            -Prophecy does not have to be in predictive form but that is usually how we think of it.

-The scriptures’ use of predictive prophecy and the fulfillment of it proves without a

  shadow of a doubt that they are indeed the inspired words of God.

-Messianic Prophecies

-Again, the people were expecting the Messiah due to the prophecies of the O.T. - Moses

  and the prophets.

-And, in regards to Jesus, there were many, many prophecies regarding all aspects of His

  life on earth - His birth, His earthly lineage, His life, His death, His resurrection, His

  ascension.

            -Jesus didn’t just fulfill some of them.  He didn’t just fulfill most of them.

            -Luke 24:44 - He fulfilled all of them.

-Let’s consider just a few:

            -His birth:                                              Prophecy                  Fulfillment

                        -of the seed of woman               Gen 3:15                   Gal 4:14

                        -place                                        Mic 5:2                     Matt 2:1

                        -miraculous birth                        Isa 7:14                     Matt 1:18

            -His lineage:    

                        -seed of Abraham                     Gen 18:18                   Gal 3:16, Matt 1:1

                        -throne of David                        Isa 9:7                         Matt 1:1, Acts 2:30

                        -tribe of Judah                           Gen 49:10                   Heb 7:14

            -Teacher/Deliverer sent by God             Isa 61:1-3                   Luke 4:16-21

            -Life of difficulty                                    Isa 53:2/Jer 31:15        Matt 2:1

            -Rejection                                                                        **See  Below**

-His death:      

            -price of His betrayal                            Zech 11:12                  Matt 26:15

            -purchase of potter’s field                     Zech 11:13                  Matt 27:6-7

            -manner of death - crucifixion                Ps 22:16                     Matt 27:31, Jn 20:25

            -in the presence of thieves                     Isa 53:9,12                 Matt 27:38

-His burial                                                         Isa 53:9                      Matt 27:57-60

-His resurrection                                               Ps 16:10                     Luke 24:1-5, Acts 2:32

-His ascension                                                  Ps 68:18                     Acts 1:9-11, Eh 4:7-8

**His Rejection

-Why was Jesus rejected by mankind? - He did not meet their expectations - preconceived

  ideas.

-They expected the Messiah to come in a powerful, triumphal, glorious and exalted way.

            -They had a hard time accepting the Messiah - born in a manger.

-They expected Him to establish an earthly kingdom.

            -Dan 2:44, Isa 9:6-7

            -The Jews expected a physical deliverance from their enemies.  They had a “He’ll show

              you who’s boss” type of an attitude.

                        -They expected the Messiah to run their enemies out of town and to establish a

                          place of prominence and power for the Jews.

            -John 6:15, 66-69

            -Jesus did not come to establish an earthly kingdom.  He’s not going to return to

              establish one.  His kingdom is the spiritual kingdom, the church.

                        -John 18:36

-So, in their rejection and hatred of Jesus, they crucified Him.

            -Yet, they didn’t take His life, He gave it.

            -John 10:15-18

-Even though Jesus came to this earth and laid down His life for the sins of the world,  

  many still reject Him, His church and the truth.

            -Why?  - same things - false expectations, preconceived ideas

            -People are still transposing their own ideas, thoughts and preferences over God’s will.

                        -When God’s truth doesn’t match their ideas, they unfortunately cast truth aside.

-There wasn’t room for Jesus in the inn when He was born.  Unfortunately, in many lives

  today, there is still no room for Jesus.

-Summary and Invitation

-What about you today?  Are you providing room in your life for Jesus?  Have you

  responded in obedience to His sacrifice upon the cross?  Are you living faithfully to Him?

-If not, obey the Gospel today:  Believe (John 3:16, 8:24), Confess (Matt 10:32, Rom 10:9-

  10), Repent (Luke 13:3,5; Acts 17:30), Be Baptized into Christ (Mark 16:16, Rom 6:3-4,

  Gal 3:26-29), Walk in Newness of Life (Rom 6:4, Eph 4:22-24)

-If you’ve obeyed the Gospel but haven’t remained faithful, confess your faults, repent of

  them and pray for God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:7-9, Acts 8:22-24).

-The Messiah was born, He lived upon this earth and died for you and me.  He was

  resurrected on the third day and now sits at the right hand of God.

            -God’s prophecies and the fulfillment of them prove these things to be true.

            -Acts 2:36

Date:  Dec 25, 2005