What Child Is This?

Luke 1 and 2

We have a lot of pregnant moms and babies. Every baby is special, but not every baby is special in the same way.

Before we had Elijah, Janette had a dream of 4 angels hovering over our baby, smiling and singing. My dad, the first time he saw Janette after becoming pregnant, felt compelled to pray for her and this baby of ours. After he was born, a handful of nurses at the came and said they’d seen countless babies they’ve seen, but our baby was special. When we first brought him to church, one of the more prayerful elderly women from Emmanuel immediately held our baby and started praising God for what He would do through this child. There’s something special about this child.

The truth of the matter is that none of this happened, but what would you think of Elijah if it did?

That’s the kind of impression the Bible wants to give us about Jesus—this is a very special child!

I want to take a quick survey of the Christmas account in Luke, and I hope we can recognize the unique and extraordinary events that surrounded this baby. There’s a lot of build up, special markers that set this baby apart from all other babies.

We start with the birth of John the Baptist. There’s actually a significant amount of space given to this (1:5ff, 57ff). As Zechariah was serving in the temple an angel visited him and prophesied he would have a son

filled with HS from birth, turn people back to God, prepare a people for the Lord

Elizabeth was barren and they were both “well along in years”

He doubted the prophesy and so was silenced; he became mute

Elizabeth became pregnant in her old age, and when the baby was born and he was named John (as instructed by angel), Zechariah immediate regained his speech

“What then is this child going to be?” (1:66)

John was a very special person. Even before his birth, he was especially anointed and called by God for an important task. John the Baptist was just the herald, the announcer, the introducer.

If this is the introduction, then what is the main event. If you had Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan and Queen Elizabeth II come on stage to say, “Human words are inadequate to express the worth and honor of our guest tonight. It is our highest privilege to introduce to you . . .” We should probably have an introduction for the introducers. That’s what we have here. John the Baptist is great in his own rite. He is a special servant of God.

But John said, “There is one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am unworthy to untie.” I’m a doormat compared to Christ. This is a special, Spirit-anointed doormat! If John is the doormat, then what kind of mansion is this?! If we have to spend so much time to honor the introducer, then what does that say of the person John has been called to introduce?! Jesus is so great that someone worthy enough to introduce him merits an introduction in itself.

Angel to Mary (1:26ff)

We have Gabriel (the angel is named) visiting Mary to tell her of her coming baby.

Though a virgin, you will conceive

This baby is the Son of the Most High, he will sit on the throne of David and his kingdom will never end

Mary visits Elizabeth (1:39ff), and baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the HS pronounces blessings on Mary, and Mary erupts in song!

Then in Luke 2, it happens. Mary and Joseph had to go back to his hometown of Bethlehem because of a census, and while they were there, Mary delivered her baby boy.

Angels appeared to shepherds, “A Savior has been born; he is the Messiah.” (2:8ff)

So these shepherds to go Bethlehem to see this baby.

When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2:17, 18)

(2:21) 8 days after Jesus’ birth, Joseph and Mary take Jesus to the Temple to have him circumcised. There they meet Simeon, who was filled and let by the HS, and when he saw this baby, Simeon immediately burst into song.

I can die now, for I have seen your salvation, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for the glory of your people Israel. (I’ve been waiting to see this baby, now I can die!)

The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him (Lk 2:33)

But before they left they met Anna, a prophetess who “never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.”

Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Lk 2:38)

What impression do these stories make on you?

Think about Mary and Joseph—all these angels and prophesies and strangers coming up to you because of this baby. She has a virgin birth. Luke doesn’t even tell us about the wise men and King Herod trying to kill this baby. What is going on? This child hasn’t even done anything yet, and people worship him (or want to kill him). Who is this little baby?

Notice the extensiveness of the account. There is a lot of detail. Why is this so long? Do we really need to read all this? Why does Luke spend so much time on this?

For many of the great Bible characters, we don’t have an account of their births. We don’t know anything about the birth of Noah, Abraham, Ruth, David, Isaiah, or Peter or Paul.

As far as the story goes, Luke could have said, “Jesus was born to Joseph and Mary” and then tell the story of Jesus’ ministry: all the miracles he did, all the things he said. Why two full chapters about the events surrounding Jesus’ birth?

Scripture spend a lot of time on what is important.

Luke is not just rambling. Luke is emphasizing, this is no ordinary baby. This child is literally from heaven. This is the long-awaited Messiah, the Son of God.

Of all the events of human kind, this quiet little event marked all eternity. All eternity can be marked by before the first Christmas and after the first Christmas. Upon an unsuspecting earth, the Creator of the universe took on human form and became a baby. All the angels in heaven bowed in reverence and awe as their Lord and Maker left His heavenly home and entered earth through a barn, through the womb of a woman. It was a miracle even for heaven.

1. Perhaps we’ve lost the awe of Christmas

This Christmas season is often about shopping, Christmas parties and visiting family. It’s about lights and decorations, Pollyanna’s, and Christmas tunes on the radio.

Or perhaps more significantly, Christmas is about joy, love, peace and goodwill. It’s about giving. It’s about family and friends—the special relationship we have in our lives.

It’s so true that it often hard to see Christ in the middle of Christmas.

We forget the wonder of the child. This is God who became flesh.

But we are not in awe of the child!

We have lost our sense of worship, awe.

Christmas carols/hymns, written for worship, have become so familiar that it’s just background and decoration.

All the angels in heaven bowed in reverence and awe as their Lord and Maker left His heavenly home and entered earth through a barn, through the womb of a woman.

O Holy Night, powerful chorus: Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angels’ voices!

Do we hear those voices? Do feel moved to fall on our knees?

I must confess, its hard for me too. As we get older, Christmas seems to lose some of its magic. We have to stop from all the rush, quiet the noise, and inwardly re-center our hearts and look upon Christ. Stop, listen for those angel voices.

2. Behold our Savior is born

But the angel said to [shepherds], “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. (Lk 2:10, 11)

[Simeon] “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,

you now dismiss your servant in peace.

For my eyes have seen your salvation . . . (Lk 2:29-30)

Coming up to them at that very moment, [Anna] gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Lk 2:38)

Christmas is meaningful to those who have problems. Big problems.

Last week P. Charles mentioned who for many Christmas is actually a very difficult time of year. Some of us may have strained relationships with our parents or spouses, some of us feel deeply lonely, even rejected.

Or perhaps some of us feel the stress of career pressures, or financial pressures, or loved ones with medical problems. The list is endless. Maybe 2007 has been a difficult year.

If you’re willing to face it, the Bible says that a lot of these problems are within us. It’s not just that other person, our situation—it’s us. We are spiritually sick, we’re broken on the inside.

It’s those people who know they have problems, who know they’re broken and sick, who feel the joy of hearing that our Savior, our Healer has come. God has invaded our world to rescue us.

Let me go one step further. If you see problems in the world: political problems, environmental problems, injustice and corruption and oppression, etc.

Headlines from last night:

“Turkey bombs Kurdish rebels in Iraq”

“4 dead, 11 wounded in Iraq car bombings”

“Snowstorm across Plains turns deadly”

“Forecast for deeper, longer housing slump”

There’s always bad news.

A Savior is born, and He has come to heal/rescue the problem of sin within us and the effects of sin in the world. Christ has come to “make his blessings flow far as the curse is found.”

Our Savior is born!

I’d like to end with a little video/song. Remember the Christmas account of Luke. There is a sense of awe and wonder. Imagine what that story must have been like for Joseph and Mary, to have all these angels and prophesies. Let’s regain our wonder, listen to those angel voices and bow to worship our Savior.

[“Mary Did You Know?” video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1oHJR2g7Tw]