Luke chapter 2, beginning in verse 1, and we'll read to verse 14. This continues the birth narrative of our Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, takes up the second giving of the birth narrative of our Lord Jesus Christ here dealing with the shepherds as they are the recipients of the announcing angels proclamation concerning the birth of the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the city of David. So we'll look at a number of things tonight, but we'll look at the text first by reading it beginning in verse 1.
Thank you. And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
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 lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 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. Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you.
You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. Amen.
Introduction
Well, we find in this narrative the angels singing what Spurgeon called the first hymn of the incarnation. In fact, I think he had a little bit different words, but I'm paraphrasing. But the angels singing the first hymn of the incarnation here. This is, of course, the narrative concerning the birth of Jesus Christ.
If you'll remember what the author Luke takes up or writes in verses 1 to 4 of Luke 1. If you can turn back there for a moment, Luke 1, beginning at verse 1. Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed." So the task for Luke, the author of this gospel, is just what we read, to set forth an orderly account of the things that have been fulfilled among them. So when we come to Chapter 2, when we come to the Scriptures, no doubt, we come to a body of God-inspired literature, the only such And we come to documents that do not come to us in the flavor of, you've heard this before, once upon a time.
We don't have nice little stories woven together by the authors of fiction or half truth, half fiction. We don't have the religious documents that are somehow conspired to be set before the ignorant in order for them to grasp on to some sort of some sort of so-called truth, but rather we have God's revelation to men concerning salvation, redemption by His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And the God-inspired authors write to us, and being inspired by God, these documents come to us with certainty, with what Luke writes here, perfect understanding of all things, the certainty of those things in which you were instructed. And so we come to verse 1 of Luke 2, and we see rather than the stuff of fiction once upon a time, we see it set in historical context.
We see it set in geographical context. We see it set in geopolitical context. And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. And it continues with that same sort of flavor.
Our Bibles are wholly trustworthy in all that they affirm, and that includes history as it's given to us here in this narrative. We're going to try and look at five things tonight under Luke chapter 2, verse 1 to 14. The first thing that we'll look at is the timing of Christ's incarnation. The second thing will be the place of Christ's incarnation.
The third, the purpose of Christ's incarnation. The fourth, the proper response to Christ's incarnation, and then hopefully the majority of time will be spent, fifthly, on the manner of Christ's incarnation.
Timing of Christ's Incarnation
So first, why don't we look at the timing of Christ's incarnation. Note first, it is rooted in history, as we just read in verses 1 to 2, verse 1, 2, and 3. We see, it came to pass, or we read, it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria, so all went to be registered everyone to his own city. The accounts of the Lord Jesus Christ being true took place then at a real time and a real place in time and in history.
Again, we do not come to the Bible and read cunningly devised fables as Peter brings out in his second epistle, but rather we come and we read things that are most certainly true because God in his infinite wisdom has revealed them to us. So we have this taking place rooted in a time in history. And it's a very, it's a simple tradition for writers to place narratives in history, but it is kind, isn't it, that Luke gives us these things. He places it with rulers, he places it at a particular event in history when this census first took place under the governing rule of this Quirinius.
You see this throughout the Scriptures. In fact, you see the same thing in Luke 3 at verse 1. Now, in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituria, and the regent of Trachonitis, etc., etc. So you see, the authors of Holy Scripture are very diligent in making sure that the presentation of this information comes with that flavor of history, with the flavor of noting political rulers.
And we don't necessarily see it here, but elsewhere we have things like architecture and those sorts of things. So the authors of Holy Scripture are writing true narrative, and it is historically Yeah, well, that's probably the best idea. It's annoying everyone, isn't it? It's like an old lady rocking a chair.
Yeah, I don't know if it's the bracket or something. Let's see what happens with this one. People at home, I apologize. You can't see this, but it's not entertaining, so it's probably best you don't.
OK, so thanks, Mike. So the timing of Christ's incarnation, it is rooted in history. You know, the prophet Isaiah does this as well, doesn't he? Not only the prophet Isaiah, but others in the Old Testament as well.
Isaiah 6, in the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord high and lifted up. So it is a common practice of the authors of Holy Scripture to set the setting forth of true narrative in the context of time and history. And this was when the timing of Christ's incarnation, this was when the fullness of the time had come. You can turn to Galatians 4.4 for a moment, because that is most certainly a related passage to what we find here.
Galatians 4 and verse 4. In fact, we'll start reading at verse 1. Galatians 4, beginning in verse 1. Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is a master of all. but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.
Even so, we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. What Paul is doing there is he's really giving a theological summary sort of a divinely inspired commentary on the narrative that we just read in the Gospel of Luke. That is what is going on.
The narrative in the Gospel of Luke serves this theological commentary on the purpose of Christ's incarnation. When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law to redeem those who were under the law. So the timing of Christ's incarnation was when the fullness of the times had come. What do you think that means, the fullness of the times had come?
Excuse me. Yeah, I was giving approval to your response and the coffee is in my lungs now. But yes, very good. The God's plan of redemption.
Remember, God is a sovereign God of purposive decree. That means he's a God who has purpose in everything that he does. And the whole point of creation and time, history and providence serves that redemptive plan that he had before the foundation of the world to save a multitude that no man can number through the doing, dying, rising again of Jesus Christ. And so the fullness of the times is referring to that plan of redemption.
That is brought about in time and in history. We could see that in the fullness of the times had come. We see in that the fulfillment of promise and prophecy. Remember what's going on in the Old Testament.
What isn't going on is simply a setting forth of various morals and covenants for diverse and varying purposes, but rather a Christward trajectory in the Old Testament, God working out his plan of redemption. So when we read the fullness of the times had come, we should see in the background things like Genesis 3.15 and the promise of that hero born of woman who would crush the serpent's head. We should see in that all of the types and the shadows of Old Covenant religion, the ceremonies, the washings, all those things of Levitical holiness. We should see in that the the wisdom of the Psalms and the Proverbs being brought to true manifestation in the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We should see things like Daniel 9 beginning at verse 24. Daniel 9 beginning at verse 24, 70 weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. So these 70 weeks that Daniel is speaking of are speaking concerning that time. And as we continue, you'll see that the timing is brought to full fruition at the first coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The fullness of the times had come, the fullness of these times in Danielic prophecy notice verse 25 know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there shall be seven weeks and 62 weeks the street shall be built again and the wall even in troublesome times and after the 62 weeks Messiah shall be cut off but not for himself and the and the people of the Prince who is to come shall destroy the city in the sanctuary the end of it shall be with a flood until the end of the war, desolations are determined. Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering, and on the wing of abomination shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation which is determined is poured out on the desolate." Now, all of that to read for you to understand that these 70 weeks that are determined, and specifically when we read here that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there shall be that whole that whole time from the rebuilding of the temple in the Old Covenant era after coming out of exile in Babylon to the coming of Christ that is the fullness of the times with respect to Daniel's prophecy verses 26 and 27 don't have expectation in our future but were accomplished at the first coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, when he gave the sacrifice of himself and when he returned 40 years later in judgment in AD 70 to destroy the ungodly apostate Jews. But suffice it to say, the fullness of the times has wrapped up in it the fulfillment of biblical prophecy as it pertains to the coming, the first coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. So the timing of Christ's incarnation, it's rooted in history, first off, And then it is when the fullness of the times had come.
And more to the language of our text, that fullness of the times reality is brought about by providential means. And the providential means that we find in our text is the census that is inaugurated here and the going of Joseph and Mary back to the city of David. This is what Robert Raymond writes with regards to the fullness of the times and the providential means brought about in history. When the fullness of the time had come, that is to say at God's appointed time, when the Jewish diaspora had spread throughout the Roman Empire and the Old Testament had been translated into Greek, opening the eyes of the Greek world to its theological power and beauty.
When the Pax Romana extended over most of the known world, with great roads and the Greek language linking the empire of the Caesars and making travel and commerce possible on a scale formerly impossible. When Greek philosophical thought had atrophied into skepticism, offering no hope in human wisdom to improve the ancient world, when the so-called civilized world as a result had sunk so low morally that even pagans were crying out for relief from the rampant immorality all around them. In keeping with the Old Testament promises, prophecies, sacrifices, and other types and ordinances, all for signifying Christ to come. God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law as the Messiah and mediator of the covenant of grace.
So you see there, all of those providential pieces of the puzzle, if you will, falling into place, give us something of a picture of the fullness of the times coming. It's God and his infinite wisdom knitting together what he had previously decreed bearing out now in Providence. Caesar Augustus ruling, the decree going out that all the world be registered and all the world there meaning simply the Roman Empire, the breadth of Roman rule. The census that takes place under Quirinius and then the going of Joseph and Mary to the city of Nazareth, from the city of Nazareth into Judea to the city of David, Bethlehem. the timing of Christ's incarnation.
Any questions about any of that? Anything unclear? I feel like I was talking really fast, so I apologize, but if there are any questions, just stop me at any time with a hand up.
Place of Christ's Incarnation
Secondly then, the place of Christ's incarnation, very quickly, the place of Christ's incarnation, it is in Bethlehem, the city of David. Does anybody know a specific With regards to this passage, the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, any verses in the Old Testament come to mind that this is a fulfillment of, a prophecy in the Old Testament? Jesus being born in the city of Bethlehem. You can turn to Micah 5 for a moment.
You're probably familiar with the stuff of Micah 5, whether the language as it comes from the Bible or as it's been put into hymns. In Micah 5, we have this wonderful language in verse 2 that we're seeing the fulfillment of in Luke chapter 2. Micah 5 verse 2, but you Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to me the one to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are of old, from everlasting. So you see the inclusion of the information here by Luke to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, isn't simply to note where the Lord Christ was born. but was to make it known that this was most certainly a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
This is Micah 5.2 being brought to reality. And also the promise with respect to the Davidic Covenant in 2 Samuel 7, notice the language, because he was of the house and lineage of David. So that Davidic Covenant, the promise that God made to David we can say roughly a thousand years prior, that promise made to David is finally being brought forth, that a king would come from his lineage that would rule forever, whose kingdom shall not be destroyed. And so we have the fulfillment of Micah 5 too, we have the fulfillment of the Davidic promise of a thousand years prior, we have ultimately the fulfillment of the entire trajectory of the Old Testament being brought to reality here. at the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, at his first coming.
All of the complex of events that mark his first coming. Bethlehem, the city of David, yes this was according to the custom of returning to one's ancestral homeland for registration, but also and more importantly it was in fulfillment of prophecy, that Micah 5.2 prophecy specifically.
Purpose of Christ's Incarnation
Thirdly, the purpose of Christ's incarnation. So we have the timing, We have the place, now we have the purpose of Christ's incarnation. And we'll skip forward a little bit and just go to verse 11. Notice the purpose of Christ's incarnation.
Of course, this is what we read, for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. The purpose of Christ's incarnation, of course, is salvation. there is born to you this day a Savior. And it's an interesting thing, and we'll get to that later, but the title given to this babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger, lying in a feed trough, there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. You know, I don't think that, you know, it doesn't Maybe it does, but it doesn't necessarily strike us as so amazing in the sense that someone who is an unbeliever, someone who stands outside of Christ in unbelief, it's amazing in the sense that it doesn't make sense to them.
They think of Savior, they think of a Lord, and they think of someone entering into this world with pomp and with power. If a baby, then one born into royal parentage, one brought forth from a mansion of splendor, you know, bespeckled with jewels and precious metals and that sort of thing. But here we have the king of kings and the lord of lords lying wrapped in swaddling cloths in a feed trough. It speaks to the amazing condescension the second of the Blessed Trinity and we'll get to that a little bit later, but the purpose of Christ's incarnation is the salvation of his people.
There's another prophecy in the Old Testament in the book of Isaiah speaking of the fact that upon those who dwell in darkness, light has dawned. Matthew brings this out in his gospel. Jesus is the light sent unto the Gentiles, most certainly unto the Jews, but also unto the Gentiles. Christ's, the purpose of Christ's incarnation was salvation.
Now you see, this isn't news to us. We're Christians. We know this. We ought to glory in this.
But it's important, especially when we come to that time of year called Christmas every year, where the, you know, the whole the whole ambiguous spirit is about giving, sort of about the human spirit and about, you know, old grumpy men being reformed and giving cooked gooses to, you know, to families in need and that sort of a thing. And the amelioration of social ills is fantastic, but Christ didn't come in order to ameliorate the ills of society. Christ did come to instruct, yes, but he wasn't simply a teacher coming to bring societal reform. He wasn't simply a teacher coming to bring a little bit more information that people need.
He was a savior coming into the world to save his people from their sins. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, Paul writes in 1 Timothy 1.15, that Christ Jesus came into this world sinners to save. That's a faithful saying worthy of all acceptance and that is the purpose of the 66 books of the Old and New Testament to make a declaration concerning this Christ who would come in the fullness of the times to die for sinners and to rise again. Christ's, the purpose of Christ's incarnation is most certainly the salvation of his people.
Christ himself says this. What are some words of Christ that he says that speak to this reality, that his primary objective in coming into this world was the salvation of his people. You don't have to necessarily know the text address, but what are some words of Christ that he says with regards to this? How about the son of man did not come into this world to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.
It's a wonderful statement by our Savior. The Son of Man came into this world, sinners to save. He came for the purpose of redemption. Yeah, very good.
Yeah, you know, and I think often we see that and we should see that with respect to his proper exegeting of the law over and against pharisaical misinterpretation, but we should also see redemption in that as well. He came to fulfill the law. How does he do that? He perfectly fulfills the law of God in the place of all those whom the Father had given to him.
Without a righteousness, without a proper and perfect obedience to God's law, we cannot be accepted before the bar of heavenly justice. But Christ comes, he fulfills the law, and therefore we have a righteousness that avails. He bears the law's penalty for violation. His going to the cross was in the stead of all those whom the Father had given to him who had violated God's law, who had sinned against the divine majesty, and he bears the law's penalty for our violation.
So yeah, Christ's purpose for coming into this world is for the purpose of saving his people from their sins. Any questions about any of that so far? Anything that needs elaboration, clarity. Very good, yeah.
That's right. That's right. Yeah. Yeah.
Yes. Very good. Very good point. One of the best sermons that you will probably ever read outside of the sermons that come from, that are in the Bible.
The sermon by Spurgeon on 1 Corinthians 11, Do This in Remembrance of Me. He has just an amazing sermon on the remembrance of Christ. Classic Spurgeon, he's kind of a little bit off topic because it's not necessarily a Lord's Supper sermon. But in Spurgeonic fashion, just an absolutely brilliant sermon.
And he talks about how even with the Christian, We can enter into this languor and coldness where we think about everything else except for Christ. Not that we, you know, wind up in abject unbelief because that's impossible for a Christian, but we can have those periods of time where, you know, the choking weight of work and family and, you know, discord between, you know, brothers or friends and so many things can weigh us down and we forget And we enter into this period of languor and coldness, and we forget our Savior. Spurgeon said it even of himself. There are times where I find myself having not thought of the Savior for whatever period of time.
We need to, as Christians, and we are, thankfully, by the Spirit of God, always brought back to the scriptures and the glories of Christ, though. But we do need to be mindful of that tendency in our own remaining corruption to not dwell upon and remember the Savior of our profession. Spurgeon writes in another sermon, wrote in another sermon, whoever wrote his sermons out, but Spurgeon said in another sermon that we have to, as Christians, or it's a good thing for Christians to very frequently return to that place where God first began with us. In other words, when we first became Christians, We may not remember the exact day and hour, but when we first laid hold of the Lord Jesus Christ, we need to often, as Christians, however far removed from the day of our being born again, we need to return back to the glory of being saved by Christ, to rejoice in that salvation that God, in his amazing grace, bestowed upon us for his own namesake.
We need to think often of our precious Savior. The purpose for Christ's incarnation was to come into this world.
Proper Response to Christ's Incarnation
Fourthly, the proper response to Christ's incarnation. The proper response to Christ's incarnation. And we see that in verse 14, beginning in verse 13. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace goodwill toward men.
Now we'll get, in a little bit, we'll get to what that doesn't mean, the end on earth peace, goodwill toward men. But first off, the proper response to Christ's incarnation is glory to God in the highest. And it should be indicting to us as believers that the angels are singing glory to God in the highest. Maybe indicting isn't the best word, but men ought the more men saved by God, men and women, boys and girls, Christians, ought the more to sing glory to God in the highest for salvation.
Why? In relation to the angels. Anybody? Maybe that question classic pastor Porter wasn't worded very well.
So you can turn to Hebrews 2 for a moment. The reason why Christians should all the more praise God for salvation is because Christ didn't come to save angels. And yet the angels that the incarnation, the announced incarnation of the Savior are singing glory to God in the highest notice in verse 14 did I say to turn to Hebrews they say that okay good Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 14 notice what we read here in as much then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood he himself likewise shared in the same this is Paul speaking of Christ that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death that is the devil and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For he indeed does not give aid to angels, but he does give aid to the seed of Abraham." You might have in your text a marginal note there which says something like, take on as in the nature of, and then repeat it again, take on.
So we could read that, for indeed he does not take on angels, but he does take on the seat of Abraham. In other words, we have the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ took on the nature of the sons of Abraham. In other words, he became man. He became man because he's redeeming man.
Christ does not give himself for the elect angels. The elect angels don't need a savior because they don't sin. And so the angels here, the purpose of what I'm trying to get at is the fact that the angels of God praise Christ for salvation, something that they are not themselves the recipients of. This is what the Spurgeon says with regards to this.
How free from envy the angels were. Christ did not come from heaven to save their compeers when they fell. When Satan, the mighty angel, dragged with him a third part of the stars of heaven, Christ did not stoop from his throne to die for them, but he left them to be reserved in chains and darkness until the last great day. Yet angels did not envy men, though they remembered that he took not up angels, yet they did not murmur when he took up the seat of Abraham.
And though the blessed master had never condescended to take the angels' form, They did not think it beneath them to express their joy when they found him arrayed in the body of an infant. Isn't that wonderful? You see, the angels instruct us here. The angels give us a lesson in this, the first angelic hymn of the incarnation.
You see, the angels have sung before. The angels have returned back to God singing with respect to his majesty, with respect to his glory. even with respect to the pre-incarnate son, the Lord Jesus Christ. But this is the first time that we have the angels singing for the incarnate Christ, singing with regards to the salvation brought to man. And the angels instruct us in how to sing because we ought to be more the singers of God's heavenly praise because we are actually the recipients of his condescending redemption.
And so far be it from us to ever be found in languor and coldness with regards to a remembrance of our Savior, the Lord Jesus, because the angels themselves sing of his glory, being not the recipients of his salvation. So the proper response to Christ's incarnation is praise to God. The angels sang praises to God at the birth of Christ. Any questions about any of that?
If we have time, I'll read another quote by Spurgeon, another great sermon, Luke 2, 14, by C.H. Spurgeon. I can read this one later. It's a longer one.
Manner of Christ's Incarnation
Fifthly, then, the manner of Christ's incarnation. So we have the timing, the place, the purpose, the proper response, and then lastly, the manner of Christ's incarnation. Notice in verse 7. seven. We read this, 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.
Now the manner of Christ's incarnation then is that it was a lowly entrance from heaven to earth. You know we touched on this briefly but it's our subject matter now. The condescension of the Son of God is absolutely startling. It's foolishness and it's madness and it's folly to those who are dead in their trespasses and in their sins, but to the children of God, to Christians, it ought to be absolutely startling and amazing.
The lowly entrance from heaven to earth of Christ in his incarnation. First off, notice From the scriptures we see that
Born: The Humiliation of the Son
Christ's humiliation consisted in being born. Christ's humiliation consisted in being born. The significance of that ought to first be obviously seen in the fact that he took on the nature of the seed of Abraham. In other words, he took on flesh.
He took on humanity. Turn with me to Philippians for a moment. You're very familiar with this passage. I trust Philippians chapter 2 But this speaks to this condescending act of the Lord Jesus Christ in the incarnation Philippians 2 beginning in verse 5 let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of man." So, you see, Christ's humiliation, Christ's condescension is seen, is consisted in his being born.
He takes upon himself humanity. Now, Christ himself, of course, is sinless, unspotted, unblemished. However, he takes on the form of those who are. Remember just the reaction of Isaiah to the glory of God.
He pronounces an oral curse upon himself. Woe is me, for I am undone, a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips. Christ comes in and he takes on the form of those of such who are so lowly in comparison with God. And so when we note that Christ is born, it's a simple truth of Christianity that Christ comes in the incarnation, but it isn't a simple truth in the sense that we have God manifested in the flesh.
We have God coming in the form of lowly creature, God coming and taking on himself humanity, made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, taking the form of a slave, and coming in the likeness of men. It is, you know, when people generally think of a king of kings, of a lord of lords, of a savior of men, you can be assured that the first image that pops into their mind isn't a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger. As we progress through the narrative concerning Jesus Christ, you can be sure that they don't find a king of kings and lord of lords or a savior of men in one who has nowhere to rest his head, who unlike the foxes who have their holes and the birds of the air who have their nests, he has nowhere to lay his head. As we trace through the narrative concerning Jesus, we don't have, if we're using the futility of a Gentile mind, we don't have before us a king of kings and lord of lords.
But we know this side of regeneration and salvation that at all points in Christ's earthly ministry, we can say, hallelujah, what a savior, because of the glorious condescension, the humility that he took upon himself in bearing out the mission of his father to save a multitude of sinners to the praise of his glory. We see Christ's humiliation first consisting in his being born. In the beginning was the word, and the word became flesh and dwelt among us." You know what, I think it was Ryle, maybe I, did I have that quote? Ah, I think I do.
Ryle says this, and I think, I think this is, this is what Ryle says with regards to the humiliation being born into a low condition. So first off, we have Christ's humiliation consisting in his being born, secondly, from the scriptures we see that
Born in a Low Condition
Christ's humiliation consisted not just in being born but being born in a low condition. This comes from the language of the shorter catechism. Christ's humiliation consisted in his being born and that in a low condition. In other words, he didn't come into this world born into a royal family.
He didn't come into this world, you know, being brought home to a mansion. you know, where he enjoyed, you know, all the splendor of high living. This is what Ryle says. This is how he puts it. He was not born under the roof of his mother's house but in a strange place and at an inn.
When born, he was not laid in a carefully prepared cradle. He was laid in a manger because there was no room in the inn. We see here the grace and condescension of Christ. Had he come to save mankind with royal majesty, surrounded by his father's angels, it would have been an act of undeserved mercy.
You see what he says there? Had he come to save mankind with royal majesty, surrounded by his father's angels, it would have been an act of undeserved mercy. He goes on. Had he chosen to dwell in a palace with power and great authority, we should have had reason enough to wonder.
But to become poor as the very poorest of mankind and lowly as the very lowliest, this is a love that passeth knowledge. You see what Ryle is saying there. Had Christ come with 12 legions of angels in all the glory of his father, condescending to come before men, that still would have been condescension. That still would have been an act of undeserved mercy for those who he came to show his glory to.
If he came still enfleshed in humanity, without the glory, without the visible glory of deity and came and simply dwelt in a mansion in the hills of Jerusalem, that still would have been an act of amazing condescension. For the thrice holy God, separate from sinners, to come from that position of transcendent otherness to our lower ignominy would be an act of amazing condescension. But he comes, the very poorest of mankind, lowly as the very lowliest, in swaddling cloths, in a feed trough, that is love that passeth knowledge. And not just the fact that he came, was born, and dwelt in a low condition, but the fact that he came and did all that for us, for his people.
He became poor so that we who were poor might become rich. The glory of Christ in his condescending act, not only in him being born, but with regards to the fact that he was in a low condition as well. Now, as we move through these things with regards to Christ's first coming and his condescension, his humiliation, his incarnation, the manner of it, we ought to think of other religious systems. Because in no other system of religion do you have something so glorious as this.
You think of the old Greco-Roman religions and the madness of that polytheistic system. You think of Islam and a God that, yes, is wholly transcendent, but never has any immediate dealings in condescending activity with his creation. Nothing that even approaches the mercy and the grace and the love that we have in Christianity, because it is the only true religion. All other religions are madness and idolatry, but in Christianity, not only do we have true religion, but we have the splendor and the majesty of a Christ who leaves his former glory and comes to our lower shame in order to work out the salvation of sinners.
It truly is amazing. So thirdly then, from the scriptures, we see that
Born Under the Law
Christ's humiliation consisted in being under the law. So what was the manner of Christ's incarnation? Well, we have the fact that it consisted in being born, that it was in a low condition, and now that it was being under the law. Remember what Galatians 4.4 says, when the fullness of the times had come, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law.
Now, just very briefly, where before we get to born under the law, where in the Old Testament do we read concerning Christ being born of a woman? Like when we come to Luke 2 here, and we're reading the narrative of Mary bringing forth her firstborn son, wrapping him in swaddling cloths, et cetera, where in the Old Testament do we read a prophecy that Christ would be born of a woman? Excuse me. Genesis, yeah, very good.
Genesis 3.15. Yeah, the woman will be, what's that? Yeah, Isaiah 9.6. In fact, if you are so inclined, you can turn there with me.
Isaiah 9. And in fact, previous to verse 6, Oh, very, 714, yeah, very good as well. Yeah, Isaiah 714, in fact, we can even back up to there, because in Isaiah 714, we have that same language that Matthew actually repeats, quotes, and then adds to in his birth narrative. In Isaiah 714, we have, therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel. Matthew then adds, which is translated, God with us. So we have in Isaiah 714, thanks Roger, the announcement of the coming, and the language too is, you see the language of this shall be the sign in Luke's gospel as well. So Luke is taking up, you know, not only Micah 5, 2, not only other Old Testament data and promise, but he's taking up here Isaiah 714.
Notice in Isaiah 9, You have multiplied the nation, this is verse three, and increased its joy. They rejoice before you according to the joy of harvest as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. We have this language of rejoicing in Luke's gospel when the angels announce the fact that it is good news that will be to all the people. But notice in verse six, for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.
And the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. And it goes on to show the eternality of his government and rule. But suffice it to say, we have that reality that announced that Christ would be born of a woman. But back to this then, Christ's humiliation consisted in being under the law.
Yes, he did come and he dwelt under the impositions of the Roman Emperor. He did come and dwelt under that civil rule that was Roman in its nature, foreign to the Judaic state. But also, and more to the point, he subjected himself unto full obedience to his father. When we read in Galatians 4.4 that Christ was born under the law, That is what we should see first and foremost with regards to its meaning.
We needed to have, sinners needed to have a righteousness, a legal and forensic and juridical righteousness, a righteousness as it pertains to divine law in order to avail before God. Christ was born under that so that he might fulfill it for his people. Christ is born under the law. Time and again, he says, I did not come to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.
In the Gospel of John, he says that a great number of times. Back in that Philippians passage, we have that same language of obedience. Christ comes in the fullness of the times, born of a woman, born under the law, and again, we need to see in that legal obedience to the Father who sent him. We read that if we were to continue in that Philippians 2, 5 to 11 portion of Bible.
And being found, this is verse 8, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. So you see, Christ's purpose in coming in the incarnation was to save his people. That's seen in him being born, being living in a lowly condition and now being brought or being under the law in order to fulfill obedience to the law of God. And again, that is for us.
He fulfills the law of God instead of us. Fourthly, are there any questions about any of this as we move on? Yeah, you think of, you think, you know, in discussing the condescension of Christ and being born under the law, you think about him coming And standing before men like Pontius Pilate, standing before men like Herod, that account before Pontius Pilate specifically, where Pilate seems to think that he has some measure of sovereignty over the Lord Christ. And the Lord Christ tells him that you'd have no power over me unless it had been granted to you from above.
You see, the very time Christ was being spit upon and beaten, At the very time that Christ is being brought under the ungodly scrutiny of a wicked regime, he is upholding them by the word of his power, even giving them the very breath that they use to speak blasphemies against him. That's how amazing the condescension of Christ is. As Goliath is blaspheming the Lord God before David a thousand years prior, He's speaking blasphemies by the very breath and strength that the triune God gives him. And it's all in God's providential plan to bring to bear his glory among men.
And so, yeah, that reality of Christ being brought under the law is absolutely amazing as well, to be sure. Fourthly, from the scriptures, we see that
Subjected to the Miseries of Life
Christ's humiliation consisted in being subjected to the miseries of this life. Remember in Isaiah 53, we read, he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. It's an amazing thing. Again, in the mind of puny and futile man, our notions of a man of intrigue and a hero is the people that are on a sports pitch or the people that walk the red carpet, we look with idolatrous eyes at at people of so-called splendor who are thrown before us in the media.
We would have no, outside of the saving grace of God, we would have no time for a man of misery acquainted with grief. We'd have no time for a crucified Messiah. I mean, remember, that was a scandal to the Jews. That was a rock of offense to the Jews of Christ's age and to unbelieving Jews throughout history to our own day.
Remember Spurgeon says, you know, a crucified messiah to the Jew. The Jews could not endure a crucified messiah. It was madness to them. Should all of the multitudinous sacrifices and washings and ceremonies, should the splendor of this temple, should the splendor of all of the amazing polished articles of old covenant religion, religion be cast away and nothing remain but a bleeding Savior.
The biblical answer is yes to that hard-hearted Jew. And so the fact that Christ is subjected to the miseries of this life is a scandal to the unbelieving mind, it's folly, but to those who are being saved it is the power and the wisdom and the righteousness of God. Remember what Psalm 22 says, he was a worm and no man. This is actually Christ speaking of himself, I am a worm and no man despised by the people.
We said this earlier, the foxes have holes and the birds have their nests, but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head. We read in the Gospel of John, he came to his own and his own did not receive him. Imagine, you know, you have, you know, let's just say 1,500 years of revelational history. from Moses to the time of Christ. And going further back to the time prior to Moses that he is writing about in the first five books of the Bible and that sort of thing.
But you have a whole 39 books of the Old Testament given to these Jews and the very scope of that writing, the very person to whom that writing attests comes to them and they don't receive him. It's an amazing thing, the nature, the reality of the sinfulness and the unbelief of man, peculiarly the nation to whom he was first promised. So his humiliation consisted in being subjected to the miseries of this life. And lastly, before we close in prayer, from the scriptures we see that
The Wrath of God and the Cross
Christ's humiliation consisted in undergoing the wrath of God and the cursed death of the cross. You see, all of that, all of that, all of those realities, Christ being born, Christ being brought into this world and living under a low condition, Christ being under the law, born of a woman, Christ subjected, subjecting himself, being subjected to the miseries of this life, all were coming to this particular point in undergoing the wrath of God and the cursed death of the cross. Remember, he says that in his earthly ministry. The narrative speaks of Christ being resolute to the task.
He set his heart as a flint. We see him saying, I came to do the will of the one who sent me. We see him repeating three times in Matthew, and they still didn't get it. We see him saying, the son of man, must be delivered by wicked hands, must be crucified, but rise again the third day.
And even after that event, those two people, those two disciples on the road to Emmaus are just, they're depressed because their savior was put to death. And he comes to them and he says, oh foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all the things that the prophets have spoken. Did not they write concerning me that I must die and rise again? The wrath of God and the cursed death of the cross.
Christ's humiliation comes to its fullness in that event, the blessed cross. This is what Isaac, sorry not Isaac Watts, where's the quote from Spurgeon here? Oh yes, now I mean definitely related but as we close here, this is one of my favorite Spurgeon quotes of all time, we come to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ and we're We're out of time. But that is, again, where all of this is going to.
When we see Christ in that manger, those wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger, yes, we are to think incarnation. Yes, we are to think condescension. Yes, we are to think all of those wholesome things that are to be thought with respect to a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger. But you see, that wasn't unto the end of being cute and cuddly in a feed trough.
That was unto the end of being bloodied and battered upon a Roman implement of execution for the sins of his people, where the wrath of God would be poured out upon him and where he would no doubt suffer misery of miseries, yet be victorious. three days later, and be victorious in that act of most unbearable misery. But this is a wonderful quote by Spurgeon, and it wraps up the idea of the text, the scope of the text, which is to set forth the incarnate Christ as coming to fulfill the plan of redemption. And it brings out the sovereignty of God. You see, the angels sing in this particular hymn, first hymn of the incarnation, they sing glory to God in the highest.
And remember, they sing it because of the salvation that this Savior, this one born in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord, because of the salvation that he would perform for his people. And this is Spurgeon at his best.
The Sovereignty of God in Salvation
The angels were no Arminians. They sang glory to God in the highest. They believe in no doctrine which uncrowns Christ and puts the crown upon the head of mortals. They believe in no system of faith which makes salvation dependent upon the creature and which really gives the creature the praise.
For what is it less than for a man to save himself if the whole dependence of salvation rests upon his own free will? No, my brethren, they may be some preachers that delight to preach a doctrine that magnifies man, but in their gospel angels have no delight. The only glad tidings that made the angels sing are those that put God first, God last, God midst, and God without end in the salvation of his creatures, and put the crown holy and alone upon the head of him that saves without a helper. Glory to God in the highest is the angel's song.
So when we reflect upon the miseries and the lowliness of Christ unto that bloody end of the cross, which is still but a beginning, in the resurrection and the ascension for his people, we are to see the glory of God. Glory to God in the highest is the angel's song. All honor and all glory goes unto God and to the Lamb who sits upon the throne. Well, why don't we close in prayer, and then if there are any questions, please feel free to ask.
There's a lot of information there covered tonight. There's some things in the text that we missed. If anybody is interested, I could read this other Spurgeon quote, but let's close in prayer, and if you need to go milk cows you can take off and get out of here Let's pray
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father we thank you for the the opportunity to gather We thank you for the fact that we can come and consider the holy scriptures that we can read from them That we can read concerning our Savior the Lord Jesus And we just bless you that you deemed it well to in Time and in history call us from out of darkness and into marvelous light we do pray that that you'd help us daily to reflect upon our Savior. You would help us to rejoice in His most holy name and the salvation that He brings. We pray that we would learn this lesson from the angels who sang, glory to God in the highest, for a reality that they were not necessarily included in, that is salvation from sin. And we just pray that you would help us, Lord God, to rejoice in that daily, that you would help us to grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Savior, the Lord Jesus. and that each and every day we would raise our heads rejoicing in Christ and in each and every night we would rest our heads safe in him.
We pray that you'd go with us now, watch over us, help us as we continue in these next number of days up to this upcoming Lord's Day where we do pray you would help us to come with ready hearts to engage in worship of our triune God. We pray in Christ's name, amen.