THE WONDER OF HIS LOVE
We trust today’s message encouraged and guided you in your journey of following Jesus. These notes are meant to help you remember and reflect on the message, help you go deeper into study on the subject, or be used for a sermon group discussion.
Sermon Title: THE WONDER OF HIS LOVE
Main Scripture: Luke 2:1-20
If you’re going through this discussion with a community group this week, consider reading the provided scripture to catch everyone up!
Summary:
We come to that glorious night when Christ was born. We’ve learned about the wonder of His Word and how God keeps His word. God’s word came true and His word is Jesus Christ. Last week, we learned about the wonder of His hands. How God orchestrated a star to guide the magi to worship Jesus. We learned how God protected and provided for Mary and Joseph. We learned God’s hands are on us and we’re in God’s hands. Today, we learn the Wonder of His love. As we read, we’ll see how God declared His Word, His hand guided the shepherds, and God revealed His love.
Notes:
The Birth of Jesus v. 1-7
The census
Caesar Augustus ordered a decree for a census in the Roman Empire. A census would be taken most likely to produce an accurate registration list for taxes. God’s hand has been working out His plans through a variety of people and now through Caesar Augustus. This would bring Joseph back to his ancestral birthplace which would fulfill the scripture that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, in the town or city of David (Micah 5:2). Joseph was a descendant of David which also fulfills the prophecy that a ruler would sit on the throne of David forever (2 Samuel 7:12-13; Luke 1:32-33; Isaiah 9:6-7).
The simple and humble birth
The birth of Christ is expressed in such a simple and humble way in verse 7. But that’s also the wonder of Christmas. No parade, no reception (not yet but soon), and no lodging, especially not a castle for a king. The king of kings was born in a smelly, dark, and cold animal stable, wrapped in simple strips of cloth and placed in a feeding trough.
The Wonder of Christmas is Jesus Christ coming into this world in such a humble manner and yet accomplishing more than all kings combined.
The Heavenly Host and the humble Shepherds of Earth v. 8-20
The Shepherds
The theme of humility continues. Shepherds were the lowest of the social class at this time. They were seldom “in the know” of town chatter simply because they were always working outside in the fields. This time, the shepherds would be the first to know, the first to worship, and the first to tell everyone!
The Angel of the Lord’s announcement
Once again, the wonder of God’s word, sending an angel to make the most important announcement to the least expected. This angelic announcement is the inspiration for many Christmas songs and carols.
The Savior, the Messiah, the Lord. The savior for us from our sins. The Messiah, the anointed one to rule and reign. The Lord is the word used for Israel’s God (Yahweh) in the Greek translation, speaking of Jesus’ divine nature; God in the flesh.
The sign: they would recognize him in this way: you will find a baby lying in a manger. How many babies would be lying in a feeding trough?
A vast host of angels announcement
The angels declare that the favor and peace of God comes on those with whom God is pleased. As we keep reading scripture and get the full context we learn it is all those who believe and receive Christ as Lord and Savior.
The Shepherds hurry to the village to look for the Savior, Messiah, and Lord.
Not much is said about their moment visiting Jesus. It’s what they did in response that Matthew highlights.
They left the stable and told everyone, everything that happened. All those who heard were astonished.
The shepherds returned to their flocks, glorifying and praising God. Everything was just as the angel had said.
Takeaways:
He came for all, so all may know, and come to Him.
That Jesus was born in such a way as this is a wonder in itself. The King and Lord of the universe had come to a little town without room or lodging for him or his family. A bed of hay instead of a bed of fine linen. No city reception or extravagant welcome so God provided one for them through a host of angels from heaven. The humble shepherds of the day were graced with the opportunity to be the first to go and see this child, the Messiah. The shepherds did not shower, they did not change into Sunday’s best, and they didn’t even bring gifts. The shepherds were captivated and intrigued by the unforgettable angelic announcement and vast army of angels. The wonder of heaven compelled them to go look for this newborn with the help of this special sign, lying in a feeding trough. Jesus would first be known to the humble and lowest of social class. Later, as we learned last week, he would be visited by gentile magi of the upper class. Certainly, Jesus does not measure you by your physical class but by your spiritual need for Him. Scripture is clear, all have sinned and all the Savior (Romans 3:23; Romans 11:32).
The Wonder of His Love For You
God’s love for all mankind is found in a baby in the manger. There’s more than what meets the eye. Bethlehem, the shepherds, and the newborn Jesus hold more meaning…
Bethlehem
Bethlehem means “house of bread” in Hebrew. Jesus called himself in the book of John, The Bread of Life. Wheat and barley grew on the east side of Bethlehem. And where there is wheat there are animals. On the northwest side, there are sheep to feed on all this wheat.
Bethlehem is also known as the “house of meat” in Arabic. Bethlehem was synonymous with lambs ready for slaughter, ready to be sacrificed.
Shepherds
Shepherds in Bethlehem were tending sheep destined for the temple to be sacrificed. Bethlehem is only about 6 miles from Jerusalem, about a two-hour walk.
The temple needed a lot of sheep. Two lambs were required every day for sacrifice in the temple. That would be 730 lambs a year. On top of that, the Passover required thousands of lambs every year and for other religious rituals. Passover required a lamb to be sacrificed for every household that could afford it.
The shepherds had to be particular about the lambs they chose for slaughter. “To prevent harm and self-injury from thrashing about after birth on their spindly legs, newborn lambs were wrapped in swaddling cloths. Then they were placed in a manger or feeding trough, where they could calm down out of harm’s way. After careful inspection by the shepherd, any spot or ‘blemish,’ no matter how slight, meant instant rejection…
The shepherds who gathered around the Bethlehem stable where the Lamb of God was born were not witnessing anything new, except who was in the manger: the most important sacrificial Lamb who had ever been born, the Lamb who would close own the slaughterhouse of sacrifice, the perfect Lamb of God.” -Sweet, Jesus A Theography, pages 66-67
The Blood of the Lamb
Female sheep (Ewes) and lamb mortality rates were high in this time. It was not uncommon for up to 30-40 percent of the lamb flock to die between late pregnancy and weaning.
Female sheep are known for not adopting orphan sheep. Shepherds learned some methods to get a mother sheep to adopt an orphan lamb. One is to take the mother’s placental blood and fluids and smear the orphan lamb with her smell. That will work some of the time. But what works best, but requires the most work, is to wash the orphan lamb in the blood of the dead lamb. -Sweet, Jesus A Theography, pages 66-67
Historians believe Jesus was crucified at 3:00 pm which is the same time the last sacrifice was offered on the day of the Jewish Passover, the time they slaughtered the last lamb of the day. Jesus died when He did to show the Jews he was the lamb, the last sacrifice, the pardon and payment of their sins.
Colossians 1:19-20 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.
Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
The angels declared that night, “A savior is born…and peace on earth to those on whom His favor rest.” The wonder of Christmas is Jesus. The Wonder of God’s love is Jesus. This is why when John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching him he said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
Make Room for Him
We can know God loves us but not experience His love in a transformative way. God wants you to know and experience His love through a relationship with Him. By Jesus coming to earth we now know how to have a personal and loving relationship with God.
God declares our need for Jesus right away at His birth. God makes it plain and simple, Jesus came to save us from our sins. The birth of Christ is God’s plan to bring a love that corrects what has been broken, to help us see our need for him, and to turn away from our way of thinking and living. To believe in this truth is to let His love save us from sin and death.
We must be honest with ourselves and God by acknowledging that we need salvation from sin and death through Jesus. Every believer in this room started at that step.
To be a Christian is to be a child of God—to be like Jesus. God’s Word and Emmanuel (Jesus) teach us how to love God and live like Jesus.
Spread His Love to All
The shepherds didn’t bring Jesus gifts but that’s okay. Just seeking and being in His presence is what God wants. The glory of that night and time with Jesus brewed an awe and wonder to an overflow of praise and witness to everyone about the good news of Jesus. What an appropriate response for us today. Every day is an opportunity to seek and be in the presence of Jesus and make Him known through our witness of the love and good news of Jesus Christ!
Between all humanity and eternal death was the manger, the cross, and the grave of Christ. From a natural point of view, victory over sin and death was unlikely. But that's the wonder of God’s Word, the wonder of God’s hands, and the wonder of His love. God worked out our salvation and our redemption by His plans, wisdom, and love, not by ours…The birth of Jesus was the inauguration of God’s rescue plan and began in the unlikeliest places. That’s the wonder of God and Jesus is the Wonder of His Love.
Discussion:
What stuck out to you from this message about the Wonder of His Love?
How did God work out His plan through Caesar Augustus?
In what ways was the birth of Jesus Christ humble?
In what ways are you or have you made room for God? In what ways could you make more room for Him in your life?
What did God use in this sermon to speak to your heart or situation?
What other notes did you highlight or write down that you would like to share?
The most important decision you will ever make!
Are you ready to experience salvation and be transformed? We encourage you to process this decision with a strong believer and when you’re ready say a simple prayer like this from your heart: Dear God, I acknowledge and admit I have sinned. I see my need for Jesus Christ. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I believe I am forgiven and cleansed of my sin by His death. I also believe I have eternal life because of His resurrection from the dead. I repent, I turn away from my old ways and I choose to live my life to worship you and follow Jesus, Amen!
We would love to know if you made the decision to accept this wonderful gift from God. Let us know here.
Pray Together
We hope you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!
