60. A MIRACULOUS BIRTHAn angel, a virgin, a special baby, and you. What did Gabriel say that effects you?
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What do you think is the most anticipated moment of peoples’ lives? Graduating from high school or university? Getting a “real” job? How about buying a new car or first home? Surely, marriage! While most of us look forward to each one of these events and consider them major steps towards adulthood, there is something of greater importance that we all get excited about. The moment we get to hold our newborn child for the first time!
For most of us, having a baby is very personal and intimate. There is no fan fare, camera ashes, magazine articles, or bids for exclusive photos of the baby. Except for immediate family, the births of our children go unnoticed by the rest of the world. But for the select few, the situation is entirely different. Of course we are mostly speaking of the people in the entertainment industry.
When the tabloid magazines started covering the relationship between two American movie stars, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, people were inundated with constant updates. They were seen at a movie premiere together. They vacationed in Cancun, Mexico. They travelled to Africa together. In fact, they even started to refer to them as one person – Brangelina! It was like the tabloids had hit the jackpot. They had two of the “most beautiful” people in the world to follow around and they were going to milk the story for
all it was worth. Then the biggest story of all came out. They were going to have a baby.
The magazines, newspapers, and tabloids immediately jumped into action. They started sending in requests and offering money for the baby’s first pictures. Months went by and the anticipation grew. Finally, the day came, the baby was born, and the pictures were released. Did the world stop turning that day? No. Did the event put an end to poverty and hunger? No. Did it change the way people act towards one another? No. Did it change our lives? No. And yet, it was one of the most anticipated, followed, and admired events of 2006; an event that quickly became yesterday’s news!
Over 2000 years ago, the greatest moment of the earth’s history was about to unfold. The event had been prophesied hundreds of years in advance and it revolved around the birth of a boy. His parents weren’t famous, rich, or influential. The newspapers didn’t pay millions of dollars for his picture and the news of his birth wasn’t delivered over the Internet. And yet he became the most influential person of all time. His life altered the lifestyle of countless generations and the fate of millions of people, His name was Jesus and his birth changed the world!
As we begin to study the life of this remarkable man, let us lay aside all our preconceived beliefs. Let’s read through the Bible and discover who Jesus really was, what he taught, what he said about himself, and what he did. When we are finished we may just find the answer to our original question:
If fate can be changed, how?
Before we start reading the Bible, let’s draw a picture of the political climate at the time. The Romans were in control of the entire Mediterranean region, thus Israel was subject to Rome’s laws and tax collectors. But unlike their neighbors, Israel was a constant thorn in the side of Rome. They were always resisting by refusing to pay taxes and obey the laws. In other words, they were just as
stubborn as their ancestors. But they were faithful in their worship of God. They knew that God had given them the responsibility to prepare the way for the Messiah. Unfortunately they were holding on to traditions and man-made expectations about his purpose. They were expecting a king from the royal lineage of David. But there was a big problem; the descendants of kings weren’t always born in palaces or as the son of an existing queen. Let’s start by reading Luke chapter 1 verses 26-33:1
26 In the sixth month2 the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you! 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.
Mary was a very young woman, possibly around 16 years old, who lived in Nazareth. Nazareth wasn’t a big city and for the most part wasn’t very important. The inhabitants of this village were proverbial for their wickedness and caused someone once to say:
“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”3
But that was about to change because the angel Gabriel was sent there on a very important mission. If you remember, Gabriel was the one who originally explained the Messianic prophecy as recorded in Daniel chapter 9.
From the verses we learn that Mary was engaged to a man named Joseph and had followed the custom of her people by remaining pure. That is she was still a virgin. Although we are not told why God chose her, we can assume that she was a faithful follower of God, obedient to her parents, and motivated by the desire to please God. All of which are things God wants to see in each one of us.
Can you imagine what it was like for Mary to hear Gabriel’s message? She was told that she would have a child, that he would be a king, and more importantly that his kingdom would reign forever. These were attributes pulled directly from the prophecies about the coming Messiah in the books of Isaiah and Daniel. She had to be familiar with them because Israel had been waiting for the Messiah for hundreds of years.
Upon hearing these things, Mary was confused and needed more information. Remember, she was a virgin and had never slept with a man. At this point, the angel Gabriel told her that the Holy Spirit would be poured out on her, she would be blessed, and a baby would form in her womb. In short, it would be a miracle; a miracle that many people, both then and now, might not want to believe; a miracle that forces us to ask several questions.
Why was Jesus born of a virgin? If he was just an ordinary prophet, why wasn't he born like them? Why did the angel say his name would be Jesus which means "Yahweh is salvation"? Of course we won't nd the answers to all of these questions in this lesson, but if we are patient, God will eventually lead us to the answers. Let's get back to the lesson.
What do you think Joseph thought when he heard the news from Mary? Let’s nd out in Matthew chapter 1 verses 18-23:
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be ful lled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
This must have been a very difficult situation for Joseph. According to the law,4 the engagement was a legally binding agreement that could only be broken by death or divorce. Even though they had not consummated the marriage, they were still legally bound to one another as husband and wife. Therefore, breaking the engagement would not be easy. In addition, he wanted to trust Mary and thought she would never do something to dishonor him or their relationship. What would he do? He decided that his only recourse was to annul the marriage secretly. But before he did anything, God wanted to reassure Joseph that what Mary had told him was true. So He sent the angel Gabriel to Joseph. It is almost unfathomable to imagine ourselves in a similar situation. But Joseph, just like Mary, was a special person.
Just as Mary had been favored by God to bring the Messiah into the world, so too Joseph must have been highly regarded by God. He
was to be the "father" of a child that was biologically not his and the husband of a woman who was pregnant when they got married. Most importantly he must have been religious because God was entrusting him with a sacred task. He was to teach Jesus to be upright in every aspect of his life. Fathers, God is asking no less of us!
Perhaps you have never thought about this event from the angel Gabriel’s perspective. Over 500 years had passed since he spoke with the prophet Daniel. To once again carry the message of the coming Messiah, to see the prophecy ful lled and the actual birth, must have been exciting. We don’t often think of angels having feelings, but it seems to be true. We already learned that Satan fell from heaven because of his self-pride and jealousy. Therefore it is reasonable to assume that angels can also feel joy and pride in the accomplishments of God. You might be wondering:
“Why would angels be happy? What does the Messiah have to do with them?”
Don’t forget, God's angels are at war with Satan and his angels. He tempted Adam and Eve and brought sin into the world. While Satan tempts humans to sin and works to deceive mankind about God’s real character and care for humanity, the angels work as God’s messengers and protectors. God said that the Messiah would save people from their sins. If there is no sin, there is no battle! Sin disrupted the harmony of heaven. Satan had accused God of withholding goodness from the created beings.5 He also claimed that God's kingdom was founded on nothing more than bribery and selfish gain.6 And yet right here we see God is doing something great in the battle for the allegiance of all created beings. Therefore it is easy to see how the angels would be elated.
So how do you think Joseph responded? This must not have been an easy decision. Let’s nd out in Matthew chapter 1 verses
24 and 25:
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
Joseph did what God told him to do! He didn’t ask any questions or have any doubts. He married Mary and they went on with their lives. God didn’t tell them everything, but what He said was enough. Let’s continue the story by returning to Luke chapter 2 verses 1-5:
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was rst made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
The dreaded Roman tax! Nobody likes to pay taxes, especially to a foreign government. But the Jews couldn’t do anything about it. They were forced to obey the law or suffer the penalty. According to the law every family needed to register and pay in their home- town. Because Joseph was the head of the household, he and Mary had to travel to Bethlehem.
The journey wasn’t going to be an easy one. Mary was pregnant and the baby’s birth was getting closer. Because there wasn’t public transportation or modern vehicles, they had no other choice but to walk from Nazareth to Bethlehem. We don’t know their exact route, but we do know that the trip probably lasted about 7-10 days and was about 120 km. long. The trip would have been much too difficult for Mary to walk, so she likely rode on a donkey.
Although Joseph and Mary arrived on time for the census, they found that there wasn’t anywhere to stay. All the rooms had been lled. Have you ever taken a trip somewhere to nd out that there were no rooms or that your reservation was never written down? Imagine if your wife was pregnant when it happened and there were no doctors available! That is exactly what happened to Joseph and Mary. Let’s read about it in verses 6 and 7:
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her rstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
The Messiah was born in a barn! There is no mention of doctors, nurses, or a midwife. As far as we know, Mary must have been alone during the birth. Her only helper would have been Joseph, assuming he broke with tradition and helped her during childbirth. But although they were alone during the birth, they would not be alone during the celebration. The angels would make sure of that. Let’s continue in Luke chapter 2 verses 8-14:
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the eld, keeping watch over their ock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall nd the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
God wanted this event to be witnessed by others. So, He sent angels to proclaim the good news to some shepherds. At first, it seems strange that God would tell shepherds. But if you think about it in a symbolic way, it makes a lot of sense. What do shepherds do? They lead their flocks to good pasture, provide water, and protect them.
The angels were saying the same thing about this child. He was to be a savior for all people. Like a shepherd, he would lead them to righteousness. He would be a king and ful ll the prophecy given to Abraham that his seed would bless the whole world. This same seed would crush the head of the serpent, otherwise known as Satan who had deceived Adam and Eve. It is also interesting to note that the angels said the Messiah was not only a savior but also Lord. Let's read verse 11 again:
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Could there be more to Messiahship than we had thought?
So what do you think those shepherds did after the angels left? Do you think they just sat there and continued watching their sheep? Let’s find out in verses 15-20:
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
The shepherds ran into Bethlehem as fast they could! They wanted to see what the angels had described. And sure enough, they found a young woman in a barn holding her baby for the first time. Mary knew what Gabriel had told her and she listened to what the shepherds said. And although she must have wondered what the future was going to be like, she just wanted to enjoy the moment.
As she stared into her son’s eyes and held his little hand, she forgot about the pain and the sin filled world that her son would grow up in. She just smiled and cherished that moment for what it was, pure happiness!
When Brad and Angelina’s child was born, the only reason it received attention was because its parents were rich and famous. There is no doubt that they felt joy and that their lives changed when they held that child for the rst time. But it was a joy that only they could feel.
In the birth of Jesus, we see something entirely different. We learn of a joy and change that the whole world can experience – a joy and change worthy enough that the angels would proclaim:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!”
When will mankind see that peace? When will we see good will toward one another? Let’s continue studying to find out!
Discussion Questions
1. What makes newborn babies so special? Why do they soften even the hardest of hearts?
2. What would it be like for an atheist or Buddhist to hear the story of Jesus' birth? What elements of the story might be hard for them to understand?
3. Read the entire accounts of Jesus’ birth in Matthew chapter 1 and Luke 1:26-35 and 2:1-20. How many Messianic prophecies were
fulfilled?
4. How do you think the Messiah will end the sin problem?
5. What do you think “peace and good will toward men” is referring to?
1 Four different authors recorded the life of Jesus in the 1st century AD. These four authors' books, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, became known as the Gospels. Although we can nd the events of Jesus’ life in each book, the authors sometimes wrote more or less about certain events. For this reason we will not be studying Jesus’ life from a single perspective. Sometimes we may read from Matthew’s account, while other times we may read from Luke’s, etc. At this point, it would be good to read through all four accounts so you can be comfort- able with looking up the different scriptures as we study.
2 If you read the previous verses, you will see that this is referring to the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. At that time, Elizabeth was pregnant with John the Baptist. She was also the cousin of Mary the mother of Jesus.
3 John 1:46
4 In Deut. 22:23, 24 we see that a woman who was betrothed was considered to be married in legal terms.
5 Genesis 3:5
6 In Deut. 22:23, 24 we see that a woman who was betrothed was considered to be married in legal terms.
For most of us, having a baby is very personal and intimate. There is no fan fare, camera ashes, magazine articles, or bids for exclusive photos of the baby. Except for immediate family, the births of our children go unnoticed by the rest of the world. But for the select few, the situation is entirely different. Of course we are mostly speaking of the people in the entertainment industry.
When the tabloid magazines started covering the relationship between two American movie stars, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, people were inundated with constant updates. They were seen at a movie premiere together. They vacationed in Cancun, Mexico. They travelled to Africa together. In fact, they even started to refer to them as one person – Brangelina! It was like the tabloids had hit the jackpot. They had two of the “most beautiful” people in the world to follow around and they were going to milk the story for
all it was worth. Then the biggest story of all came out. They were going to have a baby.
The magazines, newspapers, and tabloids immediately jumped into action. They started sending in requests and offering money for the baby’s first pictures. Months went by and the anticipation grew. Finally, the day came, the baby was born, and the pictures were released. Did the world stop turning that day? No. Did the event put an end to poverty and hunger? No. Did it change the way people act towards one another? No. Did it change our lives? No. And yet, it was one of the most anticipated, followed, and admired events of 2006; an event that quickly became yesterday’s news!
Over 2000 years ago, the greatest moment of the earth’s history was about to unfold. The event had been prophesied hundreds of years in advance and it revolved around the birth of a boy. His parents weren’t famous, rich, or influential. The newspapers didn’t pay millions of dollars for his picture and the news of his birth wasn’t delivered over the Internet. And yet he became the most influential person of all time. His life altered the lifestyle of countless generations and the fate of millions of people, His name was Jesus and his birth changed the world!
As we begin to study the life of this remarkable man, let us lay aside all our preconceived beliefs. Let’s read through the Bible and discover who Jesus really was, what he taught, what he said about himself, and what he did. When we are finished we may just find the answer to our original question:
If fate can be changed, how?
Before we start reading the Bible, let’s draw a picture of the political climate at the time. The Romans were in control of the entire Mediterranean region, thus Israel was subject to Rome’s laws and tax collectors. But unlike their neighbors, Israel was a constant thorn in the side of Rome. They were always resisting by refusing to pay taxes and obey the laws. In other words, they were just as
stubborn as their ancestors. But they were faithful in their worship of God. They knew that God had given them the responsibility to prepare the way for the Messiah. Unfortunately they were holding on to traditions and man-made expectations about his purpose. They were expecting a king from the royal lineage of David. But there was a big problem; the descendants of kings weren’t always born in palaces or as the son of an existing queen. Let’s start by reading Luke chapter 1 verses 26-33:1
26 In the sixth month2 the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you! 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.
Mary was a very young woman, possibly around 16 years old, who lived in Nazareth. Nazareth wasn’t a big city and for the most part wasn’t very important. The inhabitants of this village were proverbial for their wickedness and caused someone once to say:
“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”3
But that was about to change because the angel Gabriel was sent there on a very important mission. If you remember, Gabriel was the one who originally explained the Messianic prophecy as recorded in Daniel chapter 9.
From the verses we learn that Mary was engaged to a man named Joseph and had followed the custom of her people by remaining pure. That is she was still a virgin. Although we are not told why God chose her, we can assume that she was a faithful follower of God, obedient to her parents, and motivated by the desire to please God. All of which are things God wants to see in each one of us.
Can you imagine what it was like for Mary to hear Gabriel’s message? She was told that she would have a child, that he would be a king, and more importantly that his kingdom would reign forever. These were attributes pulled directly from the prophecies about the coming Messiah in the books of Isaiah and Daniel. She had to be familiar with them because Israel had been waiting for the Messiah for hundreds of years.
Upon hearing these things, Mary was confused and needed more information. Remember, she was a virgin and had never slept with a man. At this point, the angel Gabriel told her that the Holy Spirit would be poured out on her, she would be blessed, and a baby would form in her womb. In short, it would be a miracle; a miracle that many people, both then and now, might not want to believe; a miracle that forces us to ask several questions.
Why was Jesus born of a virgin? If he was just an ordinary prophet, why wasn't he born like them? Why did the angel say his name would be Jesus which means "Yahweh is salvation"? Of course we won't nd the answers to all of these questions in this lesson, but if we are patient, God will eventually lead us to the answers. Let's get back to the lesson.
What do you think Joseph thought when he heard the news from Mary? Let’s nd out in Matthew chapter 1 verses 18-23:
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be ful lled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
This must have been a very difficult situation for Joseph. According to the law,4 the engagement was a legally binding agreement that could only be broken by death or divorce. Even though they had not consummated the marriage, they were still legally bound to one another as husband and wife. Therefore, breaking the engagement would not be easy. In addition, he wanted to trust Mary and thought she would never do something to dishonor him or their relationship. What would he do? He decided that his only recourse was to annul the marriage secretly. But before he did anything, God wanted to reassure Joseph that what Mary had told him was true. So He sent the angel Gabriel to Joseph. It is almost unfathomable to imagine ourselves in a similar situation. But Joseph, just like Mary, was a special person.
Just as Mary had been favored by God to bring the Messiah into the world, so too Joseph must have been highly regarded by God. He
was to be the "father" of a child that was biologically not his and the husband of a woman who was pregnant when they got married. Most importantly he must have been religious because God was entrusting him with a sacred task. He was to teach Jesus to be upright in every aspect of his life. Fathers, God is asking no less of us!
Perhaps you have never thought about this event from the angel Gabriel’s perspective. Over 500 years had passed since he spoke with the prophet Daniel. To once again carry the message of the coming Messiah, to see the prophecy ful lled and the actual birth, must have been exciting. We don’t often think of angels having feelings, but it seems to be true. We already learned that Satan fell from heaven because of his self-pride and jealousy. Therefore it is reasonable to assume that angels can also feel joy and pride in the accomplishments of God. You might be wondering:
“Why would angels be happy? What does the Messiah have to do with them?”
Don’t forget, God's angels are at war with Satan and his angels. He tempted Adam and Eve and brought sin into the world. While Satan tempts humans to sin and works to deceive mankind about God’s real character and care for humanity, the angels work as God’s messengers and protectors. God said that the Messiah would save people from their sins. If there is no sin, there is no battle! Sin disrupted the harmony of heaven. Satan had accused God of withholding goodness from the created beings.5 He also claimed that God's kingdom was founded on nothing more than bribery and selfish gain.6 And yet right here we see God is doing something great in the battle for the allegiance of all created beings. Therefore it is easy to see how the angels would be elated.
So how do you think Joseph responded? This must not have been an easy decision. Let’s nd out in Matthew chapter 1 verses
24 and 25:
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
Joseph did what God told him to do! He didn’t ask any questions or have any doubts. He married Mary and they went on with their lives. God didn’t tell them everything, but what He said was enough. Let’s continue the story by returning to Luke chapter 2 verses 1-5:
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was rst made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
The dreaded Roman tax! Nobody likes to pay taxes, especially to a foreign government. But the Jews couldn’t do anything about it. They were forced to obey the law or suffer the penalty. According to the law every family needed to register and pay in their home- town. Because Joseph was the head of the household, he and Mary had to travel to Bethlehem.
The journey wasn’t going to be an easy one. Mary was pregnant and the baby’s birth was getting closer. Because there wasn’t public transportation or modern vehicles, they had no other choice but to walk from Nazareth to Bethlehem. We don’t know their exact route, but we do know that the trip probably lasted about 7-10 days and was about 120 km. long. The trip would have been much too difficult for Mary to walk, so she likely rode on a donkey.
Although Joseph and Mary arrived on time for the census, they found that there wasn’t anywhere to stay. All the rooms had been lled. Have you ever taken a trip somewhere to nd out that there were no rooms or that your reservation was never written down? Imagine if your wife was pregnant when it happened and there were no doctors available! That is exactly what happened to Joseph and Mary. Let’s read about it in verses 6 and 7:
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her rstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
The Messiah was born in a barn! There is no mention of doctors, nurses, or a midwife. As far as we know, Mary must have been alone during the birth. Her only helper would have been Joseph, assuming he broke with tradition and helped her during childbirth. But although they were alone during the birth, they would not be alone during the celebration. The angels would make sure of that. Let’s continue in Luke chapter 2 verses 8-14:
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the eld, keeping watch over their ock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall nd the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
God wanted this event to be witnessed by others. So, He sent angels to proclaim the good news to some shepherds. At first, it seems strange that God would tell shepherds. But if you think about it in a symbolic way, it makes a lot of sense. What do shepherds do? They lead their flocks to good pasture, provide water, and protect them.
The angels were saying the same thing about this child. He was to be a savior for all people. Like a shepherd, he would lead them to righteousness. He would be a king and ful ll the prophecy given to Abraham that his seed would bless the whole world. This same seed would crush the head of the serpent, otherwise known as Satan who had deceived Adam and Eve. It is also interesting to note that the angels said the Messiah was not only a savior but also Lord. Let's read verse 11 again:
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Could there be more to Messiahship than we had thought?
So what do you think those shepherds did after the angels left? Do you think they just sat there and continued watching their sheep? Let’s find out in verses 15-20:
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
The shepherds ran into Bethlehem as fast they could! They wanted to see what the angels had described. And sure enough, they found a young woman in a barn holding her baby for the first time. Mary knew what Gabriel had told her and she listened to what the shepherds said. And although she must have wondered what the future was going to be like, she just wanted to enjoy the moment.
As she stared into her son’s eyes and held his little hand, she forgot about the pain and the sin filled world that her son would grow up in. She just smiled and cherished that moment for what it was, pure happiness!
When Brad and Angelina’s child was born, the only reason it received attention was because its parents were rich and famous. There is no doubt that they felt joy and that their lives changed when they held that child for the rst time. But it was a joy that only they could feel.
In the birth of Jesus, we see something entirely different. We learn of a joy and change that the whole world can experience – a joy and change worthy enough that the angels would proclaim:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!”
When will mankind see that peace? When will we see good will toward one another? Let’s continue studying to find out!
Discussion Questions
1. What makes newborn babies so special? Why do they soften even the hardest of hearts?
2. What would it be like for an atheist or Buddhist to hear the story of Jesus' birth? What elements of the story might be hard for them to understand?
3. Read the entire accounts of Jesus’ birth in Matthew chapter 1 and Luke 1:26-35 and 2:1-20. How many Messianic prophecies were
fulfilled?
4. How do you think the Messiah will end the sin problem?
5. What do you think “peace and good will toward men” is referring to?
1 Four different authors recorded the life of Jesus in the 1st century AD. These four authors' books, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, became known as the Gospels. Although we can nd the events of Jesus’ life in each book, the authors sometimes wrote more or less about certain events. For this reason we will not be studying Jesus’ life from a single perspective. Sometimes we may read from Matthew’s account, while other times we may read from Luke’s, etc. At this point, it would be good to read through all four accounts so you can be comfort- able with looking up the different scriptures as we study.
2 If you read the previous verses, you will see that this is referring to the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. At that time, Elizabeth was pregnant with John the Baptist. She was also the cousin of Mary the mother of Jesus.
3 John 1:46
4 In Deut. 22:23, 24 we see that a woman who was betrothed was considered to be married in legal terms.
5 Genesis 3:5
6 In Deut. 22:23, 24 we see that a woman who was betrothed was considered to be married in legal terms.