{"id":29690,"date":"2017-12-18T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-12-18T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2017-12-18T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2017-12-18T00:00:00","slug":"christmas-stories-jesus-story","status":"publish","type":"sermons","link":"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/pastors\/preaching\/sermons\/christmas-stories-jesus-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas Stories: A Jesus Story"},"content":{"rendered":"

This sermon is part of the “Christmas Stories” sermon series. See the whole series here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Introduction<\/h2>\n\n

(Read Luke 2:1-20)<\/em><\/p>\n\n

How it starts<\/h2>\n\n

Listen, my friends, and you will hear \na Christmas story that has no peer.\nIt's better than Grinches and Scrooges and elves;\nit's better than any Christmas book on your shelves.\nIt's an ancient story but, in 60s terms, "groovy;"\nwhy, it's even better than a Hallmark movie.<\/p>\n\n

It begins not in Nazareth or Bethlehem, no;\nit begins higher up, up in heaven, you know.\nWhere God lives and God reigns and God looks from above \nat a sinful people with whom he's in love.\n"I must get this fixed. They can't fix it alone.\nThe time's right to send Jesus: God in flesh and bone."\nThis was no last second thought on God's part, don't you see?\nGod knew all along when the right time would be \nto send Jesus to save folks like you and like me.<\/p>\n\n

Though Jesus has always existed in heaven,\nGod didn't send him at age 30 or 20 or 16 or 7.\nJesus didn't come full-grown and in charge;\nHe came as a baby and one not so large.\nWas he six pounds or seven or eight pounds or nine?\nWe don't know what he weighed, any weight would be fine.\nIt's the fact that he came, that he crossed the line,\nfrom heaven to earth through normal childbirth.\nHe came, that's what matters, that's what matters the most.\nHe came down from heaven to his missionary post.<\/p>\n\n

He came as the God-Man; yes, it's hard to imagine:\nfully God, fully man? But it really did happen.\nJohn in his Gospel called Jesus the Word, eternal, forever;\ndon't think it absurd.\nThis is Trinity at work: Father, Son, Holy Spirit;\nexisting as one though each does his thing,\nand the Son's thing was to come to the earth and to bring \nGod down to our level, God down from the sky,\nGod we could see without having to die.\nThe Godhead among us, God we could touch, hear, and see;\nGod with a human family tree:\nwith ancestors like Abraham, David, and Ruth,\nand Adam and Rahab—yes, this is the truth.<\/p>\n\n

How it was foretold<\/h2>\n\n

So when the time was just right, God sent word to Mary:\na teenage peasant who found it quite scary \nwhen an angel named Gabriel gave her the news,\nnews that she first thought she had to refuse:\nnews that a Savior would come through her womb,\na Savior named Jesus—God's Son and a king?\n"Have faith," said the angel, "God can do this thing."<\/p>\n\n

But Mary, you know, she wasn't so sure:\nthe shock of it all; it all seemed a blur.\nSo she spoke to the angel, honest and true;\nmaybe this angel just had no clue.\n"I'm a virgin, you know, never been with a man;\nyou're an angel, so how could you understand?\nThings work different down here, down here on the earth;\nit's impossible for a virgin girl to give birth."<\/p>\n\n

"It's not up to you," Gabriel said with a smile.\nHe was kind when he said it; he wasn't hostile.\n"The Holy Spirit will do this; don't you see?\nHe'll overshadow you, and pregnant you'll be.\nDon't think it impossible; put away your doubt.\nGod can do anything; you'll soon find out."<\/p>\n\n

And sure enough Mary became pregnant, all right.\nBut what to tell Joseph?\nThis could start a fight.\nJoseph was pledged to be married to Mary,\nbut that day hadn't come and Mary was pregnant,\nsoon it would show,\nand Joseph wasn't ignorant.\nHe'd figure it out; he'd know right away:\nthat wasn't his child, no way.\nHe'd have to assume that Mary had cheated,\nhad broken the pledge, from her vows had retreated,\nShe'd found some new man;\npoor Joseph felt defeated.<\/p>\n\n

But Joseph was a kind man, he didn't want trouble,\nHe'd end things with Mary \nbefore people started to mumble and grumble \nand gossip and talk \nand point and sneer \nand go so far as to wreck his career.\nHe'd end things with Mary; he'd be quiet and discreet.\nHe'd be respectful and kind; he'd try to be sweet.\nSo he made up his mind, "Tomorrow, we'll meet."<\/p>\n\n

That night Joseph had trouble going to sleep.\nHe slept rather fitful; his sleep was not deep.\nAnd part of the reason for his fitful sleep \nwas a dream with an angel and a promise to keep.\nSaid the angel to Joseph, "Mary's telling the truth: There's no other man,\nAnd though it seems uncouth,\nthat's God's Son she's carrying,\nGod's Son in her womb.\nYou'll call his name Jesus, and he'll be here soon.\nGod sent the prophet Isaiah to tell \nthat the virgin would bear Immanuel.\nMary's carrying that child; his name means 'God with us.'\nI'm telling the truth, as God is my witness.\nSo you marry that girl and be with them too;\nbe a husband and dad, Joseph, that's God's call for you."<\/p>\n\n

So Joseph got up from his sleep the next morn;\nhe had to act fast before the baby was born.\nHe honored his promise, made Mary his wife.\nHe meant what he said; he married Mary for life.<\/p>\n\n

They were making their plans; getting ready for the boy \nwhen the Romans said something that stole most of their joy.\nCaesar Augustus said, "Now is the time for more tax!"\nCaesars do that, you know, unaware of the facts \nwhat it costs to raise a family with that burden on their backs.\n"Good grief!" said Joseph, "We pay enough tax!"\nBut it's not just the tax that would make matters worse;\nfolks had to go to hometowns to sign up for this curse.<\/p>\n\n

And Mary was due, about ready to burst.\nCould she make such a journey without mom or a nurse?<\/p>\n\n

The journey to Bethlehem<\/h2>\n\n

Bethlehem was Joseph's hometown, and it wasn't next door,\nFrom Nazareth it was at least 70 miles or more.\nGetting there would be more than a chore.\nBut Bethlehem it had to be,\naccording to the prophet Micah, you see.\nYes, getting to Bethlehem was key:\nfrom David's town this child must come,\nso Joseph rolled up sleeves to get the job done.<\/p>\n\n

They didn't have much time, so the packing went quick;\ngetting there before birth, though, would be the real trick.\n"Oh my!" said Mary, "The baby just kicked.\nSo let's get moving; let's travel with haste.\nLet's move rather quickly; let's set a good pace,\nTrust me, Joseph, there's no time to waste."<\/p>\n\n

So they traveled as fast as they possibly could,\nstopping only for rest and for sleep and for food.\nIt took a few days but they finally arrived.\nIt was a hard trip, but all three survived.<\/p>\n\n

By this time in history, King David, you see,\nhad thousands of descendants in his family tree.\nSo Bethlehem was bustling with visitors galore,\nto register for the tax, to sign up to pay more.\nThere'd never been such a crowd in Bethlehem before.<\/p>\n\n

They didn't have phones back in that day,\nso they couldn't reserve a place they could stay.\nLike all who had come, they'd just take their chances,\nbut it wouldn't be nice; they had no finances.<\/p>\n\n

They entered the town as the sun was just setting.\nIt wasn't that warm, but Mary was sweating,\nand Joseph was betting they'd not be getting \na room soon enough; yes, it was upsetting.\nbut they weren't forgetting that God was in charge.<\/p>\n\n

So Joseph knocked on the door of the first inn they saw,\nwhile Mary, meanwhile, groaned in labor and all.\n"God will have us a room; we're here by his call,"\nsaid Joseph to Mary in the midst of it all,\n"and if not a room, how 'bout a cow stall?\nAny place will be fine, really, any place at all.\nWe are poor and humble; we don't need much,\nand this I know: God comes through in the clutch."<\/p>\n\n

Well, the inn was all full, but Joe spotted a stable,\n"I can clean it up some and then you'll be able \nto have Jesus there, right there in that place."\nAnd you should have seen the look on her face.\nBetween groans she spoke up, "Any place, any place.\nThe time is now; the baby is coming.\nDon't carry me slow; you better be running."<\/p>\n\n

So run Joseph did, and he set Mary down,\nthen turned his head and looked down with a frown.<\/p>\n\n

"I wish I could do better," he whispered in prayer.\n"There's no bed, no mattress, not even a chair.\nJust some goats and some lambs and that cow over there.\nBut, God, I believe that this must be your plan.\nYou'll take care of us all.\nI know that you can."<\/p>\n\n

Christ is born<\/h2>\n\n

So Joseph cleaned up a corner of that little stall,\nbuilt a fire, fetched some water, got ready and all,\nfor the baby to come from the womb to the world,\nfor this large step of God's plan to unfurl.\nAnd unfurl it did as the baby was born,\nborn in a barn—this is true; it's no yarn;\nborn in a stall to come save us all \nfrom our sins and our wrongs \nand to give us a song of salvation …\nfor Israel and for every nation.<\/p>\n\n

Though this baby is God, he was just like us too,\nwith ten fingers and toes and a strong Jewish nose,\nand a little dark hair, and, of course, with no clothes.\nThen with a gentle thump on his rump, Jesus took a deep breath,\nhis first on the earth, his first since his birth.\nAnd he sneezed once or twice, and he started to cry;\nbabies do that, you know, it comes easy as pie.\nA cow turned her head, as she chewed on some straw;\nfrom the calm on her face as she stood in her stall \nthis wasn't the first time she'd heard a baby bawl.\nThe sheep bleated a little, a donkey did bray \nat this bit of commotion in their stable that day.<\/p>\n\n

But things settled down as things always do,\nAnd Joseph got busy and Mary did, too.\nMary cleaned herself up and cleaned Jesus up, too.\nJesus didn't eat much when she tried to feed him;\nYou could tell that he'd really just rather be sleeping.\nSo she diapered him up, but he had no pajamas,\nso she wrapped him up tight in cloths that she swaddled.\nBut where would we she lay this Christ-Child, this earth-stranger?\nThat's where Joseph came in: He fixed up a manger.\nHe cleaned out a trough, and he fluffed it with hay;\nit was better than rocks, it was better than clay.\nThough it wasn't a crib; it's the best Joseph could offer.\nIt wasn't so bad, but he wished it was softer.\nSo they laid Jesus there, and he went fast asleep,\nno cries, no noise, not a sound, not a peep.\nExhausted and weary, they all fell asleep.<\/p>\n\n

Shepherds see a strange sight and meet Jesus<\/h2>\n\n

Meanwhile on the outskirts, in Bethlehem's fields,\nsome shepherds were tending their sheep in those hills.\nIt was night, it was dark, the sheep were now still;\nthe shepherds sat by the fire to ward off the night chill.\nWhen suddenly, there was light in the sky:\na light so bright, a light like the sun,\nan angel appeared,\nthe shepherds wanted to run,\nif they had had phones they'd have dialed 9-1-1.\nThis strange sight had them shaking and scared half to death:\none had chest pains,\none had goose bumps,\none had shortness of breath.<\/p>\n\n

"Fear not!" said the angel, now sensing their dread,\n"I've got good news to tell you—good news," the angel said.\n"Good news of great joy for all people on earth!\nGood news, and it comes in the form of a birth.\nFor born unto you in David's town, Bethlehem,\nis the Savior, Christ the Lord, yes, the great I AM.\nIt's a day of good news, not a time for the blues,\nnot a time to be scared; it's a time to be shared.<\/p>\n\n

So you go and greet him; this good news for all people,\nbut don't look for him there under a spire or some steeple.\nDon't look at a hospital or some five-star hotel;\ndon't look in a mansion or the cell of a jail."\nLook for the inn, and out back there's a stable;\nit's crude and it's humble, and there's no changing table.\nSo go now: Get moving; you are in no danger.\nYou'll find the baby swaddled in cloths and laying in a manger.<\/p>\n\n

And quick as a wink, hosts of angels appeared,\nand they sang praise to God; they praised and they cheered.\n"Glory to God in the highest!" they shouted.\nAnd the shepherds believed; not a single one doubted.\n"Peace on earth," sang the angels, "to those with whom God is pleased."\nAnd by now the shepherds were down on their knees.\nThe whole thing was sudden and shocking and scary,\nbut they had to move quickly, this was no time to tarry.<\/p>\n\n

The angels left them right there in the night,\nthey ascended to heaven in glorious flight.\n"Did you see what I saw?" one shepherd said to another.\n"I sure did," said the other to his good shepherd brother.\n"We'd best get going. We better not wait.\nThe sheep will be fine; we'll trust God with their fate."<\/p>\n\n

So they hurried and scurried; it was almost a sprint.\nThey ran past some homes, and they raced past some tents.\nThey made it to Bethlehem's gate pretty fast.\nThey made it; they made it; they made it at last.\nThey soon saw the inn, so they looked for the stable.\n"I see it," said one, "It's right there; there's the stable.\nSo they huddled together and quietly crept,\nand they stepped and they crept \nto where the baby was kept.\n"Shhhh," said the leader, "don't be so loud.\nEven though we're a crowd, we can't be too loud.\nThe baby is there, and he may be sleeping,\nso don't be so loud even though your heart's leaping."<\/p>\n\n

They arrived at the entrance; they peeked inside.\nIt was just a small stable, not too long, not too wide.\nAnd Mary and Joseph were there side by side.\nThe angel had told them the baby they'd find,\nso they looked and yes, there it was; there's the manger.\nThey craned their necks to see over the edge;\nthey teetered and tottered as if on a ledge,\nafraid to get close, afraid they might wake him,\nafraid that the sound of their voices would shake him.\nThen, Joseph said, "Come," and they inched a bit closer.\n"Come closer," said Joseph, and they tip-toed right over.<\/p>\n\n

Jesus awoke in the shuffling around;\nhe cried a little and made some more sounds,\nJoseph gave him to Mary, and she held him near.\nHer smile at the shepherds allayed all of their fear.\nShe was glad they had come, so they told them their story \nof angels and their message and all of that glory.\nThe trace of tear rolled down Mary's cheek,\nand a lump in the throat made it quite hard to speak,\nso they all sat in silence for a moment or three,\nthat silence was holy and blessed, you see.<\/p>\n\n

Then Mary did something that caught them off-guard;\nit stunned them at first, they were certainly jarred.\n"Want to hold him?" she asked the lead shepherd straight out,\n"Me? In my arms? Hold that little sprout?"\n"It's all right," said Mary, "you'll do no harm."\n"But I'm rough and I'm dirty and I smell like a barn."\n"Don't we all," said Mary. "Just look where we are."\n"Okay," said the shepherd, "I'll give it a try.\nI'll try to be gentle. I hope he won't cry."\nMary laid Jesus in that shepherd's arms;\nhe held the Christ-Child.\nHe was moved; he was charmed.\nThe rest of the shepherds wanted in on this act.\nThey did quite well as a matter of fact.\nIt should be no surprise they did well to a man,\nfor shepherds, you see, know how to handle a lamb.<\/p>\n\n

Jesus got restless and a little bit fussy;\nit was time for his feeding \nand his diaper was messy.\nSo the shepherds reverently said their goodbyes,\nand went back to the field under starry night skies.\nOn the way to the fields, they told others, a few,\nand all of them wondered at this strange sounding news.\nAnd on the way to their camp, they praised God out loud,\ngave him glory and worship;\nwere they ever wowed \nthat God would invite humble shepherds to visit \nthe Christ-Child just born,\nwell, they just didn't get it.<\/p>\n\n

Shouldn't kings get that honor, rich folks, VIPs?\nNo, Christ came us for all, yes for all, if you please,\nthe peasant, the poor whom their nickels must squeeze,\nthe lonely, the hungry with no bread and cheese.\nAfricans, Arabs, Russians, Chinese.\nAmericans, Hispanics, and folks from Belize,\nand even for you and for me, don't you see?<\/p>\n\n

Mary remembers the story<\/h2>\n\n

Meanwhile back at the stable, things quieted down,\na few others looked in, a few from the town.\nBy now it was late, and you'd think they'd be tired.\nThey were tired all right, but Mary was wired.\nRest didn't come easy, so much on her mind:\nthis night, the journey, the angel back at the start.\nYes, she treasured these things,\npondered them in her heart.<\/p>\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n

So this is the story, a story so true,\nof God's love for people like me and like you.\nIt's the story of how Jesus' work got its start;\nit's a story that shows us the depth of God's heart.<\/p>\n\n

Of course, Jesus would grow and mature, be a man.\nHe would teach, heal, and even raise a man from the dead.\nAnd finally when the time was just exactly right,\nJesus died on the cross without even a fight.\nHe died for our sins, to give us forgiveness;\nto cancel the curse; yes, that was his business.\nBut he wasn't dead long, for on the third day,\neven death couldn't hold him; there was no more to pay.\nHe rose from the dead; what a glorious day!<\/p>\n\n

Yes, he is the way to eternal life.\nBut remember it got started with a man and his wife,\nwho followed God's will; that was their way of life.\nIt began in David's town when they laid the Christ-Child \nin a manger of straw,\nand that's the good news, the good news for us all.\nGod is with us, you see, and he always will be.<\/p>\n\n

So when you're consumed with packages, boxes, and bows,\nwith trees and cards and whether it snows,\neven when Jack Frost is nipping at your nose,\nWhen you forget Jesus while tending holiday business,\nremember this story: How the Lord sent Christmas.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":0,"template":"","tax_ctp_audience":[],"tax_ctp_authors":[2025],"tax_ctp_categories":[165],"tax_ctp_field_guide_subcategory":[],"tax_ctp_field_guides":[],"tax_ctp_format":[170],"tax_ctp_multimedia":[],"tax_ctp_point_editor":[],"tax_publications":[140],"tax_ctp_sermon_series":[469],"tax_ctp_tags":[3387,3497,3600,4153,4523],"tax_ctp_topics":[],"class_list":["post-29690","sermons","type-sermons","status-publish","hentry","tax_ctp_authors-john-mccallum","tax_publications-ct-pastors","tax_ctp_tags-advent","tax_ctp_tags-birth-of-christ","tax_ctp_tags-christmas","tax_ctp_tags-holidays","tax_ctp_tags-nativity"],"acf":{"scripture_references":[{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null}]},"yoast_head":"\nChristmas Stories: A Jesus Story - CT Pastors<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/pastors\/preaching\/sermons\/christmas-stories-jesus-story\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Christmas Stories: A Jesus Story - CT Pastors\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This sermon is part of the “Christmas Stories” sermon series. 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