Good evening, Lakeside. Merry Christmas to you. If he came the first time, he will come again. Joel read it earlier, but I want to begin tonight by reading just the first six verses of Luke chapter 2, where we read again. Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken. while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David. in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. There are over 31,000 verses in the Bible, but perhaps the most profound one of them all is the very next one in the passage that I just read to you. Luke chapter 2, verse 7. Because it tells us that the invisible God became a man and was born into this world. Luke chapter 2 verse 7 says, And she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in the cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now it may surprise you to know that this is the only mention of the actual birth of Jesus in the four inspired New Testament gospel accounts. Though Matthew tells us about events relating to the birth of Christ, he never records the actual birth of Jesus. He tells us about the angel appearing to Joseph in a dream prior to the birth of Jesus in order to explain that the child in Mary's womb was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And Matthew also tells us that Joseph kept Mary a virgin, meaning he didn't have physical relations with her until after she gave birth to Jesus. But Matthew really doesn't tell us any of the specifics concerning the actual birth of Christ. And the same is true of the other gospel writers, Mark and John. Neither of them give us any information about Christ's birth. Mark starts his gospel story by telling us about the ministry of John the Baptist, and he introduces Jesus to us as a grown adult at his baptism. And John John opens his gospel account by taking us back in eternity past, telling us that the Word was in the beginning, and the Word was God, and the Word became human flesh. But the Apostle John doesn't mention anything about the actual birth of Jesus. That event is reserved for Luke alone. As the only gospel writer given the unique assignment by the Holy Spirit to record for us the actual event of the birth of Jesus. And surprisingly, he writes about it with amazing brevity, amazing simplicity, without overstating anything. Luke simply tells us that it was the decree ordered by Caesar for a census to be taken that brought Joseph and Mary to the village, the town of Bethlehem, where she would give birth to Jesus. Then he records the actual birth. That's really it. However, although Luke's narrative is rather brief, and it is simple in its presentation, there are profound truths that Luke reveals to us about the character of God as seen in the events surrounding Christ's birth, as well as his actual birth. And in doing so, Luke tells us a great deal about our Lord that should encourage us, because while the world really cares nothing about the birth of Christ, except that the world gets to celebrate the holiday of Christmas, and that's fun. But the remarkable truths involving the incarnation of God should leave us, if you're a believer in Christ, it should leave you in awe of God. One of those remarkable truths, and the one I want to focus on tonight in our brief time together, is the humility of Christ as seen in his birth. I want you to look again at verse six. While they were there, the days were completed for her, that is Mary, to give birth. Now Luke tells us that sometime after Joseph and Mary arrived in the town of Bethlehem, it was time for her to give birth. And then, in very simple, straightforward, non-technical language, Luke describes the most important birth in the history of humanity. He describes the birth of the God-man, Jesus the Messiah. He says in verse 7 again, and she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now, in language that is both plain and majestic at the same time, Luke tells us three significant truths about the birth of Jesus. First of all, he tells us that Mary gave birth to her firstborn son. And there are a couple of important truths that I want to point out to you about this statement concerning the birth of Jesus. Truth number one is that while the conception of Jesus was miraculous and absolutely mysterious, his birth was not. His birth wasn't. It was like any other human birth. Though the thought of God becoming man, and then as one person put it, stepping from eternity into time, and space is absolutely mind-boggling, and it is spectacular and stunning. His actual birth was really not out of the ordinary. It was very ordinary. After nine months, his mother gave birth to him, just as any mother would give birth to their child. The second important truth I would point out to you about Christ's birth is that Luke says that Mary gave birth to her, and I'm just quoting what Luke said, her firstborn son. He didn't say her only son. He didn't say her only child, her firstborn son. And this is significant. Why? Because the Roman Catholic Church, in their exaltation of Mary, teaches that she remained a virgin until her death. But that's completely erroneous. It is a clear denial of scripture. Listen to what we read in Matthew chapter 1, verses 24 and 25. And Joseph awoke from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a son. and he called his name Jesus. Now after God revealed to Joseph that Mary's pregnancy was a result of the miraculous work of God in her womb, supernatural work of God, and that he should marry her, we read that he kept her a virgin until she gave birth to Jesus. In other words, the implication of these words is that while they did not have any physical relations during the time, She was pregnant with Jesus. Afterwards, they had normal husband and wife relations. And we know that this was the case because the New Testament reveals in several places, not just one, but several places, that Mary and Joseph had other children who were the half-brothers and the half-sisters of Jesus. One place we read about this, for example, is Matthew chapter 13. starting at verse 55 where we're told about the unbelieving reaction to Jesus when he returned to his hometown in the town of Nazareth. We read, this is what the people said, is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas and his sisters? Are they not all with us? So that's the first thing that Luke tells us about Christ's birth, that it was like any other human birth, and it was Mary's firstborn, but not her only child. The second significant issue Luke tells us about concerning the birth of Jesus is that after he was born, Mary wrapped him, we read, in cloths. Now, just like his birth, the way that Jesus was treated after his birth was not unusual, and it was not out of the ordinary. In that day, it was customary for all newborns to be wrapped tightly in strips of cloth or some type of fabric. This was done to provide warmth. security, and to keep the baby's bones firm and straight. And so Jesus as a newborn was handled in the same manner that all newborns in that day were handled. Now it's in the third and final significant issue that Luke tells us about concerning the birth of Jesus where we see the pure and wonderful humility of our Lord. We read that he was laid in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. After being born, then wrapped tightly in long linen cloths, we read that Jesus was placed in a manger. And though this has led many to assume that Jesus was born in a stable, that's not necessarily the case. You see, while the word manger means a feeding trough for animals, these troughs were found wherever animals might be kept. In fact, those of you who have been with me on our tours to Israel might recall that we saw a feeding trough in the town, the ancient ruins of Megiddo, where Solomon kept his horses. No one knows for certain today where Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem. However, a very early tradition states that he was born in a cave. And sometimes animals were kept in caves in order to protect them from the elements that can get cold in Israel. But regardless of where Jesus was born, we know for certain that right after the birth, he was placed in a trough used to feed animals. And the reason he was placed there, as Luke tells us, is because there was no room for them in the inn. Now, why there was no room for them in the inn, Luke does not say. The most likely reason is that with so many Jewish people like Mary and Joseph coming to Bethlehem for the census, And with the census being taken by Roman officials as well as Roman soldiers, many extra people just flooded into Bethlehem. And Bethlehem was just a small village, a small town at that point, so that the inn or place of lodging was just naturally overcrowded. There isn't any indication that the innkeeper was a heartless man who turned away a young couple about to give birth. I mean, that's legend. That's speculation. It's not what the Bible says. There simply wasn't a room available for them in the inn so that Mary had to give birth in a place where animals were kept, the animals belonging to those who did have rooms at the inn. Now, regardless of why there was no room for Joseph and Mary in the inn, The fact that Mary was forced to give birth amongst the animals, folks, that is a picture of incredible humility for the entrance of the Son of God into this world. But it was a fitting entrance, fitting because our Lord's entire life on earth spoke of his humility. Though he was a king, he was treated as a pauper. Though he created and owned everything in the universe, He said that he had nowhere to lay his head, though he brought the Jewish people into existence and made them his unique covenant people. When he came to them, they did not receive him. Though he is God, yet he gave up his rights to always use his divine attributes and humbled himself. so that he became a servant and therefore obediently went to the cross to die for the sins of his people. So from his birth until his death, no one demonstrated more humility than Jesus Christ. But just to get a sense of how low, how absolutely low our Lord stooped in order to enter our world. I want you to hear the way Bible teacher Kent Hughes so graphically describes in incredibly sobering words as only Kent Hughes could. He's a magnificent writer. He describes what Christ's birth was really like. Here's what he said. In Bethlehem the accommodations for travelers were primitive. The eastern inn was the crudest of arrangements. Typically, it was a series of stalls built on the inside of an enclosure and opening onto a common yard where the animals were kept. All the innkeeper provided was hay for the animals and a fire to cook on. On that cold day when the expectant parents arrived, nothing at all was available. Not even one of those crude stalls. And despite the urgency, no one would make room for them. So it was probably in the common courtyard where the travelers' animals were tied that Mary gave birth to Jesus, with only Joseph attending her. Joseph probably wept as much as Mary did, seeing her pain. the stinking barnyard, their poverty, the people's indifference, the humiliation, and the sense of utter helplessness, feeling shame at not being able to provide for young Mary on the night of her travail, all that would make a man either curse or cry. If we imagine that Jesus was born in a freshly swept country fair stable, we miss the whole point. It was wretched. It was scandalous. There was sweat and pain and blood and cries as Mary reached up to the heavens for help. The earth was cold and hard. The smell of birth mixed with the stench of manure and bitter-smelling straw made a contemptible bouquet. Trembling carpenter's hands, clumsy with fear, grasped God's son, slippery with blood, the baby's limbs waving helplessly as if falling through space, his face grimacing as he gasped in the cold and his cry pierced the night. Folks, this is how far the Son of God, who is God the Son, descended when he left the splendor of heaven to be born in the midst of foul-smelling livestock in a remote village in the Middle East. Jesus was born into this world as the lowest of men. But he was born like this And he lived like this in total humility all of his life, and that includes his death, where he humbled himself by letting evil men crucify him so that he would die as a substitute sin-bearer for others. For others, people like us, people like you, people like me. In other words, he humbled himself on the cross by enduring the wrath of God. The wrath of God for sin. though he was sinless and undeserving of that wrath, so that we could be saved from God's wrath, though we are sinful and we are deserving of divine judgment and wrath. So I ask you, have you ever turned to Christ to save you from God's wrath? Not to save you from a crisis you're facing, not to deliver you from a great trial, but to save you from God's wrath, His judgment, His holy justice for your sin. Have you ever repented of your sin, which means have you ever come to a point where you just say, I don't want to continue like this anymore. I want to forsake my sin. I don't want to live like this anymore. Have you ever repented of your sin and in turning from your sin turned to Christ and placed your trust in Jesus to save you from the holy judgment of God? This is why Jesus Christ was born into this world. This is what Christmas is really about. Christ was born into this world in the most humiliating of ways, in the crudest of cradles amongst animals. He came into this world in order to save sinners. A sinner like you, a sinner like me. If you have never trusted Christ as your Savior, your Lord, then I urge you to call upon Him. What a wonderful time of the year to trust Christ. Any time of the year is wonderful, but especially Christmastime, to trust Him and experience His wonderful saving grace. Jesus said, He who comes to me, I will never ever cast out. Let's pray together as we just thank the Lord and wait upon him and just enjoy who he is. Our Father, thank you for sending Christ. Sending Christ into this world, Lord. I've said it so many times, who are we that you would be mindful of us? We're rebellious sinners. We've turned away from you, as Isaiah said, we've turned everyone to his own way, but you, Lord. You have so wonderfully not only looked upon us, but provided a way for us to be saved. You have provided that in Christ. Lord, it's a reality. Jesus Christ died for sinners. Lord, thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for condescending such a lowly, humiliating, more than humbling, humiliating manner that you came to this world for us. And Lord, I pray if anyone here has never trusted you, has never truly repented of their sin and placed their confidence in Christ and his death on the cross for their sins, I pray that tonight that would be their experience. And Lord, I pray for all of us who know you, may we be in awe of you, may we praise you, may we adore you, and may we remember that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners. In your name we pray, Lord. Amen.