022. Chapter 2 - The Birth of Jesus

Chapter 2 - The Birth of Jesus Matthew 1:18-25;Matthew 2:1-12;Luke 1:5-80;Luke 2:1-20 Birth of John Announced An old priest is offering incense in the temple at Jerusalem. The angel Gabriel appears to him predicting the birth of a famous son. What! After all these years of longing and prayer? In the old age of his wife and himself? Incredible! He demands a sign. Gabriel grants it, saying he will be dumb until the birth of his son. The patient multitude, kneeling without, feel the thrill of tremendous events when Zacharias finally appears — overwhelmed by his experience, dumb and unable to pronounce the benediction.

Announcement to Mary The same angel appears to a virgin living in Nazareth who is betrothed to a man named Joseph, announcing: “The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God.” Though overwhelmed with consternation, she responds, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to thy word.”

Visit to Elisabeth

Deeply troubled in soul, Mary immediately goes to visit her kinswoman, Elisabeth, who is inspired of God to reassure her and reveal to her the extent of the honor that is hers and the supreme destiny of the Son she is to bear. Mary catches the marvelous vision and voices the beautiful Spirit. breathed words, “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit bath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” Mary remains until Elisabeth’s child is born. The relatives and friends are surprised when both father and mother agree that the child’s name shall not be Zacharias, but John. Immediately the father begins to speak with language that rivals the beauty of Mary’s, predicting the greatness of his boy, who is to be the forerunner of the Christ. The Marriage

After a three-months’ visit with Elisabeth, Mary returns to Nazareth to prepare for her approaching wedding. It is Joseph’s turn now to be deeply troubled, but when he is about to break off the betrothal quietly — “being a righteous man and not willing to make her a public example” — the angel of the Lord appears to him in a dream saying: “Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins.” Joseph’s faith matches that of the noble woman who has promised to become his wife and so the marriage ceremony is performed. The Birth of Jesus

After a time, the couple travel to Bethlehem, their ancestral city, in order to enroll for taxation. The little city is crowded to the utmost. They find shelter in a stable “because there was no room for them in the inn.” There amid the obscurity and squalor of the manger, the Saviour of the world is born. The cruel slander of the “long-tongued gossips of Nazareth” and the cold selfishness of the people in Bethlehem are forgotten as angels sing their joy at God’s loving favor to a lost world.

O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie;

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep The silent stars go by;

Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting Light; The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee tonight.

Shepherds

Humble shepherds, rough and uncouth, but noble in soul, are visited by an angel as they watch their flocks. They hear the good news: “There is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord.” Heaven’s gates are flung wide and the vast angelic host send forth hymns of rejoicing: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased.” Following the direction given by the angel, the shepherds hasten to the manger and offer their homage to the King.

Wisemen A star blazes a path across the heavens pointing the way to the cradle of the Son of God. Wisemen start across the desert to follow its gleaming. They are led to Jerusalem where they inquire for the newborn King. A new King just born! Herod is thrown into a jealous rage. Is his throne to be lost to his descendants? Jerusalem trembles. Are they to suffer another bloody outburst of the half-crazy old king? Herod inquires, “Where?” “In Bethlehem of Judaea,” respond those who have studied the Old Testament prophets. The Wisemen push on and joyfully behold the star again. Had it been hidden during the time they tarried in doubt at Jerusalem? They come to Bethlehem and there the rich gifts of the East are laid at the feet of Jesus. Being warned of God not to reveal to Herod the whereabouts of the Babe, they return by another way to their own country.

How few people knew when the child was born! It was made known to a few humble shepherds out on the Judaean hills and to some Wisemen in the far East. But no one in temple or palace in Jerusalem was granted a revelation of the birth of the King. How few people know even yet that Christ is come! Even in Christian lands, the masses go on in ignorance while the faithful few hear the songs of the angels or bring their gifts to the King. The people to whom God revealed the birth of His Son were representative. What an honor to these humble shepherds! They become the representatives of the nation as they hasten to the manger. They stir memories of the shepherd boy, David, as they stand in the presence of the newborn “Son of David.” The Wisemen were evidently Gentiles and men of great learning and wealth. Thus the poor and the rich, the prince and the peasant, the learned and the untutored, the Jew and the Gentile kneel at the feet of the Christ-child.

There’s a song in the air! there’s a star in the sky!

There’s a mother’s deep prayer; and a baby’s low cry! And the star rains its fire, while the beautiful sing, For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King. In the light of that star lie the ages impearled: And the song from afar has swept over the world;

Every heart is aflame, and the beautiful sing, — In the homes of the nations that Jesus is King!