Fake News from the Christmas Story.pngINTRO

Freaky Friday…

Introduce Fake News from the Christmas story…

TENSION

If you could trade places with anyone, who would it be?

If someone traded places with you, do you think they’d be surprised about your life? 

Jesus was born into our situation.

TRUTH

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Background: Luke’s orderly, accurate, careful account (Ch.1)

 

  1. The Fake News: Jesus was born in a barn.

 

The narrative often goes like this…

  • Mary is traveling on a donkey, about to pop, having contractions.
  • Joseph frantically searches the streets of Bethlehem at night, knocking on hotel room doors looking for a place to say.
  • A gruff old innkeeper says, “Sorry, no room here, but your wife can give birth in my barn.”
  • Mary delivers her baby surrounded by animals.
  • The whole story is rushed, hurried, and rejected.

What’s interesting is, the Bible says nothing about a donkey, Joseph knocking on doors, farm animals…or even an innkeeper!

 

2. The Real News: Jesus was born in front of many witnesses.

 

Luke tells us more about the census than he does the birth of Jesus.

  • This event was real…
    • Historical accounts of Quirinius and the census (every 14 yrs).
    • Happened until AD 241
  • Jewish people had to go to their ancestral hometown, and register their name, occupation, family, income, and property for the purposes of taxation.
  • All this detail pinpoints the time of Jesus’ birth. This is a historical event.

Mary and Joseph probably didn’t travel alone.

  • Bad things happened when you traveled alone (Good Samaritan).
  • In like 2:41-52, Mary & Joseph traveled in a caravan w/ other family.
  • The census was a HUGE deal, and would not have been a last minute trip.
  • It was a 100 mile trip on foot, probably taken over the course of a week.

Mary didn’t go into labor until they had already arrived in Jerusalem (v.6).

  • They may have planned on Mary delivering in Bethlehem.
  • God definitely did! (Micah 5:2).

The word “inn” doesn’t mean “hotel” in the Bible.

  • katalyma – Occurs only 2 other times in the N.T., both dealing with the same occurrence…
  • Luke 22:11; Mk. 14:14 – “Guest Room”
  • Most homes had a downstairs for work, and upstairs for sleeping.
  • “Upper Room” – sometimes a guest room.
  • With all of the visitors, there would have been no privacy in the guest room for Mary to deliver.

The hospitality in the 1st Century Middle East would not turn away a woman in labor.

  • Luke, “Mr. Detail” surely would have noted if they were turned away.

Mary likely gave birth on the ground floor of a house.

  • At night, animals were brought in to protect them.
  • Mangers/feeding troughs were built into the windows; accessible both inside and out (v.7, 12, 16)
  • With the animals out, Mary would have had privacy.

The shepherds were told to look for a baby in a manger (v. 12, 16).

  • Did they go door to door? NO!

 

3. The Good News: Jesus was born into our situation.

 

“Unto you is born…” (v.11) – Luke wanted to make sure we knew Jesus was born.

 

  • The incarnation

 

  • Jesus came to save the world, and, literally, involved the whole world in his birth.

The one we’ve all been waiting for…

  • The world had waited since Gen. 3:15
  • Israel waiting through Exodus, Exile
  • 400 year period of silence…does God hear our cries?

The Christmas story isn’t about Jesus being in need, and helping those in need. We are the ones who need Jesus!

  • Dead in our sins
  • Suffering the natural consequences of our sin

Jesus entered our situation, and we have witnesses to prove it.

  • 1:2 – “Witnesses from the beginning”
  • v.17-18 – “Made known…” “All who heard it…”
  • John 1:14 – “God became flesh…”
  • 2 Cor. 8:9 – Through he was rich, he became poor for our sake.”
  • *Heb. 4:15 – Jesus is able to sympathize w/ our situation, tempted in every way
  • Jesus went through teenage things…

Jesus made a holy God accessible to regular, sinful people.

  • Jesus’ life demonstrated God’s nature.
  • Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again.

 

4. The Hard News: Jesus wants us to take his name to someone else’s situation.

 

God sent Jesus to our situation, and Jesus sends us.

  • “As the Father has sent me, I’m sending you…” – Jesus, John 20:21
  • “Have the same mind as Jesus, who humbled himself…” – Phil. 2:5-8

There are situations where people desperately need “God with a bod.”

  • “We are the body of Christ…” – 1 Cor. 12
  • What will the hands & feet of Jesus do this Christmas?

Where are we “too good” to tell others about Jesus?

We are never more like Jesus than when we represent him by leaving our comfort zones and taking his incarnation to people to can’t get to him otherwise.

APPLICATION

#1 – Back pack kids…adopt one.

#2 – Befriend someone and bring Jesus into their situation.

#3 – Be honest about your need for Jesus.

#4 – Believe Luke’s eyewitness account of Jesus.

LANDING

Adopt a back pack kid.