Rev. David Holwick
First Baptist Church
West Lafayette, Ohio
Christmas Eve, 1988

                                                       Luke 2:1
                         LOWLY IN A MANGER 

  I. Caesar Augustus.
      A. Mighty king.
      B. Gave world "Pax Romana" - peace of Rome.
          1) Lasted for centuries.
      C. Built huge monuments, some of which still exist.

 II. Census.
      A. Unusual to go back to hometown?
          1) No, we have evidence they did just this.

      B. Whole Roman world counted.

      C. Who stands out out of everyone counted?  Only Jesus.

III. Origin of Jesus.
      A. Despised family.
          1) Rumors of illegitimacy haunted them for years.

      B. Poor family.
          1) Dove as payment for son, instead of lamb.
          2) No room in inn.
          3) Put in barn.
              a) Ancient tradition (Justin Martyr) - a cave.
          4) Later became a carpenter, a humble profession.
          5) Throughout his life, traveled no farther than 200 miles.

      C. Persecuted family.
          1) Life endangered.
              a) Slaughter of innocents.
          2) Fled to Egypt.
              a) Herod notorious for cruelty.
              b) Just like Abraham, Moses, and David, they had to flee.

 IV. How can Jesus be significant?

     Malcolm Muggeridge was a former English communist reporter.
        Stationed in Russia during Stalin.
        Became disillusioned.
     Muggeridge became interested in Christianity.

     While doing a TV commentary at Bethlehem, he analyzed the
        surroundings.
     The crypt was tacky.
     Most people seemed like sightseers.

     But each face was transfigured by the experience of being in what    
         purported to be the place of Jesus' birth.
     Some were deeply moved, as if faith was important to them.
     Muggeridge the skeptic found the truth that the story of Jesus must
         be looked for in the hearts of believers - rather than in
           archeological dust or anthropological bones.

     Jesus has outshined Augustus.
     His story has been retold more than any other.
         Modern revisions claim that his kingdom is of this world
           and Man can live by bread alone.
         They say the goal of life is to lay up treasure on earth.
     The more we think we know him the less we listen to him.

     Jesus has inspired much of what is best in Western civilization.
         He had greater demands than any other teacher.
     But he was not an idealist in our sense.
         He did not believe that the world could be made better on
           its own terms.
     He had no reform or plan of action.
         His teaching leaves no middle ground.
     In Jesus alone does the belief persist that God came to earth
         in human form.

     Muggeridge in his old age has come to believe in the fantasy
         of the resurrection.
     Jesus' wild claims have become more captivating.
                                                                    #503


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       database at http://illust.holwick.com]