Remember When (Message 1)

Two Lessons for This Series:

The people in the Christmas story are marked by WISDOM and OBEDIENCE, which is what makes this account so powerful and effective.

One of the best ways to celebrate Christmas is to “remember when” Jesus was born into your HEART, and then to LIVE in obedience.

A Few Things to Know as We Begin:

Jesus was most probably born in summer or early FALL (shepherds and census) and NOT in December. But we celebrate Christmas on December 25 because it ALIGNED with a Roman holiday during the times of the early church. (The Bible gives us a good idea as to a date for Jesus’ birth!)
Luke 1:5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.
Luke 1:26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,

Even though we don’t know the EXACT date, we do know the exact TIME frame of the events we are about to study. From the beginning of this story (Luke 2:16, the night that Jesus was born) until the end (Luke 2:40), 40 days pass.

One of the PURPOSES of this account is to give people EVIDENCE of the birth of the Lord. A Jewish principle was the “testimony of three witnesses.” (Shepherds, Simeon, Anna)
Deut. 19:15 . . . A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Matt. 18:16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’

The Obedience of the Shepherds

Luke 2:16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

The shepherds shared the BOTTOM rung of the ladder with tax collectors and DUNG sweepers. But the Heavenly Father CHOSE them as the FIRST witnesses of the birth of His Son.

The shepherds followed instructions:
— They HURRIED off.
— They FOUND Mary and Joseph and the baby.
— They SPREAD the word.
— They RETURNED praising God. (They believed!)

. . . . And Mary treasured these MOMENTS and spent time CONSIDERING what it all meant!

The Obedience of the Naming

Luke 2:21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

The EIGHTH day after birth was the time SET by GOD for the circumcising of a baby boy.
Lev. 12:3 On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised.
— Circumcision was a sign of obedience and a mark that you BELONGED to God. It was also a reminder of SIN.

The eighth day was also the time the baby was NAMED.
Luke 1:31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
Matt. 1:21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Jesus (Iησοῦς or “ee-ay-sooce”) = Joshua (יֵשׁוּעַ or “Yeshua”) = The Lord is SALVATION!

The Obedience of Redemption

Luke 2:22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord” ), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

To fulfill the LAW of God, two more things needed to be completed by PARENTS of firstborn sons:

a. A firstborn male needed to be PRESENTED to the Lord (as in dedication). This was done by a PRIEST.
Ex. 13:1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal.” . . . 11 “After the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as he promised on oath to you and your ancestors, 12 you are to give over to the LORD the first offspring of every womb.

b. A mother needed to be purified by making a SACRIFICE.
Lev. 12:1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Say to the Israelites: ‘A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. 3 On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. 4 Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over. 5 If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding.

— Because Jesus was a BOY child, Mary was UNCLEAN for 40 days. Her sacrifice CLEANSED her.
Lev. 12:6 “ ‘When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. 7 He shall offer them before the LORD to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood. “ ‘These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. 8 But if she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’ ”

— Since Mary and Joseph were POOR, they could only offer the BIRDS for a sacrifice (more evidence that the MAGI hadn’t arrived!).

In every way, this young couple has been OBEDIENT to God through HARDSHIPS, which is a wonderful example and REMINDER to each of us.

Walk The Talk

Why do we celebrate Christmas on December 25th and how do you feel about that? What did you learn about the more probable date?

Why does Luke tell us about the 40 days after Jesus was born? How can it be helpful?

What did you learn about the testimony of three witnesses?

How would you describe shepherds in general and then these shepherds in particular?

Why was the naming of Jesus important?

Why was purification important?

What one thing that you learned in this study would you like to share with others?