Peter declared in 2Pet. 1:16 that he and the others Apostles were eye witnesses of His majesty. Lucado adds concerning His Coming - majesty

His majesty . The emperor of Judah . The soaring eagle of eternity . The noble admiral of the kingdom. All the splendor of heaven revealed in a human body. For a period ever so brief, the doors to the throne room were opened & God came near. His majesty was seen . Heaven touched the earth .

Something happens to the person who has witnessed His majesty . One glimpse of the king & you are consumed w/ a desire to see more of Him & to say more about Him. SO TRUE!!!!!!

2. As we look at this familiar story - ( the Christmas story - my prayer is that we might be filled w/ a new sense of wonder .

1. That our hearts might be stirred a fresh - by this desire to see His majesty -

C) Might better understand what means - God came near ! PRAY

1. And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.

2. These were the days when the Roman empire was being formed. Originally the Roman empire was ruled by several generals,

1. but gradually the power began more, and more to be invested into one man, until finally Octavianus gained control.

3. He was the adopted son of Julius Caesar who was His uncle.. So when he came into power - he adopted the title of Caesar .

1. When finally he was able to gain control, over all of the empire, the Roman senate determined to give him some title,

4. they first suggested that they call him" the king of Rome." And he rejected that title.Too many Kings -

1. Then the said, " we'll call you the dictator of Rome." And he didn't like that either - ( dictators didn’t last long)

E) They finally they came up this title," Augustus," which means of the god's. He said, I like that.

And so he was called Caesar Augustus. This man was the most powerful man on the face of the earth. at this time. / Think of the power

1. ./ Here is a guy sitting in Rome. Gradually he has gained this position of power, until he is able to issue a degree,

1. and immediately the whole world must bow./ There is no one to appeal to.

2. Think of it /One man makes a degree, the whole world must bow to that degree.

1) Reason was Rome had beat the world into submission.

3. There was peace in the world at that time only because Rome was such a powerful ruling force that no man dared to say that his life was his own.

1. Every man was a slave to Rome. A World ruled by one man.

4. Taxes were high, unemployment was high, morals were slipping lower & Lower , and the military state was in control.

1. Men were burden oppressed discouraged & sinking deeper & deeper into sin & wickedness -led by the Roman example .

2. Joseph & Mary were living in Naz. - and no woman in her 9^th month is going to willingly travel 80 miles to Beth. On the back of a donkey.

3. So what does the Lord do - he puts it in the heart of this power hungry egostitical emperor to declare a tax

1. Requiring everyone to go to the place of their birth to be registered.

4. Augustus thought he was so powerful - but in reality in this case he was merely a puppet in the hands of God.

1. Used to fulfill the word of God - prophesied 700 yrs earlier by Micah

5. A.T. Pierson used to say, "History is His story," and President James A. Garfield called history "the unrolled scroll of prophecy."

1. Jer. 1:12 "I am watching over My word to perform it," promises the

1. Because of the huge influx of people who were in Beth. To register the city was busting at the seems .

2. There were people going every which way and by the time - that Joseph & married arrived there was no room.

1. Amazing - God sends His son to the earth - The greatest moment in History up to this time is about to happen. And there is no room

C) Now Bethlehem means house of bread !

The name in & of itself speaks of nourishment & satisfaction !

1. Think of a bakery filled w/ many fine breads & pastries ! Endless

28. But on that first Christmas morning Beth. Did not resemble a place of satisfaction & contentment ! Place where ones hunger could get filled

1. Didn’t resemble a Place of refreshment & joy / or nourishment !

Cc) People in the House of Bread were Hungry ! They were discontented

3. Their lives had been interrupted by this decree to be registered

1. People had to stop what they were doing & make these long journeys to the city where they were born .

4. And people had come from all over the region to Beth. In order to be registered and fulfill the wishes of Caesar !

1. Bethlehem was a city was packed w/ people, who were no doubt upset about this inconvenience ! Burdened

5. And there was no room & no time for this woman who was w/ Child & this baby who was about to be born.

1. Really This event was Sort of a precursor of His entire life.

He was despised & rejected of men!!!

1. We are a people who fill our lives w/ a great deal of activity & action / but so often there is little substance ! ( Not much matter in eternity)

2. People stay just busy enough that they won’t have to confront the void that they feel inside ! The unsatisfaction they feel in their hearts !

1. So their lives are filled w/ activity as a distraction ! -

28. Sometimes it is our job’s that demand so much time or so we think - often times it is because we don’t no how to say no / when to quit.

1) We have that tendency to long after that which will not fill us !

3. So there in Beth. ,the house of bread God sees disgruntled burdened down unsatisfied humanity

1. They thought they were burdened down because of the taxes / & the Romans but God knew the root cause was Sin!

D) Man was under the bondage of a much greater oppression than that which any foreign country could ever bring / under bondage of Sin & oppression of Satan So what does God do?

5. He sends His Son the bread of life to come & satisfy the hunger of man ! Bread of life to be born in the House of Bread !

1. to break the yoke of oppression of Satan / bondage of sin ! To make available for man the life he is really longing for !

But there was no room ! And even today there are people who refuse to make room for Him

1. . They have room and time for just about everything, but Him. It seems that He is still consigned to a position outside of the general society.

2. Dina Donohoe a second grade teacher in Canada was asked to direct the Christmas play in their school. - She tells the following story.

But Ralph did not return to his inn as directed.

1. Some people only give Jesus a part of their lives - ( Give him some time on Sundays . ) Life is like a pie.

2. Paul wrote in Eph.3:17 Jesus really wants to dwell in our hearts through faith- Dwell = be at Home in our hearts .

1. Wants you to give Him the whole house - Lord it is yours

3. Guys that is what the Christian life is really about - that is when you really start to live - ( Your life - You & Jesus in middle of the Pie.)

1. When You say Jesus - have my room - better yet - whole house

Now this Inn keeper in his ignorance didn’t respond in that way - see he didn’t know who he was dealing w/ ! Don’t make same mistake.

27. So God’s Son - ended up in a barn which was really a cave
1. And we are also told there in v.7 that He was wrapped in swaddling clothes & laid in a manger - really a feeding trough.

2. This is the 4^th thing I want us to see & note - The significance of the swaddling clothes .

3. Swaddling clothes were Linen bands that were wrapped around babies

when they were born.

4. But they were also used to wrap the body of Jesus in after He died. It was the same type of Linen - that was used. Grave clothes

1. Creates for us an interesting picture.

E) See the soul reason why Jesus came was to die.

2. They were worried about death - because death ment the end. Death ended their ability to communicate their philosophical truth.

1. But the very purpose of Christ coming was to die.

3. He came for one reason mainly - to give His life a ransom for sinners.

He came to die - Whole purpose in coming / Joy set before him he endured the cross !!!!!

1. For 30 yrs as He grew - He knew that’s why He was here

2. 31/2 yrs of His ministry - Not time for Son….. to be glorified.

1. John 12 - Now is the time - talks about death .
2. Home work - Ex. 34 - Show Glory

27. Shepherds lowest class - thieves - in town things disappeared .
2. It is thought that these shepherds were perhaps the temple shepherds - who worked for the Priest.

1. because they offered a lamb every morning and every evening, for the sacrifices, they had their own temple shepherds

3. These shepherds kept the lambs for the temple sacrifices, and it is possible that these shepherds were those who were in the field that night

D)if so, it is kind of significant, that these guys who took care of the lambs sacrificed in the temple were the first once to see the lamb of God, who was to take away the sins of the world.

Angels announcement - 200 yrs practicing

What I really want us to note though is found in v. 15-17 15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us."

1. The shepherds knew what to look for: a newborn Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And they found Him!

2. And when they did They worshiped Him and marveled at God’s grace and goodness and the miracle He had revealed to them.

3. These shepherds are good examples for us to imitate today.

1. They received by faith the message God sent them and then responded with immediate obedience. ( Lets go)

4. After finding the Baby, they worshipped Him & Marveled at the grace of God that had been shown to them.

1. That is a good thing for us to ponder today - Do you still marvel at the grace of God - that has been shown to you.

5. Are you still blown away to the point of worship & Praise when you consider the undeserved favor that God has shown You.

1. GRACE = God’s riches at …… expense !

1. A poor woman who had a hard struggle to make ends meet, and knew what it meant to be w/out food, was taken on an outing to the seaside.

It was her first time to ever see the ocean. She was delighted with the scene. As she looked out over the vast expanse of waters, tears filled her eyes and she exclaimed, "Thank God for a sight of something there is enough of!"

2. That is how it is with the soul when it gets a vision of the infinite fullness of God's grace in Christ.

3. So first we see that they worshipped & marveled because of God’s grace

1. They went "glorifying and praising God."- just like the Angels who appeared to them. Glad tidings of great Joy.

2. They shared openly & w/ Joy the grace of God that had been revealed to them in Christ.

1) Guys the grace we have received is the grace that we need to share!

A) "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

2. V. 14 is the first Christmas Carol - composed by God and sung by Angels

1. Love to have a CD of that one.

C) They begin by praising God - the giver of the gift - Then move to describing the results of the gift. Peace

4. The Jewish word shalom (peace) means much more than a truce in the battles of life.

1. It means well-being, health, prosperity, security, soundness, and completeness. It has to do more with character than circumstances.

5. Because Christ has come Peace is now available - Peace w/ God/

Also - Peace from the guilt .

Some of you might recall that in 1989 A new product called "Disposable Guilt Bags" appeared in the marketplace.

A)It consisted of a set of ten ordinary brown bags on which were printed the following instructions: "Place the bag securely over your mouth, take a deep breath and blow all your guilt out, then dispose of the bag immediately."

B) The wonder of this is that the Associated Press reported that 2500 kits had been quickly sold at $2.50 per kit.

3. People want to know how they can get rid of the guilt - how they can experience the peace in their lives they long for.

1. The answer is in Jesus the Babe born in Beth. - Bread of Life

1. The Phrase and good will toward men -is Literally translated "peace to men of good will," or "peace among men with whom He is pleased."

2. Peace to men who are in God’s will ! It is a statement of theology !

1. How are we in God’s will ? Turn to John 6

After feeding 5000

v.27"Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."28 Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?"29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."

1. This is the will of God - believe on Him !

1. Not do this or do that - Just believe on Jesus!

2. Then they go into this little thing about Moses & the manna -

and Jesus responds in v. 32

You Want to enter into the will of God today - Open your Heart to Jesus!

1. Whether you are like these confused people who had not yet received Christ - yet were searching for meaning & fulfillment

2. Or like the person we were describing a few minutes ago - Christ is only a part of your life - small part - little closet -

1) Give Him Your whole heart today - you will not be disappointed / Result Peace !

1. Forgive your sins - take away your fears - give you peace w/ God

1. Peace w/ in your Heart - peace from the guilt. He will do for you what

D) That which makes it possible to be forgiven, to be cleansed, to be healed, that which makes it possible for us to receive our life back again, fresh and clean and new, is the power of God's Grace in the Cross of Jesus Christ.