After 400 years of Scriptural silence, God once again pierces history in dramatic fashion by the first Advent of the Savior and His heavenly kingdom. The unexpected journey would be epitomized by Jesus Himself. The literal king of the world to be born to parents of seemingly insignificant pedigree, in a small town, amongst various animals with His first bed being a manger used to feed them. With such a paradoxical beginning, it is clear that we need to learn to find Jesus in the details and be ready for unexpected challenges in our life that are meant for God's glory and our good.
Jesus in the Details
God is sovereign and controls world affairs unto His ultimate ends. You better believe that He is in the business of supernaturally directing your life as well.
Luke 2:1-7 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
The Nativity story is a picture of the sovereignty of God and His perfect placements.
Seven-hundred years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Micah would deliver with supernatural accuracy the birthplace of Jesus and reveal important details about His identity.
Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
What this means is that:
1) Jesus is the eternal God.
Jesus has been around the block several more eons than you. Therefore, when He gives you commands through the Bible that are to obeyed for your good, you can trust that He has the wisdom to know what He's talking about.
2) God moves sovereignly throughout history.
The fact that Joseph, the adoptive father of Jesus, would be of the line of King David confirmed the covenant made to David (2 Sam. 7; Ps. 89), where David was promised that God would raise up one of his descendants after him, who would reign forever on his throne. This promise to David was made 900 years before Jesus' arrival and became the foundation for Israel’s hope for a coming Messiah. God is faithful to watch over and fulfill His promises over a long period of time.
It is not a mistake that you are here or with the people with whom you find yourself - in your family, church, workplace, school or neighborhood. It is all part of God's overarching plan.
The times and places that you were born, live and are now reaching out to find Jesus are part of the design of God. You are in the right place. Settle down allowing Him to do His work in and through you there until He says otherwise.
As a lesson from the specificity involved in the birth of Christ, two great questions to ask are:
1) Where are you now that you did not expect to be?
2) How has God arranged the exact times and places in which you now find yourself for the birthing of His kingdom purposes through your life?
The answers to these questions reflects the unexpected challenge that Jesus brings to follow Him both then and now.
An Unexpected Challenge
Jesus comes to rule your life because He can do it better.
However, this reality posed a threat to the:
1) Romans
Caesar Augustus was the adopted son of Julius Caesar who had transferred political power to Augustus and two other men. After his defeat of Marc Antony and Cleopatra, Augustus' ascendency to the throne was complete, and through his Pax Romana, he would provide unprecedented unity and safety of travel for those of the Empire. This would be a perfect environment for the spread of the gospel which would highlight the worship of Jesus rather than the Caesars in their imperial rule.
2) Jews
The Zondervan Bible commentary gives us a picture of messianic expectations in the time of Jesus:
"In the century leading up to Jesus’ birth, when the powerful Roman empire dominated Palestine, hope for the coming Messiah to free God’s people from their oppressors became particularly intense. Though these expectations were diverse in the various strands of first-century Judaism, the dominant hope was for a messianic deliverer from King David’s line. In the Psalms of Solomon, a pseudepigraphic work (written under an assumed name) from the first century B.C., the following hope is expressed: See, Lord, and raise up for them their king, the son of David, to rule over your servant Israel…. Undergird him with the strength to destroy the unrighteous rulers, to purge Jerusalem from gentiles who trample her to destruction; in wisdom and in righteousness to drive out the sinners from the inheritance; to smash the arrogance of sinners like a potter’s jar; to shatter all their substance with an iron rod [cf. Ps. 2:9] to destroy unlawful nations with the word of his mouth; [cf. Isa. 11:4] At his warning the nations will flee from his presence; and he will condemn sinners by the thoughts of their hearts. (Pss. Sol. 17:21–25). The Gentiles who “trample [Jerusalem] to destruction” are the Romans. It is not difficult to see why such excitement surrounded Jesus and even John the Baptist (Luke 3:15), when people suspected either might be the Messiah, the Son of David."
It was disconcerting to many that the first order of business for the anticipated deliverer would not be to overthrow the Romans, but the autonomy and rebellion in their hearts. It is the same for us today as Jesus looks to bring people first to repentance so that He might forgive us of our sins and free us of the internal oppression of sin that has ruled our lives.
3) Us
We like to piecemeal our devotion to Jesus, but relationship with Him is an all or nothing proposal. He came to marry a bride, His church. Jesus does not come to make happy suggestions for your life, He comes to benevolently rule it. As you repent of sin and meet Him at the cross you receive His abundant life.
“Men will allow God to be everywhere but on his throne. They will allow him to be in his workshop to fashion worlds and make stars. They will allow Him to be in His almonry to dispense His alms and bestow his bounties. They will allow Him to sustain the earth and bear up the pillars thereof, or light the lamps of heaven, or rule the waves of the ever-moving ocean; but when God ascends His throne, His creatures then gnash their teeth. And we proclaim an enthroned God, and His right to do as He wills with His own, to dispose of His creatures as He thinks well, without consulting them in the matter; then it is that we are hissed and execrated, and then it is that men turn a deaf ear to us, for God on His throne is not the God they love. But it is God upon the throne that we love to preach. It is God upon His throne whom we trust.”
― Charles H. Spurgeon
Jesus came in fulfillment of God's specific promise to the chagrin of the Caesars who hoped to be deified. Jesus brought bigger plans than the Jews of the time anticipated. He would bring an eternal kingdom to rule in the hearts of men and women with His first coming. This is the purpose of the first Advent as He provides an avenue of reconciliation between God and humanity through the cross. The second Advent of Jesus the Messiah will come and overthrow the enemies of God. He will be the long-awaited king of both Jews and Gentiles alike coming to assume His throne. Therefore, let's worship Him now and forever give Him the throne in our lives.
Second City Church- An Unexpected Journey Sermon Series 2014