Luke’s Lamb of God

Luke Chapter 2

Verses 1-7 – The birth of Jesus could not logically have happened the way it was predicted in the Old Testament, most notably in Micah 5:2.  “…one will come for me, one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

No one would have expected Messiah to come out of Bethlehem unless they were very knowledgeable of the Scripture.

Joseph and Mary did not live in Bethlehem, they lived in Nazareth. The trip to Bethlehem was long and rugged and would have not even been considered by a pregnant woman.

For the Messiah to be born in the right location (Bethlehem), a series of events worked together to bring that to pass.

A pagan emperor named Caesar Augustus living thousands of miles away issues a decree that all his subjects be registered and taxed.  This order for a census is sent out far and wide.

The call is issued in Israel and Joseph takes Mary and returns to the ancestral of his family, Bethlehem.

The birth of Jesus could not have logically happened...but it did.

From this we know that Caesar may have been ruling, but God was overruling!

Why would the King of Kings be born into poverty?

2 Cor. 8:9 gives us the answer “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich.”

The cloths used to wrap Jesus were the same kind used to wrap dead bodies for burial. Even in His birth we have a picture of His death.

Jesus was born in a feeding trough and became the “Bread of Life” (John 6:35.

When someone important comes near you, say a Hollywood celebrity, a governor or even the president of the United States, how comfortable do you feel? Could Jesus have come in humble surroundings so that we would feel comfortable in His presence?

Verses 8-20 – Why were the shepherds an important part of the birth of Christ?

Shepherds were hard men who had to deal with the worlds most base troubles. (Remember David had to ward off lions, wolves and bears.) They were often crude, vile men, known for their sinful lives and considered ceremonially unclean. Society considered them the lowest of the low.

What do shepherds do for a living? What was done with the lambs they shepherded? And what was Jesus called: The Lamb of God.

This picture tells us that anybody, from any walk of life can be used of God.

Why do you think God sent an angel to the shepherds?

When the shepherds went to spread the news, where did they find the courage to tell this outrageous story?

How do you think people responded to them when they told people about the Baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger?


Notice that after they had seen the Christ Child, these formerly vile, vulgar, crude men returned to their flocks glorifying and praising God.

What do you think the shepherds’ lives were like following these events?

That God would send His darling Son Jesus into this world to die for sinners is a blessing beyond description.  That He would love us to that level is amazing beyond the power of words to describe.

Of course, it is nothing more than a story until you experience the power of the Lamb of God in a personal way.

You may enjoy hearing the Christmas story and you may love Christmas time, but you have missed the real meaning altogether if you have never trusted Jesus as your Savior.

Until you have received the Lamb of God as your personal Savior and until you know the power of His salvation, you will never really understand Christmas and the wonder of what God did when He provided His Lamb for the sins of the world.

Are you in a personal relationship with Jesus today?  If you are, then you know what I am talking about.

If you are not, you can come to know Him if you will come before Him and trust Him by faith.

Will you do that today?  Will you embrace Heaven’s Lamb as the Savior of your soul?  The Lamb was provided for you, but He will do you no good unless you come to Him in faith, trusting in, and only in , the finished work of Christ at the cross of Calvary.