"The Night
of Miracles"
Text: Luke
1 & 2
Introduction:
It is hard to put a definitive phrase upon one miracle over another but
it seems likely that no other miracle has had a more profound impact upon
our world than that one occurring at the birth of Jesus Christ nearly 2000
years ago.
I am aware of other
great and significant miracles. However, had this one not occurred many
of those subsequent miracles could never have happened and
would never have occurred.
Nothing has impacted
our world as deeply as that event occurring on the
Night Of Miracles
when Christ was born.
Too often we think of
that event as being singular but in reality there were a whole number of
miracles which occurred that night.
It will be those miracles
of that Night Of Miracles
that we will exam in this short message this morning.
I. The First Miracle
Deals with the Fact that only Two of the Four Gospels Record the Event
of Christ's Birth
A.
There is something miraculous about four Gospel presenting the life of
Christ and only two of them speaking of his birth.
1. Matthew records
the events of the birth from Mary's husband, Joseph's lineage. Mt.1:18f.
2. Luke records
events of the birth from Mary, the mother's lineage. Lk.1:26f.
3. Mark totally
ignores events of the birth-scene.
4. John does
not even mention that Night Of Miracles.
B.
The question, the mystery, the miracle aspect of this scenario, is revealed
in understanding that:
1. Matthew wrote
to the Jews about their King, presenting his royal
heritage.
2. Mark presented
Christ as the Servant of man, knowing that none would care for the pedigree
of a servant.
3. Luke presented Christ as the Perfect Man
and as such he would have a proper lineage and so it is that we have minute
details about Christ's birth.
4. John presented
Christ as the God-Man, the Son of God and God the Son.
a. As God, he
has no lineage, and no beginning.
b. As God, he
has no ending and no family pedigree.
II. The Second
Miracle is seen in that it Fulfills
the Old Testament Prophecies
A.
Surely you have to consider this miracle-aspect for it spans a period
of approximately 4000 years from Abraham to that Night of Miracles.
1. One of the
proofs of the validity of the Word of God is it's continuity of truth.
a. The Word was
written separately, by various and sundry human authors.
b. It was written
without their knowledge of truth already recorded, and,
c. It was written
without collusion, yet it happened exactly as it was written.
i. No
portion of Scripture was ever revealed to be wrong by any further or later
Scriptures.
ii. That
is all the more significant and miraculous when you consider that what
is believed today is often shown to be in error tomorrow.
d. Scriptural
prophecy never has to be bent to make it apply, fit or be fulfilled.
e. Fulfillment
of prophecy will always be distinct, definite and never having to be
spiritualized in order to make it work.
2. Scriptural
prophecies, unlike today's prognostications,
happens exactly as given and consistent with all other truth.
a. Today's soothsayers brag when they guess
a small percentage of events rightly.
b. The press
makes a big to-do out of a smattering of right guesses.
c. The miracle
seen in this portion of the Scriptures is that it totally fulfills those
Old Testament prophecies spoken thousands of years
before this Night
Of Miracles occurred.
B.
Briefly lets note some of the prominent prophecies.
1. God would
raise up a prophet like Moses.
DEU 18:18
I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee,
and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that
I shall command him.
2. One would
be born of a virgin as a special sign or miracle from God.
ISA 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall
conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
3 and 4. This
One, born of a virgin, would have Authority to reign over the world.
ISA 9:6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government
shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor,
The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 4. This One,
who was yet to be born, would have a special place in the hearts of all
the people.
GEN 49:10
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his
feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people
be.
5. This Son was
to be born in Bethlehem.
MIC 5:2
But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the
thousands of Judah,
yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be
ruler in Israel; whose
goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
6. This Son was
also to come out of Egypt.
HOS 11:1
When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
MAT 2:14-15.
When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed
into Egypt. And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have
I called my son.
III. The Third
Miracle of this Night Revolves Around
those Unnatural or Strange Events that Happened
A.
There was no miscarriage brought on by the moving of this expectant
mother over 60 miles by riding a donkey or walking.
1. It seems to
me that Satan was, through Caesar's decree, attempting to bring about a
miscarriage before Christ was ever born.
2. Barring that
possibility, Satan at least wanted this child to be born somewhere other
than Bethlehem or born at a time out of sync with
God's fullness of time.
GAL 4:4
But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made
of a woman, made under the law,
B.
There was no room available, nothing but a sheep stall.
1. As the Lamb
of God, it was fitting for the Lord to be born in sheep's manger.
2. Such shows
us the miracle-aspect of this event.
i. Such is misunderstood
by those not knowing that Christ was the Lamb of God slain from the foundation
of the world. Rev.13:8b.
ii. It would have been wrong with prophetical
truth for Christ to have been born any other place.
C.
That there was not, under all these adverse circumstances, a
still-birth or death shortly after birth.
1. Given the
death-rate of newborns during those days, it was indeed a miracle that
this infant lived.
2. There was
almost nothing done to assure survival of this Baby.
a. As far as
we know no grandparents were there to assist this young mother and her
infant.
b. Medical advise
nor attention was an unknown during those days.
c. Mary's only Resource was her God, her caring
husband and her own innate knowledge.
3. It was a great
miracle indeed that the Christ-child survived.
D.
There was the announcement of the angels to the least likely of
persons, heralding Christ's birth. Lk.2:11.
1. Shepherds
were not social folk, possessing an aura about them that others disliked.
2. Shepherds
were seldom if ever, given important messages to bear to others.
3. God was surely
doing an unnatural and different thing here at this Night
Of Miracles.
4. Notice the
specific things they were told to retell.
a. This One was
born this day, literally, just now.
b. This One was
born in Bethlehem.
c. This One was
their Savior.
d. This One was
decreed to be Christ the Lord, meaning that he was the long-promised Messiah.
CONCLUSION:
The Night Of Miracles
At Bethlehem
I.
ONLY TWO OF THE FOUR GOSPELS RECORD THE EVENT OF CHRIST'S BIRTH.
II.
IT FULFILLS THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES.
III.
REVOLVES AROUND THOSE UNNATURAL OR STRANGE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED.
Author ~ Pastor K.B.
Murray
Millington Street Baptist
Church, Winfield, KS
 
 
 
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