CAESAR, JOSEPH, MARY, AND JESUS

St. Luke 2:1-14 (v. 1-5). And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. So all went to be taxed, everyone unto his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child.

Lord, this is Your Word and these are Your words. Sanctify us by the truth. Your Word is truth. Amen.

In the name of Jesus the Redeemer of the world, dear fellow redeemed:

The story of Jesus’ birth begins with Caesar. “And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus.” For those who lament that Christmastime is so worldly and not very sacred, the Christmas story itself begins – where? – not in heaven, not in a sacred place, not among pious believers, but in the council of the pagan Caesar.

Why? It’s about who Jesus is, what He came to do. He’s the Redeemer of the world, that is, all people in the world, all lost and condemned people. With Jesus’ birth, God broke into human history. It is now His Story.

He didn’t do it in some “spiritual realm,” but in the real physical world. You can look up Caesar Augustus and the Roman Empire. But they look different now; they aren’t the center of the universe, as they thought. God guided history, used it, to have the Savior born in Bethlehem as promised. Joseph’s and Mary’s parents, had their reasons why it was a good match. We don’t know theirreasons, we only know God’s reasons. Mary was of the tribe of David, and so was Joseph who gave Jesus His legal status: so people could rightly call Him “Son of David” – title of the true Messiah!

He shows that He’s serious about being the Redeemer of the world. See who’s in control here? Not the great Caesar. Not even Joseph, or Mary.

God is in control. The story doesn’t begin in Caesar’s council, but in the heavenly council where the Triune God meets, and planned our salvation. The trip to Bethlehem at the 11th hour of Mary’s pregnancy isn’t really an inconvenience, from heaven’s viewpoint. These events are guided by God, to fulfill to the letter every promise so Jesus would be the world’s Redeemer.

A good example of this is the fact that Jesus’ birth comes about in Bethlehem because of Caesar’s decree. Why should the Lord of all be driven to and fro by Caesar, whose kingdom won’t last? Why should He obey this ruler? It’s because we don’t, because we’re rebellious.

As just one example that applies: We don’t obey the 4th commandment. We don’t honor governing authorities as God commands. We hate politicians. We get irritated by what people of the other party say. It ruins your peace. What the government makes you do ruins your peace. So here Jesus is, not even out of the womb, directing things that by virtue of His parents He’s obeying the rulers perfectly, being our substitute under the Law already, so soon. He does it for you, to redeem you from your sins, to give you the peace that the world – and elections – cannot give.

This first part of the story ends before Mary “brought forth her first-born Son.” Jesus gets mentioned only as: “Mary … great with child.” We think we don’t see the Baby Jesus in this part of the story, but we do. His handprints are all over it. The story of Caesar Augustus, of the people of Bethlehem, of Joseph and Mary – regardless of faith – is His Story.

So this is telling the story of the Bible’s teaching that God declares everyone in the world forgiven, that all sins are paid for, or as we’ll sing: “God and sinners reconciled!” Christ was born to redeem every person from sin, death, and the devil. All your sin is paid-for, by Him. He’s Redeemer of the world. Of course, not all get the benefit of what He did; it’s by faith.

This leads us to the important question: Is your story just part of history, or is your story His Story? We’ve learned how it really was in Bethlehem. Now see how it really is with you. We can’t read Luke 2 without seeing the Christ Child, can we? But we see our own story that way too often.

You see a world in chaos. You see godless people in control. You see misery in the world, misery in your own life. You see all that goes wrong. You see how you make it go wrong. You can’t seem to find peace. You see all your duties and afflictions and temptations that hinder you. You feel your burdens and responsibilities, grumble at all the inconveniences. We suffer. And we think that’s what our life is like and how things really are.

And the main thing is you see your sins. You know your own sins. Not just the sins against the 4th commandment, our sins of disrespect and defiance. But all your sinful thoughts, words, and deeds. The Law is like a mirror that shows how you really are, and only you know how bad that is.

But you don’t know how it really is, by looking at your life – even by seeing your sin. The Christmas story teaches this. You can’t treasure the nativity by seeing what’s on the outside. All you’d see is a birth in poverty. But what’s beneath is the true reality – God reveals who this Baby really is, how dwelling within this Baby’s flesh is the whole Godhead, who He is as Man and God, that He’s come down from heaven out of compassion for you.

Likewise, you can’t tell what your life really is, you can only know how it truly is, by seeing your life in Christ. That’s what this part of Jesus’ birth teaches us. Your story isn’t just your story. It’s His Story. What you know about yourself isn’t from God’s Law; it’s from the Gospel, these glad tidings of great joy: that “He has redeemed me with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death” – why? – “in order that I might be His own.”

Now He is yours and you are His. He takes all your sin to be considered His own so He can answer for it instead of you – makes your story His story. He gives all His holiness and favor in God’s sight to you, so that God considers you acceptable, not guilty of even one sin, for Jesus’ sake.

He isn’t only the world’s Redeemer. He’s yours! And not only is He your Redeemer. He’s everyone’s Redeemer, everyone in the world! We Christians are now able to see everyone, even those who irritate us and those who sin against us, as those whom He loved enough to redeem. Their story is already His Story. They need to know it, as do you. Amen!