A Humble King For A Hopeless World
Have you ever looked at your life and thought,
“If God was really at work, wouldn’t it look… bigger or better than this?”
Christmas is the celebration of the invasion of good news. (or the bible’s language “Gospel”)
→ What if we miss God not because He’s ABSENT, but because He’s HUMBLE
FOR A WORLD THAT FEELS HOPELESS THERE IS A HUMBLE KING.
Luke 2:1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
“In those days” this is a very Jewish way of beginning. This is not “once upon a time” but the record of God’s activity in historical and real settings.
THE GOSPEL ENTERS THE REAL WORLD.
God’s Spirit words in real life not an ideal life.
We look at the insanity of the world and assume God’s non-existence.
We look at our insufficiency and assume we aren’t who He uses.
We meet the guy we think the Gospel should come to first.
Caesar Augustus has main character energy. To take a census of the whole world is a total power move!
He huge ambitions. He is the main character in one sense in Luke’s writings and Mary and Joseph are set as merely supporting characters in his story.
Not where you might expect.
AUGUSTUS IS IMPORTANT:
Built The Roman Forum
Founded Libraries
Boasted that he had found Rome “Built in brick but left it in marble”
Augustus was the the first emperor to encourage a cult to deify his name.
According to legend he had been miraculously been conceived by a serpent.
An inscription discovered at Priene and dated to 9 B.C. hails Augustus as a god whose "birthday signaled the beginning of good news [Gk. euangelion] for the world."?
“[Augustus] is the father of his divine homeland Rome, inherited from his father Zeus, and a savior of the common folk. His foresight not only fulfilled the entreaties of all people, but surpassed them, making peace for land and sea, while cities bloom with order, harmony, and good seasons; the productivity of all things is good and at its prime, there are fond hopes for the future and good will during the present which fills all men, so that they ought to bear pleasing sacrifices and hymns”
(look up imperial studies)
THE GOSPEL SLIPS PAST THE PROUD.
While playing the main character Augustus misses the main character.
James 4:6 God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Jesus’ own arrival is humble and disarming:
THE GOSPEL HERALDS A HUMBLE KING.
Luke 2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Jesus didn’t circulate rumors about a serpent birth. He truly came from a virgin birth, yet the One miraculously and sinlessly conceived cannot be found a place to lay sleep.
Luke 9:58 “And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’”
Is life empty? Are you feeling alone? Is the pressure too great?
Jesus is a humble King for hopeless people.
Jesus is merciful toward the hurting.
Luke 7:13–14 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” [14] Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”
Jesus weeps over the straying.
Luke 19:41–42 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, [42] saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
Baptize the West Valley: Mobilizing you to baptize 300 people in 2026.
Who are WE to have this ambition? God is willing to use us!
Why? When you know Jesus has had compassion on YOU.
Luke 2:8–14 And in the same region [Of Bethlehem where Joseph and Mary–who is pregnant with Jesus–is to be registered] there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
The disarming intrusion of God into the world in the birth of Jesus stands in sharp contrast to the imperial ambitions of Caesar Augustus. God does not break into the world in a world leader, Führer, or cosmic hero — all of which Caesar Augustus epitomized. God penetrates the defensive armor of the world by sending his Son as a child, not to the well-connected and established, but to shepherds who live on the precarious margins of society.
Have you ever felt like you didn’t measure up?
“JV FOR LIFE”
[9] And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. [10] And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. [11] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
He came in humility but don’t get it twisted He is the King.
UNDERCOVER BOSS!!! CEO OF WASTE MANAGE
Kierkegaard Hallmark Christmas
Aslan
Jesus is truly and rightfully King
An angel arrives to announce because He is the King
His arrival is good news of great joy
This is not a limited but a global, historic announcement for all people
Heaven’s glory-light shines around them–Jesus is God’s own presence on Earth
The Christmas story is politically disruptive.
You would KNOW THIS if you were living in the first century.
Jesus is the King who [makes] peace for land and sea, while cities bloom with order, harmony, and good seasons;
Luke 1:79 “…to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
CLASH OF TWO KINGDOMS
Revelation 12:1–6 …behold, a great red dragon, …stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. [5] She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne…
ONLY TWO OPTIONS: Either Christ OR You’re a citizen of a worldly empire.
Manger // Cross: A King who came NOT to CRUSH YOU but be CRUSHED FOR YOU.
THE GOSPEL DEMANDS A RESPONSE.
[12] And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” [13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
[14] “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
SONGS OF WAR