Millington Street Baptist Church, Winfield, KS

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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. 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 os 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.

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