In the sermon titled 'Good Tidings Of Great Joy' by Steve Hopkins, the speaker delves into the story of Jesus’ birth as described in Luke 2:1-20. The sermon begins by addressing the fiery trials within the body of Christ, emphasizing shared suffering among believers, as articulated in 1 Corinthians 12:26. Hopkins discusses God's sovereignty over earthly events, illustrated by the decree from Caesar Augustus, which ensured Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem, fulfilling prophecy. The sermon highlights the significance of Jesus being born in Bethlehem, the 'house of bread,' and how this aligns with Jesus being the 'bread from heaven' as described in John 6. The humble shepherds play a pivotal role, chosen by God to witness and proclaim the birth of the Messiah, emphasizing that Jesus’ coming brings joy to all people. Hopkins underscores the notion that earthly rulers, like Caesar, are merely pawns in God's divine plan. The sermon concludes by reflecting on Jesus’ mission to save sinners, his death, and resurrection, which accomplished the salvation of believers. Hopkins calls listeners to metaphorically 'go to Bethlehem' to reflect on the incarnation and mission of Jesus Christ.

If you would turn with me and your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke chapter 2, We're going to be looking at verses 1 through 20, Lord willing, this morning. And as you're turning there and before we stand for the reading of the Word of the Lord, I wanted to, in the tradition of the pre-message message, I wanted to talk for just a moment about the fiery trials that are taking place within the body of Christ. Every one of us knows those who are suffering. Some of us are suffering. And I just want to to put a couple of things in a biblical perspective.

I'm sure that we've all heard these things before, but it does us well to reiterate these things. But The scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 12 26 that when one suffers in the body of Christ, the entire body suffers. You know, and I know people who are suffering. Are you suffering? If you're in the body of Christ, you are.

You're suffering with them in a sense. You're hurting for them and with them. And you know when that is the case, it causes us, those who are in the body, Just as one body part comes to the aid of another, just like, let's say, when you stub your toe, so to speak, and then the hands minister to the foot, or something else happens with a part of the body, you have a headache, and then there is a ministering to the head. We're in the body of Christ. When we know that another member is in trouble or hurting, we're reaching out to them in their time of need, as if it were our time of need.

And we're also praying for them as for our own flesh, as for our own flesh. Praying for others, for their sons and their daughters as if they were our own children, for that father or that mother as though it were our own mom or dad, for that husband as if it were your own husband, for that wife as if it was your own wife. The apostle Paul said in Galatians chapter 4 that though his illness or what he was suffering was a trial for the church in Galatia, that they didn't despise him and they didn't reject him. He said this, and I'll end with this, he said that he knew that they would gladly have torn out their own eyes and given them to him if it were possible. They would have torn out their own eyes and given them to him if it were possible.

They would have torn out their own eyes and given them to him who was suffering with ailment with his eyes if it were possible. So that's what he knew of them. And I would just end with this that's that's the body of Jesus that's the body of Jesus. Let's Let's stand together for the reading of the word of God. I don't know if it works for everyone to read along with me, so I think if you will just listen as I read so that this will work more smoothly.

I'm gonna be reading Luke chapter two, verses one through 20. So if you would stand with me for the reading of the word of the Lord. Beginning with verse one. 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 and all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city.

Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Azeroth into Judea, into 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. And so it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were, in the same country, shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you, you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying glory to God of the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. And it came to pass as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger, and when they had seen it known abroad the same which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and part of them in her heart. The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told unto them. Amen.

Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Father, we are your children, God. We are your children. And this Lord's Day is as your children are meeting all around the globe and celebrating the incarnation and the birth of your son Jesus. We celebrate with them Lord.

We celebrate with them and we ask that you might be pleased to send your spirit to open up the understanding of our hearts this morning. To understand your word, oh God, that we might grow in the grace and knowledge of him who was born at Bethlehem and who suffered and bled and died for our sins and rose again the third day for our justification. Lord help us God to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus for we ask it in his holy name. Amen. Let's be seated.

So we started off here and it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. This is this is is is something we really need to focus on here. The first thing I think that we need to understand this morning as we look at this text before us is that God is in charge not man. Does everyone see this? God is in charge not man.

God is Sovereign not man. God is in control of all of the events that are taking place He's not in control of some things but of all things You know we read in Psalm 147 for that that God has named every star and I think they found now what like a hundred billion galaxies with each estimated a hundred billion stars in each one. God has every star named. He says in Luke 12 7 the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Have you numbered the hairs of your head?

God has. He's made all things. He knows all things and he is in control of all things. And if we were not, well, he would not be gone. And here what we see in our text is the omnipotent hand of Providence guiding all earthly events and pulling the puppet strings of the mightiest leaders and powers on earth and directing them like pawns on a chessboard to fulfill his intended end and purpose.

Look, a decree, Look at the text, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, okay? But a decree that Caesar Augustus could not, not send out. Why? Because the decree must be sent out because Joseph and Mary over in Nazareth have to end up in the city of David in Bethlehem at the place prophesied of old where Messiah will be born and they've got to have a reason to go there. They've got to have a reason to travel that 90 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem before the birth of Jesus.

There's got to be a compelling reason and God works it out. Joseph has to have Mary and Jesus in Bethlehem before she goes into labor, and God will have Caesar Augustus make the arrangements. And the arrangement is, Well, we're going to tax the entire world. Everything is working towards God's providential purposes in bringing His son to be born at the very place that the prophets of old had prophesied speaking by the Spirit of God that he would be Born the place where he would be born. So the first thing we need to understand in all of this is that God's an absolute and total control.

There is a, there comes, it comes to pass in those days that a decree goes out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed because God has determined that that his son will be in Bethlehem, born in Bethlehem of Judea. It was a rough trip. I was reading about the trip. You know, we see photographs, not photographs, we see paintings and we see pictorials, you know, of Mary on the back of a donkey. There's nothing in the text that tells us that the journey was made on the back of a donkey.

More than likely, she walked. Some of you husbands, Some of you young husbands, some of you young mothers that are pregnant now, just imagine a 80 to 90 mile journey, promptly on foot, walking however many miles a day and heading from Nazareth to Bethlehem. What an incredible hardship that would be. And yet this is what happens with Mary and with the baby in her womb, Jesus, and with Joseph. This is the journey that must take place.

Take place. By the way, that title Augustus, Noah Webster says it comes from the root word augeo, which which also means quote of awe of awe and it's interpreted grand magnificent majestic impressing awe inspiring reverence. And he goes on to say, quote, the epithet was conferred, first conferred by the Roman Senate upon Octavius, i.e., Caesar Augustus, after confirming him in the sovereign power. But Caesar Augustus, alias Octavius, is none of the above. He's none of those things which that word Augustus or August Describes he's not grand.

He's not magnificent. He's not majestic. He doesn't impress all he doesn't inspire reverent reverence But Jesus does But God does the late RC scroll says the title Augustus belongs properly to none other than the babe in the manger to Jesus and even refers to him at one point in time in one of his messages as Jesus Augustus. Jesus who inspires awe, who impresses with awe, who inspires reference, who is magnificent, majestic, etc. Etc.

Well back to my main point here. Rome was referred to at that time as, this is the Latin term, terrarum orbis imperium. I saw this while reading Matthew Henry's commentary. It was referred to as Terrarum Orbis Imperium, the empire of the whole earth. Rome, we have to understand, was effectively, at that time, 2, 000 years ago, the one world government of the day.

The known world was under the control of Rome, and Rome was under, apparently, the power and control of Caesar. And Caesar truly believes himself to be directing all things. He's determined that he's going to tax the entire world, or the entire known world that's under his control. He sees himself as the sovereign and ruler and orchestrator and director of all things, but he was not. So back to my point there, he was merely, Caesar Augustus was merely a pawn in a much bigger game.

A pawn in a much bigger game. And I want you to just take that and apply it to our world today. When you see men like Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping speaking great swelling words of vanity. Think pawns on God's chessboard. When you see the globalists conspiring to bring every person on earth under their dominion through things like forced vaccinations and the such, think pawns on God's chessboard.

They have their plans, but God's plan is bigger and his will be carried out. So in the same way here in Bethlehem, everything is going to fall out just as God ordained before time began. And I want us to understand something, If you have a moment to turn to Daniel chapter two in verse 44, not only is the Messiah going to be born where God said through his prophets that he will be born. He's going to be born when? So actually let's look at that at first, at where, because we've already mentioned that.

So let's go to Micah chapter 5 in verse 2 reads but thou Bethlehem, Ephrata, 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." He's going to be born at Bethlehem, the city of David, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting, or even from everlasting. And then look at, and we're going to come back to Micah chapter 5 and verse 2 in just a moment because I want to point out something else that it's very important here. Look at Daniel chapter 2 and verse 44 because not only do the prophets tell us where the Messiah would be born but also at what point in time he would be born. And you know, the Jewish leaders knew that Messiah was about to appear because they knew the prophecies of old, but they didn't recognize him when he appeared. Their hearts were hardened against him.

But Daniel chapter two verse 44 says, in the days of these kings, and I don't have time to go through all of the kings that Daniel is talking about here and show that it's moving towards the the Roman Empire and culminating in the Roman Empire but in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom it's exactly what he did he set up a kingdom when Christ came and was born and began to minister in Jerusalem. But he set up the God of heaven, he'll set up a kingdom and look what it says there, which shall never be destroyed. Every kingdom on the face of the earth has been or will be eventually destroyed, but the kingdom of God is forever. It's the kingdom which will not be destroyed. It will not be left to other people.

It will break in pieces and consume all the kingdoms of the earth and it will stand forever. And then Genesis 49 10 speaks of that scepter also a prophecy of Christ which will not depart from Judah nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh come and unto him unto Shiloh unto Shiloh Jesus the Shiloh shall the gathering of the people be the Hebrew word Shiloh means him to whom it belongs understood in ancient heat by ancient Hebrew Hebrew writers as referring to Messiah to whom the scepter or dominion that's what that word means or dominion of the entire world belongs. So so all the prophecies are coming to a head. The place where Jesus will be born, the time when Jesus will be born, in history when he will be born, and what he will be, a scepter, Shiloh, the one to whom the dominion of the earth belongs, and the one who will establish a kingdom which will never ever end but back to Micah chapter 5 and verse 2 look at the end of that that verse for just a moment with me. Micah 5 2.

He's gonna be born in Bethlehem. Micah 5-2. He's going to be born in Bethlehem. Out of Bethlehem is going to come forth Him to God, who is going to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Notice the prophecy of the birthplace of Messiah also speaks of the eternality of Messiah.

His goings forth are from everlasting, from eternity that is going backwards, from everlasting going backwards, from eternity past. In other words, Messiah is not only going to be born in a man in Bethlehem, he's also going to be deity. God incarnate. He's going to be God incarnate. That's why the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 7 in verse 14, 700 years before Christ, when he's prophesied, when he prophesied of the virgin birth of Messiah says he'll be called what who knows What will he be called what did Isaiah say his name will be called Emmanuel Emmanuel which Matthew says being interpreted is God with us.

He's gonna be called Emmanuel Messiah will be God come down from heaven and dwelling among men. But getting back to our narrative, in accord with God's eternal decree, Caesar Augustus makes his decree that everyone in the known world will go and return to the place of his birth in order to register for the newly instituted tax. So Joseph goes up from Galilee from the city of Nazareth into Judea under the city of David which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage of David to be attached with Mary his espoused wife being great with child and the stage is set. The stage is set. And while Joseph and Mary are in Bethlehem, we're told Mary's days are accomplished.

The days are accomplished. The virgin who conceived goes into labor And she brings forth her firstborn, Jesus. And she wraps him in swaddling clothes, basically strips of cloth rags and she lays them in a manger. She lays them in a feeding trough for animals because there was no room for them in the local inn. Before we go forward, Is anyone familiar with the meaning of the word Bethlehem?

Anyone know what Bethlehem means? There may be somebody saying something, but I can't hear it over the phone. Bethlehem means house of bread. Bethlehem means house of bread. And when I was studying this text many years ago, my mind when I looked at Bethlehem and the meaning of the word, how it means house of bread, my mind went directly to the Gospel of John chapter 6 and verse 33 where Jesus says that he is that bread which came down from heaven.

For the bread of God is he which came down, cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Think about it. The bread that came from heaven is born at the house of bread. Again, God's providence in not only the place but even the name of the city. Jesus is the bread that comes down from heaven.

He said in john 6 50 that if a man eat thereof, he shall not die. Amen. So so the stage has been set for Bethlehem. Set for Bethlehem, but as we read on, we see that the stage is also set outside of Bethlehem, because there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock by night. God has ordained humble shepherds.

Nobody's really as far as the world is concerned. He has chosen them to both hear and see and then proclaim Messiah's birth. These are the men that he chose. Not great men in the eyes of the world. Not even educated men, but poor shepherds, nobodies.

And while these humble shepherds are tending their flocks on the hillside of Bethlehem, probably engaging in their rotations from sleep to guarding their sheep, from predators and thieves, the word says love. It's all of a sudden, suddenly an angel appears, an angel appears. Some might say, well, how do you know it was an angel? Believe me, if an angel ever appeared to you, it appeared to you, you would know it. You wouldn't be left scratching your head wondering, I wonder if that was an angel.

Now which angel? We're not told. Maybe Gabriel again. But everything goes from on this hillside outside of Bethlehem, from the stillness and blackness of night all around them to the presence of the angel of the Lord coming suddenly upon them and the glory of the Lord that's the Shekinah glory the glory of God shining round about them And our text tells us and they were sore afraid. Notice they weren't just afraid.

Brothers and sisters, they were sore afraid. And we need to understand something from this. Angels, you know, are misrepresented in American and Western culture. Angels are not androgynous or effeminate little harmless creatures, you know, flitting about like butterflies. And they're certainly not anything like you see represented at this time of year hanging on Christmas trees.

Angels are God's messengers. They come from the presence of God. Angels are mighty. Angels are fearful beings. They are not to be trifled with, which is why when we read in Scripture of men encountering them, we read of them quaking with fear and sometimes falling on their faces.

They are in terror when they come into the presence or when an angel comes into the presence of men. That's the situation here. They were sore, afraid. These shepherds are not weak men. They face lions, they face bears, no doubt.

We read of that with David, certainly, But they've never been in the presence of an angel of the Lord. And when they encounter this angel, they're sore, afraid. In almost every instance where men encounter an angel in scripture, what has to happen? Or what happens directly afterwards? What happens?

The angel has to assure them of their safety. The angel has to assure them that they're not going to be struck dead. I forget who it was that I was reading it may have been Matthew Henry or John Gill probably Matthew Henry again but he was talking about how men in the presence of an angel might not know whether that angel was there to carry out the wrath of God upon them or not. So they're having to reassure them that they're safe, that they're not about to be destroyed. And so, fear not, they say.

Fear not, fear not, fear not. They have to say that because their presence is absolutely terrifying to men so it is here the angel said unto them verse 10 fear not for behold I bring you not tidings of wrath and anger and the sword of God coming down upon you but I bring you good tidings of great joy. I bring to you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. Not only do these shepherds need not fear, they have cause to joyful, even exceedingly joyful or greatly joyful. The angel does not bring evil tidings, but good tidings.

And not just good tidings, look, but good tidings that will produce great joy. And good tidings that will produce great joy, not just for the shepherds, but good tidings that will bring great joy that will extend to all people, to all to every nation, every kindred, to every tribe on earth. Why? For unto you, not as angels, but under men, unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, of course not just a Savior but the Savior, a Savior which is Christ the Lord. Try to imagine for just a moment what's taking place on this hillside outside of Bethlehem.

The joy that must have flooded The hearts of these shepherds must have overtaken their hearts at these words. Unto you is born this day unto us. Yes. Yes, your Savior, Israel's savior, the savior of the world, Christ, which is interpreted Messiah, the long awaited Messiah of your people and the Lord of all unto you is born this day. He is born the long-awaited Messiah of your people.

Unto us a child is born. They knew the scriptures. Unto us a son is given. The government shall be upon his shoulders. Verse 12, and this shall be a sign unto you.

You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. The sign will be unmistakable. You will know when you find Messiah, there will be no doubt because you will find him not wrapped in kingly vestures like one might expect, not lying in the highest room in the most stately home in Bethlehem, not even in the inn of Bethlehem. There's no room for them there, but in a stable wrapped in rags and lying in an animal feeding trough. And as there the shepherds are trying to drink all of this in, suddenly the scripture tells us, suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host.

That means a massive number of the angelic forces of heaven, praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. Praising God and saying, I've seen the controversies out there over the years. Well, we shouldn't have Christmas hymns that say that the angels sang. I take issue with that. The word and saying there that is used in the scripture affords for for either praising God Affords for either were they just saying it or were they singing?

Christians for 2, 000 years have said they were singing the praises of God and I believe that that's the case. They were praising God and they were praising God in song with a mighty chorus, a mighty chorus in heaven saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, finally peace between God and man, God's goodwill toward men upon whom his favor rest. Gloria this is the Gloria in Excelsis Deo. The Gloria in Excelsis Deo. When we sing that hymn Gloria in Excelsis Deo That's what we're singing.

I asked my sons the other night as they were heading off to the Christmas party and they were going to be singing that song. I heard them singing that song. I said, do you understand what you're singing? The Bible says that we are to to sing with grace in our hearts and with understanding. What are you singing when you sing Gloria in Excelsis Deo?

This was the song of the host. This was the chorus of the angelic armies of the living God. Glory to God in excelsis, in the highest deo, God. Glory to God in the highest. Glory.

Gloria in Excelsis Deo. So as it comes to pass, the angels completed what they're doing and they're gone away from them into heaven and the shepherds begin to say one to another right let's go let us now go even even unto Bethlehem let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass which the Lord has made known it to us. He's made it known it to us. Now let's go and see it. Let's go lay our eyes upon it.

And they did. They came with haste, not slowly, but quickly. And they found it just as the angel had told them, just as he had told them. They found Mary and Joseph there and they found the babe lying in a manger in a horse's trough. When they had seen it, when they had seen this, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this trial.

You know what? That's our job as well. That's your job. That's my job. That we're to make known all that God has shown us, all that we have both seen and heard.

Yes, we're to make it known. Everything that we have seen and heard concerning Jesus in the Scriptures, All the things that God has made known into us were to make known abroad those things as well. That's what they did. They made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the prophets.

But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. There are several instances in scripture where we hear of Mary keeping these things in her heart, pondering these things in her heart, not responding in some way, not being vociferous in any way, but pondering these things in her heart, keeping them in her heart. And later she will be remembering these things when she is at the foot of the cross and her Savior and Son is being put to death. But the shepherds that we read here returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had had heard and seen as it was told them. So as we close, who is this babe?

Who is this babe in the manger 2, 000 years ago. He is Emmanuel, God with us, God with us, God dwelling among men. He is Shiloh, he to whom the dominion of the whole earth belongs. He is the Savior, the one and only Savior, the Savior of Israel and the Savior of the world. He is the Christ, the long expected Messiah, awaited by the people of God.

He is the bread that came down from heaven, that if a man eat he shall not die. So in closing, brothers and sisters, let us also go to Bethlehem. Let us also go to Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass. Let us, in other words, remember that 2000 years ago, the second person of the Holy Trinity condescended, came to earth, took flesh, was made a man, dwelt among us, lived a perfect life in the place of his people, went to a cross, a Roman, a cruel Roman cross in the place of his people, and suffered and bled and died in order to reconcile us to himself. Jesus Christ, the scripture tells us, came into the world to save sinners.

And he accomplished the mission for which he came into the world. He came into the world. Mary said before his birth, or the angel told her, you will call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. But Jesus came into the world, Jesus accomplished. We watch Charlie Brown Christmas every year and that famous line comes out that's what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown Well this is what Christmas is all about.

The second person of the Holy Trinity coming to earth in humility, abased, despised, rejected of men even of his own nation and kindred on a mission to save his people from their sins, which he accomplishes in the full. And he says so before he gives up the ghost. It is accomplished, he said. It is accomplished. He endured the cruel Roman cross.

He became sin in God's sight. He bore the guilt of many as Isaiah said. He drank the cup of God's wrath in the place of his people and he suffered and bled and died and rose again the third day for our justification. Bless his holy name. Amen.

Amen. Let's go to Bethlehem and see this wonderful great thing that God has done and His son coming to earth to save a people like us Amen you