THE FIRST BORN LAMB OF GOD

Sunday Morning:  December 24, 2000

Text: Luke 2:1-5  "And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)”

HOUSE OF BREAD

Genesis 35:19  "And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem."

WHERE DAVID WAS A SHEPHERD

1 Samuel 17:15  "But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem."

OF THE SEED OF DAVID

John 7:42  "Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?"

WHERE SHOULD CHRIST BE BORN?

Matthew 2:4-6  "And when he (king Herod) had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6. And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel."

PROPHESIED

Micah 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."

MARY’S FIRST BORN SON

Luke 2:5-7  “To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7. 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.

FIRST BORN SANCTIFIED

Exodus 13:2  "Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine."

BORN THIS DAY IS CHRIST

Luke 2:10-12  “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all [the] people (the nation of Israel). 11. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

REIGN OVER ISRAEL

Luke 1:31-33  "And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

TO JERUSALEM

Luke 2:21-22  "And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 22. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;

40 DAYS

Leviticus 12:2-4  "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. 3. And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4. And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled."

TO NAZARETH

Luke 2:39  "And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth."

TWO YEARS LATER, IN BETHLEHEM

Matthew 2:8  "And he (Herod) sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also."

DEPARTED TO EGYPT

Matthew 2:13  “And when they (wise men) were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”

FROM EGYPT

Matthew 2:19  “But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,”

BACK TO NAZARETH AGAIN

Matthew 2:22-23  "But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: 23. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene."

HOLY TO THE LORD

Luke 2:22-23  "And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; 23. (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)"

BRING AND REDEEM

Numbers 18:15  "Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem."

NOT REDEEMED

Numbers 18:17  "But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD."

BROUGHT BUT NOT REDEEMED

John 1:29  "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

BORN IN THE CITY OF BREAD

John 6:32-35  "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 33. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh [present active] to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth [present active] on me shall never thirst."