Luke 1:1-14
It’s that time of the year when you will be hearing objections to the celebrations of Christmas. Top of the objections is that Christmas is a pagan festival. Christians and churches who don’t celebrate the day look with disdain and suspicion on those who do. We are charged with idolatroy. Where did the Bible command we should celebrate the birth of Christ they ask.
Now, today, if you hear the celebration of Christmas, what does it remind us of? See, though the festivities has been highly commercialised and secularised as a holiday, yet among Christians, the significance of the festivities still holds. It is the the celebration of the birth of Christ. It’s an opportunity for Christians to at least speak of the incarnation and deity of Jesus. Christmas is when we get to celebrate, God coming to live among his people.
Sinclair Ferguson, in an article “Should Christians Abandon Christmas” dealt with some of these objections. And I think it is worth considering. He said:
Many Old Testament passages look forward to the coming of our Lord, conceived in a virgin’s womb, born in Bethlehem. Matthew devotes almost two chapters to describing and explaining the event; Luke does the same. John takes us right back into eternity when he invites us to reflect on its significance. There are other passages in the New Testament that help us to understand it. In other words, the Bible pays a great deal of attention to the birth of the Saviour and the theology of the incarnation. Why shouldn’t we?
Have you ever heard people say it really grew out of a pagan festival?
It’s true that the Roman festival of Saturnalia took place in December. But Christmas celebrations didn’t so much grow out of it as grow against it, and in contrast to it. Saturnalia was an excuse for excess, for what the world still calls “having a good time” (often meaning “getting stoned”—headache and all!). Christians in antiquity wanted to live a counter-cultural life, not to let Saturnalia squeeze them into its mold. And they knew they had something worth celebrating—or rather, Someone worth celebrating. And so they met together to celebrate the birth of their Saviour.
Now, let me ask a question. Should we allow the Christmas objections to direct our observance of it? No, I believe we should allow the significance of it to drive our devotion. So this morning we will together look at The Historicity Of The Birth Of Christ. My motivation is to let us appreciate the fact that Jesus actually lived. That’s what Historicity simply means. That something recorded actually happened in history. There was a time in human history Jesus was born. And everything we celebrate about him did happen. Another motivation for the sermon is to borrow from the words of the text “that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught” (v.4).
This gospel, as we know was written by Luke. It bears his name: The Gospel According To Luke Who was Luke? He was a contemporary of the apostle Paul, in fact he can be considered as a ministry partner of Paul. He is the same person who wrote the book of Acts (1:1) as a continuation of Luke. He did ministry together with Paul and recorded the itineray of Paul. There are instances he inculded himself in the use of 1st Person Plural Pronoun (Acts 16:10-17). But most importantly, and in relation to his writings, Luke was a scholar and historian. The things he wrote was history.
Maybe you may be asking, Are we talking about Luke? No, we are talking about Christ. But I am establishing the credibility of Luke so that when you read what he wrote you will know you are not reading myths or fables. But you are reading history: things that occurred. That is how Luke presented his gospel.
How do we know the things Luke wrote were true events? There are three things he tells us about his gospel
Existing Documents (v.1)
Luke states the source of his writing as writings from other existing documents (v.1) Many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us. Luke is saying I am bringing you real history. I am not writing anything new to you. The things I am writing are things that have been written by others recording events that has happened amongst us. Real life events. And obviously these real life events included the birth of Christ. Luke presents us with extensive events surrounding the birth of Jesus. He speaks first of the birth of John the Baptist who is a prophesied forerunner of Jesus (vv. 5-24). Then he goes on to speak of the birth of Christ and the events surrounding it from 1:26 and Chapter two. These are real events Luke is reporting because existing documents have compiled them. “Many have undertaken to compile a narrative…” Many! Synonyms for many includes numerous, various, countless. This means when Luke wrote his gospel, there were existing material of real life events.
You know Luke is one of the gospels called “Synoptic gospels” (Matthew, Mark, Luke). The word synoptic is from a Greek work which means “seeing together”. The Synoptic gospels it can therefore be said recorded the life of Jesus from a similair perspective. This from biblical schorlarship means either they all used the same source material or they used each others material to compile their gospel.
Eye Witnesses Account (v.2)
But the most important point here is that the gospel record is the record of real life events: Eye Witnesses Account, things that happened among the people. When you hear the words “Once upon a time” you should prepare yourself to hear a story that is not true. During the week, in the office, I met a young lady on the corridor with a long hair. And I called her Rapunzel. I think at first it didn’t immediately occur to her why I called her that. But then it dawned on later and she said, “Oh my hair you mean” And we both laughed.You know Rapunzal right? Now dear friends, the biblical narratives, the gospels doesn’t begin with “Once upon a time” That is how fables begins. But the gospels are real life historical events of the life of Jesus. What Luke recorded for us are true events that happened. And those who witnessed the life of Jesus, that is the apostles, passed on those details. The gospels, are eye witnesses accounts passed on through generations (v.2).
The apostles, consistently in their writings, made it clear to us they were eye witnesses of the events of Jesus’ life and were not telling fables when they wrote
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty (2 Peter 1:16)
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).
Extensive Researched Events (v.3)
The gospel of Luke is an account of historical events, which Luke himself studied and compiled. His gospel, he tells us is an orderly account of event. It is Extensive Researched Events (v.3). Let’s pay attention to what Luke is saying (i) He followed all things closely. This means he critically examined the records and events available. (ii) For some time past. This also points us to work done over a period of time. Like a researcher, he collected his data, he analysed them, he made meaning out of them (iii) then he wrote them down in an orderly manner. It wasn’t hapazard, it wasn’t disjointed, he organised his material and presented it orderly, in the manner the events are presented. His gospel is a well studied and documented events of the life of Jesus. Note how Luke presented his material, The Birth Of John The Baptist and Jesus Christ Foretold (1:5-56); The Birth Of John The Baptist (1:57-80); The Birth Of Jesus Christ (2:1-21) and other orderly events followed. Luke’s Gospel is history. What is history?
A discipline that studies the chronological record of events, usually attempting, on the basis of a critical examination of source materials, to explain events.
You see that? That’s exactly what Luke did in his gospel. Observe the use of historical time markers by Luke (1:5; 2:1-2). Luke presents Theophilus, his recepient with the reign of two Kings. We can verify these kings indeed outside of Scripture, These are things known by Theophilus aabout the events surrounding Jesus’ life. Acts 1:1 gives us a perfect summary of what Luke is about:
In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen
What’s The Purpose of The Gospel Of Luke (v.4)
So we have seen that the gospel according to Luke is a well documented historical account of Jesus. What is the purpose of knowing all these you may ask? What is the essence of all I have spoken about you may ask. It’s for the same reason Luke wrote his gospel? Certainty in beliefs. (v.4) Luke’s gospel was to give his reader roots in his beliefs: “certainty concerning the things you have been taught”(Luke 1:3-4). When we read the gospels, when you read Luke, recounting the birth of Christ until his ascenion, this precisely is what is to be produced in you Certainty in your beliefs through what you have been taught.
Do you have certainty in the things you believe? See, the knowledge we have of Christianity is to solidify our faith. It gives us roots; grounding our beliefs! Christianity is not a blind leap into the dark abyss. Christian faith is knowledge driven: “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). Paul speaks against zeal without knowledge (Rom 10:2).
Jesus Christ once lived this earth. He was born, so that as Mathhew says, he will save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). Have you experienced this saving grace? Then Luke is calling you to certainty. Grow, be grounded, be rooted. All the apostles call their readers to growth and certainty in faith.
Paul:“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you” (Colossians 2:6-7).
Peter“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” (2Peter 3:18).
How is this going to happen? Read! Your Bible, books, articles. We are a generation inundated with knowledged. There’s so much information out there. Come to church, bible study, take notes during the sermon, read over it whether we are telling you the truth. Be like a Berean.
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