The Census - Advent Mid-week 1 - December 1, 2010 - Text: Luke 2:1-5

Our theme for this year is Facts About Christmas. This year, to help us prepare for our great and grand celebration, we will take a look at some of the little talked about facts concerning Jesus’ birth. We will talk about the census which brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, the innkeeper who opened his cave and the cave or barn where Jesus was born. We will talk about the star that brought the Magi to the house in Bethlehem where Jesus was staying and we will talk about God’s perfect timing in all these events.

This evening we begin with the census which brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. Our text is the second chapter of Luke. Luke anchors his account, his Gospel in history, beginning, not with Mary or Joseph or Jesus, but with Caesar Augustus. Christianity, unlike most all other religions of the world, is anchored in history, not in one man or one woman’s vision and writings, not in mythology, not in something or someone which cannot be examined and tested, but in history which has been examined and tested and which continues to be examined, tested and scrutinized, especially history as recorded in the pages of Holy Scripture.

Luke begins with Caesar Augustus, a noted figure in history. The census of Caesar Augustus was a census that was required by the Romans every fourteen years. The census required that taxpayers who were living elsewhere, other than Rome, such as in Roman occupied territories, return to their original homes for registration. The census served the purpose of gauging the increase of population as well as assessing taxes.

Certainly, at least certainly as a Christian, we can see the hand of God in the timing of these events, that is that this census was scheduled to happen once every fourteen years. And the fact that the beginning of this census taking, every fourteen years, would coincide with the birth of the One God promised, the Messiah, the Savior of the world. It might well be, as we have stated before, because God does not live in time as you and I do, but because God lives in the eternal present, He looked at the history of the world, at the birth of Jesus and made sure that the census was begun and was to be taken every fourteen years, based on this date.

The hand of God is also seen in the place in which the Savior was born and in the return to the original home of those being registered. Concerning this timing and this place, God had a lot of work to do. He had to make sure that King David was born in Bethlehem. He had to make sure that Joseph and we understand Mary as well, were both born of the family whose line is traced back to Bethlehem. And these events had to be combined with the date of the census so that His promise that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem would occur. But of course, with God, all things are possible.

Mary and Joseph were both descendants of King David and his wives, thus, in essence both of them were from Bethlehem, and yes, distant relatives of each other. Their arranged marriage was not by accident. Joseph who was probably around the age of twenty-five, had certainly known Mary who was probably around the age of fifteen. Both Joseph and Mary had assuredly spoken to their parents concerning the other so that when Joseph approached his parents to seek Mary’s hand in marriage, when Joseph’s father approached Mary’s father, she too had spoken to her parents so that they were both in agreement concerning the arrangements.

So, the parents made the arrangements and the betrothal was announced.. That Mary and Joseph were betrothed meant that they were legally bound in a contract leading to marriage. The next thing that happens is that Mary is visited by the angel and she agrees to be the mother of the Messiah. Now, understand, Mary and Joseph were legally married, but had not yet consummated the marriage. Mary has agreed to be the mother of the Messiah and without having talked about this plan with Joseph and without having had any relations with any man, let alone her betrothed husband, Joseph, she is found to be pregnant. Certainly everyone, including Joseph knew how children were normal conceived and so certainly he had many questions concerning Mary’s being with child. In order to ease Joseph’s mind, the Lord also sent an angel to Joseph to assure him of Mary’s innocense. After the angel confirmed to Joseph that it was true, that Mary had conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, theirs was a shortened betrothal and a quick wedding, perhaps to cease the gossiping lips of the townspeople.

As for the timing of the census, the call for a census certainly relieved the public pressure on Mary and Joseph so that what would have been a six month baby was born in Bethlehem while they were away from Nazareth so that no one would be the wiser of just how old the baby was when He was born. Here we see God provide a nice cover for the couple.

When a person reads all the fact, steps back and looks at history from a godly perspective, the hand of God is seen in fulfillment, in history. None of these events could have been a coincidence, and remember a coincidence is defined as God’s unseen hand working through the events that are taking place. None of these events could be seen as having happened by accident. At just the right time these events came to fruition, the time of God’s choosing and knowing.

The events of the census, as well as the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus, of God in flesh continually remind us that God works in and through history to accomplish His will, including and especially His salvation for His people. Certainly we know that God created, that God preserves and that God watches over us, and we often think of God doing His work at a distance, but we also know that He acts in time and history to accomplish His will and our salvation, because of His great love for us. This account of the census, a human, and we might well say, a fallen, sinful human mandate made by a not so godly ruler, is used by God for the purpose of fulfilling His promise that the Messiah, the Savior of the world would be born in Bethlehem. God’s love for His creation gone awry, God’s love for us is worked out according to His perfect plan and timing.

As we begin getting ready for our Christmas celebration again this year, we might consider taking the time to review the events of Holy Scripture. Perhaps what we may find, rather, what we will find is that all the events of Holy Scripture have been worked out according to God’s perfect plan and timing, according to God’s perfect, good and gracious will. God is the prime mover. God started it all. God works out the best through any and all circumstances. God gives and does. We are given to and done to. God gives us faith, forgiveness and life. God even stirs in us to live lives of faith in response to His giving and to His glory. To Him be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.