[00:00:00] Speaker A: Welcome to the Dec. 21 sermon from Clifford Baptist Church, 6:35 Fletcher's Level Road in Amherst. Today's scripture is Luke, chapter two, verses one through seven. And the sermon is entitled It's Time, delivered today by Pastor Jeffrey Campbell.
[00:00:14] Speaker B: I am grateful for the reminder and for the celebration that Jesus has come. If you have your Bibles, go to Luke chapter number two. Luke, chapter number two, verses one and through seven. How do you know it's time? That's the question of the day. How do you know it's time for the preacher to sit down and be quiet? According to what I know of doing this for a little while, I've got about 35 minutes and I better be done. How do you know it's time to hold on or let go? How do you know it's time when you should speak up and say something or just keep your mouth quiet? How do you know it's time to wait or move ahead? That's the burning question. What? When we think of Christmas time, we know that we circle December on our calendars and we're to celebrate and we're to get gather with families and we're to exchange gifts and we are to celebrate the coming of Jesus Christ as Christians. It's time. It's time to celebrate our Savior's birth and what the blessing that you and I have is. We are able to celebrate that all, all year long for many, and maybe some in this room, the time to get serious about your relationship with Jesus. Some of you battle with, am I too young?
Some of you battle with, am I too old? And some even in this room battle with, am I even good enough for Jesus? And here's the answer to it all. No, you're not good enough. But Jesus came for those of us that are not perfect. And he came to die for our sin and to give us life and hope and a future. And so it is time to step up and run for the Lord, whatever that looks like in your life. Maybe you're in that older crowd that feels like you've wasted so many good years and you don't have those good years left.
Here's my message to you. Devote the years left to Jesus and you will be blessed. Now's the time, Dads. It's time to step up and lead your family in the Lord. Moms, it's time to step up and guide your children in their pursuit of Jesus. And grandparents, now is the time to pour into the next generation of believers. Every man, every woman, every boy, every girl. Here's what I need you to understand.
Now's the time. It's time. It's also time for a baby. Look at Luke, chapter number two, verses one through four.
As we contemplate its time, here's what God's word says. 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 taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria and all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage of David. Jesus birth reminds us, number one, it's time to let God work.
How do you read your Bible? Do you read your Bible as a good collection of good stories and good suggestions of things that we should do? Do you read your Bible as just another book, just any way you would read any other book? You pull it off the shelf, you read it, I've read it, I put it back and I never ever want to read it again. Do you read it for instruction, for correction, for reproof for it changing you? For it as an historical document, it is the truth of Go read our Bibles.
It matters how you read your Bible. And I want to show you today through Scripture that This book that Dr. Luke writes, he does a great job recording history.
It's not just a good story.
In these verses, he puts real people in real places in real time to show us this. Jesus was and is real.
So as you see the opening chapter of number two, we see that there is a decree that goes out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be.
Say it together, church, there's your bad word for the day, okay?
All the world should be taxed. As you read this verse, you may think, wow, the whole world is paying taxes. Well, listen, what you need to understand is the name Caesar Augustus is certainly on the pages of history book. But I love what Luke does in just number chapter two. In chapter two alone, he devotes the whole chapter to Jesus from birth to 12 years old. And as he's telling the story of Jesus, he puts these historical people in place. The first emperor of Rome, he was the adopted son of Julius Caesar. And after that assassination, Augustus would take over as one of the three most powerful men in all of Rome. Conflict ensued and Caesar Augustus was in control.
He was the top dog, if you will.
After assassinations and all of that within the family, within the ranks, he is left alone to Rule.
After years of war and fighting, what Caesar Augustus does is usher in a time of rebuilding and a time of peace. In that rebuilding, we see it's time for everyone to pay their taxes. But what you need to understand, when the Bible says all the world to be taxed. This man had control of much of the Mediterranean area. And he ordered a decree that everyone should return to to their home city and be registered so that they can pay their taxes. How many of you like paying taxes? Here's what your pastor is going to remind you. Even though we don't like it, it's a responsibility.
And we are commanded to give unto Caesar what is Caesar and to give unto God what is God. And what I want you to understand is taxes have been around for thousands of years.
And what we see these taxes going to is a rebuilding process. And during this process, the family had to return to the place of origin to enroll.
But what I want you to see more than that is a timestamp of history that this actually happened. It's not a made up fairy tale, good story. The Bible is, is history.
And what we're told, Joseph leaves Nazareth to go into Judea to Bethlehem because he is of the lineage of David. All because one man puts out a decree that the whole world should be taxed. You need to be taxed. You must go to Bethlehem because one man said so. We look at that and we say, man, what a powerful man. Some of you may say, what I would do if I had that power, if I had that control, what decree would you make? But here's what Caesar Augustus does. Go back home, register. We're going to rebuild the cities as they rise up and make that trip. We see that powerful man, probably the most powerful in the world in its time, trying to bring peace and rebuilding and a decree to the people.
If you were looking for a savior, would this man not fit the bill? He comes from a line of history, a line of war. But now the man is making peace. He wants to do good for the people, man. Caesar Augustus could be the savior of the world.
Even though this nation was led by a man of peace. We see Caesar Augustus that thinks he is in control. But really, here's what we need to read. God is. God is. And I'm going to show it to you. God is. There was a time in my life that I thought I was in control. I made the decisions of what I wanted to do, when I wanted to do it, how I wanted to do it. And there was nobody to answer for it but me. I messed up a lot until I realized that I can't do it all alone. Guess what? I needed help.
I really wasn't in control.
The most powerful man in the world thinks he's in control. Puts out a decree. Go be taxed. And the people begin to move. Can God really work through government and decree and law and taxes? Here's what the answer is. Absolutely he can. As we see people begin to move at one man's order.
Don't lose heart when you look at the world around you. Don't lose heart when you look within your families this Christmas season and you sit at the table with family members that you may not always get along with.
Don't lose heart that God is not in control.
Because certainly God is in control. And what we see here in the opening verses of chapter number two is God is absolutely in control. Using the most powerful man, Caesar Augustus, to put out a decree to get the family of Jesus to Bethlehem, where the prophet said the Savior would be born.
Praise be to God. As we read these opening verses of chapter number two, we need to be reminded that God is at work.
And we need to let him work in our lives. No matter the mess that surrounds us, no matter what's going on around us.
Will you be obedient to what the Lord has you to do?
Jesus birth reminds us God is at work. He has been silent for 400 years. But guess what? Here he comes.
Look at verses 5 and 6. 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. Jesus birth point number two teaches us this. It's time to look for Jesus. Christmas time is a time to look for Jesus. As we see a little marking of time, we see also the conclusion of verse number four. It's a run on sentence. It goes to verse number five. The whole reason that traveling is happening is because of a decree. But what we see in verse number five is they are going to be taxed. To be taxed. There's that bad word again. With Mary, his espoused wife, and she is great with child.
Some of you know what it means to be great with child. It brings discomfort.
It brings a readiness. Not only do they move to pay taxes and to obey the most powerful man in the world, they've got to move during a season when it is not easy, it's just easier to stay put and not move around.
But the reason that they're going is to be taxed. The relationship is important that you see in verse number five. They're espoused to one another.
This is not a formal marriage, but it is legal marriage.
A spousal means that they are pledged to one another, they will be married, but it has not happened yet. In order for that to be broken, they would have to go through the divorce proceedings in order for it to happen. It is a legal measure. But Mary and Joseph are espoused, they are pledged to one another, they are agreed to marry one another. And then we see that she is very pregnant with taxes and a new relationship and a very pregnant wife. I read this and I say God bless Joseph.
God bless him. And traveling too. I'm not even going to go there. But I have to say this. As I read this scripture, I read it with the thought of, hey, so many reasons just to stay at home, Mary, so many reasons of not to just. You don't have to listen to that, that government official just stay home, let your husband go and register. No, she went and praise God she did because in doing so she fulfilled scripture. How many times because of convenience do we say, no God, I can't do that. No God, I'm not able or I don't feel well or and I don't feel like it. God, I'm not going to do this. And what I am learning day by day is that I look for Jesus every situation when I'm in the grocery store. Friends, you better look for opportunities to minister for Jesus. They're all around you. I promise you that the next time you get on the elevator and the door closes, you got them trapped.
You couldn't ask for a better opportunity. The hurting, the needy, the homeless, the well off, all need Jesus and church. Christmas time reminds us not only to be joyful and to give presents to those that we love, that we have the greatest gift to offer those who need hope and help during this season. And that gift of Jesus can change someone's life and eternity. Don't think an accidental hey honey, can you run to the store?
May change someone's life. We see it's time for a baby to be born.
Everyone is focused on Roman rule. Everyone is understanding the peace that is happening that is coming from the emperor. Everyone is moving and traveling, registering, paying their, getting ready to pay their taxes. Bethlehem is bustling. But what you also need to understand is that Isaiah said this.
There's going to be a virgin birth that happens. There's going to be a light of Galilee that comes. There's going to be a child that is Born a son that is given a wonderful counselor, a mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace, the righteous branch of Jeremiah. He is coming.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of the government and the town. God is getting ready to show up the middle of it all. The days were accomplished means this. She is ready to bring God into this world. This holiday season. What an opportunity for you and I to share. Jesus, the God of this world. The days are accomplished. It is time. I wrote down in my notes here that from Genesis chapter number three, verse number 15, God's clock was ticking for this moment.
But I have to correct that because God had a plan even before Genesis chapter three, verse 15, that's when we learned about it. But God had a plan far before. And God's clock is ticking. It's time. It's time for the Savior to come. It's time for his Son to come. It's time for the world to be changed through the birth of Jesus. His holy and perfect Son of God has come to the world. And friends, it's time. It's time that we not only look for Jesus, it's time that we tell others about him as well. Look at verse number seven. She brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them. In the end, Jesus birth point number three means simply this.
It's time to let Jesus in. It's a reminder for us. It's time to let him into our lives.
Not just a part of it, not just a portion, not just where we want him, not just on Sunday mornings, but let him into our lives. We understand that this little baby is wrapped tightly and clothes that hold him very tightly and he's placed in a feeding trough of all places. Do you realize the. The one thing that right now in scripture that holds God, the God of the universe, is a feeding trough. This little baby is now in the lives of Mary and Joseph. They find themselves out with the animals in the barn because there's no room in the inn. The busyness of the streets and the town and the travelers have filled the inn. And we cannot fault the inn owner. It's not his fault. His business is booming, but there's no room for Jesus. So we put him out in the and what's left over in the trough where the animals are. And that's where the Son of God comes. The busiest time, the busiest place, the busiest season. Jesus comes. And what we see here is the world will miss him. And 2,000 years later, the world is still missing the God of the universe. And I'm afraid that we can relate so much to the busyness that Bethlehem shows us. God's plan. Very unusual. When it could be the most powerful man in the world, Caesar Augustus. He could be the Savior. God says, no, no, no. The Savior of the world will come during his time, during his rule. But it's coming in the lowliest of places, in the unlikeliest of places. Out with the animals as he is brought into this world. We get busy too, don't we? I'm just as guilty. But in the busyness of living the American dream, can God get lost? Go ahead, nod your head. God can get lost in the hustle and bustle of the city and the families and the life we have chosen. But here's what we need to remember. In the busyness of jobs and families and what we are trying to accomplish here on this earth, God has called Christians to make disciples for Jesus Christ. And in the we just need to slow down. Now, I know some of you are looking at Pastor Jeffrey and slow down. Those two words don't go together right? Sometimes God slows us down. He gives you a couple days off from work, lets you spend it with your family, gives you a meal to be placed on the table. Brings the family really close to you past the presence. It's a blessing. Eat the food, It's a blessing. Enjoy the time. It's a blessing. We don't know how much more we have. Enjoy the time. But look to Jesus. Look to Jesus. Christians. If we can't be the forerunners of letting Jesus into our season and into our life and into our busy worlds, no one else in the world will. You wonder why the Muslims are the fastest growing religion in the world? Because the Christians are just sitting and standing by. Now's the time in Clifford Baptist Church, I think in a little town of Amherst and the little church of Clifford Baptist Church in this little community in Virginia, I believe God is still at work. And I believe that God could use a little church family that loves the Lord to impact the world with the greatest news this Christmas season that Jesus came to die for sin filled people. We got a great country.
We got a great little community. I love this place. The only thing that's going to move me out of Amherst, Virginia is God. And I'm going to go kicking and screaming if he does. God has planted me here. But I can't let the days and the years just continue to roll by without telling the good news of Jesus Church, it's time. It's Christmas time. It's family time. But it's time to speak the truth of the season that Jes came. God sent his perfect son for flawed and sinful people to not only love them, but here's the messiness of the Christmas story. To die in their place for their sin. That's the only reason I can stand here today. It's time. In a moment of closing, do you realize God's in control? You can make the plans, but God guides the steps. God is in control. Maybe this Christmas season that's eye opening for you. Maybe this Christmas season you see that Jesus came to save people from their sins. And that's the greatest news this world needs. Will you turn to him not just one time, but every day of your life, giving your life to him, living for him, telling others about his love and his forgiveness. As I think about time and I'm looking at my time right now, what does it take to let go of the control church and just let God have his way with your life? I believe in this. In this room, there's not one person called to preach in this room. I believe there may be some men in this room that haven't answered the call. I believe there may be some families that are called to ministry or missions work that has never answered that call. What a great opportunity this Christmas season. Today, if you're here, maybe you're here at Clifford Baptist Church for the very first time. Here's what I want you to know. If you've never accepted Lord Jesus Christ, I want you to know this. It's time. Quit putting it off. Quit pushing it down the road. There's no better time. And you're not going to be a better person without Jesus. If you leave this room today without Jesus, you're no better than you were when you came in. There's no better time right now to recognize that God loved you enough to send his son Jesus to take your sin and the sin of the world to an old rugged cross, to die in your place, to die your death, to take your penalty for sin. That you can be free to live for him and tell others that great news. I'm not here to twist your arm. I'm here to tell you the good news. That is the good news. Jesus can change your life today. It's time, Church. It's time. It's time we, as the family minister, live, disciple others, share the gospel and go for Jesus Christ. Let's pray, Father. Thank you, Lord. I don't know how you will use this message, but I trust that you will. Thank you for the reminder that it is not our time, our understanding, our giftings, our will that matters.
Lord, you are in control God Today I pray Lord that Christians will give up the control of their life and submit to what you would have them to do for the rest of their days, Lord for that one that needs you Lord that they will give up control and the Lord that they will let you be Lord of their life not only this day but for the rest of their days.
God, that you have challenged young and old that it's time to use the rest of our days as we live for you God go before us now and I pray your Holy Spirit would work in the hearts of your people. God, that you will lead us as a church body and Lord, that we will be careful to be obedient for where you would have us to go and what you would have us to do as we proclaim your good news. Lord, we love you and we thank you as we celebrate Christmas time together. Thank you that Jesus has come to save people from their sin. Oh what a message and a reminder for this day. We love you in Jesus name Amen.
[00:23:57] Speaker A: You've been listening to Truth for the Journey from Clifford Baptist Church. You're always welcome to visit Clifford Baptist Church for Sunday School at 9:45 worship at 11:00am and Wednesday evening worship at 7:00pm if you feel led to support the radio ministry of Clifford Baptist Church, please send your tax deductible donation to Clifford Baptist Church, 635 Fletcher's Level Road, Amherst, VA 24521. For a copy of this or any service, call 434-946-0555 or
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