The sign: God lying in a manger (Quality: Poor)

[0:00] We will speak to the Lord's power from verse 12 in the chapter that we read. The second of Luke's gospel, verse 12.

[0:15] And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

[0:26] And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

[0:41] You may think that I chose this text, but I didn't. Not until this morning in family reading that it struck me most tenderly.

[0:53] I had an entirely different thought from my mind when I had to bed last night. Here is a beauty, a glory, a gospel which is beyond all restrictions.

[1:13] It is related to what we were speaking of last Sabbath. Secret things belong unto God.

[1:25] This is one author. And Christ should come is in the third of Genesis and the sixteenth verse. But how he shall come and under what circumstances and in what form.

[1:46] Never related in such detail as this. That a root should spring out of the stem of Jesse has prophesied.

[2:01] That there should be one who should arise and be called the Lord our righteous man.

[2:12] And this is the first time. That this was hidden in the sacred purposes of God. If we are favored with sober thought and a sober gracious mind, we are favored with sober thought.

[2:31] We will take a moment to think of this as a covenant transaction and prearrangement and predetermined way.

[2:44] Coming of the sober in our judgment, thought, in the most unusual, remarkable way and place.

[3:06] However, we talk about a sign. They did in the time of Jesus. What sign showeth there are?

[3:17] A proof, that is. What evidence do you give us? They ask the Lord himself. And there are many references to signs in the scripture.

[3:34] Proof. Those things. It will fix the matter. The other. The other.

[3:44] Did he announce for several signs and got them all. Peculiar signs. More than peculiar, extraordinary with regard to the fleece.

[4:04] Are they asked for evidence? Evidence. You might be asking for evidence. And shall I tell you where that evidence is going to come from?

[4:22] It's going to come from the mind. That is, in the lowest state. In which you are found.

[4:33] In which you are found. Where the Lord Jesus light aside his glory. And made itself of no reputation.

[4:45] And truly this. Proved beyond all shadow of question.

[4:56] And to lie down. And yet how common it is. And can be. And what.

[5:08] As you have just sung. Proud nature music with school. Very interesting story. Very interesting story. Much to be made of it. Turned into idolatry by millions.

[5:20] After the child of God. There is something here. Of a very humble. Tender. Gentle nature. It's a.... It is viewed. By nature. Very very different.

[5:31] Of a nature. Very very different. It is. And he has some nature. And I have seen it. It is to be a nature. And to the child of God. There is something here.

[5:42] Of a very humble. Tender. Gentle nature. It is. It is a... It is... It is a... It is a... A nature. It is. It is a...

[5:53] It is a nature. And it is a nature. very, very different times to those who are seeking a sign, an evident truth, a testimony.

[6:14] The Lord's dealings with them in white graves they will be brought to such a place as this to get the very proof that they want.

[6:32] They're looking higher than they should. You might be. I'll be asking more at the hand of your God than he intends to give you.

[6:48] I asked him a sign of old and he said no sign shall be given but that of the prophet Gola. So that here, unasked, the angels give a sign.

[7:11] And this sign was really necessary. It was not just a sign.

[7:22] It was really necessary. Of all places that they would go and look for this child could be, the last could be the stable or the mind in which this I cry, Jesus, love.

[7:52] What a lesson. study it out in your own experience. You have what? I'm really puzzled by the things that bring you into so much concern in your thought.

[8:13] Are you and I looking in the right place? Do we picture to ourselves like Naaman pictured to himself?

[8:28] I surely thought the Lord would come out or the prophet would come out and put his hand over the place.

[8:39] because this is what we, most of us, do. It isn't some extraordinary thing.

[8:52] Those that wait upon the Lord for an evidence of his mercy and favor in several respects in the Christian church and pathway look in the wrong place.

[9:09] a look where God has nothing for them. That's in themselves. And that's where they search in that.

[9:28] It is count of self to be asleep. Although the reminder and the sign go together.

[9:42] And the direction was utterly simple. And what a good thing it was given. This did not send them off on some fruitless mission.

[9:57] Hunting here and looking there for this newborn child. and neither did they know what means to identify life without being told.

[10:16] And until God bless you with his own side, in your heart, in his own way, heart to the humbling revelation of the Lord Jesus already within your heart, the hope of glory, you are not saved at all and all and all have been that you have not noticed.

[10:50] and which because of it being so unusual and strange, you missed.

[11:06] That is the great work of God in going back to last Sabbath text, things that are revealed belong unto us.

[11:23] And this belongs unto us now, doesn't it? And we may use it for the good spirit's aid to receive the absolute sacredness of this seed and yet the fulfillment of the flesh of God.

[11:54] Whether it was last Sabbath or the Sabbath before, I am not sure. And I spoke of the circling hand of God over all events in this world.

[12:09] Everything beneath his control. Look at his circling hand here. why, here's the great Caesar Augustine, emperor of Rome, like Cyrus in the days of old, before the final captivity, handing out decree.

[12:46] And all nations should attack. He was going to swell his coffers, gathering pressure of tolls and money. To do this they had to go to the place where they were poor.

[13:03] here he is. Doth know it, no one else knows it.

[13:16] He issues his decree. And this dear woman, Mary, in this condition, obeys. if ever a woman had good reason to say that she could not undertake a journey like that of four days to Nazareth to Bethlehem on a four-day journey, and not by train or car either.

[13:56] And this journey is undertaken. The hand of God encircling the whole matter influences the mind of the mighty emperor of Rome.

[14:16] He passes these commands on to Herod, his underling in Judea. He dare not of course disobey.

[14:36] You get a glimpse of these few thoughts of this. Everyday possibilities of what's going on in the earth today.

[14:47] the way we see things and as they look to us must necessarily be imperfect.

[15:02] Hidden away in the eternal purposes of God in this wicked generation is that God determines to do and is doing it.

[15:16] As he was then so he is now. Now that neither Joseph nor Mary offer any resistance to the distant decree from Rome, oh, there go on this journey.

[15:41] This sign is being prepared. God is getting it ready like he does so many of his dear people.

[15:53] He gets the sign ready for them and then ready to receive it. So that when the two come together there is no doubt whatever as to the significance of it in their knife.

[16:15] This was her firstborn son. A most joyful occasion indeed but under what circumstances?

[16:30] And the circumstances is of course you all at once know far far deeper than can be expressed public and here she is out in this place that the angels or the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid.

[17:06] these humble shepherds of course they were sore afraid but this is God's next step upon earth heavenly messenger comes with such tidings as these preceded by this in verse 10 fear not all behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people this is the sign getting ready here is the heavenly messenger descending not to Herod much less to

[18:07] Caesar Augustus not staying the hand of that great man in Rome and not altering the decree or thwarting it but letting it take its course like God does the course of sinful man let him take his course oh God has stopped you in your poor in your mad career and taught your heart to fear his name to show there something at the end of it but there was no alter answer whatsoever in the natural circumstances so many things that one can think of that must not serve the mind is quite capable rarefully to consider these circumstances related in what did I read some twenty verses that's all and yet the angel gives this direction to the shepherds and tells them that the evidence the sign shall be that they shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a mane now we must go back to the name the person they've got to look for for unto you is born this day in the city of

[20:07] David Thinehood Bethlehem little Bethlehem prophesied by the prophet although art little among the tribe yet out of thee shall come a saviour who shall rule his people Israel Bethlehem thou Bethlehem Judah there were two and this Bethlehem is identified with acryst and our little yet out of the evil conversation here he is here in this humble the world cannot say out of the way place the almighty god sent down his beloved son to take human flesh and to breathe human earth or rather the atmosphere of this earth to live to live with all and what is his name

[21:38] Christ the Lord Christ the Lord city of David Christ the Lord and we just go back here to that beautiful scene in the Old Testament when David went in and sat before the Lord when the Lord promised him this that he was so overcome by the Lord remarkable words to him that he went in with old and sat before the Lord and said is this the manner of man all the Lord Lord the glory in every path of the age of the cow here is the reception of it for

[22:45] David himself David's son yes David's Lord how the city is identified or the town that the person Christ the anointed long looked for one anointed by whom and for what purpose anointed of the Lord by the Holy Spirit what Isaiah says of how this anointing is for particular purpose nothing to do with the ancient temple there were a thousand of anointings Spirit of the Lord God is upon me for he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor by liberty to the captive and so on this is the anointing

[23:54] Christ which means anointing Christ the anointed of God are these shepherds or men of gracious experience experience we know nothing of them they have to be in every one of these mockeries that we see about and the children are taught to make dummies of must have the shepherd but oh glory in the persons to whom the heavenly angel first came watching their flocks by night and there's no question as to whether they were right or wrong or got the message correctly or incorrectly are from it for unto you is poor they could make no mistake about this

[25:21] God gave or see as I said unto us a child is born unto us a son is given born means what it says so that this was quite clear and that being born he would be alive and that he would be found in the city of Bethlehem outside of which the shepherds were minding their sheep they they are set this problem and you see they say to one another yes let us go after the angels were here they came with haste and a second divine confirmation second seal they tarried not any longer over this seed these now became the secondary charge and consideration they went with haste and found

[27:09] Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in the manger now here is a sign the manger the low manger and this is where the sweetness is I believe I'm sure it is the Lord will bring us all down to the low manger whatever man may make of it it is in this lowest state as the chances who remember us in our lowest sense now if we do this naturally and don't abide Joseph

[28:17] Hart's instructions for bow down and sense and reason if we lack sense and reason day in the day and we shall stumble if we let sense and reason gain the day in spiritual things which we often do we shall make a mistake you think you're not coming down low because you are you are you may not have come low enough yet and all dealings with you and your spiritual appetite exercises of concern are excellent so far as a couple of that you know that you're going down and not up you know that you've got to descend before you can ascend in your own heart and by that

[29:35] I mean before God as a guilty sinner you hoping to get better or to remain stationary well then you're looking wrong way this is according to the law and the gospel the law kills the spirit to his life oh if you should be cherishing some foothold in the law secretly holding something your own wouldn't it be a happy christmas day or service if God completely cut away that good all underneath and shows you the length shows you the absolute low degree degree to which he brings his people ere he blesses them christ in the manger couldn't it be a day of reality to you

[30:58] God's divine favor to you to covet it look for it pray for it to my come down as low as your savior came for your sake because truly this is what Paul meant what he said he made himself of no reputation why this is the very secret of the work of the holy spirit in pulling down and then building up but it's a sign from heaven a gospel sign the lord will make you poor and leave he tells among us to this man that I know is poor how are you poor you're really poor

[32:19] I don't mean financially you're poor are you really poor in spirit well if you are and in that first end if you sound cold lifeless formal and just where I was this morning before these words came I said Lord I must have as I can possibly be I fear that unlike the season that I can be and then an old fallen word cold life left for words and this is an extremity which is

[33:23] God's opportunity at his end and it is here although the poet of course was wrong in saying that Christ was born in winter you'll see a question mark in the hill if you know him be that as it I what issue is this being brought down low oh if you could not get this God could give you this as a sign as a poor empty thank God it will be a happy Christmas day to you you could really lay hold on this by precious faith and believe it as you lay hold upon

[34:24] God dealing not only with his people but with his dear son as he brought him down to such a low place and this will be a sign unto you so look round to see the circumstances that brought you to this place as they brought Mary oh there was no room for them in the end crowded in like sinners hearts says the hymn writer oh ignorance extreme for guests of various sorts had room but none for him how real such religion as this is and it takes hold of you you see your only comfort will be from the revealed word of god things which are revealed belong unto us and how blessedly they do and you'll never make a mistake here you'll be well rounded and founded upon such a rock as this that

[36:07] Christ your redeemer and infant was born now God said this heavenly time we talk about a word from the Lord some with with reaction some say I want a word from the Lord I want the Lord to speak to me do you on what authority on what ground do you ask do you say well the Old Testament saint is yes you're not an Old Testament saint I never like you to do any other New Testament saints ask her for these evidently and the old law was finished and the gospel began her fair call sinners were called by divine grace and given a new nature nature was not that complete evidence have you been given a new nature can you say no

[37:33] I haven't or have you been brought to ask for things now that at one time you never think of asking for at all how often do we ask for the very thing we've got what strange medley we are within those ips and buts and maybe the sign that the Lord was given to these shepherds then at some unaccountable seed of a newborn child wrapped in swaddling clothes which was the custom of these in those days nonetheless there wasn't any sign that there wasn't anything better because

[38:48] I don't think there was that this inside has a humble picture of things and when you see this says the angler to them this is it this is it and when you come down with it in your soul experience as a mere nothing in yourself see that what you are you are by the grace of God nothing else it's then and only then that you will see the preciousness of such things that you shall find them and we shall find them and find him they did wrapped in the swaddling clothes lying in a bank now no other details of hypnosis of this sacred scene of any detail of that is there was the sight deliverance of the

[40:10] Lord Jesus into this earth through night earth after there is the sight quickening of a believer by divine grace which was born as told not of the will of man as John not of the will of man or the will of God now this new birth is the believer only proof and son any man being Christ Jesus is a new preacher old things have passed away all things have become new is that evangelism translated found trusting savant there little self examination through his whole that

[41:31] Oh under such as if your heart is not soft. Who holds such a faithful religion as this, God-given discovery of Christ in the name, in all his humility, his weakness.

[41:54] The strength of God is owned by all, those girls of heart, but who is weakness? They are there to come and say, isn't they?

[42:06] As helpless as a babe. Don't they? And can it be that the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of David, Christ the Anointed, the Son of God, the Saviour of sinners, came down to such a place as this, or is it merely hypothetical?

[42:36] Is it some mystical? That will make you tremble, won't it? The thought of the reality of this in which your hope is existed.

[42:52] But these things are really so. I'm not stretching these things beyond their point, their meaning.

[43:04] the hope is not true. Here they are before us, as the abundant evidence of the good grace of God, bringing us worthless sinners to see, the foundation of our hope, Christ, fall in your heart, the hope of the Lord.

[43:31] And so, said the angel to the shepherd, the Lord, and this will be a sign unto you. This is the sign, and the sign it was.

[43:47] And this, I already gave, the sign and proof in your heart, without recognizing the sign.

[43:59] If it should be the case, how merciful for the Lord to make it, like in my Gideon's sign.

[44:10] Go, Simon. Go, Simon. The police wet, and the police dry.

[44:22] Amen.