Advent Reading for December 15, 2023 | “The Quiet Birth That Changed the World” from Luke 2:1-7

¹ In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ And all went to be registered, each to his own town. ⁴ And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. ⁶ And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Luke 2:1-7

“The Quiet Birth That Changed the World”
by Burt Schmitz

The birth of a child is always a joyous occasion.  Here we have the birth of not just any child, but the birth of the Son of God, Jesus.  This is a very significant moment in history.  The Apostle Paul writes, “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, so that He might redeem those who were under Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5).  Jesus’ birth is in fulfillment of the promise given in Genesis 3:15 of the one who shall crush the serpent’s head.  And yet, the birth of the Son of God is recorded in these verses in a manner that is seems so insignificant.

Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem to be counted in a census “because he was of the house and family of David.” (Luke 2:4).   The Scripture does not indicate that Joseph was moving to fulfill the prophecy in Micah 5:2 that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem.  No, Joseph took his wife, Mary, so they could be counted, nothing less or nothing more.  While there in Bethlehem, “the days were completed for her to give birth” (Luke 2:6) and Jesus is born.  No fanfare for the birth of the King of Kings.  There was no rejoicing by the multitudes.  There was no one singing the Hallelujah Chorus, nor was there the reciting of Isaiah 9:6-7.  “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.  There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and evermore.”   No, Mary gave birth to Jesus and wrapped Him in cloths and laid Him in a manger because there was no room in the inn.  A very quiet and unassuming birth, that changed the world.

Much in our lives seems exactly like Jesus’s birth.  Our thoughts go something like this.  It is just another boring day where nothing exciting happens.  God why don’t You choose me to do something great in Your Kingdom?  How come I am never recognized for what I do like…?  God has not forgotten you.  Ephesians 2:10 affirms that each of us is saved for a purpose.  There are good works for us to do that God “prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them”.  Just as Jesus’s birth was not an insignificant event, even though it looks that way in today’s passage, neither is your birth into the Kingdom of God.  Jesus chooses us to follow Him and then to do His work (John 15:16).  So here it is.  Jesus came to save us and then to choose us to do His work.  

Will you answer the call to follow Jesus first in salvation and then to do the good works to which He has called you?  

What will you do with the Babe of Bethlehem?

Reflection Questions:

1. Reflecting on the quiet and humble birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, how does this challenge our culture’s expectations of grandeur and recognition for significant events?
2. How does Ephesians 2:10 encourage us to view our lives and the good works prepared for us?

Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Peace (Advent 2025) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Christ Has Come – Week 3Episode Title: The Promised King & His Gift of JoyLuke 1:39–56In this Advent episode of Christ Has Come, Keith Harris turns to Luke 1 and invites us to slow down and listen to the joy that begins stirring before Bethlehem. Long before angels sing to shepherds, joy breaks the silence in the hill country of Judea—through a Spirit-filled confession, a leaping child, and the worshipful song of a young woman who trusts the promises of God.Together, we explore:What biblical joy is—and what it isn’t, distinguishing it from fleeting happiness or emotional highs.How joy appears before the word is even spoken, as John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb at the presence of the unborn Messiah.Why Mary’s joy is rooted not in circumstances but in God’s mercy, as she magnifies the Lord and rejoices in God her Savior.The meaning and message of the Magnificat, a Scripture-saturated song that celebrates God’s great reversal—lifting the lowly, filling the hungry, and humbling the proud.How Mary’s joy points beyond herself to Jesus, the promised King who fulfills God’s covenant promises and secures lasting joy through His saving work.This episode reminds us that joy is not something we manufacture—it’s something we receive, and it grows wherever Jesus is trusted. Advent teaches us that true joy is found not in having life figured out, but in the presence of Christ and the mercy He brings.If you would like to see a written version of this study, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.

1. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Peace (Advent 2025) 26:00
2. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of PEACE (Advent 2025) 22:47
3. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of HOPE (Advent 2025) 24:58
4. Thankful: Learning to Number Our Days (Refresh & Restore) 21:21
5. "Strengthen What Remains: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Sardis" (The KING is Coming) 20:30