209 The Kings of Christmas: Caesar

We will be looking at a very familiar portion of Scripture today, but I’d like to put a twist on it by starting with a verse that, as a recovering control freak, I’ve had to lean into again and again. It reminds me of who’s really in charge…and who’s not.

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (Prov. 19:21)

With that in mind, let’s look at Luke 2. It starts, “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.”

Let’s set the stage here. In the days of Jesus, the Romans ruled the western world. Their military might was legendary. They were ruled by a series of “caesars” or czars. The first of whom was Julius Caesar. 

When he was assassinated in 44 B.C., a power struggle ensued. The assassins and conspirators Brutus and Cassius battled for control with Mark Antony and Julius Caesar’s adopted son, Octavian. When Mark Antony sought to grab power for himself by making an alliance with Egypt and Cleopatra, Octavian took them both on and won. Octavian returned to Rome as a hero and was declared to be the new Caesar.

He soon changed his name to Augustus (which means “the revered one”) and quickly took absolute power.

About 10 years into his reign, there was an astronomical phenomenon (probably a comet). The Romans declared that it was actually Julius Caesar ascending to the heavens to join the other gods and become a god himself. 

If Julius was Augustus’ father, what does that make him? “The son of God.” From then on, Augustus would be celebrated and worshiped as “God incarnate.”

Notwithstanding his newly claimed status, Augustus still had a massive army that needed to be bankrolled. How would he do that? By raising taxes. 

So, now we come to Luke’s account. A decree goes out that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. Why? So they can be taxed!

A king lifts his finger in Rome and 1500 miles away, in an obscure little village, a poverty-stricken couple undertakes an arduous 70-mile journey. And because they did, Mary’s child was born in Bethlehem, a little town that just happened to be the one mentioned in an ancient Hebrew prophecy about the Messiah. 

You might be tempted to think this was an amazing coincidence. That all this “came to pass” because Augustus gave a decree. He was in control.

But who really made the decree? Whose will was really being done? Whose kingdom is it really?  

Luke is exposing the illusion that we all live with – that we are mere pawns in the hands of human powers – whether they are government officials or city ordinances, whether they are employers or coaches, whether they are former friends or ex-spouses.  

His point is clear: Human powers may make their plans and plot their strategies, “but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”  He is ultimately the One who is on the throne, and His will is that which will prevail.

What was the slogan of the day 2000 years ago?  “Caesar is lord.”  What does Christmas tell us? “NO, HE’S NOT! Jesus is Lord.” 

God is in control. He was fully in charge then and He is fully in charge now. 

Text: Luke 2 

Originally recorded on December 10, 2006, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN