The story of the birth of Jesus as told by Luke is the most familiar to most people. The familiarity of the story can be a frustrating thing for the preacher. Who is capable of rising to an occasion on which the most beautiful text of the Bible is read? It makes the preacher turn pale and stammer. However, the familiar can be the preacher’s delight. That the text and message are familiar means they already belong to you, the listeners. There is power, enjoyment, and an occasional “amen” when we hear what we already know and believe.

The record of Jesus’ birth is straightforward. It is told as a historian would relate it, citing date, place, and circumstance. It is an earthly event which came straight out of heaven.

It opens with the decree of Augustus that his whole empire should be taxe…