A Christmas reminder

Dr. Rick Koole

LifePointe Church

The Jewish people had been waiting for what seemed like an eternity for the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a deliverer. And they were pretty certain he would arrive in the little town of Bethlehem. After all, centuries before, the prophet Micah had written, "But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.”

They knew where he would arrive, and they were somewhat certain when he would arrive, but they were totally unprepared for how he would arrive.

The story of the first Christmas began as a young couple named Joseph and Mary made the rugged journey from Nazareth, and finally arrived in Bethlehem just in time for Mary to give birth to a son they would name Jesus. Surprisingly, he wasn’t born in a palace like many would have expected, but rather a lowly stable where he was placed in a crude manger.

The swaddling clothes that they wrapped baby Jesus in were not unique, but the manger was. It is a vivid reminder of the lowly estate of the baby's parents, and of their poor accommodations. The crude manger also sends an astounding message that God was willing to humble himself from the height of glory, not to the palace of a king, but literally to become one of the poorest of the poor. The Bible puts it this way:

"Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."

Shortly after his birth, a band of shepherds filed into the stable where the baby was born and told Mary and Joseph what had just happened to them out in the fields, where an angel had proclaimed to them:

"I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the city of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."

The shepherds continued on to tell Mary and Joseph how the first angel was joined by an army of angels from heaven who appeared to be overcome with joy and were singing:

"Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, goodwill to men."

The miracle of Christmas is that the God of infinite power and glory would become like one of us; that he would willingly bind himself in the frailest of human bodies. We call this the “Incarnation” from the Latin word “carne” which means “flesh.” Baby Jesus was literally God in human flesh.

And Jesus came for a specific purpose. It wasn’t as some supposed to deliver the long-suffering Jews from their Roman oppressors. Rather it was for a much more important purpose. Months earlier, while back in Nazareth, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and explained his purpose in coming.

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins."