A King Born in a Manger

In the song “Sweet Little Jesus Boy,” the lyrics state, “Sweet little Jesus boy, they made you be born in a manger. Sweet little holy child; we didn’t know who you were. Didn’t know you’d come to save us Lord, to take our sins away. Our eyes were blind, we could not see. We didn’t know who you were.” The same can be said of many people today; that their eyes are blind to the little baby born in a manger who came to save us. In Luke 2:8-16, we read the story about when the Shepherds first beheld Jesus’ birth:

“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger’.”

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!’ So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.”

The Shepherds ran to Bethlehem to behold the newborn King; but what did they see when they arrived? They saw the baby Jesus lying in a manger, because there was no room at the inn (2:7). A manger was “the feeding-trough for animals in a stall or stable . . . In Palestine the stable or stall was attached to the owner’s house and was furnished with a manger. The stables at Megiddo [for example] . . . had hollowed-out limestone blocks for feed boxes. [One] Christian tradition holds that Jesus was born in a cave in the neighborhood of Bethlehem. In that case the manger may have been cut out of the rock walls.”

The shepherds were told ahead of time that Jesus would be found lying in a manger; nevertheless words could not prepare them for what they beheld. Can you imagine what must have run through their minds when they arrived at a dusty stable, or even a dark and muddy cave? They ran with haste in search of a King, and they found Him lying in a feeding trough. They could have turned right around and went the other way, but there was something special and majestic about this display. At that very moment, the shepherds did not see with their eyes, but with their hearts.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:28-29, “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” Even the fine clothing and luxurious house of Solomon could not compare to the glory displayed in the simplicity of the swaddling cloth and drafty stable that sheltered God’s one and only Son.

Many years ago, the contemporary Christian group 4-Him sang in a popular Christmas song, “To think of how it could have been if Jesus had come as He deserved. There would have been no Bethlehem; no lowly shepherds at His birth . . . This is such a strange way to save the world.” To some individuals, it appears so strange that they fail to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Some people will say, “I can’t believe that a baby born in a feeding trough was God’s Son and the King of Kings.” The reason why this story seems so unbelievable is not that someone made it up, but that God wanted the account to be unbelievable. 1 Corinthians 3:18-19 says, “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their own craftiness’.”

Don’t pride yourself in your own understanding. Don’t let the foolishness of a King born in a manger keep you from entering into eternal life and salvation. If you refuse to accept Jesus Christ or believe in the virgin birth then you will indeed be snared by your own wisdom; which is a deadly trap leading to condemnation and eternal separation from God. I encourage you this Christmas season to believe the unbelievable.

Christmas Decorations in the Sanctuary

Some people object to having Christmas decorations within the church sanctuary, believing it allows the traditions of the secular to invade the sacred. In our “Trimming of the Tree” service, I provided a devotional and explanation of the Christmas decorations that we typically use in the church, summarizing their symbolism. Some of you would probably appreciate having a copy of this explanation; therefore, I have included it as an article for our January newsletter:

Tonight we will have our “Trimming of the Tree” service, which in many churches is called the “Hanging of the Greens.” This night marks the beginning of our celebration of the coming Christ child: the Advent of Christmas, and the Advent of Christ. Our sanctuary is being transformed with rich symbols of the season; and tonight we share the meaning of these symbols with one another and with our children. Many decorations have their symbolic basis in a passage of prophecy found in Isaiah 9:1-2, 6-7.

Our sanctuary is being decorated with many symbols, the first of which is the Advent wreath. The wreath and its candles are the visual focus of the season, and one candle is lit each week as Christmas approaches. The circle of the Advent wreath has no beginning and no end, portraying God’s timelessness and His eternal plan, and the evergreen color denotes eternal life. The shape of the wreath is round, reminding us of the fellowship of believers around the world who share with us the celebration of His coming. The four candles represent Hope, Joy, Peace, and Love.

The poinsettia is a vivid plant, full of meaning. A cluster of small flowers spring forth from among the crimson leaves, which themselves contrast sharply with the remaining green leaves of the plant. The star-shaped formation of the red leaves, suggests the guiding star of Bethlehem (Mt 2:1-2). The crown of yellow flowers reminds us of Him who was born the infant King, as prophesied by Isaiah (Is 9:6). The blood-red leaves foreshadow the cruel cross that lay ahead for the King of Glory (Is 53:5); and underneath, we find a carpet of green, which is the reflection of abundant and never-ending life, as foretold by Isaiah (Is 9:7).

Many kinds of greenery are used to adorn the church building at Christmas time. Mistletoe symbolizes peace, and the prickly leaves and red berries of the holly help us to remember the crown of thorns and the scarlet wounds of Jesus Christ. The fresh scent and color of the evergreen garlands are symbols of life.

The triangle shape of the Christmas tree is like an arrow pointing upward toward God. The color green represents the life we have obtained in Christ; and the fact that it is an “evergreen” tree, stands for our “eternal life” in Jesus. The lights symbolize the glory and splendor of heaven; and the gifts beneath the tree represent how believers have received the greatest gift of all time, which is “eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rm 6:23).

Sometimes you will even see bells, or jingle bells, used as decorations. Bells signal the gathering of people for worship; they herald events of worldwide importance; they announce weddings, and they proclaim the birth of royalty. The joyful ringing of bells is undeniably associated with Christmas, reminiscent of the birth that changed the world for all time.

The sanctuary and tree are adorned with decorative lights. Of all the symbols of Christmas, the one that has come to be most meaningful and universal is light; pure, liberating light as portrayed by Isaiah (Is 9:2). Light is a perfect metaphor for Christ, the Son of God, and for His presence among us. Like the love of Christ, the light of the tiniest bulb dispels the darkness; and in this same way, the light and love of Christ shines forth through us into a sin-darkened world. Each of us is just a single glimmer, but together, we can light up the entire world with His love.