(adapted from a series from Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, KY)
SERIES: “IMAGES OF CHRISTMAS”
TEXT: LUKE 2:1-7
TITLE: “THE MANGER: IMAGE OF GOD’S GRACE”
OPEN: A. Most of us have heard the story of the first Christmas more times that we can remember.
1. I’d like to give you a little test this morning
2. Take out a #2 pencil and a sheet of clean paper….
--Just kidding!
3. Actually I’m not going to make you take an essay test
--Simply a fill-in-the-blank test. I’m even going to let you go “open book”
4. Let’s see how well you know the part of the Christmas story we’re going to look at this morning
5. Lk. 2:1-7 – “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the
entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of
Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town
of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the
house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to
him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,
and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a
manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
B. Someone not very familiar with the might have trouble with one item – the manger
--Why would God’s Son be born in a feeding trough?
1. Shouldn’t he have been born in a palace or at least a really nice house?
2. Why wasn’t there some provision made so that the Son of God would be received in a proper
fashion?
3. One thing we know as Christian is that God’s ways are not our ways
--Whereas we would have sent Jesus into a rich family or have Him born into a king’s family,
God chose to do things differently
C. Why did God choose a manger?
--Four things I want you to consider:
I. GOD WANTED TO IDENTIFY WITH OUR STRUGGLES
A Scripture tells us several things in this area:
1. Jn. 1:1 &14 – “1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
“14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the
One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
2. Is. 7:15 – “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give
birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
--Immanuel means “God with us”
3. Heb. 4:15 – “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we
have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.”
4. Clearly, Jesus was fully God and fully
--He walked in our shoes, he struggled with life’s problems, and did so in a way that was blameless
5. The manger tells us that God knows what it’s like to be human
B. When family lets us down, when we’re treated unfairly, and when life hasn’t turned out how we thought it
would, we can take comfort in the fact that God is able to sympathize with us.
II. GOD WANTED TO SET AN EXAMPLE OF HUMILITY FOR US TO FOLLOW
A. Jesus didn’t tell us how to live from His throne in Heave
--He came to Earth and showed us how
1. Jesus said that if you want to be the leader, you have to become the servant
--And He lived His earthly life doing just that
2. Jesus understood that example is the most important teaching tool that could ever be used
3. So, unlike some earthly leaders, Jesus didn’t sit in His office in heaven and utter rules and decrees
--He came to earth to be our example
B. Let’s pick up our Christmas scripture where we left off just a few minutes ago:
--Lk.2:8-12 – “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks
at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and
they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people. Today in the town 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 cloths and lying in a manger.’”
**Let’s look at this passage from the shepherds’ point of view
1. They were the first people to hear the announcement that the Savior is born
2. They were out in the field when the angel appeared and says, “Don’t be afraid. I have good news!
Today, in Bethlehem, a Savior is born. He is Christ the Lord.”
3. Don’t you think they’re saying to themselves: “This is who we’ve been waiting for. The one our
ancestors prophesied. The one our parent and grandparents spoke so wishfully about. The One that
God promised long ago!”
4. Where do we find Messiah?
a. “This will be a sign to you…”
--Okay a sign!
b. “You will find the baby…”
--I can’t hardly stand it. Tell me where.
c. Wrapped in cloths
--“A baby wrapped in cloths? That’s pretty normal
d. “And lying in a manger”
--Did you just say manger? Excuse me?
5. God was sending a strong message about who Jesus would be and what Jesus’ ministry would be like
--Jesus later explain it this way in Mk. 10:45 – “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served,
but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
C. We’re told by scripture that we should have an attitude of humility, just like Jesus
--Phil 2:3-8 – “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better
than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of
others. Your attitude should be the same as that of 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. And being found in appearance as a man, he
humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!”
1. Jesus’ life, from birth in a manger to death on the cross, calls us away from living for ourselves and
into a life of service and sacrifice.
2. Max Lucado, When God Whispers Your Name: “I think it’s noteworthy that the Almighty didn’t act
high and mighty. The Holy One wasn’t holier-than-thou. The One who knew it all wasn’t a know-it-all.
The One who made the stars didn’t keep his head in them. The One who owns all the stuff of earth
never strutted it.”
--My friend, Mark Messmore, comments: You see, the manger is not just some random detail set
within the story to add drama or flare…instead the manger speaks a message of a Savior who did
not come to be served…but instead came to serve and to give.”
4. Jn. 13:15 -17 – “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the
truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
III. GOD WANTED TO DEMONSTRATE HIS POWER
A. God often chooses the weak and unimpressive things to accomplish His purposes.
1. He chose the manger so that no one could say, “Look what money can do” or, “Look what fame can
do.”
2. All people could say is, “Look what God’s power can do.”
B. 1 Cor. 1:26-29 – “ Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise
by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the
foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the
strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to
nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”
1. God chooses the lowly so that He can show His power in their lives
2. God can still use everyone of us, even if we feel like we don’t have anything to offer
--He can do that because of His amazing power
IV. GOD WANTED TO MAKE A STATEMENT CONCERNING HIS INCREDIBLE LOVE FOR
YOU
A. Max Lucado: “2,000 years ago, the all powerful God, the one who specialized in taking that which is
common and making it spectacular, the all powerful God who took a rod and parted the ea, the all
powerful God who took a pebble and killed a giant, the all powerful God who spoke the universe into
existence said to his angels, “It is time for me to show them my love, and in order to show my love, I
am going to have set aside my power.”
--God loved you so much that he was willing to become a helpless, powerless baby in a manger
B. Love is most dramatically conveyed through a humble act of self-sacrifice.
1. Love does not become real until it shows itself through sacrificing self for the sake of the one loved
a. We can speak the words.
b. We can give hugs and kisses
c. We can even write about our love
d. But until it moves into the realm of action that gives up something, love is just a word
e. When you know Jesus Christ as your Savior and you serve Him as your Lord, it’s difficult to look
at a wooden manger without looking ahead to see a wooden cross.
2. Jn. 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in
him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
God – The Greatest Lover
So Loved – The Greatest Degree
The Word – The Greatest Company
That He Gave – The Greatest Act
His One and Only Son – The Greatest Gift
That Whoever – The Greatest Opportunity
Believes – The Greatest Simplicity
In Him – The Greatest Attraction
Shall Not Perish – The Greatest Promise
But – The Greatest Certainty
Have Eternal Life – The Greatest Possession
C. In a remote village in Central America the word got out among the peoples of the region that one of
the American missionaries that had served this country for many years was about to return to the US to
live out the remaining years of her life. The nationals desired to honor her for her years of service with
a public time of appreciation.
News of the event went to all parts of the country in which the missionary was known to the people.
One very old and very poor man walked to the ceremony over mountainous terrain for 4 days to bring
his gift to the missionary. The gift consisted of 2 coconuts, but it was all the man had. The missionary
recognized the man as coming from the remote village in the mountains. you would walk so far to
present me with this gift.”
The old man replied, “Long walk part of gift.”
1. The manger answers the question, “How far would God go to show His love to me?
2. He gave up everything so you would know how much He loves you
CLOSE: A. Poem by Dave Veerman
’Twas the day after Christmas
and all through the room
Strewn wrappings were crying
for use of a broom.
The children were scattered
the friends’ gifts exploring
Since now most of theirs
were broken or boring.
All tummies still stuffed
from the fabulous feast;
Leftovers would serve
for one month at least.
And mama and papa
were the countryside ranging,
Those unwanted gifts
returned or exchanging.
Yes Christmas is past
with its bustle and noise—
Sales and carols
Santas and toys.
Decorations are packed
the yule tree’s discarded
The holiday’s over
just as we got started
To celebrate peace
and the meaning of giving
To discover real love
and the purpose for living.
Dear Jesus please help us
to stop and remember
That you came to earth
not just for December.
But from birth in a manger
to death on a cross
You gave up your glory
and counted it loss.
So now as we trust You—
God’s only Son—
The real celebration
has only begun!
B. This Christmas, when you see the images of the stable, think about the stable that Mary
and Joseph would have stayed in.
1. It probably wasn’t very big
2. The odor of the animals and their manure would be everywhere
3. The noise of the animals would be obnoxious
4. The manger wasn’t an ornament
--It was a nasty, dirty feeding trough for animals
5. It was in the midst of these conditions that God’s Son was born
--for you and for me
6. Never forget: the message of the manger is just how far God would go to say, “I love you!”
