Christmas Stories:
All of these people played a part in the larger story...
I want to play a part in what God is doing
These stories were given to us for an example...
Take a look at some of the stories that surround the birth of our Savior...
Text:
Luke 2:1-7
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed , every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6 And so it was , that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo , the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Introduction:
You Don’t Normally Expect To Find...
You don’t expect to find...
(bc something that valuable isn’t found there)
People don’t normally do Christmas shopping at McDonalds.
You know what you’re getting...
They go there to eat a BigMac and some fries and usually don’t expect much more.
You don’t expect to find true love at McDonalds or vacuum cleaners for sale.
If I told you as much, you would think I was crazy.
How much more strange is this sign to the shepherds?
To find the Messiah of the world - not only as a baby - wrapped in common cloths - but also lying in a manger?
People don’t normally go rummaging through mangers.
A manger was a trough either carved into some stone or made out of wood - in which they placed hay for animals to eat out of.
The cattle and the donkeys would go there looking for hay - because that’s what mangers were made for.
They weren’t made for babies, much less the prophesied Messiah
The angel had just told the shepherds that this baby was the Savior, Christ the Lord
And that He could be found in a nearby manger
Not in a nearby mansion, but a manger
1. Not a Mansion, A Manger
In simple, direct language, Luke presents the Christmas story:
No trees or lights,
Just a manger and animals in a stable outside a too-crowded inn
After the birth and the child was wrapped in swaddling clothes, And Mary laid Him in a manger, an animal’s feeding trough.
She may have filled the manger with hay to make a soft bed.
Despite popular Christmas card pictures, the surroundings were dark and dirty
Everything pointed to obscurity, poverty, and even rejection
The King of kings born into poor and humble circumstances—
born as a human, born to serve
He could’ve chosen to be born in a mansion to a Governor’s son
But He chose to be born in a manger to a Carpenter’s son
He chose to leave His riches in Heaven
And come to this earth for us
And to enter and endure all of its troubles
To be born in a manger!
For us!
2. He Was Born in a Manger B’c He Didn’t Need a Mansion
2 Samuel 7 shows King David living comfortably in his palace,
While the ark of God remained in a tent.
He didn’t think that was right, because God promised to be present within the ark.
He was living in a palace while God was “living” in a tent.
He wanted to build a temple for the ark.
2 Samuel 7
1 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies;
2 That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.
3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee.
4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying ,
5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in ?
6 Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.
7 In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying , Why build ye not me an house of cedar?
10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more , as beforetime,
11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies . Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
12 And when thy days be fulfilled , and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
The answer of God was,
“I don’t need a house to live in - but YOU do.
I will send an offspring through you who will have an ETERNAL kingdom.”
He would not be born in a palace
It wasnt His intention to set up earthly Kingdom
but a Spiritual Kingdom,
and this Kingdom of God will have no end!
Jesus did not need to be born into a mansion b’c that would not have added anything to Him!
He doesn’t need a palace to be worthy of worship
He was worthy of worship in that dirty old manger
People were coming to worship and offer gifts even in that manger!
It might be small, it might be dirty but that doesn’t matter if
God is in it!
God doesn’t need a palace to be God!
He’s God all by himself!
3. He was Born in a Manger, B’c He Was Rejected
There was no room in the Inn
The first place that Jesus had to lay his head -
in that feeding trough- was a sign of things to come.
John 1 (rejected)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word was God
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. The Word was the Creator
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. The world knew him not
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
His own received Him not
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. Christ is the Word
His fellow Jews didn’t want anything to do with Jesus
When he taught in the synagogues,
the Jewish leaders wanted to get rid of Him
There was no room for Him in the Inn that night
Throughout His whole life Jesus would experience people who couldn’t make room for Him
Many people said they wanted to follow Jesus...
A man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.”
Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
Many people wanted to follow Jesus,
But they didn’t want to make room in their busy schedules
YET,
He was willing to submit Himself to rejection,
So that all men everywhere would have an opportunity to follow
He knew many would reject, but some would take up their cross and follow
He knew that broad is the way
But it was worth it all for the few that would find it!
4. He was Born in a Manger so He could find Us
Its not surprising that He was born in a manger bc
He never cared too much about appearances
Mark 2:15-17
15 And it came to pass , that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
This was offensive to those who saw Jesus eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners. But what did Jesus say?
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?”
He had to leave His throne in Heaven
Just as He had sought out Adam & Eve after their sin
And find us, b’c we were lost!
And this led Him to a manger.
At the end of Jesus’ life He was assigned a place with the criminals...
But He did it all to find us!
5. He was Born in a Manger so He would be Accessible
They were told to find Him lying in a manger.
A manger was not far from where the sheep were to graze.
A manger was not in the city, but on the outskirts of the city
Much like farms line the outskirts of most of our cities.
The shepherds - by this simple location - would have been encouraged to go and see this thing that has happened.
If you notice, the angels never told them to specifically go and find the child, they simply told them where he could be found.
It didn’t take long for the shepherds to assume this was an invitation to go and see him.
Even though they were dirty from carrying the sheep, probably hadn’t showered in weeks, and would have felt embarrassed to walk into a city or not special enough to walk into a king’s castle, they didn’t hesitate to go and see this child.
The location helped them with this.
The manger was something they were familiar with.
They had seen plenty of them in their lifetimes.
It was close by.
They didn’t need to wear special clothing.
They didn’t need to pass any temple guards.
All they had to do was come and worship
6. He was Born in a Manger b’c He had to become poor
2 Corinthians 8:9
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
Jesus became poor for our sakes by giving up his rights as
God and becoming human.
Although he was God and possessed all the privileges, power, and wisdom of God, He robed himself in flesh
He had to become poor so that we could become rich
He had to share in our poverty, so that He could share His heavenly riches
Conclusion:
Manger = Our Hearts
Why there?
God could have chosen anywhere to rest his tiny head.
Yet my soul is pierced as I remember the dirty manger
is my heart too,
"The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jer. 17:9).
Jesus can.
God chose to enter the world in a stable and be laid in filthy slop so we could know that our sinful hearts are not too lowly of a place for him to occupy.
He understands our need for rescue so much so that he was willing to lay in that rough and smelly receptacle so we could begin to know his love for us.
As his chosen children, we are given the gift of Jesus, and we are now in him.
We are members of his Family, and we are near and dear to His heart.
The trough of our soul has been cleansed and filled with the most precious of gifts, the righteousness of Christ who humbled himself to lay in a dirty manger.
