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.
I want to talk about A Gift Wrapped in Swaddling Clothes.
I think I need to say that some might think that it was a gift that didn’t look like a gift.
Because he was a miracle that didn’t come in silk or gold.
He was a Savior who didn’t arrive with trumpets or a throne.
He was a jewel that didn’t come from Tiffany’s, in a blue pouch.
He was royalty that did not arrive here in a Louis Vuitton carrying luggage.
But He a gift wrapped in swaddling clothes.
I believe that if God would had sent Jesus wrapped in royalty, only kings would have recognized Him.
I believe if God had sent Jesus clothed in crowns and ceremony, that only the powerful would have kept him among the 1 percent of the rich and famous, but He was wrapped Him in humility so that shepherds, sinners, and the overlooked would all know the Savior had come for them too.
Had Jesus arrived dressed in royalty, only thrones would have understood Him, but God chose swaddling clothes so that grace could be recognized by hearts, before it was honored by halls of fame.
But God allowed Him to be wrapped Him in swaddling clothes so that anybody could receive Him.
Tell your neighbor: Don’t judge the gift by the wrapping.
The Historical context of the text
Luke writes this Gospel as a careful historian and physician. He wanted us to know what happened, how it happened, and why it matters.
First we see the Roman Rule: Israel was under the Roman occupation. Caesar Augustus ordered a census, forcing Joseph and Mary to travel to Bethlehem.
We must know that the Prophecy was being Fulfilled:
By this statement alone we must know that Bethlehem was not random, but instead it fulfilled the scripture of Micah 5:2, that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem.
In Luke 2:7 it says: And she brought forth her firstborn son.
This was not just Mary’s son, but he was the Son of God.
He was heaven’s firstborn who entered earth’s broken system.
He was wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Swaddling clothes, (hummmm), understand that swaddling clothes were clothing that restrained movement.
Swaddling Clothes: These were long strips of cloth used to tightly wrap newborns. It symbolized poverty, but it also symbolized care, protection, and humanity.
The One who flung stars into space allowed Himself to be wrapped and restricted.
He was laid Him in a manger. A feeding trough.
The Bread of Life was placed where animals eat.
What this, God is preaching before Jesus ever opens His mouth.
Because there was no room in the inn.
There was room in the stable.
Room in the manger.
Room in the world’s mess.
But no room in human convenience.
The Cultural Reality: The inns were small and overcrowded. No room in the inn wasn’t rejection, it was an overcrowding and inconvenience situation.
But yet here was A Gift Wrapped in Swaddling Clothes.
When most people think of gifts, we think that Gifts are meant to be beautiful and wrapped nicely, and admired.
But may I tell you that wrapping can mislead your expectations.
What looks ordinary, just may be eternal.
Jesus was God’s greatest gift, but He didn’t look like what people expected.
What God sends may not look like much to the world’s eyes, but it carries everything we need.
What heaven releases may appear small in human sight, but it arrives full, full of purpose, full of power, and full of provision for every need we didn’t know how to name.
Here it is: What God places in your hands may seem ordinary to the world, but it is already loaded with the answer, the timing, and the grace that is required
to bring us through.
God’s greatest gifts came wrapped in Humility.
They looked for God in power, but He comes in lowliness.
They looked for crowns, but He sends cloth.
Philippians 2:7 says, He made Himself of no reputation.
Tell your neighbor: Don’t overlook humble beginnings.
Jesus was wrapped, so that He could unwrap us.
He was laid in a manger. The Manger Means God Will Meet You Where You Are
If you don’t know, let me tell you that:
A manger is messy.
A manger smells.
A manger is not polished.
But that’s where God showed up.
In other words, God is not scared of my mess.
Why does this matters today?
It matters because some of us are missing God because He doesn’t look like we imagined.
They wanted a miracle, but He sent a process.
They wanted a breakthrough, but He sent a baby step.
They wanted glory, but He sent growth.
Don’t reject the gift because it’s wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Know that if God wrapped it, it’s valuable.
If God sent it, I’ll receive it!
It looks small, but we might want to be careful and not discard it, because it just might be big in power.
I’m reminded of a story about a father who once gave his son a gift for Christmas.
It wasn’t in a fancy box, it was just a simple small brown paper, that was wrapped with a string around it.
The boy almost set it aside, disappointed by the wrapping.
When he finally opened it, inside was the deed to a house the father had bought for him, debt free.
The father said, I didn’t want you loving the wrapping more than the gift.
Instead, I wanted you to love was inside of the wrapping.
May I close with that this morning?
God has wrapped salvation in swaddling clothes so we wouldn’t worship the presentation, but instead we’d receive, and worship the promise.
Here it is Jesus is:
A King without a crown
He’s a Savior without a palace
A gift wrapped in swaddling clothes.
But inside that wrapping is:
Forgiveness
Healing
Deliverance
Eternal life
What’s wrapped in cloth?
God’s greatest gift.
Love is wrapped in the clothes
Peace is wrapped in the clothes.
Joy is wrapped in the clothes
Salvation is wrapped in the clothes.
And may I tell you that whatever heaven sends humbly. Earth will never forget eternally.
