The Miracle Of The Manger

Title: The Miracle of the Manger Script: Mt 2 & Lk 2

Type: Advent Series Date: Christmas Eve 2025

Intro: Christmas is all about the joy of finding the Miraculous hidden in the mundane. Back in 2018, a French family found an unexpected treasure. There was a vase, that had been kept in a shoebox in their attic. When they finally stumbled upon the vase they really didn’t like it that much, but didn’t have the heart to simply throw it away. In time, a friend saw the vase and encouraged the owners to have an expert examine and possibly appraise the the piece of art. Appraise they did! When examined by experts, the vase turned out to be from the 18th century Qing Dynasty in China. Appraised as being in perfect condition with remarkable artistic details, the vase sold at auction for $19 million! (Today in the Word, 12-15-25). There was something, nay, Someone, that was found in that manger the first Christmas Eve that was and is a priceless Treasure often overlooked and unappreciated both then and now. May I remind you this Christmas Eve that the contents of the manger in Bethlehem was of inestimable value? In fact, it was miraculous.

Prop: Let’s take time this evening to examine the miraculous manger of Jesus Christ.

BG: Over the four weeks of Advent we have been made aware of so many of the miracles surrounding the events leading up to Christ’s birth. A miraculous star in the sky never seen before. Seemingly miraculous appearance of strange visitors from the East following that star. Miraculous visitations of angels. Miraculous dreams and visions announcing the events and individuals to come. The miracle of a pregnant virgin! And the greatest miracle of all—the Incarnation! God would come to this earth as a child in order to live amongst His creation, ultimately suffering and dying for the sins of those who despised and rejected him!

Everything about the first Christmas reminds us that it was a strange night of miracles and mystery.

But the most compelling mystery and amazing miracle of Christmas is THE Miracle OF THE MANGER.

I. The Miracle of the Manger: Man Rejects his Messiah

A. Ironically, Christmas Begins with Rejection.

1. The Manger of Bethlehem Takes Place as a Result of Rejection.

a. Our story unfolds that first Christmas Eve. Joseph and Mary have now walked 80-90 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem at the 9th month of pregnancy! Arriving at the quaint village located about 5 mi from Jerusalem, it is possible that Mary was already experiencing contractions. Who wouldn’t help a woman in labor? Apparently their times were just as heartless, self-absorbed, and sinful as our own.

b. Vv.6-7 “because there was no room for him in the inn”. You see, there was no room for Jesus in the inn. There was room for BUSINESS in the inn.

There was room for PLEASURE in the inn. There was room for OTHERS in the inn. But there was no room in the inn for Jesus. So Joseph had to find some place of shelter for Mary and the baby, and most likely someone, seeing their desperate situation, offered his stable where he kept his animals.

2. The Prophet Isaiah had predicted the Messiah would be Rejected.

a. Written 700 yrs before the events of the narrative we read tonight, Isaiah miraculously predicted extensive details about the life of Christ. In Is. 53:3-5 we read (READ) -Did you hear those words: “despised”, “rejected/abandoned”, “no regard”.

b. But it all happened because of rejection—because there was no room in the inn. That’s not really so surprising, is it that even at His birth, His very entrance into the world, he would be rejected? The Bible tells us that all His life, Jesus was rejected. John 1:10-11 confirm this truth: He came to the very world He created and His very creation rejected Him. Then John drills down even deeper: “He came to His own and those who were His own did not receive Him.” Friend, the Pharisees rejected Him! The Sadducees rejected Him! To this very day the vast majority of Jews continue to reject Him! The Gospels tells us that even up to a certain point in His life and ministry, members of His own family rejected Him!

B. Christmas Speaks of the Love God has for Those Who Have Experienced Rejection in Life.

1. Illus. – A young woman went into a bookstore and was looking through the Christmas cards. – Suddenly, she threw a Christmas card to the floor and stomped angrily out of the store, saying, “Imagine bringing religion into Christmas!” Friends, the cultural Marxists of our day will not rest until Christ is removed completely from Christmas, because they have rejected the Christ of Christmas. The battle continues over whether to say, “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas!” God forbid we use a word with the name “Christ” in a respectful way. Yet friend, let me ask you a personal question this evening: Have you repented of your sin and placed your faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ? If not, you and I are rejecting Him today just as much as the citizens of Bethlehem at His birth or Jerusalem at His death.