What Child Is This? Series

Imagine you were one of the shepherds in the field keeping watch over the flocks by night. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appears and the glory of the Lord shines everywhere. You are terrified by this sight.

The angel of the Lord tells you not to be afraid. Then comes an announcement of good news of great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born. He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you, you will find a baby wrapped in clothes and laying in a manger.

Then suddenly there is not just one angel, but a heavenly host appears with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

The angels suddenly leave you and you can hardly believe what your eyes just saw, and your ears just heard. You hurry to Bethlehem along with the other shepherds who were witnesses to this. One of the shepherds asks, where did the angel say we would find the baby? In a manger another answers. But that is where the animals are dept.

This is very unusual that any child be found in a manger, but the awaited messiah lying in a manger? What child is this?

Jesus Humble Humanity

There is the simplicity of a baby in a manger. The humble humanity of Jesus Christ who is born this first Christmas morning is on display. There is a certain beauty in things in this life that are humble. It is touching when they are done in simplicity.

That simplicity factor is one of the compelling reasons to the popularity of the Christmas song Silent Night. The church organ was broken so a simple song was composed that could be played on the guitar.

In the case of Jesus birth mankind was broken by sin. God composed a simple plan that could be understood by anyone. Christ came in humanity. In the Christmas story we see the far-reaching impact of Christ’s humility.

Jesus was born into a family that faced scorn from society. Because they thought the worst when Jesus was conceived out of wedlock. This is what others thought happened when Mary became pregnant before she was married.

Joseph and Mary did not violate God’s plan. There was a unique miracle in the virgin birth of Christ. We know it now, but at the time others would not believe them. Jesus’ parents lived in Nazareth and there was an expression that nothing good can come out of Nazareth.

There was no place of decency for Jesus to be born. There was no room in the inn. The only place was out with the animals. I would venture to say none of us has entered this world in such a humble manner as Jesus. Even if you came from a poor family, you probably were not born out in the barn.

How would you feel if you went to the hospital to deliver and they said, there is no room here in the hospital and you must go behind the hospital to the barn for this delivery. Any inconvenience is deeply regretted. The king of kings was born where the animals stay.

By the way the shepherds who came to the birth were not of the dignified class of society. They were not allowed to participate in the ritual of ceremonial cleansing. They were common folk who were at home out in the fields. They were used to being with the animals and might not have been welcome in the inn if that is where Jesus was born.

Jesus’ birth was humble. There he lay in the manger in full humanity totally dependent on others to help him to survive. He was all wrapped up by his mother like other newborns are wrapped up. Jesus was born of a human mother, and he was dependent on his mother for everything. That is humility.

You can look on ancestor.com and see that Jesus genealogy goes all the way back to Adam, the father of the human race. If you don’t have the premium membership to ancestor.com that traces Jesus’ linage to Adam, then look at Luke chapter 3:23-37 and Matthew 1:1-17. The humble humanity of Jesus is all the more impressive when you see his Majestic Deity.

The Divine Majesty of the Child

If you were one of those shepherds who heard the angel announcement of good news of great joy for all the people, and you hurried to the manger to see the baby then you saw the humble humanity of Jesus. You also saw the one born king of the Jews. You saw the one who is referred to as Ruler and Shepherd of my people. You saw the one who is Son of the most high.