"Whose Dna Is In The Manger?”

In Jesus Holy Name December 24, 2024

Text: Luke 2:8-12 Redeemer

“Whose DNA is in the Manger?”

We live in the age of Robotics, the self-driving car, a space ship that can launch and return to its launching pad by computer technology. This is the age of Genetic Engineering, Information Technology, Nono Technology. They are all coming together under A I. Artificial Intelligence. A I is a collection of technologies that allow computers to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence.

Every time I get into an airplane, I know it is controlled by computers that are so complex and interconnected that no human could program them. A I acts as a co-pilot to analyze vast amounts of data in real time to optimize flight paths, monitor systems, adjust controls based on weather conditions and alert pilots to potential risks. Even the truck I drive gets better gas milage if the computer controls the speed. So I let A I use cruise control.

Even A I creators who build A I can’t tell you how it works. Sam Bowman, NYU professor and runs the A I lab at the University said: “We built it, we trained it, but we don’t know what it is doing.”

Do you know the history of “Apple” Computer and why the popular logo is an “apple with a bite out of it”? Steve Jobs was playing with the idea that technology, his technology would be the “savor of the world”, the “redemption of the fall”, “second coming of Jesus Christ.” (Lenoard Sweet Len Talk #204 Faith in the age of AI Dec. 2024)

Of course we all enjoy the benefits of “Apple” phones and “Apple computers. Technology makes life and business more efficient. A I technology is not the “savior of the world”, nor can A I offer redemption for our broken commandments. In reality Steve Jobs knew technology would not provide “redemption of the fall” nor the “2nd coming of Jesus”. Why? Because he sold the first “apple” computer for $666.66.

A I may remain a mystery but we accept the benefits. We have come together this evening to celebrate the mystery of the incarnation. The “incarnation” is the mystery that the Creator of the Universe took upon Himself human DNA, in the child born in Bethlehem, named Jesus, order to become the Savior whose life, death and resurrection restores the harmony and peace our soul desires. In the Gospel of John we find this explanation of Christmas. “The Word, The Logos, The Intelligent Designer became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” His first shelter was a stable in Bethlehem.

J.I. Packer, Christian Theologian writes: “The Almighty (God) appeared on earth as a helpless human baby, needing to be fed and changed and taught to talk like any other child. The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets. Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as this truth of the Incarnation.”

Martin Luther wrote:

“Ah, Lord, though you created all,

How weak You are, so poor and small

That You should choose to lay your head

Where lowly cattle lately fed.”

Christmas is the celebration of the “incarnation”, the Creator of the Universe through Mary gave to Himself DNA so that we might know Him that God loves us. He chose a manger in Bethlehem for the shepherds visit and share the good news of this holy child birth. God became one of us. He took upon himself flesh and bone to save us from our broken commandments and broken ethics, because we can not save ourselves.

We human beings realize that our broken ethics and broken commandments are like a train that has jumped off the tracks. We have been derailed by our own sinful, selfish choices. From the beginning of creation, after Adam and Eve broke God’s one command, He set a plan in motion to rescue us from eternal death.

As Christians we believe something extraordinary with that one particular baby, born in one particular place, Bethlehem, to a particular set of parents, Mary and Joseph. That baby—and no other baby—was God, the Creator of the Universe. He wrapped Himself in the spirals of DNA strands and solved our greatest problem, alienation from our Creator.

We not only believe truth of the incarnation, We have staked our lives upon it.

As human beings, our heart longs for peace and harmony. We seek peace with our Creator because we know we have broken ethics, broken commandments and these realities keep us alienated from one another and our Creator.

Reconciliation is what we want. Reconciliation means friendship is restored. The infant placed in the cradle, who was given the name Jesus. He is the same person who worked miracles, cured the lame, walked on water and raised the dead back to life. At 33 years of age the religious and political powers arrested Him and crucified Him on the cross. His nail pierced hands and his death paid the price for our reconciliation. He restores our lost friendship with our Creator.