“A Child in a Manger” (Luke 2:12)

Luke 2:1-14

Listen to Sermon

Pastor Tom Johnson, December 24, 2018

"Adoration of the Shepherds" by Gerard van Honthorst (1592-1656)

Tonight we celebrate the birth of Messiah--the eternal Son of God who becomes human--the Word who becomes flesh. "This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." The manger is a beautiful detail of the Christmas story. It seems that the word "manger" is only used in English in the Christmas story. I believe it is something worth exploring. Broadly, a manger is an area set apart to house and to feed animals. It is a stall or pen. Archaeologists have discovered that mangers were often caves to keep animals out of the elements. A manger could be, even more narrowly, a feeding trough such as you see here in our creche.  Our earliest references to Jesus' birth in history say that Jesus was born in a manger that was a cave. The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem which is said to be built over Jesus' place of birth is, in fact, a cave. That means that when Mary and Joseph could not find suitable housing, they had to find refuge in a place reserved for animals. And that place was in the heart of the earth.

So what is the Creator of the universe trying to tell us? Why wasn't the King of kings and Lord of Lords born in a palace? Why would God allow for his only begotten Son to be born under such extreme, humble circumstances? I believe it is to highlight the incarnation. God is putting an exclamation mark on the humility of his Servant. This story enhances our understanding of just how radical of a change this is for God to take on our humanity. God's greatest gifts are sometimes hidden by humble circumstances. His truth is sometimes revealed not in spectacular sensationalism but in ordinary and very earthy ways. The sign is not in more blinding light from heaven and deafening songs of angels. The sign is a baby wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger. It is last place you would look for the long awaited Messiah. The eternal Son of God leaves his heavenly throne and is now lying in a lowly crib. The Lord of Glory leaves his heavenly feast to be placed in a feeding trough. The King of the universe leaves his mansion to be sheltered in pen reserved for livestock.

This is how radical the Gospel is. This is how mind-blowing the Christmas story is. God not only dwells with us in human form. He becomes human. And not only that, he fully embraces his creatureliness--even being housed and fed in a place set apart for domesticated animals. That is why cattle, sheep, and beasts of burden are part of the manger scene today. Creator becomes creature. And with him lying in a manger, he appears to be exactly who he is--he is to be the Bread of Heaven--the one who feeds us body and soul and sustains us by the Word of his power. The royal baby in a feeding trough. Jesus is now conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary. He is now born in the womb and heart of the earth. He is now Son of God, Son of Mary, and Son of all the earth. The new and greater Adam. And he gives himself for heavenly food.

And so this child will grow in his humanity, divinity, and his earthiness. He will accomplish our salvation by wood, stone, water, bread and wine, Body and Blood. The wood of the Cross--when he carries the weight and burden of the sin of the world, pays its penalty, and delivers our forgiveness. The stone of the earth--where he is born and where he will be buried again only to rise again on the third day to bring us victory over death and the grave. The water--with the Word and Holy Spirit that washes away all our sin and brings us adoption into God's family. The bread and wine--that assures us that we are his beloved children--the Body and Blood of Jesus--which has purchased a place for us in heaven, our eternal home.

To you this night is born a child
Of Mary, chosen virgin mild;
This little child of lowly birth
Shall be the joy of all the earth.             (“From Heaven Above to Earth I Come,” LSB 358, v. 2)