Embracing the Miracle of the Manger

 

Summary

In the quiet of a Christmas Eve, a man wrestles with the profound mystery of the incarnation—God becoming flesh in the form of a baby in a manger. This story, seemingly impossible to comprehend, becomes a personal journey of understanding. As the man stays home, pondering the meaning of Christmas, he encounters a small bird desperately seeking warmth. His attempts to guide the bird to safety mirror the divine act of God becoming man to lead humanity to salvation. The ringing church bells awaken him to the realization of why Jesus came to earth: to be one of us, to lead us to safety and eternal life.

The birth of Jesus, not in a palace but in a humble manger, signifies the extraordinary in the ordinary. It was a miracle wrapped in simplicity, announced to shepherds rather than kings. This choice of a manger over a mansion illustrates Jesus' rejection and His redemption. The manger, cold, dark, and dirty, symbolizes the state of our hearts before Christ enters. Yet, Jesus willingly comes into our lives, no matter how unworthy we feel, to bring light, warmth, and cleanliness.

The timing of Christ's birth was no accident. The world was spiritually bankrupt, yearning for a Savior. The Greek language and Roman roads facilitated the spread of the Gospel, while the Jewish prophets had long foretold the coming of a Redeemer. In the fullness of time, God sent His Son to redeem humanity, fulfilling prophecies and bringing hope to a weary world.

The incarnation means God lived among us, fully human and fully divine, experiencing life as we do. Jesus understands our struggles because He has walked in our shoes. His birth in a manger, a place of rejection, also signifies His accessibility to all. The miracle of Christmas is that Jesus is willing to be born in the mangers of our hearts, transforming them with His love and light.

The message of Christmas is that Jesus, the light of the world, chose the manger to show His love for us. He meets us in our darkest moments, offering forgiveness and redemption. The greatest gift we can give Him is to return His love, acknowledging the depth of His sacrifice from the manger to the cross.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Incarnation's Purpose: The story of the man and the bird illustrates the purpose of the incarnation—God becoming man to lead us to salvation. Just as the man wished to become a bird to save it, Jesus became one of us to guide us to eternal life. [02:05]

2. The Manger's Significance: Jesus' birth in a manger, rather than a mansion, symbolizes His rejection and redemption. It reflects the state of our hearts before Christ enters—cold, dark, and dirty—yet He willingly comes to transform us. [12:24]

3. The Fullness of Time: The timing of Christ's birth was divinely orchestrated. The world was spiritually bankrupt, and the conditions were ripe for the spread of the Gospel, fulfilling prophecies and bringing hope to a weary world. [09:18]

4. God's Empathy: The incarnation means God lived among us, fully human and fully divine. Jesus understands our struggles because He has experienced life as we do, offering us empathy and understanding. [11:32]

5. The Miracle of Christmas: The true miracle of Christmas is Jesus' willingness to be born in the mangers of our hearts, transforming them with His love and light. He meets us in our darkest moments, offering forgiveness and redemption. [22:24]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [02:05] - The Man and the Bird
- [03:10] - The Miracle of the Manger
- [07:37] - Divine Timing
- [08:27] - Language and Roads
- [09:18] - Spiritual Bankruptcy
- [11:32] - God Among Us
- [12:24] - The Manger's Message
- [14:37] - Light in the Darkness
- [15:30] - Resurrection Light
- [16:13] - Rejection and Redemption
- [17:07] - The Manger's Reality
- [19:18] - Cold, Dark, and Dirty
- [21:47] - The Heart's Manger
- [22:24] - Transformation Through Christ
- [29:08] - From Manger to Cross

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Luke 2:7 - "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."
2. John 1:14 - "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
3. Galatians 4:4-5 - "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons."

#### Observation Questions
1. What does Luke 2:7 tell us about the circumstances of Jesus' birth? How does this align with the sermon’s description of the manger? [03:10]
2. According to John 1:14, what does the incarnation mean, and how does it relate to the sermon’s message about God living among us? [11:32]
3. How does Galatians 4:4-5 describe the timing of Jesus' birth, and what significance does the sermon attribute to this timing? [07:37]
4. In the sermon, what is the significance of the man’s interaction with the bird, and how does it illustrate the purpose of the incarnation? [02:05]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the choice of a manger for Jesus' birth reflect His rejection and redemption, as discussed in the sermon? [12:24]
2. What does the sermon suggest about the spiritual state of the world at the time of Jesus' birth, and how does this relate to the concept of "the fullness of time"? [09:18]
3. How does the sermon explain Jesus' empathy and understanding of human struggles through His incarnation? [11:32]
4. What is the significance of Jesus being born in a place that was cold, dark, and dirty, and how does this relate to the condition of our hearts before accepting Christ? [21:47]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on the story of the man and the bird. Have you ever felt like the bird, in need of guidance and warmth? How did you find your way to safety? [02:05]
2. The sermon describes the manger as a symbol of our hearts before Christ enters. In what ways do you feel your heart has been transformed by Jesus' presence? [21:47]
3. Considering the timing of Jesus' birth, how do you see God's timing at work in your own life? Are there areas where you need to trust His timing more? [07:37]
4. Jesus' birth in a manger signifies His accessibility to all. How can you make your faith more accessible to those around you who may feel distant from God? [26:19]
5. The sermon emphasizes Jesus' empathy for our struggles. How can you draw on this understanding in your current challenges? [11:32]
6. Reflect on the idea that Jesus meets us in our darkest moments. Can you identify a time when you felt His presence during a difficult period? How did it change your perspective? [24:52]
7. The greatest gift we can give Jesus is to return His love. What is one specific way you can show your love for Him this week? [29:50]

Devotional

Day 1: God’s Love in the Incarnation
The incarnation is a profound mystery where God became flesh to lead humanity to salvation. This act is illustrated through the story of a man who wishes to become a bird to save it, mirroring Jesus becoming one of us. The incarnation is not just a theological concept but a personal journey of understanding God's love and purpose. It shows that God is willing to meet us where we are, in our struggles and darkness, to guide us to eternal life. This divine act of love is a reminder of the lengths God will go to bring us into His light. [02:05]

"For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross." (Colossians 1:19-20, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a situation where you feel lost or in need of guidance. How can you invite Jesus into this situation to lead you towards His light and salvation today?


Day 2: The Humble Manger’s Message
The birth of Jesus in a manger, rather than a mansion, symbolizes His rejection and redemption. This humble beginning reflects the state of our hearts before Christ enters—cold, dark, and dirty. Yet, Jesus willingly comes to transform us, bringing light, warmth, and cleanliness. The manger signifies that Jesus is accessible to all, regardless of our perceived unworthiness. It is a powerful reminder that God chooses the ordinary to reveal the extraordinary, and He is willing to enter the messiness of our lives to bring redemption. [12:24]

"But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong." (1 Corinthians 1:27, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on an area of your life that feels unworthy or messy. How can you invite Jesus into this space to bring His transformative light and love?


Day 3: Divine Timing and Fulfillment
The timing of Christ's birth was divinely orchestrated, occurring when the world was spiritually bankrupt and yearning for a Savior. The conditions were ripe for the spread of the Gospel, with the Greek language and Roman roads facilitating its dissemination. This moment fulfilled prophecies and brought hope to a weary world. It reminds us that God's timing is perfect, even when we cannot see it. In the fullness of time, God sent His Son to redeem humanity, showing that He is always at work, even in our waiting. [09:18]

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." (Galatians 4:4-5, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a situation where you are waiting for God’s timing. How can you trust in His divine orchestration and remain hopeful during this period of waiting?


Day 4: God’s Empathy Through the Incarnation
The incarnation means that God lived among us, fully human and fully divine. Jesus understands our struggles because He has experienced life as we do. This empathy offers us comfort and assurance that we are not alone in our challenges. Jesus' birth in a manger, a place of rejection, signifies His accessibility to all and His willingness to meet us in our darkest moments. The incarnation is a testament to God's deep understanding and love for humanity, offering us empathy and a path to redemption. [11:32]

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a struggle you are currently facing. How can you lean on Jesus’ empathy and understanding to find comfort and strength in this situation?


Day 5: The Miracle of Transformation
The true miracle of Christmas is Jesus' willingness to be born in the mangers of our hearts, transforming them with His love and light. He meets us in our darkest moments, offering forgiveness and redemption. This transformation is not just a one-time event but an ongoing process where Jesus continually works in our lives to bring about His light and love. The miracle of Christmas is a reminder that no matter how dark or unworthy we feel, Jesus is willing to enter our hearts and transform them with His presence. [22:24]

"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26, ESV)

Reflection: Think about an area of your heart that needs transformation. How can you invite Jesus to work in this area and allow His love and light to bring about change?

Quotes

"one of us to lead us into the safety of his will and into the certainty of eternal life amen and so if we're going to have a christ -centered christmas we must not only recognize jesus as the reason for the season but he must also be the center that is the focus of our lives as well jesus must be at the very heart of all that we are all that we do each and every day of the year amen and so if we examine the christmas story by human standards jesus could and should have been born in a palace or a mansion fit for the king of kings and the lord of lords but he came to a manger instead of a mansion and his birth was announced to shepherds and not the kings it was the greatest of miracles yet performed in the midst of total simplicity and obscurity jesus came to be one of us even today this extraordinary jesus comes to be one of us to us in the midst of our ordinary lives luke chapter 2 verse 7 states this and she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him" [00:03:10]

"swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn see this holiest nights was a culmination of miracles you see the detested roman tax was a miracle of god's timing for you see the taxing forced this young couple to make the long hard journey to nazar from nazareth to bethlehem and this trip was not easy even under the best of circumstances and now the roads are crowded and choked with dust as multitudes of people headed to the birthplace to pay this tax and to make things even worse mary was in the last days of her pregnancy so this journey would not be an easy one for this young couple but all of the events came together to make the trip to bethlehem a miracle where isaiah chapter 7 verse 14 foretells of the virgin birth therefore the lord himself will give you a sign behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name emmanuel and he shall call his name emmanuel god with us micah 5 2 foretells the place where he would be born but you bethlehem ephratah though you are little among the thousands" [00:07:37]

"judah yet out of you shall come forth to me the one to be ruler in israel whose goings forth are from old to everlasting so bethlehem is only about six miles outside of jerusalem bethlehem is a city where david had been born and it was here that jesus was to be born and though bethlehem was small in size and of no particular importance it would become world famous for it was there in bethlehem that god decided to become flesh that he could have chosen another city perhaps rome athens alexandria or even jerusalem but it was in this little obscure town that god decided to enact His plan for the redemption of mankind." [00:09:18]

"the gentiles were weary of their own dead pagan religions but those who had turned to judaism were rejected because the jews hostility and exclusiveness the world was spiritually and emotionally bankrupt again does this sound familiar so in the fullness of time the world was ready for a deliverer it was in need of a redeemer and this leads us to the miracle of the incarnation john chapter 1 verse 14 and the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as the only begotten of the world and the only begotten of the world and the only begotten of the world the father full of grace and truth and the incarnation simply means that god came to be he came to live among his people and in doing so he was fully man and fully god that way he could could identify with our plight in life he lived a normal human existence for over 30 years he experienced all that we experience including all the emotions relationships and temptations" [00:11:32]

"Therefore, we can never say to him, Lord, you do not understand my situation. You do not know what I'm going through. Praise God for that. Amen? For indeed, our Savior understands because he has been where we are. Amen? So have you ever wondered why Christ was laid in a manger and not a mansion? Well, I believe that the manger perfectly illustrates his rejection. The scriptures tell us that there was no room for him in the end. And yet there was room. for business in the end there was room for pleasure in the end there was room for others in the end and you can be sure that the innkeeper had a room which he could have given up but in rejecting the man and his wife who was obviously so close to going in labor he was rejecting the very son of god and john chapter 1 verses 1 through 5 shares with us this amazing message of rejection in the beginning was the word word was with god and the word was god he was in the beginning with god so john is telling his readers what he knows he doesn't give us any of the details of the birth of christ he simply goes to the heart of the matter jesus was is and always has been god verse 3 all things were made through him and without him nothing was made that was made god the father god the son and god the holy spirit are the same and yet they are separate and together they are one they created the universe together they created everything that exists in it and that includes every little thing from the smallest of molecules that make up living cells" [00:12:24]

"to the vast expanses of outer space. Verse 4. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. So even before God revealed himself to mankind, his existence could be seen in his creation. Verse 5. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. This world we live in became a dark place after Adam and Eve fell into sin in the garden. And today, the darkness continues to try and envelop the earth. But even a small candle can dispel the darkness. And when the light shines in all of its strength, the darkness flees. Amen? And at Calvary, the light momentarily went out. Darkness had its moment of temporary victory. But on that resurrection morning, the light blazed forth again, and it will never be extinguished. Amen? Somebody get excited." [00:14:37]

"cold because we did not know the love of god before we were saved our heart was dark because we did not the light of christ or the hope of salvation before we were saved our hearts was dirty because we are sinners and our hearts were stained and soiled by sin sin so you see the miracle of christmas the real miracle is that jesus is willing to be born into hearts like ours no matter how cold your heart is jesus is willing to be born there no matter how dark your heart is jesus is willing to be born there no matter how dirty your heart is jesus is willing to come Come and occupy it. No matter how sinful your life has been, Jesus is willing to come in and clean it all up. Amen?" [00:21:47]

"All we need to do is confess that we need Him. We must believe in Him with all our hearts. We must surrender our lives to His Lordship. In Romans 10, verses 9 and 11, it teaches us this. That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Not that you shall be saved. but you will be. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For Scripture says, whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame. Hallelujah. Amen." [00:22:24]

"Jesus is born again in the manger of our hearts. And with Jesus in our lives, we are no longer cold, dark, or dirty. So the real truth is that Jesus always meets us at the manger. He meets us in that place where we feel hopeless and helpless. Jesus meets us in the darkness of our grief and our sorrow. He meets us in the blackness of our despair. He comes into our lives when we feel unloved, unlovable, and all alone. When our insides feel like they have been ripped out, He is there. When our hearts have been broken, Jesus is there. He is there. When we know that we have sinned against Him, He still loves us. Hallelujah." [00:29:08]

"Too many people think they need to clean up their lives before they can ever come to Jesus. But we are to come to Jesus just as we are. Jesus meets us in all the mess of our lives and in all the filth of our sin. When you've done things that you think are unforgivable, Jesus is still willing to forgive. Jesus loves to come to people who are just like you and me. Amen? And so the manger perfectly illustrates his accessibility. He can save us all from our sins. In church, all means all. Amen?" [00:30:07]

"and in doing so he receives all who come to him in john chapter 6 verse 37 jesus tells us that all that the father gives me will come to me and the ones who comes to me i will by no means cast out to church let us return to the manger daily daily because the manger speaks volumes about god's love for each and every one of us and let this next for our hope and our joy and our peace this christmas season john chapter 3 verse 16 for god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life" [00:32:24]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?