Consideration for Christmas Day
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. Luke 2:7
One of the little presentations of our Christmas concert at MacLeod’s School when I was a youngster was Christmas story as presented in the book of Luke. Because New Annan was a farming community, there was no shortage of actual mangers and hay to be the props for the nativity scene. Everyone in the school (about 20 of us) had a part in the play, with a wide assortment of clothing, fake beards, and other items used to bring the story as close to reality as we could. Much of it was prompted by the teacher’s imagination. That little scene we created has been recreated many thousands of times at schools, community halls, and schools before and since, and probably never twice the same. Because none of the shepherds had a camera, we can’t be sure exactly what Bethlehem’s manger looked like. But the details furnished in our text today are enough to give us a peek into the Lord Jesus’ humility, rejection, and purpose.
The text that informs us that the Baby was Mary’s firstborn also reminds us that He was God’s Firstborn. The Holder of Heaven’s highest rank had no welcoming committee of earth when He arrived. An inn too full to accommodate Nazareth travellers could offer only a cattle feedbox as the place for the King of Kings to first lay His head among humanity. We often infer that Jesus was born in a barn or cattle shed, but that is not specifically stated in Scripture. But an animal feedbox for a cradle is not how we would have scripted that original scene.
Swaddling clothes were the common approach to dressing a new baby for many centuries. The tightly bound bands of cloth were designed to keep the baby warm and to make sure the limbs were straight. That the infant Jesus was so bound shows His acceptance of the earthly conditions that His incarnation required. The One Who took upon Himself humanity also took upon Himself the many aspects of that humanity that we often fail to consider. Whether as an infant in arms, a toddler, or a youngster growing up in Joseph and Mary’s humble home, the Lord Jesus experienced all these things, that He might be the One Who can identify with you and me in all but our sin.
An inn that had no room for Christ is a good description for this pathetic old world. But there is room for Him today in the hearts of those who appreciate why He was laid in a manger. – Jim MacIntosh