EP 69: The Message of the Manger
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Hi, friend! I hope you have had a blessed Christmas season so far.
By the time this episode airs, Christmas will be right around the corner.
So, for our time together today, I thought it would be fun to read the Christmas story. I’m sure you have been walking through it with your church body, but I want to read this story together with the intent to reflect specifically on the meaning of the manger. If you have your Bible on hand, go ahead and turn to Luke 2. I will be reading verses 4-21.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. 21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Thanks be to God for the greatest story of all. The birth of our infant Redeemer! Our Messiah! The Savior of the world!
Have you ever wondered why Jesus was born and placed in a manger? I’m not speaking the obvious here. We all know there was no room for Mary and Joseph at the inn. I’m referring to the spiritual significance behind the infant Redeemer being laid in a manger upon His birth.
Initially, it seems like a mistake. In fact, when the angel of the Lord delivered this news to the shepherds, I’m sure they were quite confused. Perhaps even tempted to ask the angel to repeat himself in order to make sure they heard him correctly.
Take a look at verse 12 with me. The angel of the Lord tells the shepherds,
“And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."
Here is what this tells us. God knew the shepherds needed a sign in order to believe this baby was the Savior of the world. And it wouldn’t be the swaddling cloths because they weren’t unique to Jesus. I mean, to this day we still swaddle our babies. If you have ever delivered a baby you are probably familiar with the timeless, universal blanket the babies are first wrapped in. xs
This sign would be one that stirred the hearts of those who heard.
The Savior of the world, born in a feeding trough? How could it possibly be? Wasn’t He worthy of more than a manger?
It didn’t make much sense to the human mind, but it wasn’t supposed to. With every prophecy spoken, God knew exactly how our great Savior would be born into the world. The manger was no mistake. It was prepared from the very beginning.
You see, there was no room in the inn because it was supposed to be this way. When we consider the life of Christ, we should also consider just how many refused to make room in their hearts for Him to dwell. We should consider just how much our sin nature desires to keep our focus on ourselves, on our own desires. In doing so, we fall into the false belief that we have no need for or time for God. In the end, the one thing that offered Jesus room was the cross, which was also that thing that made room for us. Let this sink in. The Savior of the world, beaten, scorned and rejected by us died the death we deserved so that death would not be the end for us.
As we reflect on this, let us also consider the glorious sign of the infant Redeemer’s arrival in a manger!
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To really understand the spiritual significance of the manger, aka a feeding trough for animals, it's important we also understand the meaning of the world itself. Manger comes from the Latin word for chew or eat.
When I consider this, I cannot help but recall the words of Jesus in John 6:35:
“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (ESV).
When Jesus spoke these words, He had just finished feeding the 5,000.
Just as a feeding trough satisfies the animals that eat from it, Jesus provides our hungry souls the exact sustenance they need. For He is the true Bread of life. This Bread will never rot or lose its value. This Bread will satisfy more than anything or anyone else ever can.
What a beautiful truth this is for us to feast our hearts on this holiday season, and always!
I don’t know what this Christmas season looks like for you, sister.
Maybe you’re caught up in the hustle and bustle of the local holiday madness, doing your best to ensure everyone has the “perfect” gift. Perhaps you’re hosting the Christmas gathering with everyone and are currently focused on the image of your home and trying to make it “look the part.” Maybe you’re hoping you get whatever “it” is that you have allowed yourself to believe will fill the longing in your heart. Maybe you're walking through something really difficult and finding it hard to embrace the joy this season brings.
If this podcast offers you anything today, let it be the reminder to pause and make room in your heart for Christ’s arrival. The manger is empty right now, yes, but as those who live on the other side of Christ’s resurrection we know He is surely on His way.
Because of Christ, we have this hope. In the highest of highs and the lows of lows, His hope sustains. May your heart find lasting peace, joy and solace in this glorious, abounding truth.
As the multitude of angels proclaimed,
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"
Merry Christmas, sister. May every ounce of it be filled with good news of great joy!
Talk with you in the New Year!