Who Is This Babe in the Manger?
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One of the blessings of Christmas is to repeat the wondrous story of the Lord Jesus Christ. We repeat this story in many ways. In bible reading, in preaching, in cards, in traditions, and in songs.
One song that repeats the wondrous story is the carol, Who is He in Yonder Stall?
The song repeats the story by asking many different questions for each of the verses, and the answer to all of the questions is given in the refrain.
1 Who is He in yonder stall
at whose feet the shepherds fall?
Who is He in deep distress,
fasting in the wilderness?û
2 Who is He the people bless
for His words of gentleness?
Who is He to whom they bring
all the sick and sorrowing?
3 Who is He that stands and weeps
at the grave where Laz'rus sleeps?
Who is He the gath'ring throng
greet with loud triumphant song?
4 Lo! at midnight, who is He
prays in dark Gethsemane?
Who is He on yonder tree
dies in grief and agony?
5 Who is He that from the grave
comes to heal and help and save?
Who is He that from His throne
rules through all the world alone?
Refrain:
'Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!
'Tis the Lord! the King of glory!
At His feet we humbly fall.
Crown Him! Crown Him, Lord of all!
It is good to be reminded of the blessed story of Christ.
In our text this morning we are going to follow John’s gospel as he asks one very important question. As we relate John’s question to the Christmas season we could ask, “Who is the baby in the manger?” But really the much broader question of John’s gospel is this- “Who is Jesus?”
What do you think? Who is Jesus?
You could answer something like the Jewish leaders did.
7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.”
Who did the Jewish authorities say Jesus was? He was a blasphemer, a usurper, and a deceiver. And what did Jesus deserve? Death!
What do you think? John has an alternative answer. What is John’s witness about Jesus?
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
According to John’s thesis statement who is Jesus?
Jesus is the Christ- He is the Messiah, the one promised all the way back in the Garden. Not only is He the Messiah, he is also the Son of God!
Why is it so crucial that you agree with John’s witness? Because if you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God- by believing you may have life in his name.
Which testimony will you believe?
Who is He in yonder stall? Who is this babe in the manger?
'Tis the Lord! the King of glory!
At His feet we humbly fall.
Crown Him! Crown Him, Lord of all!
John’s gospel is like a gigantic court trial. He offers compelling evidence- eye witness accounts, fulfilled prophecy, miracles, and much more to prove the validity of his claim about Jesus.
In John 1, he offers us the introduction to his courtroom trial- his opening statement if you will.
And in this opening statement John offers us incredible truths about Jesus in order to compel us to render our own verdict. Who is Jesus? What is your verdict?
Before you decide, I want you to listen to John’s incredible truths about Jesus. Then I want you to render you won verdict.
What is John’s first truth about Jesus?
1. Jesus is the Preexistent Word (1-5, 18)
1. Jesus is the Preexistent Word (1-5, 18)
Where does John begin? What topic does John use in the first words of his opening statement? John begins in eternity past!
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John’s opening statement sounds a lot like the opening verse of the Bible doesn’t it?
There a many themes in the first five verses of John that draw the readers thoughts back to Genesis 1.
Genesis 1:1 “1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
How did God create the heavens and the earth? He spoke.
Genesis 1:3 “3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”
Genesis 1:6 “6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.””
Genesis 1:9 “9 And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so.”
Genesis 1:11 “11 And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation,
Genesis 1:14 “14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night.
Genesis 1:20 “20 And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.””
Genesis 1:24 “24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds
Genesis 1:26 “26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
Eight times we read that phrase- “And God said”
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth- how? Through His Word.
How does John start his gospel?
In the beginning was the Word.
The implication of John’s first sentence is undeniable. You may not agree with John, but his meaning is clear. Who is Word? Well the Word was there in the beginning.
In the beginning before anything the Word already was. For if the Word had not existed in the beginning, how could God have created everything through his spoken Word?
John is teaching us deep theology! In the beginning the Word was already with God, the eternal One, the infinite One, the ever-living Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending one. And if the Word was already with God in the beginning then the Word also shares God’s eternal preexistence before all time.
Who is the Jesus? Who is the Word? He is the the preexistent one!
15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
How do you inhabit/dwell in/make home in eternity?
These are deep thoughts to ponder! Like David we cry out- Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
One theologian said trying to understand God is like the waves of the ocean crashing against the unmoveable granite of a mountain. Over and over again the waves crash into the mountain, and over and over again the waves are dashed to pieces upon the rock. That is what it is like trying to comprehend God! And yet I rejoice that for all eternity I will have the joy of crashing my mind upon an incomprehensible God!
But John goes on!
Jesus is the preexistent Word, already with God in the beginning.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
And the Word was with God. Does that mean that the Word exists in some sense that is distinct from God? Does that mean there are two Gods?
4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Every Jewish child could recite this passage by memory. This idea is core to the Old Testament understanding about God! There is one and only one God!
And yet John says,
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The Word, that was there in the beginning, who was also with God, this Word was God. What is hinted at in the Old Testament, John now makes known plainly. God exists in community! There are at least two person, The Word and God, who are both God, yet these two persons are one God- that is they share one divine essence. Later on in John’s gospel he makes clear that the Godhead in fact includes three persons- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But here in v. 1 we discover two persons of the Godhead- the Word and the Father.
As opening statements go in a court case this is a jaw dropper!
But, who is this Word? Notice John does not clearly identify the Word...yet.
Who is the preexistent Word, Who is not only with God but is himself God?
2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
The fact that John repeats the truth- He was in the beginning with God! clues us in to just how significant this statement is. John is saying- let that truth sink in for a moment. The Word was also inhabiting eternity with God. Oh and by the way, all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.
The preexistent Word is also the creator of all things! Nothing in the universe was made without the Word.
This is incredible! John, tell us who the Word is won’t you?
Surely John will clarify his identity in the next verse!
4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Nope! What does John do instead? He tells us another shocking revelation- in the Word was life! The Word has life in Himself. No one gave him life- no one created Him! The source of all life is in the Word- and the world gave that life- the Word is the exclusive agent in creation- everything in all creation owes there existence to the Word. He is life is our light! We owe our existence to the preexistent Word, who was in the beginning with God, who is God, who created all things and is life and light to the whole universe!
Who is this Word? Will John tell us yet?
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Here is the first time John uses a present tense verb. The light shines on in the darkness. To this very day! And the darkness has not overcome it, it has not mastered the light.
Here John introduces the first hint of a struggle between light and darkness. The whole Bible tells of this titanic struggle. What is the darkness that John speaks about?
19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
Darkness is all that is evil. Darkness is all that is in opposition to God and his plan for all creation. Darkness seeks to master the light. But here is the good news.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
The darkness has not overcome the light! This is a true principle in everyday life. If you want to test this principle just walk into a dark room and flip the light switch. What happens? Who wins, darkness or light? In the same way the struggle between spiritual light and darkness is not a conflict of equal powers. In human history, the light has prevailed. The light will always shine and overcome the darkness.
Alright Joh, who is this light? John is not ready to tell us yet. But what is one of the main purpose of light? It reveals things!
18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
Here is another shocking revelation about the Word! No one has ever seen God. The only God (The Word, the Light), who is at the Father’s side, what does he do? As Light he has made him known. The Word, the light that shines in darkness, reveals to us what the Father is like!
Friends, who is the babe in the manger? What does John tell us about him?
He is the preexistent Word. He is one of the persons of the Godhead. He is the Creator of all things. He is life and light to all creation. He has a unique relationship with the Father. He is at the Father’s side- He is with the Father, and he has made God known.
What is your verdict? Who is Jesus? Is he is just a man? Is he an imposter like the Jewish leaders said? Or is he the One whom John bears witness? Is Jesus the preexistent Word?
What is John’s second truth about Jesus?
2. Jesus is the Witnessed Word (6-8, 15)
2. Jesus is the Witnessed Word (6-8, 15)
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
In the first five verses of John 1 there is high and lofty and wonderful truth shared about the Word- the preexistent one. Yet, John has not revealed the identity of the Word. Who is the Word?
It seems like John is building suspense to reveal the exact identity of the Word. But, in v. 6 it seems like John goes off on a detour.
V. 6 seems like an abrupt shift in direction. At least it seems so.
John introduces a new character. He warps the reader out of eternity past, and begins to talk about a man named John.
We discover as we read the context of John 1 and 2 that this John is John the Baptist. Why is John so important?
In and of himself- John the Baptist is simply a mortal man, he is not like the Word! What makes John so important as to be included in the Apostle’s opening statement in his gigantic courtroom?
What makes John so important is the mission John was sent on and who it was that sent him.
There was a man sent from God! Like the Old Testament prophets before him, John the Baptist was sent on a mission by God. His mission was not a mere human endeavor. He was divinely appointed by the Lord.
In fact this is the only information we are given about John here and now. Later on we will read that John is in fact, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness.
23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
John is the long foretold prophet. He is the God’s voice who calls out in the wilderness and prepares the way of the LORD.
But in v. 6 all we are told about John is....
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
We cannot overlook the significance or the importance of John the Baptist- the man sent from God!
What is John’s mission? Why did God send him?
7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”)
This aspect of John’s purpose is unique to the gospel of John. In the other Gospels John’s primary role was to prepare for the coming Messiah, specifically by baptizing people as a sign of repentance. That is why we call him John the Baptist or John the Baptizer. Instead, in the gospel of John his role is primarily one of a witness.
Why the shift? Why characterize John not as the Baptizer, but as a witness?
Because John’s gospel is one gigantic court trial in which a series of witnesses testify to an unbelieving world that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you might have life in his name!
All that matters to John is the question, “Who is Jesus?” Who is the babe in the manger? Is He really who he claims to be?
John the Baptist- the prophet foretold in Isaiah, the voice crying out in the wilderness, is one of the witnesses means to support Jesus’ messianic claims.
The biblical theological theme of witness is very important in the gospel of John.
Later on I would encourage you to read John 5:31-47.
31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true.
32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.
33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.
34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.
35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.
36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John.
Then Jesus goes on and lists seven other witnesses that given testimony that Jesus truly is the Messiah, the Son of God.
What are the other witnesses?
John is one of these witnesses, who also include God the Father, Jesus’s miracles, the Holy Spirit, Moses and the Scriptures, the disciples, and the fourth Evangelist himself.
Who is Jesus? Who is the babe in the manger? He is the witnessed one! He had a titanic mountain of evidence backing his claims. John’s gospel provides overwhelming proof that Jesus is in fact the Messiah.
One of these witnesses is John the Baptist! And what was his witness? What did John bear witness to?
7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.
Jesus is the light! He is the preexistent one, the one who has life in himself, the one whose life is the light of men, the light that darkness cannot overcome, but who still shines to this day!
15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”)
Jesus, the preexistent Word, who came after John in his human birth- John was about six months older that John, and John’s public ministry began before Jesus. Yet he who comes after me ranks before me- why? Because Jesus was before me! What is John’s witness? Jesus no ordinary man. Jesus is the Word who was there in the beginning with God. Jesus is the man who inhabits eternity! That is John’s witness.
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
This is John’s witness. This is the first, but certainly not the last- witness to Jesus in John’s Gospel!
John’s witness is the first in a long procession of witnesses, who are just waiting out in the hall of the courtroom to enter and testify that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.
The voice crying out in the wilderness, John the Baptist, is the first witness to take the stand. But there are plenty more witnesses. Jesus Himself testified about his divinity. Next came Jesus startling miracles/signs— turning water into wine, clearing the temple, healing the centurion’s son, healing the lame man, feeding the multitudes, opening the eyes of the man born blind, and raising Lazarus from the dead. Next Moses and the Old Testament Scriptures take the stand, then God the Father, then the Holy Spirit, and finally all the disciples testify to the validity of Jesus’ claims.
Friends, the evidence for Jesus is overwhelming.
Who is the babe in the manger? He is the witnessed one!
If people still reject Jesus, they have no one to blame but themselves and their own sinful rebellion.
Will you and I believe? We have every reason to do so!
Illustration: Muslim apologist
What is John’s third truth about Jesus?
3. Jesus is the Incarnate Word (9-14)
3. Jesus is the Incarnate Word (9-14)
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
Now that John the Apostle has identified the Word as the witnessed one- he is ready to move on the the identify of the true light himself.
The Word is the true light, who give lift to everyone. How did the true light give light to everyone? By coming into our world! Imagine! The preexistent Word, who was with God and was Himself God, the Word who created all things, who has life in himself and is the source of all life in the universe. The one who gives to all creation light- this Word entered our world!
The transcendent one became the immanent one. The Creator entered his creation. The light invaded the darkness! The true light, the genuine, pristine, pure light entered into the darkness of this evil, fallen, sinful world. And it was like all of a sudden someone turned on the light switch, and all the darkness that was in the room fled away.
And how did the world react to the true light when he entered our world?
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
The Word came into the World! In fact later in John’s Gospel we read that the Father sent the Word. Why did the Father send the Word?
John 3:16 “16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son,
It is significant to note that God loved the world not because we were so worthy and deserving of his love, but because we so desperately needed God’s love, even though we didn’t realize it.
Another text that has filled my soul this Christmas season is Eph 3 14-19. This is one of the great prayers of the Apostle Paul. I am sure you know it!
Ephesians 3:14–19 “14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
This the glory of Christmas! I was praying and meditating on this text on one of my walks recently and was overwhelmed by the love of Christ in Christmas! The Word becoming flesh, the Father send his one and only Son into the world, the same world that did not receive him- Oh to know the breadth and length and height and dept, to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge!
God so loved us that He sent the Word, but when the Word was in the world, the world that He created by the way, the world did not know him! What a tragic thought! The World failed to recognize its Creator when he paid us a visit.
Not only did we not know him, but even worse we rejected him. The Word came to his own. The Greek here has no gender- the idea is the Word came to his own things, that is, the created universe, and specifically sinful humanity as a whole. He also came to his own people (the Jews), and what did they do? They did not receive him. They rejected him.
Why did the world reject Jesus?
19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
Sinful humanity always rejects the light that has come into the world because of their wicked works.
It’s like turning on the light in a dark room full of cockroaches. What happens? They flee from the light. They run to the dark corners and cracks and shadows of the room. That’s what sin does- just like Adam and Eve hid in the garden after rebelling against God, so we today attempt to hide from the Creator.
Friend is that you? Are you hiding from God’s light? Are you hiding from the true light that has come into the world? Are you hiding from Jesus? The best thing any of us can do is to run to the light! Let your evil works be exposed. Come to the Light! Why?
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
When the light came into the world, not all rejected Him. There was a faithful remnant that received him. How did they receive Him? By believing in his name! The believed his testimony- that Jesus really was the Messiah, the Son of God! And for those who believed in his name- he gave them the right to become children of God!
Friends are you a child of God? How do you become a child of God? By receiving Jesus, by believing on his name! Not everyone is a child of God.
13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Children of God are not born the traditional way! They are not born of blood. They are not born by human parents, nor by the will of the flesh- that is human desire- nor of the will of man- no man can will you to become a child of God. You must be born of God! You need a second birth- a spiritual birth- and that is only possible through Jesus. You must receive Him- you must believe in his name!
Who exactly must you believe in? The Word? Who is the Word? John finally gets to a clear description of the Word’s identity.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
This is how the light came into the world! The Word became flesh! This is incomprehensible! The Word, the Creator who spoke all things into existence, the one who was in the beginning with God, who was God, the one who has life in himself and gives life to all- the true light- that Word clothed himself with flesh!
It is important to note that the Word, when he became flesh, did not cease to be the Word. Rather, the Word took on flesh. He remained the Word while adding to himself a fleshly nature. John presents the Word-become-flesh. The Word is fully divine and fully human, both at the same time!
Again we are like waves crashing against the granite mountain- such knowledge is high, we cannot fully attain unto it. Nevertheless- the Word became flesh!
What does this glorious statement mean? The Word became flesh!
The Word temporarily left the glory that He had from eternity with God the Father.
The Word temporarily left the glory that He had from eternity with God the Father.
This was a sacrifice of astounding magnitude!
We just sent out the Boyles to South Africa. They left behind the comfort of their home, their family, their culture for the sake of proclaiming the gospel to an unreached people.
This is a significant sacrifice, yet it pales by comparison to the sacrifice of the Word when he left the glory he shared with the Father before the world began!
The one who inhabited eternity, left the glory of heaven, to become flesh.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
Application! This has my mind buzzing with application! Jesus said this- as the Father has sent me- so? Send I you! Jesus is sending you to leave the glory and comfort of your homes to incarnate the Word to those around you! Leave for Afghanistan! Leave for you coworkers, neighbors, friends.
The Word became flesh! What else does this glorious statement mean?
The Word identified and became like us in every way.
The Word identified and became like us in every way.
Rather than remaining as a spirit, with all the glory and transcendence of eternal God in heaven, untouched by human sin and exalted above all suffering, the Word entered into the world of fleshly human beings with everything that it entails. The Word became a human.
He was tired for long journeys. He was thirsty. He wept. He died.
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15 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 tells us of a third and related glory of the Word becoming flesh!
The Word became flesh so he could provide atonement for sin.
The Word became flesh so he could provide atonement for sin.
14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
What does that mean?
It means Jesus took on flesh for a very specific purpose.
He became flesh because he needed flesh so they Jews could spit in his face. He needed flesh so they could rip out his beard and strike him in the face. He needed a flesh so they could press a crown of thorns into his fleshy head, and whip his fleshly back with cords. He needed flesh so they could pierce his fleshly hands and feet and puncture his fleshy side with a spear. Jesus needed flesh so he could die and through death destroy Satan and the power of death, and deliver us!
17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
This is what it means that the Word became flesh. Jesus took our nature in Bethlehem to die our death in Jersualem!
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
This is the glory of Christmas!
This is the grandeur of the Christmas story that John tells.
Matthew presents Jesus as the virgin-born Messiah. Luke depicts him as a lowly babe born in a manger. John presents Jesus as the incarnate Word.
It boggles the mind how the creator of the universe can be born as a crying baby in a small Jewish village to a young virgin girl and an adoptive carpenter. Yet this is the claim of the Scripture! This is the message we are all invited to believe by faith.
Perhaps my favorite Christmas hymn is Charles Wesley’s “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” It is my favorite because of its rich theology!
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of the Virgin's womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th'incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.
Who is the babe in the manger?
He is the preexistent Word
He is the Witnessed Word
He is the Incarnate Word
In this opening statement John offers us incredible truths about Jesus in order to compel us to render our own verdict. Who is Jesus? What is your verdict?
Will you join your voice with throng of the redeemed, from every tribe and language and people and nation who praise God for the mystery of the Word made flesh?
