The Miracle of the Manger
Notes
Transcript
Telos:
God reaches us in love sending His Son to a manger to show us He accepts us with all our flaws and shortcomings.
Information
Why a manger, in a stable?
Manger- latin -a place to chew
The whole point of God’s love
A gathering of rejected people- Mary, Joseph, the shepherds.
"No Room" Interpretation: Many scholars argue "no room in the inn" really meant no room in family homes or guest quarters in crowded Bethlehem, suggesting relatives shunned them due to the pregnancy's impropriety.
Rejection powerfully affects our minds by triggering real pain signals in the brain, activating areas linked to physical hurt, and causing emotional turmoil like anger, anxiety, and depression, while impairing clear thinking, lowering self-esteem, and potentially leading to aggression or social withdrawal as the brain perceives it as a threat to survival. June 2025 Psychology Today.
Inspiration
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.
15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”
16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
Revelation
How do we respond to the manger?
The ways we respond to our short comings. Sin
Adam and Eve blame shifted
Cain was angry and killed his brother.
Aaron and King Saul blamed others for his problems.
Paul and Self hatred-
10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
Self hatred only spirals further into darkness (And self-medicating ourselves)
My battle with not living up to everyones expectation- Even hating who I am
“Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You”- Augustine
Application
Many of the people that followed, and believed in Jesus didn’t think much of themselves. Broken People
Peter, Matthew, the Centurion, Mary Magdalene, and Paul
"Everyone you admire started as a version of themselves that they didn't admire."— James Clear
The One in the manger made the difference!
30 The Pharisees and their religion scholars came to his disciples greatly offended. “What is he doing eating and drinking with crooks and ‘sinners’?”
31 Jesus heard about it and spoke up, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick?
32 I’m here inviting outsiders, not insiders—an invitation to a changed life, changed inside and out.”
Transformation
The Miracle of the Manger is God reaches us in love sending His Son to a manger to show us He accepts us with all our flaws and shortcomings.
8 But Christ proved God’s passionate love for us by dying in our place while we were still lost and ungodly!
24 Faithful is He Who is calling you [to Himself] and utterly trustworthy, and He will also do it [fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you].
24 The one who calls you by name is trustworthy and will thoroughly complete his work in you.
3 Questions:
What is God saying to you?
What are you going to do about it?
How can I pray for you?
Souls, Souls, Souls!!!!!!!!!
