Swaddling Cloths & Manger

INTRODUCTION

[ILLUS] Imagine that I’ve just given you a great, insightful, funny story on missing the point.

That’s what I wish I had for you here at the beginning of the sermon, but I couldn’t think of anything so we’ll have to pretend together.

I think it’d really help us pretend the story on missing the point was good, if you would all just sort of chuckle and then nod at me knowingly.

I was wrong, it was just creepy.

But people do tend to miss the point at Christmas. Not only that, but we tend to miss the point at Christmas.

By “we” I mean we Christians tend to miss the point at Christmas time.

We understand that Christmas isn’t about decorations and presents and Christmas trees and ugly sweaters, but we miss the point if we think that Christmas is just about the birth of Jesus - end of story.

[PROP]

Christmas is really about the climax of a rescue plan hatched in eternity and embodied in a baby born in in Bethlehem; a baby who would grow to live perfectly, die sacrificially, rise victoriously, and rule and reign eternally.

[CIT]

gives us the basic details of Jesus’ birth, but those basic details provide us four ARROWS pointing toward the purpose for which Jesus was born.

[AIM]

This morning I want to examine those four details; those four arrows and the purpose to which they point and ask ourselves this question...

[INTER]

Am I missing the point of Christmas or do I truly understand why Jesus was born?

MAJOR IDEAS

Arrow #1: The first arrow pointing toward the purpose for which Jesus was born is the taxes (vv. 1-3).

Luke 1:1–3 ESV

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

Luke 2:1–3 ESV

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town.

Arrow #1: Taxes

[Exp] The Romans only administered a census (that’s what a registration was) for the purposes of military service or taxation. Since the Jews were exempt from military service, this census or registration was for the purpose of gathering taxes.

[Exp] The Romans only administered a census (that’s what a registration was) for the purposes of military service or taxation. Since the Jews were exempt from military service, this census or registration was for the purpose of gathering taxes.

[Exp]

The Roman government only asked its people to register for the purposes of military service or taxation. Since the Jews were exempt from military service, this registration was for the purpose of gathering taxes.

Taxes are a sort of recurring theme throughout Jesus’ life and ministry.

The Romans only administered a census (that’s what a registration was) for the purposes of military service or taxation. Since the Jews were exempt from military service, this census or registration was for the purpose of gathering taxes.

Jesus had a tax collector for an Apostle in Matthew.

He had another tax collector as a disciple in Zacchaeus ().

He told parables featuring tax collectors like the one where the tax collector cried out to God for mercy while the religious leader, the Pharisee, cried out to God in pride ().

But perhaps most poignant of all is 2.

In that passage, the Jewish religious leaders were trying to trick Jesus into saying something that could get him killed by the Roman government. One such thing that could have gotten him killed if he had said it was, “Don’t pay your taxes!” So they sent some of their disciples to ask Jesus this question, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” (v. 17).

Jesus is aware of what they are trying to do so

Jesus was aware of what they were trying to do, so he asked to see the coin for the tax. They brought it to him and he asked a question, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” (v. 20). They said, “Caesar’s,” (v. 21). Then Jesus said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s,” (v. 21). And when the people heard it, they marveled, (v. 22).

Perhaps we don’t marvel because we don’t catch the full wisdom of what Jesus is saying there.

The coin bears the image of Caesar, so it should be given to him. The question we should be asking, however, is, “What bears the image of God and, therefore, should be given to him?” The answer is US! We’ve been made in the image of God () and should be given to him! That’s the full implication of what Jesus taught in .

But there’s a problem: although we’ve been created in the image of God, that image has become defaced by sin. We were born into sin. We’ve walked in sin. And sin has disfigured the image of God in us.

What we need within us is the image of God restored.

[Illus]

There’s a painting called Ecce Homo, which means “behold the man.” It’s a portrait of Jesus wearing the crown of thorns painted on the wall of a church in Jerusalem. Not too long ago, some thought the portrait needed to be freshened up a bit so they hired a local artist to restore it. He actually destroyed it.

Instead of looking like the serene Son of God, Jesus was left looking like a primitive ape man. People were so appalled by the “restoration” that instead of calling it Ecce Homo (behold the man), they now call it Beast Jesus.

[App]

As human beings married by sin, we don’t do well when we try to restore the image of God in our own strength. Our only hope is this baby in wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger.

We need the hands of the Creator to restore us and the only way that happens is when we give ourselves to God through faith in his Son, Jesus.

says that Jesus is the image of the invisible God. says that he is “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature...” Through his death and resurrection, Jesus came to undo the damage done by sin so that we might fully reflect the image of God.

Through his death and resurrection, Jesus came to undo the damage done by sin so that we might fully reflect the image of God.

If we have been saved through faith in Jesus, we have been restored and we are being restored! We are empowered by the Holy Spirit within us to “put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness,” ().

Likewise, says that we ought to “put off the old self with its practices and… put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.”

Ephesians 4:24 ESV

and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Colossians 3:10 ESV

and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

James 3:9 ESV

With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

Jesus came as the image of the invisible God, the exact imprint of his nature, so that the image of God could be restored in us through faith in him.

Taxes point to that.

[TS] That’s the first ARROW: Taxes.

[TS]

Arrow #2: The second arrow is the city of Bethlehem (vv. 4-5).

Luke 2:4–5 ESV

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, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

[Exp]

Why was Jesus born in Bethlehem? His mother, Mary, was from Nazareth and Joseph, her betrothed, lived there too. After Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, she returned to Nazareth. So, why was Jesus born in Bethlehem rather than Nazareth?

One answer to that question has already been given in the registration decreed by Caesar Augustus. The registration required that everyone go back to the home of their ancestors and because Joseph was of the house of David, he had to go back to Bethlehem. It just so happens that Mary was what the doctors call “real pregnant” and she ended up giving birth to Jesus in Bethlehem. But we know there is no such thing as “it just so happened” with God. Everything is governed by his providence; his guidance and care.

Saul was the first king of Israel, but he disobeyed God so the kingdom was torn from him and given to David, who wasn’t perfect, but was a man after God’s own heart. David’s family was from Bethlehem and David was anointed King of Israel in Bethlehem (). David reigned as king and was promised by God that he would have a son, a descendent who would sit on the throne of Israel forever (). When Solomon, David’s son and the third king of Israel, died, people realized that the promise God made couldn’t have been about him. Thus, it must’ve been about the Messiah, the promised Anointed One who would sit on the throne of Israel forever; One whose kingdom would have no end.

That line of thinking was confirmed by the prophet Micah who delivered the word of God in as...

Micah 5:2 ESV

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

[Exp]

So, why was Jesus born in Bethlehem? Because God in his providence determined that this Son of David would be born in Bethlehem, the city of David.

This baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger is King!

[Illus]

Today in Bethlehem you can go to the Church of Nativity, which is thought to mark the place where Jesus was born. However, to use the main entrance, you’ll have to bow. Except for a small opening, the archway was filled years ago to prevent rider from coming in on their horses. So, now all who enter do so by way of the Door of Humility, as the main entrance is known. Bowing their heads, they enter to see where the King of Israel, the King of Creation, the King of kings and Lord of lords was born.

[App]

Most people don’t have a problem with Jesus so long as he is just a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger. It’s when he is wrapped in royal robe and holy splendor, demanding humble obedience, that’s when people start to have a problem with Jesus.

Christian people like you and me are even fine with Jesus as King so long as he is not trying to rule and reign in our everyday lives.

We like Jesus in the manger. We like Jesus on the pages of our Bibles. We like Jesus up in Heaven at the Father’s right hand. But we don’t like Jesus ruling and reigning as King in our everyday lives.

But if Jesus is truly King (and he is!), then we must bow before him with humble obedience in every part of our lives.

[App] Jesus came to rule and reign as King forever over all things including you and me in our every day lives.

Jesus was born to rule and reign as King forever over all things including you and me in our every day lives.

Bethlehem points to that.

[TS] That’s the second ARROW...

Arrow #3: The third arrow is point to Jesus’ purpose is the swaddling cloths (vv. 6-7).

Luke 2:6–7 ESV

And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 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.

Luke 2:6-7

[Exp]

There doesn’t seem to have been anyone else around. Just Mary, Joseph, and the animals. It was winter and cold. The smell would have been more akin to a barnyard than the sterilized aroma of our modern hospitals. But here was Jesus, Son of God, very God of very God, born into the world.

[Exp]

[Illus]

I was thinking back this week on the birth of my three children. Those memories are vivid and I can tell you that there were no less than four medical professionals in the room with Cheryl as she delivered each of our children. There was a labor and delivery nurse, nurses that came in to help with delivery in the final moments, nurses waiting to clean and weigh the baby, and of course a doctor who was ready receive the baby and handle any emergency that may have come up. There were people everywhere!

Not so when Mary delivered Jesus. The picture Luke gives us is an incredibly lonely one. Although it was the home of Joseph’s ancestors, there was no one for Mary and Joseph to stay with. There was no room for them in the inn, which would’ve been a glorified shack anyway, but still better than being exposed to the winter weather as they most likely were. Mary didn’t even have anyone to swaddle Jesus for her. She had to do it herself.

Those swaddling cloths kept the baby warm and snug; as close to that feeling of a mother’s womb as possible. Exhausted, Mary was not too exhausted to care for her newborn son. One day when he was exhausted, he would care for her.

[App]

Those swaddling cloths remind us of Jesus’ burial cloths. After Jesus died as the sacrifice for our sins, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, bound his body with linen cloths (). But when the disciples ran to the tomb when they heard the news of his resurrection, they did not initially see him, but they did see the linen cloths lying there where once his body had been, ().

[App]

Jesus never stays where you want him to stay!

Will we be ready for him on that day?

Just as Jesus wouldn’t remained wrapped in swaddling cloths, so he wouldn’t remain wrapped in burial cloths. He rose from the dead and rose to the Father’s right hand where he is now wrapped in the glory of Heaven. And one day he’ll come from there in all his glory. Will you be ready for him when he comes?

And one day he’ll come from there in all his glory. Will we be ready for him on that day?

The only way to be ready is to believe and live in the reality of his death and resurrection.

The swaddling cloths point to that.

[TS] That’s the third ARROW: swaddling cloths.

Arrow #4: The final arrow is the manger (v. 7).

Luke 2:7 ESV

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.

[Exp]

[Exp]

We’ve talked about how lonely this scene was; how dirty it must have been; about how exhausted Mary must have been at around 13-years-old giving birth to her first child.

She was so exhausted in fact that she couldn’t hold him. She had to lay him in the manger.

There’s no doubt that she held him for a while, but eventually her strength was gone and she needed to rest. So, she had to let him go as she laid him in the manger.

It seems that much of Mary’s life with Jesus was an exercise in letting him go.

When Jesus was twelve, he was accidentally left behind in Jerusalem after the Feast of the Passover. When Joseph and Mary found him, Mary basically said to him, “Your father and I have been worried sick!” To which Jesus replied, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49). At least a part of what Jesus was saying was, “Mom, you’re going to have to let me go.”

When Jesus started his public ministry and his mother and brothers think he has lost his mind and want to talk with him, Jesus refuses, and says, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother,” (). When Mary heard that, perhaps she thought, “I’m going to have to let him go.”

Then as he hung on the cross exhausted. Jesus looked at his mother and John, the disciple whom he loved, and said, “Woman, behold, your son,” (). Mary surely knew then that she was going to have to let him go.

Mary had to let Jesus go as she laid him in the manger. In the same way she had to let him go all his life, but especially as he hung on the cross. Because she did (recognizing God’s will and the purpose for which Jesus was born), Jesus is able to hold on to her and to us forever as we trust him.

The Son of God; very God of very God was laid in a manger; a trough from which animals would eat.

As we read about Jesus surrounded by animals and laid in an animal’s feed box, we are also reminded that Jesus came to die as the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

The blood of bulls, goats, and all other imperfect sacrifices could not take away sin and gain righteousness for God’s people. Only the perfect blood of Jesus could do that. As says...

Hebrews 10:11–14 ESV

And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

He was born among the animals and laid among them in the manger. He would die as the perfect Lamb of God who takes away our sins.

The manger points to that.

[Illus]

[App] Mary had to let Jesus go as she laid in the manger. In the same way she had to let him go all his life, but especially as he hung on the cross. Because she did (recognizing God’s will and the purpose for which Jesus was born), Jesus is able to hold on to her and to us forever.

Our only hope is this baby in wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger.

[TS] {see below}

CONCLUSION

Taxes. Bethlehem. Swaddling cloths. And manger.

All arrows pointing to his purpose.

Caesar Augustus

Christmas is really about the climax of a rescue plan hatched in eternity and embodied in a baby born in in Bethlehem; a baby who would grow to live perfectly, die sacrificially, rise victoriously, and rule and reign eternally.

[App]

Our only hope is this baby in wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger.