Lean Forward And Look Into The Manger

December 03, 2015

Lean Forward And Look Into The Manger

Part 1 of Zion Lutheran's Midweek Advent Sermon Series

Text: Isaiah 9:2-7

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

Isaiah the prophet said in our Old Testament reading, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.” These words from the prophet’s mouth are spoken in order to lay forth a promise and a prophetic word that a child will be born. This is no ordinary child to be born on earth, but this child is someone special – someone unique.

But more specifically who is this child? We recognize that this child is Jesus; we recognize that this child spoken of from the days of old is Jesus who was laid in a manger.

Now, with that said, as we gaze this Christmas Season into the manger and look upon the child who was born in Bethlehem, we must acknowledge that there is only one genuine Jesus. In other words, there is only one distinct Jesus born into poverty from the Virgin Mary for humanity – only one Jesus who lay in the manger. Yes, there is only one Jesus who fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy. However, we would be foolish to believe that everyone sees the baby in the manger correctly. That is to say, as the church and as the culture leans forward and peers into the manger this coming Christmas Season, many will not see the genuine Jesus. Sure they will see a child lying in the manger wrapped in swaddling clothes, but they will see Him with all sorts of misconceptions and misunderstandings. They will not see the Christ-child for whom He is, but will see Him the way that they want Him to be for themselves.

For example, some will look through the cool air breeze and into the manger to see Jesus as nothing more than a Christian mascot born for humanity. They will not see a mighty Savior, but a false jesus who cheers people on to love themselves first and to gratify their worldly desires. They will see a false jesus that is all about serving mankind’s will above God’s will. They will falsely see a jesus who waters down the words of the Bible to avoid offense, overlooks sin, never corrects, and is always there to positively cheer mankind on. They will not see Him correctly.

As other eyes gaze into the manger, they will look upon the child and see nothing more than a spiritual guru born for humanity. As a spiritual guru, they will falsely see jesus not as ‘the’ way, ‘the’ truth, and ‘the’ life, but merely as ‘a’ way, ‘a’ truth, and ‘a’ life. They will see this jesus as a spiritual guru that sends all people to heaven, while dismissing hell. They will see an all-tolerant baby in the manger. They will not see Him correctly.

Others will gaze into the manger and not see the genuine Jesus, but will see nothing more than a good moral example in which mankind is to emulate. They will see Jesus as nothing more than a good rabbi. They will not see Him correctly.

Driven by money and power, some will look into the manger and will not see a Savior but will see dollar signs. They will see a false jesus who is all about giving them health, wealth, and prosperity. They will see a jesus who will supposedly grant health or wealth to those whose faith in him reaches the level it should. They will not see Him correctly.

It gets worse; there are some who will stare into the manger and see the baby as a New Moses, as a new lawgiver born for humanity. To them, this baby is all about giving new and improved laws for mankind to live their best life now. They will not see Him correctly.

Driven by politics, some will regard the child in the manger as a beacon of hope for a political party. They will see the false jesus as a political sanctifier of any campaign wanting the votes of the religious right. They will not see Him correctly.

Looking into the manger, others will see a baby that is mild, soft, and gentle and will assume that this baby will grow up to cuddle little lambs and accentuate emotions. They will see a false jesus who exalts emotions, extols experiences, and lifts up personal opinions above sound teaching. They will not see Him correctly.

Finally, some will look into the manger and see a baby who is whole, healthy, sound, and without pain. They will attempt to keep it that way by imagining that Jesus was not born to die on a cross. For these people the blood, wounds, and suffering is simply too much, which means that they will see the child in the manger like a Precious Moments figurine. In other words, they will imagine a false jesus who has been sanitized from the messy blood and scary looking cross, and hope to keep it that way. They will not see Him correctly.

Indeed, many people will gaze upon the genuine Jesus in the manger – many have – and there will be a large assortment of false and counterfeit and mistaken identities of who this baby is. They will not see Him correctly.

The problem with all of these mistaken identities is that Jesus was not born to be our Christian Mascot. He was not born to be a good moral example. He was not born to make us healthy and wealthy – full of money and material possessions. He was not born to bring us new laws of God. He was not born to be a political figure. He was not born to be a mamby pamby Savior. He was not born to avoid the cross of Calvary. If we gaze into the manger and see any of these things, we do not see the genuine Christ. We are not seeing Christ correctly.

Dear friends, Jesus was born as a gift to humanity. He was born for farmers and bankers, students and grandparents, young and old, male and female. He was born for all – born for you.

He was not born in heaven; He was not born for the angels; He was not born to save demons. But rather, He was born for you – on this earth.

He descended to us; He dived down from heaven to be the only genuine Savior. As the genuine Savior, He is an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-sufficient bleeding-dying-rising-Savior for you and me.

Dear friends, there is only one Jesus who lay in the manger: the Jesus who would undergo great suffering, rejection, and be killed and rise again after three days.

There is only one Jesus who lay in the manger: the Jesus who is our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, and Prince of Peace. He is God with us.

There is only one Jesus who lay in the manger: the Savior who came to deliver mankind from sin, death, and the devil.

Take a moment and lean forward towards Christmas Eve. Look into the manger. The baby that lies in the manger will not shrink from His course on earth. He is not afraid, nor is He hesitant. He was born unto you for this.[1]

Take a moment and lean forward towards Christmas Eve. Look into the manger. The baby that lies in the manger will grow up and face persecution from the religious leaders. They will not take His life; He will lay it down in order to have you. He was born unto you for this.[2]

“And out of the grave He will spring back to life, a man, body and soul, . . . the Savior, who was born unto you, alive out of death, to redeem and save you on earth.” [3]

Unto you a child is born, to you a son is given.

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

[1] David Petersen, God With Us: Advent, Christmas and Epiphany Sermons (Fort Wayne, IN: Emmanuel Press, 2007), 86-87.

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