December 22
“The Stable”
Luke 2:1-7
– Jennifer Grigsby, Minister to Kids
If you are a parent, how did you prepare for the arrival of your new baby? Chances are you bought those sweet, little newborn clothes, maybe painted nursery walls, and lined a bookcase with books and toys. You may have had baby showers, researched all the ways to care for a newborn, and met with a doctor regularly. It is a sweet time for which parents spend months preparing. When the day arrives, expectant mothers have help and support from doctors, nurses and midwives to bring their babies into the world; family and friends surround them and the new baby with love. However, Jesus’ birth was the complete opposite. Instead of preparing for their new baby, Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem for the census. There was no luxury of resting and prepping for Mary. She did not have friends or family to help her or to celebrate with her. How must Mary have felt? What did she think when she realized her precious baby would be born in a stable? She would be giving birth to the Savior of the world amongst animals and grime. The King of the world would be laid in a trough used for feeding animals.
Read Luke 2:1-7
Jesus being born in a stable was no mistake. God, the creator of the universe, had planned this moment. Jesus was to be born in the lowliest of places so that our Savior would live a life of humility from His very first breath.
Read Philippians 2:5-8
What did Jesus leave behind in heaven to be born on earth?
Why do you think God planned for Jesus to be born in a manger with parents tired from travel and surrounded by filth?
Read 1 Peter 5:7
God sent His one and only Son to take on the form of man. Jesus began His life in modest surroundings. He experienced the humblest of births from His first breath. Jesus left the glory of heaven to be born in a dirty stable. He spent His life with the lowliest of sinners, met people where they were in the filth of their evil, and washed the feet of those who would betray Him.
Often, we think to get to God, we have to be the very best. We think if we work hard or follow every rule maybe we can make our way to Jesus. But God shows us through Jesus’ humble birth, His life and His death that we do not have to earn our way to God. It’s not about us going up to Him, but about Jesus coming down to us. Our imperfections would never have allowed us to know God. However, Jesus gave up the glory of heaven, His majesty and all that He deserved to die one day on a cross so that we could have our sins forgiven and have a relationship with God.
This Christmas consider the riches of heaven Jesus gave up so that we could be forgiven and have a relationship with God. He humbled Himself because He loves us.
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