Unprecedented Humility, Unparalleled Hope and Glory
Unprecedented Humility, Unparalleled Hope and Glory
Unprecedented Humility, Unparalleled Hope and Glory
Unprecedented Humility, Unparalleled Hope and Glory
The King of Kings, the Messiah, the preeminent being of all time came to the very universe and the earth He created (Colossians 1:15-19), in a more humbling way than anyone could have imagined.
Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)
Into the World
The King of kings, the Messiah, the preeminent being of all time came into the very universe and the earth He created (Colossians 1:15-19), in a more humbling way than anyone could have imagined. Born in flesh and placed in a manger in Bethlehem. “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 2:7).
God orchestrated all of history up to this point—everything from the flood and the covenant with Noah (Genesis 8), to the covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15), exodus from Egypt, receiving of the law through Moses, establishment of the promised land, anointing of King David (1 Samuel 16), and all of the way to the prophesying that from David’s lineage the the true Messiah would come (2 Samuel 7:11-16).
The sovereign God who ordains and controls all of history caused His one and only son to be born in a manger. The Christ child being born in a dirty manger—a place where cattle and other animals eat—was no accident. God wanted His son to enter the world with unprecedented humility.
In his article, The Meaning of the Manger, John Piper gives some us insights and lessons regarding this unlikely crib and reminds us how God wanted His son to be found by others. “No other king anywhere in the world was lying in a feeding trough. Find him, and you find the King of kings.” And as Luke records, “They went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:16).
This King who was the exact radiance of the glory of God (Hebrews 1:3) got His earthy start in a common, dirty, empty food trough. The manger was an everyday source of life and growth for animals and God chose it as the starting place for the light of the world (John 9:5). That lowly manger was the starting place for making all things new (Revelation 1:25).
Into Our Hearts
Just as Jesus entered the world in a lowly manger to make all things new, He chooses to take up residence in our lowly hearts. Our hearts are the human source of life and hope. Yet, they are dirty, empty, dark, places until our lives are renewed by Jesus. Jesus who came to be the light of the world is the life and light of our hearts (John 1:4 and John 12:46).
Jesus comes into each of our common hearts to make them new. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
The new heart delivers us from our sin and gives us new life that never ends. This is true for everyone who trusts in Him, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord ,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).
This is true for everyone who trusts in Jesus, the baby born in the manger, even his mother. As the song “Mary Did You Know?” (written by Buddy Greene) so beautifully says “this child you would deliver, would soon deliver you.”
This Advent let’s look afresh (and teach others) how Jesus chose to enter the world in a lowly manger in order to make all things new. What a great reminder this is for how He chooses to take up residence in our lowly hearts and transform our lives.
The manger shows us:
- There is no heart too dark or dirty for our Savior to redeem.
- Humility is the path to hope and glory.
- Humility is the way for us to love and serve others.
“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness ,” a made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6)
Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)
Into the World
The King of kings, the Messiah, the preeminent being of all time came into the very universe and the earth He created (Colossians 1:15-19), in a more humbling way than anyone could have imagined. Born in flesh and placed in a manger in Bethlehem. “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 2:7).
God orchestrated all of history up to this point—everything from the flood and the covenant with Noah (Genesis 8), to the covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15), exodus from Egypt, receiving of the law through Moses, establishment of the promised land, anointing of King David (1 Samuel 16), and all of the way to the prophesying that from David’s lineage the the true Messiah would come (2 Samuel 7:11-16).
The sovereign God who ordains and controls all of history caused His one and only son to be born in a manger. The Christ child being born in a dirty manger—a place where cattle and other animals eat—was no accident. God wanted His son to enter the world with unprecedented humility.
In his article, The Meaning of the Manger, John Piper gives some us insights and lessons regarding this unlikely crib and reminds us how God wanted His son to be found by others. “No other king anywhere in the world was lying in a feeding trough. Find him, and you find the King of kings.” And as Luke records, “They went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:16).
This King who was the exact radiance of the glory of God (Hebrews 1:3) got His earthy start in a common, dirty, empty food trough. The manger was an everyday source of life and growth for animals and God chose it as the starting place for the light of the world (John 9:5). That lowly manger was the starting place for making all things new (Revelation 1:25).
Into Our Hearts
Just as Jesus entered the world in a lowly manger to make all things new, He chooses to take up residence in our lowly hearts. Our hearts are the human source of life and hope. Yet, they are dirty, empty, dark, places until our lives are renewed by Jesus. Jesus who came to be the light of the world is the life and light of our hearts (John 1:4 and John 12:46).
Jesus comes into each of our common hearts to make them new. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
The new heart delivers us from our sin and gives us new life that never ends. This is true for everyone who trusts in Him, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord ,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).
This is true for everyone who trusts in Jesus, the baby born in the manger, even his mother. As the song “Mary Did You Know?” (written by Buddy Greene) so beautifully says “this child you would deliver, would soon deliver you.”
This Advent let’s look afresh (and teach others) how Jesus chose to enter the world in a lowly manger in order to make all things new. What a great reminder this is for how He chooses to take up residence in our lowly hearts and transform our lives.
The manger shows us:
- There is no heart too dark or dirty for our Savior to redeem.
- Humility is the path to hope and glory.
- Humility is the way for us to love and serve others.
“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness ,” a made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6)