He's Not A Baby In A Manger, Anymore
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. Revelation 19:13,16
Want to know why so many think so highly of the nativity story, but nothing of the rest of this Awesome Man's life and death? Because there is nothing threatening about a tiny babe in swaddling clothes. There's no conviction for the sin in a life there! What is sweeter than the picture of a newborn babe held in its mother's arms? Yet, we need to get Him out of that swaddling and into His royal robes and crown! We need to make certain we get beyond the birth scene--we cannot merely stop there! Certainly His life on this earth started with a birth--but have you ever stopped to consider why He wasn't born into a rich house? To parents of great wealth and prestige? If we are so keen on celebrating His birth, why don’t we pattern our life after His? Out of the left side of our mouth we say we are honoring Jesus’ birthday—out of the right side of our mouth we grumble because John or Joe or Susie or Jane didn't spend as much on us as we did on them. We get hung up on whether He was born in a cave or in a stable. The Bible says Mary wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them at the inn. What difference does it make? We inserted the tradition of three wise men—the Bible says nothing about three. It does mention three gifts that they brought: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We get all warm and fuzzy about songs such as, "Mary, Did You Know?" 'Tis a beautiful song, but why must it be an issue as to what Mary knew? The Bible tells us there is only ONE way to God and that is through Jesus Christ, Himself. It records words out of Jesus' own mouth: Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:5,6. The Bible tells us that the Holy Ghost was upon Simeon, a just and devout man, who knew when he held Jesus in his arms, that this child was the Salvation of Israel (Mark 2). The Bible says, And Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him. Mark 2:33. I don’t know if Mary fully grasped the significance of this Son she had birthed. We do know that she was just "Mother" when she and Joseph had to turn back for Him and found Him teaching the elders in the temple: …Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And He said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? And they understood not the saying which He spake unto them. Luke 2:48-50. The Bible does not say, "Mary suddenly remembered that dear old Simeon had said great things about her son, so she decided to see if they were true." No. It simply states in the second chapter of John that Jesus and His disciples were also at the marriage feast, and Mary said to Jesus, "They have no wine." It must have been done in undertones—Mary feeling a moment of panic for her relatives and friends—it would be very embarrassing for them and their honored guests had not been served yet! Can you just picture that? She plucked at Jesus’ sleeve and drew Him away from the others to spare their feelings: "They have no wine!" As sons are wont to do, He probably looked down at His mother, with both affection and respect and asked, "And what would you like for me to do about it?" And as mothers are prone to do, she was not put off by his answer. Her instruction to the servants was: ...Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. John 2:5. She may not have known it was going to be a miracle of the sudden appearance of wine where there had only been water before, but she felt confident enough in His ability to remedy the situation that she instructed the servants to do whatever He bid them to do. We get hung up on things that are of little, if any, significance. We are prone to get wrapped up in analyzing all the unimportant things—this keeps us from focusing on changing our habits and our lives to be a witness of the Salvation Jesus brought. Songs and sentiments are sweet and warming, but the facts are laid out so that anyone can understand them: Jesus was born in lowly beginnings, so no one could say He didn’t understand poverty. Can you think of a more humble beginning? Apparently Joseph had the money to rent a room—but there was no room to be rented. It was all a divine plan, instituted by the Master Planner, God Himself, Perfect In ALL His Ways! Now I call to your remembrance another insignificant beginning: David. David was a stinking shepherd boy (and if you don’t believe sheep stink, just get downwind of them). But he was destined to be a King. See, when God exalts, you are exalted! When He promotes, it’s THE promotion. But you better remember what David had to go through before he sat on the throne. I call to your remembrance what Joseph endured before he sat on a throne, what the three Hebrew children went through before they were promoted. We want the crown without the cross! We want the throne without the journey to it! Look what Christ went through, for a bunch of ragtag, stubborn, unbelieving, unloving good-for-nothings such as you and I! Yes, the nativity scene is a wonderful thing to be thankful for—that in searching through Heaven, only ONE could be found Who was worthy, Who was willing to go to Earth and be a sacrifice for us, Who was willing to leave the perfection of Heaven, to endure all that had to be endured, for us. So, enjoy the nativity scene—relish the records in the Bible of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Then. . .
Run! Jump for Joy! Shout your Praises! Celebrate in Worship! Rejoice! Lift His Holy Name to the world, for... He’s not a baby in a manger anymore! He is King of Kings! and Lord of Lords! He Is Master of Everything! He is Awesome! All praise and honor and glory be to Jesus! There is NONE like unto Our God! HE LIVES FOREVERMORE! He is at the right hand of The Father, making intercession for us! Glory! Hallelujah!
It wasn’t a baby in a manger Who has preserved your life. It’s not a baby in a manger Who wants to walk with you each day. It’s King Jesus! He is King! He is Lord! It’s a man Who was willing to suffer thirty-nine stripes, to be spit upon and bitten, crowned with a crown of thorns, humiliated and mocked, beaten and dragged through the streets, Who bled and suffered and hung on a cross, even then forgiving those around Him: it’s THAT MAN we love and adore. He did it for you! For me! While I was yet in my sins, He loved me! Just as He loves you, He wants you to love Him! Yes, He started His journey in a manger—let us always remember that He was willing to do so. But never ever let us forget that He died in an even more inglorious position—for me! For you! Let us celebrate his birth—but let us live His witness. He died and was born again that we might have eternal life—an eternal hope in Him! Had He not come forth victorious from the grave over death, hell and the grave; had He not rose again, His birth, His life on earth, His death--none of it would have meant a thing. Had He not been willing to go the last mile—and don’t tell me He didn’t know: in the Garden of Gethsemane He prayed, ...O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. Matthew 26:39. Celebrate His birth—but live His witness because… He’s not a baby in a manger any more! (all emphasis on scriptures, such as bold, underline or uppercase, is mine) "He's Not A Baby In A Manger Anymore!" Copyright © 1999 by Patricia Sikes. All Rights Reserved.
The King Is Coming
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