CHRISTMAS CONTRASTS.

Life is full of contrasts, and those of Christmas were God-ordained.

‘And she brought forth her first-born Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. ( Luke 2:7)

She brought forth her first-born son.

When Mary delivered her firstborn Son with Joseph nearby, no nurse soothed her, neither sister encouraged, nor doctor delivered the Babe. In loneliness and seclusion the Son of God was born. His unheralded birth became known when the angels revealed it to the humble shepherds in the fields. Contrast this lowly, lonely birth with the meaning of His name. No television or radio announced the news.

Matthew recorded the prophecy of Isaiah, ( 7:4 ) ‘Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and shall call His Name Emmanuel, God with us.’ ( Matt 1;23) The babe in the manger , lonely, born in humble circumstances came to display the presence of the mighty God in the life of every believer. He was alone, yet because of His coming as Son of Man we can say by faith ‘God is with us.’

Swaddling clothes.

A Jewish babe was swaddled with a large piece of cloth bound around the tiny body, and tied with a thin band. Likewise, our Saviour was confined as any babe. Yet He was one with God unrestricted and active in creation. 23 times in Genesis 1 we read that God acted in clothing the earth with light, firmament, waters, trees, animal life and man. No restriction there! Genesis 1:1 ‘God is the Hebrew ‘Elohim’ the compound word meaning God the father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. In coming to earth as a Babe, Jesus Christ wore the binding, swaddling clothes of a local babe so that He identified as the Son of Man.

Isaiah writes a precious truth, ‘ …..He has clothed us with the garments of salvation; He has covered us with the robe of righteousness. ( Isaiah 61:10 ) Moreover this robe replaced my ‘filthy rags.’ ( Isaiah 64:6) Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross accomplished this, when He paid my sin price and freed me from the guilt and power of sin. ‘He breaks the power of sin; He sets the prisoner free; His blood can make the foulest clean – His blood avails for me.’

Laid in a manger.

Would you allow your baby the resting place of Jesus? Surely one who was the Son of God deserved a comfy crib with cosy blankets, and a soft pillow at His head. The feeding place of animals was His bed. And He who lay sleeping and resting among the hay – food for cows and oxen- was one day to say, ’Come unto Me all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ And ‘I am the living bread’….’if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever.’ ( John 6:51 ) Amongst the lowly creatures lay the Son of Man, this Lord Jesus, in His NATIVITY. Through His coming we are elevated to sons of God ( John 1:12 ) and kings and priests ( 1 Peter 2:9 )

No room in the inn.

Who would dare turn away a woman in labour today? On that first Christmas day someone said, ‘ No room for Mary. No room for Joseph. No room for the Baby.’ Would we have turned them away and said ’No room’? Have you given Him each room of your life, or do you, too, say ;’No room for Jesus.’ And in great contrast He, for whom there was ‘no room’ has said in these comforting words recorded by John, ‘Do not be troubled. Believe in God - and Me. In My father’s house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you’ ( John 14:12 ) No room for Him in Bethlehem – yet a home in heaven for all believers and He will be there to welcome us.

‘He humbled Himself.’

O come let us adore Him, CHRIST THE LORD.

Share these thoughts with your family. You may find more contrasts.