During the Christmas season, we can't help but think about Jesus. We see a baby in Bethlehem, lying in a manger. Around Him are adoring shepherds, above Him a host of angels singing, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!" (Luke 2:14)
But if we look closer, we can see something more. We can discover why Jesus was born in Bethlehem. It's only when we look beyond the manger that we find the reason for His birth and the true significance of Christmas. It's actually a part of the Living Way to Jesus.
Why would He come in such a humble fashion? We find the answer in the words of Isaiah:
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
because the Lord has anointed Me
to preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison
to those who are bound;
to those who are bound;
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
and the day of vengeance for our God;
to comfort all those who mourn,
to console those who mourn in Zion,
to give them beauty for ashes,
the oil of joy for mourning,
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness,
that they may be called trees of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord,
that He may be glorified" (Isaiah 61:1-3, NKJV).
In these short verses, we discover the mission of Christ. We see the power of His mission, the method, and its purpose. All three are intertwined and inseparable. That, in itself, has a purpose, for if Jesus Christ was to complete His mission on earth, He must fulfill God's purpose. And for it to be fulfilled, He must perform God's work in God's way through God's power. All this is packed within these three verses.
So, why would Jesus be born in Bethlehem in such a humble fashion? Nothing attached to His mission was left to chance; the place of His birth was ordained hundreds of years before it happened. The prophet Micah had foretold it: "But you Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting" (Micah 5:2).
But why would God choose such a humble beginning for His Son? Why was Bethlehem an integral part of Christ's mission? In the prophecy of Isaiah we find the answer. Now normally, when we study the Bible, we move from the top to the bottom, we read from the beginning to the end. But sometimes, we can discover incredible kernels of truth if we begin at the end. That's usually where preachers put the force of their message and Isaiah has done the same thing. At the very end, he tells us why Jesus came to this earth, as a tiny babe, born in an insignificant town, and with very humble beginnings. He says, "that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."
The core of Christ's mission, including the place and method of His birth, is found remarkably in the song of the angels, "Glory to God in the highest! And on earth peace, good will toward men!" (Luke 2:14) We've heard that song sung as long as we've celebrated Christmas. And you might be tempted to think, "I know that already. That's not new truth." But don't let the frequency with which you're heard it lull you to sleep. Glorifying God is more than you think. Have you ever thought how you can possibly give God glory when He's already bathed in majesty? How could we possibly make Him more splendid that He is?
Most of the time, when we hear the word 'glory' we think of God's brightness (as when the 3 disciples saw Jesus on the mount of transfiguration in Luke 9). Or we think of His praise (as when the children sang 'Hosanna to the Son of David' and waved palm branches as He came into Jerusalem). The second one is the major way glory is used in the gospels. Whenever Christ healed the sick or opened the eyes of the blind, the one who was healed always gave God the glory. They praised Him for His wonderful mercy and touching them where they needed it most.
The work of God in our life is what opens our lips to shout His praise; it's what unshackles our feet to go as His witness. When we encounter God and experience His love, the fears that have bound us disintegrate and we can sing the song of the angels, saying 'Glory to God in the highest!" For "No sooner is one converted than there is born within him a desire to make known to others what a precious friend he has found in Jesus. The saving and sanctifying truth cannot be shut up in his heart" (Desire of Ages, pg. 141). We long to give Him the offering of praise, not only with our words, but with the testimony of our lives.
Words aren't powerful enough. Quite often, we can talk the talk, but our hearts will be untouched by God's grace. Words can often be a mask, giving the right look or the impression that we truly know the Lord (when we're actually far away from Him). I know I've been there, perhaps you have too.
In Christ's day, the Pharisees knew the right words. They would talk for hours about God's Law, His commandments, or even the Messiah. But Jesus knew their hearts and saw that they honored Him with their lips only; their hearts were far from Him (Matthew 15:8). And Isaiah went so far as to say, "they have removed their hearts far from Me" (Isaiah 29:13). So it's not just about saying 'Praise the Lord!' or 'Glory to God in the highest!' True words of praise will spring forth spontaneously and rise to our Father like a sweet perfume when our lives are a praise to God. And the greatest glory that we can give Him is when Christ sees Himself perfectly reflected in us, when all can see that "we have been with Jesus" (Acts 4:13). His praise will then come through us when His saving work is seen in us, when Christ is formed within, "the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).
"God's purpose for His people, and the glorious possibilities toward them, had been set forth in the beautiful words, 'that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.' Isaiah 61:3" (Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 215). God has planted us and He's looking for fruit. Our Father is glorified when we bear much fruit (John 15:8). He's looking, as a Daddy looks into the face of his newborn, looking to see if there's any likeness of himself in his child. When Jesus sees Himself in us, He is glorified. His mission is accomplished. His name is vindicated before the universe. For His sacrifice is not in vain, for He shall "see the labor of His soul and be satisfied" (Isaiah 53:11, NKJV).
Without the humility of Jesus, His labor would have been in vain. If He had been born in a king's palace, within the lap of luxury, His life couldn't have touched ours. He came to be 'one with us,' to be our Emmanuel, Someone who knew how it felt to be hungry, Someone who knew our pain and struggles. And even more than this, He knew the journey to salvation requires a poverty of spirit, to be able to look up and admit we're empty and in need of the presence of God.
Christ knew that the road to heaven would take Him up Golgotha's road. It led to the cross, where the sacrifice of life awaited Him. And He knew that we must travel that road with Him. To truly belong to the Lord, we must accept His sacrifice and take up our cross and follow Him. But before we can be His disciples and enjoy intimacy with the Savior, there must be a death to self and sin. We can't know one without the other. So without humility, Jesus could not have been our perfect sacrifice or our perfect example. Which is why Bethlehem was part of His mission for us. He led the way, not He invites us to follow Him.
We need to follow Jesus to Bethlehem every day. To experience that humbling of heart "that our God will make you worthy of His call and will fulfill by His power every good resolve and work of faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thessalonians 1:11,12, Revised Standard Version). This is the Living Way to experience Christmas in your hearts. I pray Jesus will be glorified by you!
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