In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was room in the inn available for them. Luke 2:1-7 (NIV)
Lord Jesus, whether or not you entered our world anywhere close to our December 25th is irrelevant. What matters is that you actually came from eternity into time and space—not as a metaphor, myth, or legend, but as our perfect Savior.
Luke took great care to detail the history of your birth; but it’s the humility and “smallness” of your birth that grabs our attention. Any other king would’ve come with great fanfare and a royal entourage. But you came into our world in utter stillness and profound weakness.
In fact, you’re the only king who ever became a baby. “No room in the inn” wasn’t an insult to you. It was your choice, your way—the essence of the gospel, for one day you would make room for the cross. We praise, bless, and adore you.
Indeed, you didn’t consider your equality with God something to be protected or selfishly hoarded. Rather, you made yourself “nothing”—you emptied yourself, becoming one of us, tabernacling among us God in the flesh—fully man, yet never ceasing to be God. As the Second Adam, you fulfilled the law for us. As the Servant of the Lord, you died in our place on the cross. Hallelujah! We cry, over and over and over again.
Thank you for coming to us, Lord Jesus. Thank you for saving us from our sins and selves. Thank you for ruling the world with your truth and grace. Thank you for committing to make all things new, and wiping all tears away. So very Amen we pray, in your great and gracious name.
