Christmas Playlist – Away in a Manger
Christmas Playlist • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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One more Sunday before Christmas. The celebration of the birth of Jesus. It really happened. Jesus is not some legend. He was a real person. I believe that because I believe in the reliability of the Gospels. They are presented as historical documents. I love how Luke begins his gospel:
Luke 1:1–4 (NIV) — 1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
And what Peter says:
2 Peter 1:16 (NIV) — 16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
I believe the Bible to be a reliable historical document. There are many reasons I believe that but one is the act that many of the particulars of Jesus’ birth are indisputable.
There was a city of Bethlehem. There was a city named Nazareth. There was a king named Herod. There was a Roman Emperor named Caesar Augustus who called for the census that brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. There is even evidence of the Roman official Quirinius who was an official in Syria. All of these facts are verifiable outside of the Gospels.
I came across a RightNow Media series just this week that talks about this - Excavating the Evidence for Jesus - The Top-10 List for Christmas. Archaeologist and author, Dr. Titus Kennedy, explores the scripture, history, archaeology, and evidence for the ancient world surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ. They are 5–8-minute segments that will be worth your time.
Today continue the series Christmas playlist looking at some classic Christmas carols.
One aspect he addresses is the nature of the manger that Jesus was placed in at his broth and that is the inspiration of our carol today – Away in a Manger.
VERSE 1
Away in a manger
No crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down His sweet head
The stars in the sky
Looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay
VERSE 2
The cattle are lowing
The Baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying He makes
I love You, Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle
till morning is nigh
VERSE 3
Be near me, Lord Jesus
I ask You to stay
Close by me forever
And love me I pray
Bless all the dear children
In Your tender care
And fit us for heaven
To live with You there
It comes from Luke 2:
Luke 2:4–16 (NIV) — 4 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. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
The manger is a staple in the Christmas story. What is a manger?
It is not the whole scene as we often see it – a small barn, a rough wooden structure. The manger was specifically the feeding trough for the animals that many of the families would have owned at the time of Christ. And, from what I read, it was not a wooden structure but rather a stone structure that looked like this.
Before we look at the beautiful meaning of the song, let me again point out some assumptions made not found in the Bible especially in second verse:
The cattle are lowing
The Baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying He makes
I love You, Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle
till morning is nigh
There are no animals mentioned in the gospels although it could be assumed since there was a feeding trough. Whether or not it was a cow is debatable and unlikely.
The verse also implies that Jesus was the only child on earth that didn’t cry when a cow woke him up. Note that this song is in some senses a lullaby. In fact, here is a legend that Martin Luther, the German theologian and reformer, sung this song to his children every night. So, this comment is urging children to stay asleep even if a cow comes into your room. This sentiment could minimize the fact that Jesus was a real human being and a real child who did all the things children do. And we believe that even though he is God, Jesus is a real human being.
This song does bring out that fact – that we was a real baby and the opening words of this song I think are most pivotal – Away in a manger, no crib for a bed. He came in a very humble and unlikely manner. I’m pretty sure this is not what Mary expected.
In fact, I would wager that much of the last nine months of Mary’s life is quite unlike what she expected.
Let’s go back to the angelic announcement to Mary:
Luke 1:30–34 (NIV) — 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
I’d like to suggest a new translation of verse 34: You’ve got to be kidding me!
“I’m not married. I’ve never been with a man. I am a young woman. This is not how the plan was supposed to go.”
But this was just the beginning.
Several months later Joseph comes to Mary with some bad news. “Have you heard about this census Rome is ordering. I’ve tried to talk to the authorities about your condition but there are no exceptions. Mary, we have to go to Bethlehem.”
Mary: You’ve got to be kidding me!
This is not what Mary was expecting in the late stages of her pregnancy. Maybe her mother waiting on her. She resting comfortable in your home. Maybe making some clothes for the new baby. Not what she expected.
They get to Bethlehem and Joseph has some more news. “Mary, I thought I had all the arrangements worked out but there is no room in the guest house. We are going to have to sleep in the cave over there where the animals are kept.”
Mary: You’ve got to be kidding me! This is not what Mary was expecting in the very late stages of her pregnancy. She had hoped after a long journey to at least get a good night’s rest but he she is – nine months pregnant – sleeping in a cave.
She wakes up one night in terrible pain. She tells Joseph the baby is coming. Instead of being surrounded by loving family she’s in a cave in labor. Not what she expected. She says to Jospeh, “You’re going to have to deliver his baby.”
Joseph: You’ve got to be kidding me! Not what he expected.
The child is born and finally drifts off to sleep and Mary needs some rest as well and they need to find a place to lay the baby because Joseph is exhausted and that lowing cow is not going to hold the baby. So Joseph suggest the manger. He gathers up some hay and pads the stone trough and lays the baby in the manger. He lies down next to Mary and with exhaustion coming over both of them they both say at the same time:
You’ve got to be kidding me! This is not what we expected.
But you know what, I don’t think all these things that happened were accidents. Mary being a virgin, a young woman, the census, the crowded guest house, the manger as a crib – they were all intentional to teach us something. I believe it was part of the plan because it teaches us so much about who Jesus is and about the kingdom he came to establish. He came as a humble king. Not like you would have expected.
As Paul writes:
Philippians 2:6–7 (NIV) — 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
This emptying is a testimony of his great love for us. And in this humble beginning and humble life he led he can sympathize with all of us. He didn’t live a privileged life and we can be confident that he can sympathize with us.
Hebrews 4:15–16 (ESV) — 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
And I think Mary got it:
Luke 2:19 (NIV) — 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
“My son, my savior, the King of kings is indeed a human being just like me. And he loves me enough to have a manger as his bed. Forever he will know what it’s like to be a human. What it is like to suffer. What it is like to be in need.” - Mary
And it wouldn’t surprise me if in the days to come Mary would look at her child lying in that manger and taking it all in and trying to comprehend the fact that the God of creation has come to earth as humble baby. And then saying to herself, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
I’m not kidding you. It’s true. God became man in the person of Jesus to save us from our sin. And if we confess that truth and live a life of faith he will fit us for heaven to live with him there.
