Posted on 12/22/2018 8:53:27 PM PST by Charles Henrickson
“What Child Is This?” (Luke 2:1-20)
When a child is born, there are questions that people typically ask. Parents wonder, “Is he healthy?” “How much does he weigh?” Grandparents ask, “What did you name her?” “Who does she look like?” Nurses and doctors closely examine the child and want to know, “Is he alert?” “Are her lungs clear?” We expect those kinds of questions.
But there are other questions we never expect to hear at the birth of a child. No one would ever think to ask, “Who will handle his funeral arrangements someday?” Or, “What cemetery do you think he’ll be buried in?” Or, “What will cause his death?” The Scriptures say, “For everything there is a season.” And the season for asking about a person’s death is usually not at his or her birth.
The hymn we just sang asks a very unusual question about a child born in Bethlehem: “What Child Is This?” However, it is a fitting question, because this child is born in a most unusual way. His mother is a virgin. His birth is announced by a heavenly host of angels praising God. So, what child is this? The wonderful answer is proclaimed by the angel: “I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
What child is this? This child is no less than the Lord himself, the Lord of heaven and earth. The Lord whose voice breaks the cedars now coos softly in his mother’s arms. The same Lord who told the shepherd Moses not to come near his holy presence now invites shepherds to draw near to him, as he lies in a manger, a helpless child. The shepherd Moses hid his face from the Lord. Now shepherds behold the Lord in the face of a baby. The Unapproachable One is now approachable. The Intimidating One is now inviting.
This certainly is good news. But what makes God’s coming in the flesh such good news of great joy is that he came in order to redeem us. The Lord of creation became part of his creation, in order to recreate what man had broken. The Eternal and Immortal One was born in a specific time and place, to unite himself forever with his mortal creatures.
What if the Lord had taken on flesh in order to confront mankind and demand payback for all the sins committed against him? What if he had appeared among us in order to scowl his face at us for our selfishness? Thanks be to God that his incarnation is instead “good news of a great joy,” as the herald angel declared.
The reason why it’s good news of great joy is that at this child’s birth we can ask the normally unthinkable question, “How will this child die?” For this child was born to die. This was God’s plan even before the child was born. This is what the heavenly angels are talking about when they say that his birth will bring peace on earth. This child will die because of us, and he will die for us.
The prophet Isaiah said, “To us a child is born.” The angel announced, “Unto you is born this day a Savior.” Unto us, whose passions conceive and give birth to worldly ways and ungodly living. Unto us, whose sinful hearts give birth to cruel and hurtful words, even against those who are closest to us. Unto us, whose sinful nature drives us to live as though God does not matter and we matter most. Yes, unto us--even us sinners--this child is born.
So rejoice greatly on this holy night for his holy birth! But don’t forget to rejoice also for his holy death. For already at his birth, this one’s cross, death, and burial are foreshadowed. There is a path laid out for this child from the cradle to the cross.
What child is this? The one who had a Mary at his birth will have several Marys at his death.
What child is this? The one who had a righteous Joseph at his birth will have a righteous Joseph, Joseph of Arimathea, at his death.
What child is this? The one who was wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger at his birth will be wrapped in burial cloths and laid in a tomb at his death.
What child is this? The one whose birth was honored by wise men bearing myrrh will be honored by faithful women bearing myrrh to his tomb.
What child is this? This child is the great light that has shined on us who dwelt in a land of deep darkness and who walked in darkness.
What child is this? This is a real human being with a real human body. His body would be wrapped up and laid in a tomb. But on the third day, his real human body came back to life again, the firstfruits of the resurrection of our human bodies also.
For in the birth of this child “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.”
So now let’s look closely at this child, the son of Mary. Look at his shoulders. The prophet Isaiah said that all authority would be upon those little shoulders. This child used his authority to free you from hell and destruction.
Look closely at this child. Look at his mouth. He has the lips of the Wonderful Counselor. He comforts your troubled conscience with the most wonderful counsel you could ever hear: “I forgive you all your sins.”
Look closely at this child. He has the hands of the Mighty God. But he set aside that might to have his hands nailed to a cross. And now he extends those nail-scarred hands to you in mercy at his holy meal.
Look closely at this child. He has the arms of the Everlasting Father, arms that spread out wide on the cross to draw you to himself. Arms that he wrapped around you in Holy Baptism. Arms to embrace you and welcome you home as prodigal sons and daughters. Arms to uphold you and sustain you when you are weak and weary.
Look closely at this child. He has the royal head of the Prince of Peace. But his sacred head was wounded and crowned with thorns in order to place on your head a crown of life and glory.
What child is this? This baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger is your Savior. He is Christ the Lord. What child is this? “This, this is Christ the king, whom shepherds guard and angels sing.” “The King of kings salvation brings.” So, “Haste, haste to bring Him laud.” “Hail, hail the Word made flesh.” “Joy, joy, for Christ is born, the babe, the son of Mary.” He is born for you! Which makes this a very merry Christmas!
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Ping.
I was in the OR during the C-section that freed our son from his mother’s tummy. When the Doctor took him out and held him high to look at him I thought: “Born to die.”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.