Luke 2:1-20  This is the  Christmas story... read and taught and remembered through our lives.. if we have been blessed to have had a chance to hear it.  It is hard to think of anyone never having heard this familiar story... but many have never heard. 

The birth of Jesus as told so often , invokes a tenderness in our hearts.  Any baby.. a precious little one who brings us joy.. just at the sweetness of his face, the softness of his skin,, the little fingers and toes that just draw us to touch and hold and kiss.  But.. this baby.. brings us so much more and we respond to Him with more than just emotions.. but with awe and wonder.  For God has come.. "a Savior is born for you.." 

He came for us.  The One who is "Christ the Lord".. the Messiah.  The Eternal Son of God has humbled Himself... "who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant, and being made in the likeness of men." (Philippians 2:6-7)

They came to Bethlehem, the "house of bread".  There was no room in a house.. so they camped in a stable.. a place for animals.. perhaps a cave.. and Mary went into labor.  And in this most unlikely place Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born.  Mary wrapped the child in "swaddling clothes".. strips of material used to swathe the Child. Exhausted.. she laid Him in a "manger" a crib.. a feeding trough.  These 2 things.. were the "sign" that the angels told to shepherds to look for: " And this will be a sign for you; you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger." (v12) 

I recently heard a sermon from my sister's pastor about this event.  There are details that he uncovered here that stirred my heart even more. According to his studies the most likely place was a cave used by the shepherds for birthing lambs.. lambs that would be used in Jerusalem for the atonement offerings. They would be perfect, without spot. The swaddling bands would have been used to protect the lambs from anything that would damage them.  The bands themselves were sacred for they came from the cloth of the  garments of retired priests.  There would be a light in the cave and the wick would come from the used cloth.  Everything.. everything that happened that night in Bethlehem.. pointed to Jesus, the Lamb of God, the Bread of Life, the Light of the world, the great High Priest.. the Son of God!

This Baby.  O so precious and amazing.. the Love of God.. the Word of God who was "with God and the Word (who) was God."  John wrote.   " In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it." ( John 1:1-5)

Father in heaven,  Holy and Glorious is Your Name. It is in Jesus that we come to You, for He has brought us salvation and we have become Your children.  Grow our faith.. increase our joy.. fill our hearts with Your Spirit.. with the Love and Wisdom and Grace of our glorious Lord.  May we know Him more and draw nearer to You this Christmas season and every day, may we shine brightly with the Light that overcomes all the darkness. We thank You in the Name of the Lord Jesus.Amen.