Title: Why Did Jesus Come As A Baby?
Bible Book: Luke 2 : 1-12
Author: David E. Owen
Subject: Birth of Jesus; Christmas; Nativity
Objective:
Introduction
In an article that I found at Christianity.com, a writer named Carey Kinsolving shared answers that children had given to the question “Why Did God Send Jesus to Earth as a Baby?” Here are some of the answers…
“I think a baby is a sign of love,” says Casey, age 9.
“God sent our Savior as a baby because when babies are born, everybody thinks they are special,” adds a youngster named Buck.
Yes, babies are special signs of love, but there’s more to the story, says Richard, age 9: “God sent our Savior as a baby because kings would want to kill him. If he was big, he would be easily tracked.”
“God sent our Savior as a baby because he wanted to show us that God is our Mighty God and that even a baby could lead us to the right path,” says Karly, age 11.
God’s way is different, says Stewart, age 12: “If Jesus didn’t come as a baby, people would be convinced immediately that he was the Son of God.”
“I think God came as a baby because He wanted us to know that He is humble and a servant,” says Will, age 11.
I want to offer a few answers to this question myself.
I. Jesus Came As A Baby To Magnify The Humanity Of Christ
A. He Was Manifest In The Flesh
(1 Timothy 3:16) And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
manifest – Greek 5319. phaneroo, fan-er-o'-o; from G5318; to render apparent (lit. or fig.):--appear, manifestly declare, (make) manifest (forth), shew (self).
B. He Was Made In The Flesh
(Galatians 4:4-5) But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, {5} To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
made – Greek 1096. ginomai, ghin'-om-ahee; a prol. and mid. form of a prim. verb; to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflex.) to become (come into being)
The Son of God became a son of man so that we, the sons of man, might become the sons of God.
II. Jesus Came As A Baby To Magnify The Humility Of Christ
A. We See His Humility In His Obedience To His Parents
(Luke 2:51) And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
subject – Greek 5293. hupotasso, hoop-ot-as'-so; from G5259 and G5021; to subordinate; reflex. to obey:--be under obedience (obedient), put under, subdue unto, (be, make) subject (to, unto), be (put) in subjection (to, under), submit self unto.
B. We See His Humility In His Obedience To His Path
(Philippians 2:7-8) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: {8} And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
III. Jesus Came As A Baby To Magnify The Holiness Of Christ
A. He Magnified His Holiness As He Fulfilled Every Expectation Of Prophecy
(Matthew 5:17-18) Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. {18} For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
In his book “Why the Nativity?” David Jeremiah offers the following reflections…
Just when people most needed hope, God sent spokesmen to offer a foretaste of a better future. Throughout the words and work of the prophets, there were glimmers of a savior – a king who would rescue his people and restore them to God. In fact, there were more than three hundred specific prophecies in the Hebrew scriptures about the promised “Messiah,” as they called him. … Can you see the picture that emerges? It was as if many different artists had drawn strange squiggles on paper separately – only to find that when their fragments of art were combined on a single canvas, there was a beautiful portrait of a kind we would come to know as Jesus Christ.
B. He Magnified His Holiness As He Fulfilled Every Expectation Of Purity
(Matthew 3:13-15) Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. {14} But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? {15} And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
IV. Jesus Came As A Baby To Magnify The Heartache Of Christ
A. There Is Heartache In The Mention Of A Sword
(Luke 2:34-35) And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; {35} (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
B. There Is Heartache In The Mention Of His Suffering
(1 Peter 3:18) For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
Again, David Jeremiah wrote…
We are bought with a price that could never have been paid without the full burden of humanity having been accepted. If he had been God only, his sacrifice would have been cheap and unconvincing. If he had been man only, his sacrifice would have had no power; he would have been a martyr like ten thousand others. But he was man and he was God, and therefore he was all in all. He came as a child to confront and conquer every challenge and every temptation common to humanity. We trust him with our lives because he was God.
V. Jesus Came As A Baby To Magnify The Hope In Christ
A. Because Of His Human Birth, There Is The Hope Of Sympathy
(Hebrews 4:15) For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
B. Because Of His Human Birth, There Is The Hope Of Salvation
(Luke 2:11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Conclusion
I read this account of an interesting Christmas experience from the parent of a six year old in a school production…
Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience. I had cut back on nonessential obligations—extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating, and even overspending. Yet still, I found myself exhausted, unable to appreciate the precious family moments, and of course, the true meaning of Christmas. My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting season for a six year old.
For weeks, he’d been memorizing songs for his school’s “Winter Pageant.” I didn’t have the heart to tell him I’d be working the night of the production. Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She assured me there’d be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation. All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then.
Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise. So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in 10 minutes early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down. Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats. As I waited, the students were led into the room. Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then, each group, one by one, rose to perform their song. Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as “Christmas”, I didn’t expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment—songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer. So, when my son’s class rose to sing, “Christmas Love”, I was slightly taken aback by its bold title.
Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads. Those in the front row—center stage—held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song. As the class would sing “C is for Christmas”, a child would hold up the letter C. Then, “H is for Happy”, and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, “Christmas Love”. The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her—a small girl in the front row holding the letter “M” upside down—totally unaware her letter “M” appeared as a “W”. The audience of 1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one’s mistake. But she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her “W”. Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together. A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen. In that instant, we understood—the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our festivities. For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear: CHRIST WAS LOVE. And, I believe, He still is.
That is why Christ came – He is love – and He loves you.
