Luke 2:12 (NRSVCE)
12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”
Oftentimes, we look this event in our today’s verse as a symbol of humility because GOD had not chosen a royal palace, nor a decorative inn, but in stable, a barn from which cattle and animals are fed. Jesus was laid not on a gold dining plate but in a manger, the animals feeding bunk. Denying His Divinity and Royalty, our Savior Jesus Christ rather chose himself to be born lowest class, imparting us to be meek and humble. “He took the form of a slave, being born of human likeness, and being found in human form, He humbled Himself.” (Phil.2:7-8). This is Yes, a lesson of true humility, BUT, a Jesus in a manger illuminate another thing.
In John the Baptist time, before Jesus was born, people had no hope, people are in darkness, they were walking dead (Matt.8:22) because of sins. They disobeyed GOD. They were not eating the Spiritual food yet and were so thirsty, thus their spirits were dead, and only the food that they knew was for their flesh. GOD in His grace pronounced to give them the food that they do not know, the food in the manger, so that these animals, (the sinners) the people who are dead in spirit would be healed and would come back to life.
Many of us in our times are still living the same; we have no real knowledge about that most vital food that GOD gave us on Christmas: The Food in the Manger. Each Christmas, we discuss the ingredients of our specialty, how we did it, and not enough, how we decorated it. We talk about it over and over again, because people really want to know the secret and give this so much importance. However, this food that we talk about though satisfies our stomach, doesn’t give us Eternal Life. This scrumptious dish however satisfying ends there in its sump. Many people are not eating the vital Food that sanctifies and gives Eternal Life. There’s famine of food for the Spirit still up to these days. We thought that as long as we are breathing, we are living. On the other hand, people do not know they are dead in Spirit because of sins (Rom.8:10) and are bound to eternal punishment, the second death. Perceptive or not, people are rejecting and do not give attention to the Food that gives Life, Jesus in the manger even on Christmas.
Jesus said to those who followed Him after feeding their stomach in the story of The Miracle of Loaves, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:26,27,31-34)
The food on our tables now if compared to that manna the Israelites ate, though came from heaven and not made by man, that manna which came through Moses, is the same as ours; it is also for the flesh. It is very clear that Jesus said that the true food that we need is what the Father gives. It will come down from Heaven from the Father.
GOD is more concerned about our life with Him. HE wants us to be thirsty and hungry for that food that endures Eternal Life so that we will listen to His Word to be sanctified not only satisfied. He said in Amos 8:11,
“The time is surely coming, says the Lord God,
when I will send a famine on the land;
not a famine of bread, or a thirst for water,
but of hearing the words of the Lord.
GOD’s pronouncement of giving them the true food through His grace was declared in Joel 2:28 when HE said HE will give His own Spirit to everyone and was manifested in Acts 2:17. Jesus said, “It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”
This Christmas and every Christmas, we have to pray and act to be outside on those who famine for the Word. Share a verse that Jesus said in the Holy Scripture and as GOD had commanded to the angel when Christ was born, we too like the shepherds, should also bring the Good News of great joy for all the people: “To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:10) Our reverend priest and our servant leader told us in our Christmas party this year, “We cannot have Eternal Life if we do not evangelize.” and “We cannot have Eternal Life without the Spirit of GOD in us.” So share ‘the vital food in the manger’, the Word of GOD, Jesus Christ to everyone, yours is the benefit of Eternal life. AMEN
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