Kevin Schmidt

As Christmas approaches this year, there are a lot of Nativity scenes that people are looking at. Some of these scenes are at churches, some of them are in yards and houses and then others are on television. As I have been listening to what people are saying about the Nativity scene, I have noticed that they do not see the same thing in reference to baby Jesus.

Some people believe Jesus was just a man, just a prophet or the literal son of Elohim. While others believe in the immaculate conception of Jesus, which states that Jesus was born from Mary’s egg and that she was without sin. Others have made the Nativity scene political and placed Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus in separate cages.

As we look at the Nativity scene through the biblical worldview, we will see Jesus for who he really is. 

In Luke 2:7 the Bible says, “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. The angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds abiding in the field and proclaimed, ‘Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, which is Christ the Lord.’” Then the Bible records, “And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger.”

So what did Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds see when they looked at this manger scene? They saw Emmanuel and the messiah.

In Matthew chapter 1, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and tells him, “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, ‘Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.’”

So as Emmanuel we understand that Jesus is God in the flesh. God by the Holy Spirit gave Jesus who is God and has always been God, a body of flesh so that he could be the perfect savior. Elohim did not have physical relations with Mary, and God did not use Joseph’s seed or Mary’s egg in the conception process. If he would have used man’s seed or woman’s egg Jesus would have had a sin nature, which we know he did not have.  As we look at the Nativity scene, we should understand that Jesus is God in the flesh. 

We also see that Mary, Joseph and the shepherds saw Jesus as Christ the Lord. Christ is the New Testament name for the messiah of the Old Testament that they were looking for. Christ means the anointed one, or the one that would come to set up his kingdom and rule the world as king. 

In Isaiah 9:6 it says, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of peace.” So as we see Jesus as the Christ he is our mighty God. 

There is no doubt that Mary, Joseph and the shepherds were the first to experience the Nativity scene and they understood that the Jesus they were looking at was God in the flesh and the mighty God, the savior. I hope this Christmas you will look at the Nativity scene through the pages of the Bible and see Jesus, maybe, for the first time as God who took on flesh to save you from your sin, and give you eternal life.               

If you are not a Christian you can become one by knowing: 1. That you too are a sinner before God (Romans 3:23). 2. That the penalty of your sin is death (Romans 6:23). 3. That Jesus who is God paid the penalty of your sin on the cross (Romans 5:8). 4. That your part is to accept Jesus as your savior (John 1:12).

After considering this, if you want to become a Christian and follow Jesus, I leave you with this prayer to say to invite Jesus into your life: “Lord Jesus, I am a sinner and deserve to be punished for my sins. I believe that you paid for my sins and I want to receive your gift of eternal life. By my faith in you, I put my life in your hands as my savior and lord. Amen.”   

(Kevin Schmidt is the pastor of Charity Baptist Church.)