From Heaven to the Manger
The Baby Jesus is a King!
Heaven to the Manger is the story of Jesus Christ, who He is, and why He came. This is important because when you understand the true meaning of Christmas, your future celebrations will never be the same.
Around the world, Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. But even unbelievers observe that they are more joyous, loving, and giving than at any other time of the year. Indeed, there is a special Christmas Spirit because of Jesus Christ, God’s gift of love, wrapped as a baby in a manger.
Although Jesus was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a servant and was born as a human being. Philippians 2:6-7
Jesus left heaven to become your Savior and Lord because of His unfathomable love for you! So, without question, Christmas is the most extraordinary love story ever told. Prepare your heart for this special season by taking a biblical journey from heaven to the manger.
Christ the King Came from Heaven
The angel Gabriel told Mary: “Jesus will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His ancestor David forever; His Kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:30-33
Mary asked the angel how this could be since she was a virgin.
The angel replied: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So, the baby to be born will be holy, and He will be called the Son of God. Luke 1:35
Conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary, Jesus was born a human baby, yet fully God. And Mary laid Jesus in a feeding trough for animals because the inn had no room.
♫ What child is this, who laid to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping
This, this is Christ the King
Whom Shepherds guard, and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring Him laud (praise)
The babe, the son of Mary ♫
The Manger Held God in the Flesh
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1, 14
Jesus was no ordinary man because He existed with God before He was born. Thus, without ceasing to be God, Jesus Christ willingly left His glory in heaven to be clothed in flesh and live among us. So, think of this truth as you sing Christmas songs and whenever a manger is displayed.
♫ Joy to the World, the Lord is Come
Let Earth Receive Her King
Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room ♫
Jesus Left Heaven to Save Mankind
Jesus is the Son of God, so Joseph was not Jesus’ natural father. However, by faith, Joseph was willing to deny himself and surrender to God’s plan for his life. What is God asking you to do? Will you trust Him?
An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, “because He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21
The Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, so no one is righteous. And because sin’s wages are eternal death in Hell, every person born needs a Savior. Thus, Jesus, who was sinless, left His heavenly throne to pay for your sins and bring you into a relationship with God the Father.
Indeed, sacrificial death on the cross for your sins and mine was the destiny of the baby Jesus lying in a manger. Amazing love, how can it be? That you, my King, would die for me. So, have you received Jesus’ sacrifice as payment for your sins?
♫ God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day
To Save Us All from Satan’s Power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy ♫
Jesus’ Virgin Birth Foretold by the Prophets
700 years before Christ was born, God’s prophet Isaiah recorded this:
The Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a Son and will call Him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14
Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy.
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet. “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a Son, and they will call Him Immanuel,” which means, “God with us.” Matthew 1:22-23
The prophet Zechariah prophesied more than 500 years before Jesus fulfilled the Word of God.
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9
♫ O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appears.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel ♫
God’s prophet Jeremiah predicted that Jesus, the coming Messiah, the perfect King, and the Righteous Branch, would come from David’s line. Indeed, Jesus Christ is the Holy One of Israel.
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In His days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness.” Jeremiah 23:5-6
The Savior of the World Lay in a Manger
Old Testament prophets and songs of faith testify that Jesus Christ was God’s promised Messiah and Savior of the world.
♫ O come, thou root of Jesse’s tree,
Free thine own from Satan’s tyranny
From depths of hell, your people save
And give them victory o’er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel ♫
For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6
Jesus fulfilled God’s promise of a Messiah when He was born of the virgin Mary. And it is stunning that Jesus, God of the universe, Israel’s Messiah, and the World’s Savior, willingly clothed himself in the flesh to lay in a lowly manger!
Micah also accurately prophesied Christ’s birthplace and confirmed His divine preexistence hundreds of years before Jesus was born.
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times.” Micah 5:2
♫ Christ, by highest heaven adored
Christ, the Everlasting Lord
Late in time, behold Him come
Offspring of the Virgin’s womb
Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see
Hail the Incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, Our Emmanuel ♫
Jesus came from heaven to the manger to fulfill God’s plan to save us from our sins. Indeed, every person born needs a Savior, a deliverer from their sins. So, will you neglect so great a salvation?
Worship Jesus Christ as Lord of Heaven and Earth
♫ O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord ♫
Wise men from the east followed a supernatural star and were joyful when they found the Christ child! And those who are wise still seek and worship Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives.
Magi from the East came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:1-2
♫ Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel ♫
They entered the house and saw the child with His mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped Him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:11
♫ So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh
Come, peasant, king, to own Him
The King of kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone Him ♫
The angels from heaven praised God, saying:
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” Luke 2:14
♫ Hark, the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled
With the angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem
Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King ♫
From Heaven to the Manger, to the Cross
Jesus’ sacrificial love for us is so amazing that it has been sung and talked about ever since an angel of the Lord first revealed Jesus, God’s plan of redemption, to the shepherds 2,000 years ago.
“I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today, in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:10-12
Jesus Christ was God’s Son and promised Messiah, the Anointed One of God and Savior of the world, who was born to die for the sins of the world. But in ignorance, both Jews and Gentiles mocked and rejected Him as He suffered a torturous death for them all. Sarcastically, Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross that read:
JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. John 19:19
However, the sign meant to ridicule and scorn Jesus spoke only the truth from God’s Word.
“I am the Lord, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator, your King.” Isaiah 43:15
Jesus is who He said He was: “The Father and I are one.” John 10:30. Do you believe this? Then, will you seek to know God from the Scriptures and worship Jesus as your Savior and Lord?
“But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. Matthew 16:15-17
From the Grave to Resurrection
Believers in Christ will live forever with Him because God raised Jesus from the dead on the third day, and He promises to return. And then, those who believe in Jesus will live forever with Him in heaven.
♫ Hail, the Sun of Righteousness
Hail, the heaven-born Prince of Peace
Light and life to all He brings
Risen with healing in His wings
Mild He lay His glory by
Born that man no more may die ♫
Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him. The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and His name the only name. Zechariah 14:5, 9
The wages of sin is death, so no matter how good you think you are, the power of sin cannot be eradicated by any human being. Hence, Jesus did not come to help you save yourself but to trust in Him alone as your Savior and Lord. Do you believe this? Then, admit to God that you have sinned against Him, and ask Jesus to save you.
It is because of God that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God, that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30
♫ Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord
That hath made heaven and earth of naught
And with His blood, mankind has bought
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel ♫
Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords
“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.” Revelation 11:15
Excerpts from The Hallelujah Chorus written by George Friedrich Handel:
♫ King of kings forever and ever
hallelujah hallelujah
And Lord of lords forever and ever
hallelujah hallelujah
And he shall reign forever and ever
King of kings and Lord of lords
And he shall reign forever and ever
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah
Hallelujah ♫
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Bible study for “From Heaven to the Manger”
Week 1: Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7; 11:1-5, 10; 43:15, 25; 52:13-15; 53: 5-6; 61:1-2; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Micah 5:2-4; Zechariah 9:9; 14:1-9; Matthew 1:18-25; 2:1-12; 6:33; 16:13-18
Week 2: Luke 1:1, 26-38; 46-55; 2:1-20; 4:14-21; 24:1-53; John 1:1-5, 10-14, 18; 3:13-18; 10:25-30; 18:36-37; 19:19-24; 20:30-31; Romans 1:1-4; 1 Corinthians 1:30-31
Week 3: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; 8:9; Galatians 3:26-29; Ephesians 3:14-21; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 2:9-10; 1 Timothy 3:16; 6:13-16
Week 4: Hebrews 1:1-14; 2:14-18; 13:8; 1 John 1:1-4; 3:7-10; Revelation 1:1-8, 17-18; 5:9-14; 7:9-12; 11:15; 22:16-17, 20-21
