Once upon a time in an ancient land, Omnipotence was born in a barn. His first crib was a manger. And His first visitors were shepherds. We call the celebration of His coming “Christmas.”
For many people, Christmas is their most-loved holiday. A multitude of reasons may account for this affection. Perhaps, it’s the giving and receiving of gifts. Or the joyful spirit permeating the air. Or the deep warmth of family love. Or the wonder of the Christ child in the manger of Bethlehem.
But…
Don’t you find something incongruous about celebrating the advent of Absolute Power onto the earthly scene? What about that incontestably true statement by John Dalberg-Acton, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”?
Jesus is the God who created the vast, star-spangled universe, the spectacularly beautiful planet we live on, and the intricately complex human body. Nobody who ever lived has had that kind of power and intelligence. What makes us think it’s safe to trust Him? What makes us think it’s wise to listen to Him? What makes us think His birth is worthy of celebrating?
I’ll tell you what.
We can be sure it’s okay to trust God because of what we see when we look at Him.
Do you remember what God told Moses when Moses said he wanted to see the Lord he was serving? God basically said, “If you looked at my face, you would fry.” He let Moses see His back, but not His face. (Exodus 33:17-23)
About fifteen centuries later, Jesus Christ walked among men and women, and He said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” (John 14:9) Unlike Moses, the contemporaries of Jesus were able to look at God and live.
So, let’s look God in the face.
God owns all the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10) and all the oil under all the hills on Earth. He could buy and sell zillionaires without making a dent in His treasury. His royal splendor is literally out of this world. But he decided to be born in a barn.
When we look at God in a manger, we see a helpless baby, wrapped in cloths, probably lying on hay, being serenaded by cattle, sheep, and/or goats. Ta-da! The birth of Omnipotence!
We have many defining images of the adult Jesus:
His friends were the blind, the lame, the leper, and the beggar, as well as fishermen and tax collectors. What about the elites of the day? Most of them hated Him.
He gathered children in His arms and said His followers should be like them. (Matthew 19:14, Mark 10:14-15, Luke 18:16-17)
Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but did the Magnificent Creator God appropriate a mansion for a home? No. Apparently, there was a place He stayed in Capernaum (Mark 2:1, 9:33), but according to Matthew 8:20 and Luke 9:58, He did not Himself own even the humblest of homes.
How did Jesus travel? Did He ride a beautiful, spirited steed? Was He carried around in a sedan chair? Did He have a cart pulled by faithful donkeys? No, He walked. He walked the dusty roads of Israel through wind, rain, and sweltering summers.
And now, take special note of this one. A day came, late in the earthly life of Jesus, when He got down on His knees and washed the feet of His disciples. Do you see what that means? God washes feet. If you have seen Jesus, you have seen the Father. Almighty God washes the feet of sinful men and women. Absolute Power – Omnipotence Himself – is the Servant of all.
And, of course, the last image is a broken man, hanging on a cross. Blood trickles down His face from a crown of thorns and from His wrists and ankles, which have been nailed to a cross. He is essentially naked.
Do we need to fear this God who is undoubtedly the only possessor of absolute power in all the universe? I think not. We may not understand Him – how could the God of Heaven humble Himself so completely? But we have no reason to worry that absolute power will ever corrupt Him.
I don’t want to suggest that John Dalberg-Acton was wrong. Among humans, power does tend to corrupt. But I believe with all my heart that the tiny baby in a manger portrays the full extent of God’s corruptibility – none.
The God Who comes to us in a barn, washes dirty feet, and dies on a cross is the purest expression of Love this world will ever know. I will love Him and trust Him forever.
Magnificent Lord God Almighty, we praise You for Your goodness and for Your wonderful works to us children of men. Thank You for Christmas!
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