Joseph must have been watching with wonder and amazement as his wife Mary wrapped the baby tightly in cloth to protect Him from the cold night air in the stable. Things hadn’t turned out the way Joseph or Mary would have liked, so they found themselves spending the night in a stable. Babies tend to come at the most inopportune times — and such was the case with this baby, who was born in a stable.

They had traveled to Bethlehem, Joseph’s ancestral home, because a decree from Caesar Augustus had ordered everyone to go back to where their ancestors had come from. The problem was that apparently a lot of people called Bethlehem their hometown, and it was so crowded that you couldn’t get a room for the night. That’s whey Joseph and Mary found themselves bringing the baby into the world in a stable. Fighting against the chilly night air that seeped into the stable, Mary had wrapped Jesus in a blanket and now was laying him down in the best spot around: a manger filled with fresh hay. The historical record says, “and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7) Mary’s womb was emptied of its occupant and the best that could be found was a manger for a cradle. Joseph and Mary must have been amazed that this child, who they knew was special, had to be laid in a manger.

This scene has been recaptured in art, sculpture, song, and imagination countless times since then. Why has this story captivated the imagination of so many people for 2,000 years? Children have been born in some very strange places ever since children have been born. Why is the place where this child was born so famous?

GRASPING THE BIGGER STORY
It’s interesting that you never hear of the birth of a famous person when it happens. That’s because they haven’t done anything to make themselves famous yet. Birthplaces of former presidents and famous movie stars only have significance years after their birth. Many times a person’s birthday and birthplace are considered to be special only after his life on earth is over.

So it is with this child that left Mary’s womb that night in a stable and was laid to sleep in a manger. We tell the story of the emptied womb again and again each year because some thirty years after He came from the womb, leaving it empty, He came from a tomb, leaving it empty, too!

The story of Jesus is bigger than the story of anyone else’s life. One reason is that Jesus’ life story has a beginning and an ending that extend beyond the normal beginning and ending of a person’s life story. Our life stories tend to begin at birth and end at death. Jesus’ story extends beyond both of these normal boundaries. His amazing story begins nine months before His birth, at His conception, and it ends three days after His death, at His resurrection.

MIRACLE IN THE WOMB
Joseph and Mary were amazed by more than the strange set of circumstances that put the baby in a manger in a stable. They were looking at a child whose first nine months of life in the womb had been almost beyond belief.

First, there was Mary. The historical record states, “His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:18) Imagine Mary trying to explain to her parents and friends that she hadn’t been intimately involved with Joseph or any other man. Who would believe her? Imagine her apprehension during the days, hours, and minutes before she had to tell Joseph: “Joseph, you’re going to find this hard to believe, but . . . .”

Then there was Joseph’s difficulty in comprehending everything that had happened. Mary’s story about an angel coming to her and telling her that she’d be with child without the benefit of a husband was unbelievable. Apparently Joseph didn’t believe Mary until God spoke to him in a dream: “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)

As Mary and Joseph gazed upon the baby in the manger they knew that the child was far from ordinary! This was God’s special person — and was far more than any other person! Very likely Mary and Joseph didn’t fully understand all of who this baby Jesus was. We have the benefit of having the big picture, knowing the story from empty womb to empty tomb. We understand the meaning of the prophecy that Mary and Joseph must have struggled to grasp: “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 1:23) God with us, God in the flesh, God as one of us!

The apostle Paul, referring to Jesus’ coming, wrote, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” (Philippians 2:6-7) Try to imagine God with us in the flesh, the second member of the Triune nature of God — the Son of God — come to earth as one of us!

“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” (Colossians 2:9) This little baby was the same One who with the Father and Holy Spirit created the cosmos. This One who is bigger than the cosmos had lain in the fetal position, weighing less than ten pounds, in a womb. This One who floats galaxies in space had been floating in amniotic fluid in a young woman’s womb. This One who creates black holes that can suck up entire solar systems had to wait for an opening ten centimeters wide in order to pass from the world of the womb.

Mary’s womb was emptied that night of its divine contents, and angels announced it to some unsuspecting shepherds nearby: “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) Jesus the Christ had been born — and He came as both Savior and Lord! He came to save us from our sins. As the angel told Joseph, “he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) He came to be Lord and King. Referring to Bethlehem the prophet declared, “for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.” (Matthew 2:6) Jesus was born to be Savior and Lord to all people — to be our Savior and Lord! Of course we wouldn’t have confirmation of this without the empty tomb at the end of Jesus’ earthly existence.

FROM CRADLE TO CROSS
Earlier we quoted Paul’s statement that Jesus came from heaven, humbling himself by being born in human form. Paul went on, “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8)

Jesus’ ultimate purpose for being born as one of us was that He might die for all of us! Jesus made this purpose clear when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane just before His arrest and execution on the cross. He said, “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No; it was for this very reason I came to this hour.” (John 12:27)

It isn’t surprising, then, that in song and art the cross has always cast a shadow on the story of Jesus’ birth. You can’t really understand or appreciate Jesus’ birth unless you understand that He came to die on a cross for our sins.

AN EMPTY TOMB
If Jesus had remained dead, we’d have no ultimate proof that He was who He said He was: God in the flesh, who was able to die for our sins. However, He didn’t stay dead. He was buried in a tomb, but three days later the tomb was empty. He had risen from the dead!

The empty tomb proves that He was who He said He was: God in the flesh! This is the amazing event we celebrate at Easter. Christmas has no meaning without Easter. The empty womb of Christmas must always be put beside the empty tomb of Easter! This is what transforms the Christmas message from just a cute story into an epic event of personal, life-changing proportions. What difference does it make to us that there were both the empty womb of Christmas and the empty tomb of Easter?

THE OCCUPIED HEART
Jesus’ virgin birth and His resurrection prove His divinity: He is God in the flesh. Author John MacArthur wrote, “The virgin birth is as crucial as the resurrection in sustaining His deity. It is not an optional truth. Anyone who rejects Christ’s deity rejects Christ absolutely — even if he pretends otherwise.” Everyone must accept or reject Christ as God in the flesh who came to die for us and to live as our Lord.

We’ve talked about the empty womb that gives us Christmas and how it must always be viewed in reference to the empty tomb of Easter. What’s of next importance is whether we live with a heart and life that are empty of Jesus Christ or with a heart and life that are occupied with Jesus Christ.

Have you ever invited Him into the core of who you are — into what we often call our heart? He wants to be your savior and forgive all your sins so that you’re right with Him now and forever. He wants to give leadership to your life as your King and Lord so that your life, here and now and forever, has an ultimate purpose and meaning.

Listen to what Jesus says to us: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20) At Christmas we think of gift-laden friends and family knocking at the front door of the place where they’re going to spend Christmas. The door opens, and they take their gifts inside.

Jesus Christ stands at the door of our hearts and lives, and He comes bearing gifts of His love, His forgiveness, His help, His joy, His peace, and His purposes for us. Will you let Him in? Do so if you haven’t ever done that. If you have, rejoice that no matter what may not be right with your life, you have Him — and that’s most important of all. May the empty womb and the empty tomb mean that our hearts are occupied by Jesus!