Of all the Christmas decorations that adorn shelves, tables, and lawns, few are as saturated with meaning as a Nativity Scene. It a visual reminder of the true reason for the season and one need not go far to find one. Just this morning I have seen no less than a dozen representations of the nativity. As I sit here in my office, there are three in my immediate field of vision. All of them portraying one of the most important moments in human history, the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Savior of the world.
No one present at or soon after the birth of Jesus saw fit to sketch a selfie onto a scroll for posterity.
No one present at or soon after the birth of Jesus saw fit to sketch a selfie onto a scroll for posterity. The first known nativity was created in 1223, over a millennium after the fact. Consequently, there is much left to the imagination and no small amount of artistic license when it comes to attempts to recreate the scene of the first Christmas.
Most nativity scenes condense all of the characters from the various biblical accounts of the Christmas story into one scene. They usually have some mix of the following: the baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph, a shepherd or two, three wisemen/magi, an angel, and an assortment of animals. The greatest amount of variation is usually found in the animals represented at the gathering of the happy holy family. It’s common to see some sheep with the shepherds, perhaps a few camels for the wisemen, and a donkey and/or a cow to remind us that they are in a barn.
From a purely academic standpoint, the presence of this cast of characters in the same place at the same time is, at best, doubtful. But, given the details of the biblical text, we can understand their inclusion. I have, however, seen one nativity that made me do a double take. As I surveyed the scene, I noticed all the expected cast with one notable addition. There, in the center of the scene, was a lion. He was positioned in such a way that he was either looking down at Jesus with wonder or like he was wondering if the baby would make a tasty snack. I was one part amused and one part annoyed; An African lion does not belong in a Judean barn with a baby.
…there is very little natural about the nativity. The birth of Jesus Christ is the very definition of supernatural.
The presence of a Savannah cat in such an unnatural place actually serves as an important reminder. If the king of beasts is out of place in a barn in Bethlehem, how much more the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? We could take it a step further, though. If a lion doesn’t belong among people and babies, how much more out of place is the God of the universe coming as a baby? Colossians 2:9 tells us, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form…” Or, to use a traditional Christmas text, Matthew 1:23 reads, “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’).”
The truth is there is very little natural about the nativity. The birth of Jesus Christ is the very definition of supernatural. It is the most poignant example of God’s in-breaking into the everyday and ordinary of this world. It is a revelation of the lengths to which God was willing to go to close the distance to be with us. It is the indisputable proof of the greatness of God’s love for humanity.
John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Whatever darkness may surround you today, I pray God illumines your heart and mind with the light of His love. I pray that you not only see the costly gift He gave in His Son, but that you recognize that He gave it for you. It’s a sobering thought. It’s unnatural. But such is God’s love for us. It is supernatural and it is most clearly seen and experienced through the enduring power and presence of Immanuel, God with us, Jesus the Christ, the God who was born a baby in a manger.
