An Everyday Truth
Watch or listen to
the full sermon here.
Preached by Pastor Mike Woodard
Follow The Valley Church
Christmas is one of the most anticipated seasons of the year. There’s music, lights, cookies, gatherings, and a sense of wonder that fills the air. As kids, many of us wished Christmas could last forever. As adults, we’re grateful when the season finally winds down.
But beneath all the seasonal traditions is a truth that is anything but seasonal.
Christmas celebrates an everyday, everlasting truth—that God sent His Son into the world in human flesh. The incarnation of Jesus didn’t just bring joy for one time of year; it changed everything for eternity. Long after the decorations come down, the truth of Christmas still stands: God came to us.
The Historical Reality of the Christmas Story (Luke 2:1–5)
Luke’s Gospel places the birth of Jesus firmly in real history. During the reign of Caesar Augustus, a census was ordered across the Roman Empire, requiring everyone to return to their hometown to be registered. For Joseph, that meant traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem—the city of David.
Luke even includes a historical marker, noting that this census took place while Quirinius governed Syria. Early historians like Justin Martyr later affirmed that records of this census once existed, underscoring that the Christmas story is not myth or legend—it is history.
Bethlehem itself was a small, insignificant town, likely home to only a few hundred people. It had no political influence, no prestige, and no prominence. And yet, this obscure place became the setting for the most important birth in human history.
A Humble Birth That Changed the World (Luke 2:6–7)
Jesus was not born in a palace or welcomed by royalty. He was born far from home, in overcrowded conditions, with no guest room available. Mary gave birth in a stable—possibly a cave—and wrapped her newborn Son herself, likely tearing cloth from their own belongings.
Jesus was laid in a manger—a feeding trough for animals.
This was not an accident. The God who spoke the universe into existence chose humility. The One who would clothe us in righteousness was first wrapped in torn fabric. The King of Heaven rested not on a throne, but in a manger.
At conception, human life begins smaller than the tip of a pen. Jesus—the eternal Son of God—submitted Himself to that same fragile beginning. His heart formed. His body developed. He depended on Mary for nourishment and care.
The incarnation reveals a staggering truth: God was willing to experience human weakness in order to redeem humanity.
Why the Humble Birth of Jesus Matters to Us
The manger shows us that we do not serve a distant or detached God.
Jesus understands loneliness, hardship, fear, and uncertainty. When life feels unfair, when circumstances are painful, when we find ourselves in dark or difficult seasons, Jesus can truly say, “I get it.”
Christmas reveals Emmanuel—God with us.
Jesus is not intimidated by the caves and cold nights of our lives. He doesn’t wait for our mess to be cleaned up before stepping in. He enters it with us.
That is good news for every person who feels overlooked, exhausted, or broken.
The Shepherds and the End of God’s Silence (Luke 2:8–14)
For 400 years, God’s people had experienced silence—no prophets, no angels, no divine messages. Then suddenly, heaven broke the silence with a shout.
An angel appeared to shepherds in a field, announcing that the Messiah had been born. Shepherds were considered lowly in society, yet God chose them first. Even more striking, these shepherds watched over sheep used for temple sacrifices.
The announcement was intentional.
The keepers of the sacrificial lambs were invited to see the Lamb of God—the One who would take away the sin of the world once and for all.
The old covenant was giving way to the new. The system of sacrifices was about to be fulfilled in Jesus.
The Manger as a Picture of the Gospel (Luke 2:15–20)
The shepherds obeyed immediately. They left their flocks and hurried to Bethlehem, where they found exactly what the angel described: a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
They stood at the intersection of two covenants—leaving behind the lambs that symbolized temporary atonement to worship the Savior who would bring eternal salvation.
Bible scholar William Barclay put it beautifully:
“It is a lovely thought that the shepherds who looked after the temple lambs were the first to see the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world.”
The manger itself becomes a picture of the Gospel.
What Makes Christianity Different
Many religions teach moral living, good deeds, and striving toward God. Christianity is different.
The manger proves it.
Every other belief system tells us to work our way up to God. Christianity tells us that God came down to us.
Not in splendor.
Not in power.
But as a vulnerable baby in a feeding trough.
Jesus lived the life we couldn’t live, fulfilled the law perfectly, welcomed the outcasts, healed the sick, and proclaimed truth. He was later betrayed, crucified, and buried. But He didn’t stay in the tomb.
Jesus rose again, defeating sin and death forever.
Because of Him, salvation is not earned—it is received.
An Everyday Truth Worth Responding To
The baby in the manger grew up to become the Savior of the world. And the truth of Christmas invites a response.
Not based on what we have done—but on what He has done for us.
Jesus made His way to us so that we could be reconciled to God.
That is not just a Christmas truth.
That is an everyday truth.