It is more than two thousand years since Jesus was a baby. Therefore, in human form, he is over two thousand years old. He is older than your great, great grandfather. He is older than any tree that exists today. It is said that the Greenland Shark can live for more than 500 years, but Jesus is older than that. Even so, we are focused more on his infancy today, especially around Christmas time, than all he has been to the world in the last two millennia.
Jesus-the-baby’s purpose
It is true that the baby Jesus symbolises God’s incarnation-he was born into the world as a man to live among people (John 1:14). His birth brought into being Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah who would save the world. Yes, the role of Jesus as a baby had its purpose. One such purpose was to teach us humility.
Born to teach humility
Jesus is born in a manger to humble, ordinary parents (Luke 2:7). “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn.”
A manger is a box made to hold food for livestock. It is a place where animals feed – where horses eat dead grass – and a place where cows eat hay. You can imagine that the animals’ waste was lying nearby as well. In that same place, goats took their dump – donkeys went to the bathroom, and sheep urinated. You can also visualize the discomfort that humans can experience in a place like that – a situation where insects were prevalent. Yet that King of the universe, the creator of heaven and earth, chose to be born in such a dilapidated state. My friends, that is humbleness. One key role of the baby Jesus was to teach the world humility.
Born to inspire hope
Another reason that Jesus came as a baby was to inspire hope in the human family. His birth represents hope and the beginning of salvation: The bible records in Luke 2:10–11: “And the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.'”
Based on that scripture we sing the song, ‘Joy to the World’:
Joy to the world the Lord is come
Let Earth receive her king
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing.
Baby Jesus projected hope for a better world – he brought confidence in the future of a world that was dying of moral decay. He gave the choice of hope-in-life to the human family where death was our only option.
Jesus, God’s Word
The third purpose for his birth and infancy was to prove God’s prophetic words. In Isaiah 7:14, the prophet predicted that the Messiah would be born of a virgin. Seven hundred years later, the Gospel of Matthew revealed that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary. Around the same time as Isaiah’s prediction, Micah wrote that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem of Judah, and again, Matthew proved him right (Answers in Genesis). As the prophetic words show, in baby form, Jesus came to teach humility, to inspire hope, to validate God’s prophetic words, and to show that God cared enough by allowing his son to suffer the painful life that we all experience.
The baby is now an adult
Jesus is not a baby anymore. He does not hold the baby title anymore. He has stepped out of the crib. He is now King Jesus. He is now known as God who walked among men. He is the light of the world. You may have heard about him, but have you experienced a personal and intimate relationship with him? He can change you. He can change your circumstances. He can change your tendencies to have bad and fruitless relationships. He can pull bitterness and hatred out of your heart. He can restore your moral compass. He can save you from sin.
The grown-up Jesus
As an adult, Jesus fully embodies His mission as the Messiah. He teaches, performs miracles, and ultimately sacrifices Himself for the sins of humanity. He is now a teacher and preacher: Jesus proclaims the Kingdom of God, calls people to repentance, and teaches about love, forgiveness, and righteousness (Matthew 4:17; Matthew 5–7). As a healer and miracle worker: His miracles demonstrate His divine authority and compassion (Matthew 14:13–21; John 11:1–44). As a sacrificial saviour: His death and resurrection are the culmination of His mission, offering salvation to all who believe (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). As divine authority: Grown-up Jesus is more explicitly recognised as the Son of God and the promised Messiah, and redefining people’s understanding of God (John 8:58; Matthew 16:16).
The great saviour and deliverer
Now that we have established his credibility as an adult, we have to also establish the great difference between the boy and the man. The boy is no more, but the man can save you.
This song says:
Mary did you know
That your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
That your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you’ve delivered
Will soon deliver you (Mark Lowry).
As a baby, Jesus was delivered by Mary, but as an Adult, Jesus delivered Mary.
And he is still delivering people today!
He says in Matt. 11: 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest.
He says in Jeremiah 29: 13: You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
He says in John 16: 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” He says in Matt. 11: 29 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
The grown-up Jesus says, though your sins be as scarlet, they can be as white as snow, though they may be as red as crimson, and I can make them pure as wool.
The grown-up Jesus can save your children from whatever.
The grown-up Jesus can save your family.
The grown-up Jesus can rescue you from depression.
The grown-up Jesus can save the world.
Would you try him today?