Hebrews 1:1-4

First some Scripture: “He reflects the glory of God and bears the stamp of [God’s] nature…” “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.”

And now some confessional material: “We trust in Jesus, fully human, fully God.” (The PCUSA’s “Brief Statement of Faith.)

“We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ… God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father…” (The Nicene Creed).

“[Jesus] whom we confess and acknowledge to be Emmanuel, true God and true man, two perfect natures united and joined in one person.” (The Scots Confession).

“The Son of God, the second Person in the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance, and equal with the Father…” (Westminster Confession of Faith).

“In the person and work of Jesus, God himself and a human life are united but not confused, distinguished but not separated.” (The PCUS’ “A Brief Statement of Faith”).

Some powerful statements from Scripture and the Confessions to describe that little baby born in Bethlehem on Christmas night. That tiny, helpless, fragile little boy was God. A human being, yes. But a human being who was at the same time God. Jesus, the Word made flesh, who reflected the glory of God and bore the stamp of God’s nature. Jesus, the incarnation of God.

An interesting way for God to present himself to us, don’t you think? A human child, the weakest of the weak, one of the most powerless beings on earth. A member of a blue collar family – carpenters no less. No wealth. No political connections. Of royal blood, but not counted among the royalty of his day. A Jew, someone whose nation was nothing more than a puppet state of Rome. A king whose first subjects were shepherds, the poorest of the poor, the lowest of the low. A fugitive from Herod, barely escaping death.

Jesus. Today we call him Lord. We name him Savior. We know him as the anointed one of God – the Christ, the Messiah. Jesus. King of Kings and Lord of Lords. God Almighty himself in the flesh.

The night of his birth he bore those titles in the hearts of only a hand full of people. He wasn’t the Messiah people expected. No warrior king come to chase out the Romans and rebuild the earthly kingdom of David. Simply Jesus, a little bitty baby lying in a manger.

But this little bitty baby was God. He grew up to teach and model God’s will. He performed miracles that could be attributed only to God. He did only what God can do. He became the Suffering Servant. He bore our sins on a cross. On him was laid the iniquity of us all.

That wasn’t so God-like either. Messiahs aren’t supposed to be humiliated, tortured, and crucified – are they? This one was. Jesus, God among us, was crucified dead and buried. That little bitty baby grew up to die the death of a common criminal. Such an odd way for God to express his power and glory.

Such a wonderful way for God to express his grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love. And beyond the cross his power and glory were revealed. The Jesus who died rose again. He ascended into heaven. By the power of his Spirit he gave birth to the church. Over the centuries the church has carried out the work and will of Jesus. Some day the Jesus who first appeared among us as a helpless infant will come again in all the power, glory, and majesty of God. His Kingdom will have no end. And at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confess the he is Lord.

That little bitty baby whose beginnings were so inauspicious really was God. Really is God. Now and forever. Amen.