He doesn’t just take part of the mess, though - Jesus takes all of it. Jesus enters into our mess and then takes it upon Himself by dying on a cross. That’s the beauty of the manger and the cross. Jesus saves us, even when we are caught in the mess of sin. That’s a different kind of Jesus than a “Santa Jesus.” That isn’t an image of Jesus who stays outside of our messy lives, waiting for us to get clean and do the right things before He comes to save us. Jesus’ entrance into the world was a mess. When Jesus was born, they placed Him in a feeding trough to sleep. When they couldn’t travel any further, there were no rooms available, so they found an enclosure where animals were kept. Mary and Joseph were traveling while Mary was in labor. Jesus’ birth wasn’t a pretty, picturesque experience. When you think about that, it makes sense that Jesus’ birth took place the way it did. In the midst of all of the other festivities, traditions, and imagery that surround Christmas, it can be easy to forget this profound truth: Jesus was born to die for our sins. It was a picture of the manger scene, but looming over it was the shadow of a cross. I saw a picture several years ago during the Christmas season that remains with me still.
