The power and glory of the manger

What is so powerful about a manger located in a barn holding a baby that is sleeping?  Almost all, if not everyone, in the United States has at least a basic understanding of the Christmas account in the Bible.
Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
It is the only birthday that has been celebrated for 2000 years. Holiday retail sales in 2019 generated $789.4 billion dollars. All because of a baby born in a barn. No other person has ever made such an impact on the world.
Today efforts are made to ignore the reason for the season, but the birth of Christ keeps being highlighted no matter how ferociously people try to cover it up. Santa, “xmas”, naughty and nice are common words, but the manger scene is always present.
The child lying in the manger caused angels to announce his birth to the shepherds in the fields saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.”  Sometime later, wise men came from the east bringing gifts and, most importantly, worshiping this child that was born in a manger. 
This child in the manger caused King Herod such fear that he ordered the death of every child two years and younger, all in an effort to keep control of his kingdom. The child Jesus was not interested in taking King Herod’s place on the throne.  He wants to be king of our lives.
Failing to see Jesus as more than a historical figure is like looking at the sky on a clear day and not seeing the sun that is warming your face. 
The baby Jesus is the all-glorious Son of God. He gives hope to the hopeless. He strengthens the weak of heart. He gives joy to the sorrowful. He gives life to the spiritually dead.
The first advent is about Jesus coming to live a sinless life and going to the old rugged cross, dying for our sins. The second advent brings a new heaven and a new earth. There death will be no more. There sin will face its final death and confinement. 
Jesus came 2000 years ago, born in a manger, but soon and very soon he is coming again with the trumpet announcing his arrival. 
This advent season remember that He came to save you, and He is coming again to give you rest.