Two millennia have passed. And still we rejoice, year by year, with the angels, with the shepherds, with the wise men, and with Mary and Joseph, at the birth of a baby, whose mother laid him in a manger because there was no room in the inn.
"We beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth," wrote John. And in our worship - the midnight services, the Nativity Plays, the carols, as well as in our behaviour to our neighbours - the presents, the goodwill, the parties, we sense the joy and the wonder of a new beginning, a new relationship between God and us.
But what on earth has God got in common with us? And what can we possibly have in common with God? We need look no further than the manger.
For God's glory was revealed in the wonder of a human birth, in a tiny baby, in someone so insignificant that the innkeeper could not find room for a bed, in a tradesman's son, worshipped by the local shepherds. Babies are so vulnerable - they rely totally on others for their needs. Yet this baby was God indeed, become flesh for our sake.
Matthew and Luke, who tell the story of Jesus' birth, weave together two strands, the earthly and the heavenly, the natural and the supernatural, to bring this home to us. The glory is underlined by events which are far from everyday - a virgin conceives, angels bring "tidings of great joy", wise men visit the baby, guided by a star and bearing costly and symbolic gifts. In this way the gospel writers underline the wonder of what has happened.
Yes, the baby in the manger was special. In this one tiny child, all the hopes of the prophets were fulfilled. But what was most special about Jesus was that he was ordinary. He was one of us. He was human, with human needs and human feelings.
Later, the baby would grow up. People would come to learn from him, to be touched and healed by him. And they would crucify him. The baby would give up his life to lead us to share God's life. And there is where the real glory of Christmas lies.
HD