Gospel Outreach International

Who was actually lying in that cradle in Bethlehem? This Bible study explores one of Christianity’s most profound mysteries—that the baby born at Christmas was not merely a human child, but God manifest in the flesh. Moving beyond the decorations and traditions that often distract us, we examine the theological depth of the Incarnation and discover how the fulfillment of God’s promises at Christmas gives us confidence in His future promises. Through exploring key New Testament passages, we uncover the remarkable truth that in that humble manger lay the fullness of the Godhead, the image of the invisible God, and the One who upholds all things by His power.

For nothing will be impossible with God. Luke 1:37

• Christmas is fundamentally about God’s message to humanity, not the trivialities of lights, trees, and decorations that often distract from its true meaning
• God is dependable, loving, and gracious—these three characteristics form the foundation of the Christmas message
• The baby in the cradle was completely unique: born of a woman but created in the womb by the Holy Spirit, making Him both Son of Man and Son of God
• Jesus is the “logos”—the Word—which implies not just words but the thought and depth behind them, revealing God’s complete input to humanity
• Christ was born without sin, making Him able to pay our redemption price on the cross and free us from slavery to sin
• The glory of God dwelt in that baby, though veiled for His earthly service; He never laid aside His divine nature but covered it
• Jesus was born King, died as King, rose as King, and reigns forever as King
• Christ is the image of the invisible God, bringing God down to man so humanity could understand who God is
• The entire plan from before time has been to make believers replicas of Christ, which will be completed when we see Him in heaven
• We must learn obedience to Christ’s words and follow His commandment to love one another as He loved

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

So what’s the big takeaway here? It’s pretty amazing when you think about it—that tiny baby everyone crowds around at Christmas was actually holding the entire universe together while lying in that manger. The study keeps coming back to this incredible phrase: “God manifest in the flesh.” That’s Jesus. Not just a good teacher, not just a prophet, but literally God with us. And here’s the beautiful part: everything Jesus did and said shows us exactly what God is like. His love, His passion for us, His desire to make us more like Him—it all started in that cradle in Bethlehem. The whole point of Christmas is that God didn’t stay distant; He came close, became one of us, so we could know Him and eventually become like Him. That’s worth celebrating more than any decoration or tradition ever could be.

Bible References

• Luke 1:37
• John 1:1-3
• John 1:14
• John 14:6
• Romans 1:4
• Hebrews 1:3
• Colossians 2:9
• Colossians 1:14-18
• Genesis 1
• 1 John 3
• Matthew 17:5