The Miracle In The Manger - Pastor J. D. Howell 12-21-2025

All right, beloved Luke, Chapter number two, verses number fifteen

through seventeen. Brother Nathaniel, Acts chapter number thirteen. Would you

read verses number twenty two through twenty four, my brother.

And when he had removed him, he raised up unto

them David to be their king, to whom also he

gave testimony and said, I have found David, the son

of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall

fulfill all my will of this man seed hath God,

according to his promise raised unto Israel Savior Jesus when

John had first preached before his coming, and the baptism

of repentance to all the people of Israel.

Amen.

According to this scripture, Luke, the Beloved Physician noted that

the Lord felt like David, the faithful servant of the Lord,

would be faithful to fulfill that the Lord had required

him to do. And what I want you to notice

in those group of scripture verses right there, there is

a promise of the Christ Child that will come through

the lineage of David. And God is faithful concerning his

promises made the church say Amen, Brother Jesse. Proverbs chapter

number seventeen and verse number twenty two, brother. A merry

heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit

drieth the bones. This is supposed to be the most

wonderful time of the year, a time that we celebrate

the birth of the Christ Child. Let's stand for the

reading of our golden text Luke, chapter number two, reading

verses number fifteen through seventeen. And it came to pass,

as the angels were going away from them and to heaven,

the shepherd said one to another, let us now go

even under Bethlehem and see this thing which has come

to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.

And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph

and the Babe lying in a manger. And when they

had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which

was told them concerning this child. Look at the latter

part of verse number sixteen and the babe lying in

a manger. I want to preach a message the Holy

Ghost titled a miracle in the manger. Can we pray,

Heavenly Father, we love and we praise you. We thank

you for the opportunity to be in your house this morning. God,

you know sickness has been running throughout the world it's

been rampant throughout this area, through this church. I pray

that you would give us the strength we need this

morning to preach. I pray you would annoyint this thy servants.

Help them to hear what the word of God says. Lord,

what the Spirit of God says unto them this morning,

anoint me, said a guard at my mouth.

Help me to say the things you would have me

to say. Nothing more less us.

We pray that we would depart this place joyfully and

not sorrowfully.

In Jesus' name in the church, said Amen.

Our textas found in a New Testament book of the

Holy Bible. The Book of Doctor Luke is the third

of four Gospels. In fact, it's the third book of

the New Testament. The Blessed Word of God sheds a

little light on the occupation of this historian and companion

of the Great Apostle Paul. So to be clear, this

great man of God, Luke by name, was both a

historian and a companion of a mighty messenger of the Lord.

And there is no doubt that he traded his occupation

off for a greater occupation. And there is no doubt

the fact that he earned the title beloved physician lets

me know that he had a great aude and that.

He enjoyed his job assignments.

I believe there's people in this building this morning that

thoroughly enjoy working, and especially people in this building that

enjoy working for the Lord that has evidenced and manifested

in this church yard this morning, because we can't help

but notice that two mighty live oak trees of the

Bethel Holiness Church have been removed from our churchyard in

less than five days of time, because of men that

had a mind to work and men that had a

desire to protect our sanctuary and fellowship. Paul Oh, Thank

God for men that are mindful of ministry opportunities. And

so Luke felt it to be a good trade off

to trade off the opportunities of this world for the

blessings of God. And prior to writing these two particular

books the Bible, the Book of Luke and Acts the

Great Physician Luke, he became beloved to all who meant him. Again,

prior to writing these precious writings, this man became beloved

to all who knew him. It is safe to save

this man's life and his writings ministered not only to

the body of many, but to.

The whole being.

The Holy Ghost gave this man of holy faith a

writ prescription that would prove to be medication for every soul,

for every child of God's body, soul and spirit. Truly,

the writings of this blessed book is a medicine, one

which ministers to our physical needs, emotional needs, and spiritual needs.

How many in this building this morning will admit you

are a needy person. All that we could get the

seven billion people of this world to admit they are

and desperate need of a savior. And this seventy to

eighty people praysent this morning are blessed simply because they

saw their faults, they considered their fears, and they acknowledged

their needs, and they allowed this Messiah, Jesus Christ, to

minister to them at their lowest point and in their

times of greatest need. And this season, this celebration of

the Christ Child's birth, it's a time of merriment. It's

a time of reflection upon an event that began to

heal the broken spirits of people of many generations worldwide.

Sister Howell and I first met during this time of

the year. In fact, thirty three years ago and some

two or three days, her and I went on our

first date. And on our first date we attended two weddings.

I'm telling you, it was just destined for us to

come together. She invited me to escort her or a

company her at those two weddings, and I want to

say this. One of them was for her former boyfriend's wedding,

and so she asked me to go with her, and

I went with her and we watched him marry another girl.

So I knew, right then, she's a pretty good woman. Right,

She's a pretty good woman. But at that time in

her life, she will tell you she was at her

lowest point, not because a former boyfriend was getting married,

not because of her broken heart, because she didn't really

understand who it was that she was to have. She

was miserable for whatever reason. One of those reasons was

Sister Howell had avoid a God size void and space

in her heart, and she went to church regularly. She

was faithful in attendance when they needed nursery workers. She

was one of the first to volunteer when they needed

people to sing in the choir. She was numbered amongst

those that sang in the choir when they needed somebody

to teach the young children or lead and the youth group.

She was that perfect teacher and that perfect example. But

inside there was something missing. And she noticed that when

other people were moved on spirits that seemed to be familiar,

she was not moved upon. And years later she would

testify that she thought it was the grace of God

that had preserved her from being possessed by counterfit spirits.

But I remember, in a certain month of a certain year,

she had a mysterious encounter with the Messiah. Although she

had been a religious woman, I could tell, as her

fiance says, she now had a personal relationship with the

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He had come to help

her with her physical needs, her emotional needs, and spiritual needs.

I felt this morning that there would be people in

this building that are needy people. In the Book of Proverbs,

chapter number seventeen and verse number twenty two, the Bible

reads like this, A merry heart doeth good like a medicine,

but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Even though it

was the Christmas season, sister Howell will tell you that

her spirit was dry, that she was missing something and

it was a mystery to her concerning what she was missing.

But as I have been praying in recent weeks, I've

lifted up my eyes upon a world population of seven

billion people, and I can't help but notice most are

too familiar with this same feeling of brokenness. They are

all too familiar with a crushed spirit. They are crushed

spirits everywhere we look and go. Sister how and I

have been shopping for our grandchildren and our children, and

Brother Jesse. I can't tell you how many arguments I

have heard amongst spouses and family members because it's crunch

time and they have limited funds, and in order to

keep up with the Joneses and the Franks and the Johnsons.

There is so much animosity.

There's so much anger, There's so much hatred involved in

what it's supposed to be a wonderful season, the most

wonderful time.

Of the year.

But we need a merry heart. It doeth good like

a medicine. I came to church today to spread some

Christmas cheer to those who are crushed spirits. Truly, among

seventy to eighty people in this building this morning, there

are a handful of crushed spirits. Look at your neighbor

and say, hey, you cheer up. Ask them if they

have thought much about the miracle in the manger? Have

you thought much about the miracle in the manger? The

miracle of the Messiah and the manger is nothing less

than that, a miracle. The manger is nothing more than

a feeding trough. And I want to show you the

miracle that was tucked away in a feeding trough. In Proverbs,

chapter number fifteen and verse number fifteen, the Bible says,

all the days of the afflicted are evil. But he

that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.

Can I tell you that what was lying there in

that manger is enough for every person of every generation

to feast upon.

Merrily. It is a time of good cheer.

It is clear to see cheerful people confessed at the

Messiah's table. Luke, the beloved physician, could tell you, as

a good physician that those people of that day were

living in a dark time, and it's just as dark

today as it was then. It's just a difficult world

now as it was then, Brother Nathaniel. It's hard to

navigate now as it was in the days of Luke

as it was in the days of the Messiah. It

is still the same old world, occupied by miserable people,

by crushed spirits, sin, soiled and soaked souls, sickness on

every hand, in every direction, patience in need of a physition.

And Jesus said, they that behold need not a position,

but they are sick.

But they that are sick, they need a position.

What are crushed spirits to do in such a time

as this? They are to have a look inside the

Word of God. There to search the scriptures within them.

They feel they have eternal life. But if they will look,

they will live. The Bible said that it came to

pass in many different places, and it came to pass.

And I want to tell somebody in this building this

morning that sorrow can be thrown away this morning, in

this altar, hardship can be alleviated by the ruby red

blood of Jesus somehow mysteriously. When this Messiah comes to

live inside of you, even though you live in the

same old world and you'll be facing the same problems,

it's a whole lot different. It's a different world facing

it with Jesus by your side. What are these crushed

spirits in our company to do have a look at

the word of God and see what came to pass

in order to spread cheer everywhere to the sad and alone.

Listen.

That was a miracle lying there in that manger that day.

I wish I had a manger up here on this

platform today, one that we could allow people to walk

up here and peer inside of. There was a miracle

in that manger that day. In the thirteenth chapter of

the Book of Acts, verses number twenty two through twenty

four read like this. And when he had removed him,

he raised up under them David to be their king,

to whom also he gave testimony and said, I have

found David, the son of Jesse, a man after mine

own heart, which shall fulfill all my will. Of this

man's seed. Hath God according to his promised rag He's

done to Israel a savior Jesus. When John had first

preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all

the people of Israel. The context of this verse is

this the Bible readers and students amongst us will remember

King Saul's stubbornness and rebellion, his refusal to allow that

crushed spirit to be healed, he refused to allow the

disappointment to be dissolved. Saul's actions displeased the Lord, and

as a result, the Lord chose David, a cheerful man

who delighted himself in the law of the Lord day

and night, to be Saul's successor. The Lord entered a

covenant with David. We call it the Dividic covenant. The

covenant partly came forth out of the mouth of Nathan,

the Prophet. It was on a certain day Second Samuel,

chapter number seven, number sixteen records when Nathan walked into

the presence of David and said these words, in thine

house and thy kingdom shall be established forever before thee

thy throne shall be established forever. May I say, A

lot of things happen between this moment, the prophetic moment,

and the promise fulfillment moment. I believe the Hebrews spent

some four hundred years in captivity in the land of Babylon.

They saw some difficult times and dark days. In fact,

there came a time when not one of David's descendants

was rightfully upon the throne of Israel, leading God's people.

There came a time when it seemed like this promise

had been totally obliterated. I mean, if people were looking

to live without hope, they had an opportunity to get

a white knuckle grip on hopelessness.

But the problem.

Fitz had said that the throat of David would be

occupied by a descendant of David forever, and then when

that time came when one of David's descendants wasn't on

the throat, I'm sure there were many defectors of faith.

I'm sure there were many people that chose to give

up rather than hold on. And even though it was

a crushing time for the spirits of so many, Eventually,

after much time, and angelic messenger named Gabriel, one that

was sent from God came from the Glory world with

a mission message on a mission speaking to a virgin

young woman named Mary who was a descendant of King David's.

Not only was this Virgin Mary a descendant of King David's,

but her husband to be her fiance say that one

that she was but troth to, the one she was

engaged to, was also a descendant of David's brother and sisters.

The King is coming, That's what the angelic messenger said

the King that Nathan the Prophet and all of the

other prophets prophest out of is coming. And brothers and

sisters be assured this morning that the King is coming

once more. And every prophecy that has ever been uttered

out of the mouth of any servant of God, it

shall be fulfilled. Oh, thank God for every assuring message

of every angelic messenger. And he came, and he took

his place. He was one of humble beginnings, one of

humble origins, And he took his rightful place in this

world of feeding trough, not a throne, I said. He

took his place in a te off, not in a throne.

He came and dwelt amongst the lowly, such as you

and I. Luke recorded this in Luke chapter number two

and verse number sixteen. And they came with haste and

found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in a manger.

The ruler Nathan the Prophet had spoke.

About, He's here, he's present, He's right here in this barn,

he's in the stable. He did not ascend to the

throne of David on his event. No, he is lying

here helplessly in a feeding trough of an unknown property owner.

At this time, he has not ascended to the throne

of David, but he is in a trough that belongs

to an unknown property owner. I'm asking you this morning,

what will you do with your soul? Will you allow

the King of kings and the Lord of lords to

take up a residency inside of your being? Today You'll

notice that he was not rushed in in a robe

of scarlet. He was not rushed in in royalty, but

he was wrapped in swaddling clothes. We see the Lord

was faithful to fulfill his promise, and he will fulfill

each and every promise that he has given his people,

brothers and sisters. There was a miracle there lying in

that manger. He was of virgin birth. He is God,

he has always been God. But this one of virgin

birth will be the vicarious atonement, the substitutionary sacrifice. The

Savior of the world, be of good cheer, be of

good comfort, because he said I have overcome the world.

Noticed the Lamb of God was born in Bethlehem, which

was a very small town of Judea. There in the

land of Bethlehem were many shepherds that would supply lambs

use rams their flocks, to the rabbis, to the priests

that would offer the sacrificial lambs. Little spotless lambs without

blemish were born and raised in this little.

Town of Bethlehem.

The special lambs would be bound in swaddling cloths and

temporarily held in a manger until they could be redirected

on a path that led to being offered as a

sacrificial lamb in order to cover the sins of the people.

This was significant to the shepherds that had supplied the

rabbis with so many sacrificial lambs that not when the

angelic host prophesied had proclaimed that they would be led

to a place where they would.

Find a little one lying.

In a manger, wrapped in swadling clothes. Oh, come on, now,

this was a special side to the shepherds. The baby,

the little Lamb of God will be wrapped in swadling cloths,

lying in a manger, waiting to be redirected to be

the sacrificial lamb.

For a lost world.

The Messiah was born, and immediately when they recognized that

the Messiah had been born, the Bible said, they were

over joy. They were excited about what God had done

for all of humanity. Let's stand this morning. I wanted

to bring to you this morning tidings of comfort and joy,

a miracle in a manger, a miracle in a feeding trough.

Some of you have been looking in the thrones of

this world for your blessing.

But I want to tell you that you need to

look in.

The trough of the House of God if you want

your soul to be fed, and if you want to

feel like a well fed calf of the stall and

made the church say amen. I wonder if we could

bow our heads this morning. I've preached as hard as

I could today. I've been battling sickness. I wish I

could have preached this the way I really felt it

in my heart.

But it is sufficient. It is sufficient.

This is the week that we will celebrate the birth

of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who was born two thousand

years ago. And Luke, the Beloved position knew as good

as you what I do.

That every birth is a miracle.

A natural birth is a miracle, but the new birth

is a greater miracle. Wouldn't it be great, sinner friend

and struggling young person, wouldn't it be great to celebrate

this Christmas knowing he has residency inside of you.

Will you let him be your Lord? Amen? I do

feel conviction this morning.

What appeared to be nothing more than a little baby,

it was a miracle, the Messiah, the vicarious atonement began

that day. Is there somebody in this building this morning

here that is crushed? You're one of those crushed spirits

and you need to leave a cheerful spirit? Would you

come forward at this time? I know there are a

lot of holiness people, Pentecostal people and members of nominal

churches that if they were honest, they would admit I'm

one of those crushed spirits and I need a special

miracle this Christmas. If you're one of them crushed spirits,

I want you to depart this place cheerfully and not crushed,

because there is a crushing pressure out there in this

world that you will face again tomorrow. But if you

have the Lord with you, you can withstand it. Is

there one? Well, terry only for a moment? Is there too?

As one makes their way to the altar? Is there another?

As one makes their way to the altar? Is there another?

Here's one? Is there another?

A merry?

Heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit

driveth the bones. What you need is this medicine, the

Messiah's medicine. It was found in a manger. Come without money,

come without price, Come to the feeding trough and be filled.

Because those of a.

Merry heart, and I'm a cheerful spirit, they are those

who feast.

Upon the Lord. Is another.

There's one praying in the altar. How about a saying

of God that just needs to take a look in

the manger and see their miracle? Is there a child

of God, a man of God, a woman of God,

a young person. You just need to have another look

at the miracle and the manger. You received a promise,

but somehow you've doubted the fulfillment of that promise. Is

this somebody today? You need reassurance that he will see

you through. God is faithful concerning his promises. He's not

slacked concerning his promises. You received a promise to be saved.

You received a promise that you would be sanctified. You

received a promise that you would be filled with a

holy ghost. I want you to be encouraged and be

filled with great joy. Ohis of comfort and joy all right,

Saints of God, let's find a place to pray this morning.

If you feel lead, pray with these that have come

to the altar. We've got three and the altars praying.

I invite each one to spend some time having a

look at the miracle in the manger.