Jesus arrives in diapers

Christmas Wonder a few months early

Christmas has been on my mind lately. Last month I revisited an Advent and Christmas series I had done a few years back to be shared with other congregations. (It’ll be available shortly.) A couple of weeks ago, I collaborated with a couple other local pastors on this year’s Advent and Christmas Series. (We’re calling it “Visiting Change.”)

But earlier this week, I encountered a quotation that angered me so very much. A disgraced and disgraceful tyrant of pastor (who I won’t name) was commenting on how he couldn’t worship a Jesus who was in diapers because that Jesus was weak. (He said it in a much worse way, but I won’t insult your eyes with it.)

Such a comment about Jesus and His incarnation is blasphemy. I could not disagree more with such a toxic statement and idea that we cannot worship Jesus as He chooses to come to us.

That foolish man does not understand the incarnation and the wonder of it all. And truly does not understand Jesus.

Jesus arrives in need of diapers. The eternal God of the universe takes on our weakness and dependence to the tune of needing His diaper changed. Don’t you see how beautiful that is? How loving? How unbelievably sacrificial?

This is our Lord and Savior, the One in the diaper, and He has come to show us a thing or two about power and love. He empties Himself. He sets aside His power. He does not hold on to His power.

Jesus is the opposite of another iconic Christmas character: Ebenezer Scrooge.

Here is what Dickens writes (and Gonzo quotes…mostly),

Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret and self contained and solitary as an oyster.

While Scrooge holds on with all his might to whatever he has, clutching it as tightly as he possibly can, Jesus lets go. Jesus empties His hands. He allows those hands to become tiny and weak and uncoordinated. And then, He empties Himself further and allows those hands to be nailed to the cross.

Jesus is all generous. And He is not solitary, but in the emptying gives Himself away to us. He gives away all the benefits of being who He is—righteousness, holiness, perfection, perfect relationship with God, eternal life—to us.

It is wonder upon wonder that our God comes to us in diapers. How can it not evoke our worship and stun us with gratitude?

Christmas is still three months away, but I hope your hearts are ready for wonder.

Be Curious. Ask Questions.

Andy