By Francis Frangipane
There
are unfathomable mysteries concerning the Messiah's entrance into our
world, realities that are beyond our powers of comprehension: His divine
conception, the manifestation of the angelic hosts, the miraculous star
that led the wise men, etc. Yet, one reality strikes me as most
profound: of all places where the Son of God might have been born, His
birth came in the uncleanness of a stable.
With
myriads of angels at the Almighty's command, we might assume the world's
Creator would have orchestrated better accommodations, perhaps the home
of a rich man or more appropriately, a king. Yet the staging of
Christ’s birthplace was prophetic of His life and purpose. Indeed, when I
contemplate the message broadcast in the birthplace of Christ, I
realize that He who was born in the uncleanness of a stable is not
offended or repulsed by the uncleanness in me or you.
The Union of the Clean with the Unclean
As
a backdrop to the issue of Christ's birthplace, consider: the Old
Testament had over 250 references to clean and unclean things. In all
cases the principle is the same: when something (or someone) clean is
touched by the unclean, that which was clean is contaminated by the
unclean. The fact is, cleanliness was directly associated with the
holiness of God in scores of verses in the book of Leviticus.
Certain
health conditions could render a person unclean, such as skin diseases
or a woman’s issue of blood. When one was unclean, they were required to
stay away from their community until their condition changed and their
restored health was verified by a priest. Lepers and others with
contagious skin diseases were not only categorically unclean but in
public were required to ring a bell while calling in a loud voice,
"Unclean! Unclean!" to warn others (Lev. 13:45).
However,
when Christ came upon lepers, He did not back away; rather, He touched
and healed them! The unclean became clean! Beloved, with the Messiah,
the entire principle of clean and unclean is reversed! Jesus, who is
clean, does not become unclean by touching us; we become clean by
touching Him! Just as the Lord affirmed to Peter, "What God has
cleansed, no longer consider unholy" (Acts 10:15).
Many
people do not accept Christ simply because they are too aware of their
inner uncleanness. Yet once we accept Christ, the indwelling of Christ
not only washes us, but His presence makes us holy. Do you see? We are
holy because He is holy. We are clean because His blood and His word
cleanse us. We can never become clean until Christ comes to dwell in our
spirits. He says, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me"
(John 13:8).
This season, regardless of the uncleanness
you feel inwardly, open your heart to Christ. Let the Redeemer enter.
He who emerged in our world in a stable will not be offended at your
need. Let His cleanness cleanse and heal that which is unclean within
you.
