Why Was The Lord Jesus Born In A Stable? (Luke 2)
A Sermon by Elise Beatrice -  Thursday, 13 March 2025


“8 That night, there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” He said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize Him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them” (Luke 2:8-20).


This was now the time that God was with us. 
God was here on Earth with us. He was lying in the Manger. 
What a place to be born in, among all other places, as the King of kings, the Son of God!

Yesterday, I was praying, and suddenly, in the middle of my prayer, God put a phrase in my heart. And I say, ‘Oh... Of course, why didn’t anyone think about that? Why didn’t I think about that? And then, this morning, it happened again. The same words came to me. 
So, I began to ask everyone around me, “Why was our Lord born in a manger?” And the answer of many was, ‘Because He is humble. Because there was no room for Mary and Joseph in the inn. Because no one in Bethlehem received Mary and Joseph into their homes, etc. 
This is all true from the human perspective, and the Scriptures also confirm it in Luke 2:7, and I grew up believing exactly the same. But there is a deeper meaning; the phrase the Lord put in my heart during my prayer. 

Christ is humble, it is true; He is humble. But why was our Saviour born in a stable? 
Do we really think that God, who is HUGE and beautiful and perfect, who owns the heavens and the Earth, who has created everything good, all humans, and the whole universe around, do we really think that God planned for His Son to be born in a lodging, but it just happened that human beings have obstructed God’s plan and the lodging was fully booked? No. God planned for His Son to be born in the stable. It was always God’s plan. And it was also God’s plan to ensure that all the lodging around Bethlehem was fully booked. 
Suppose the lodging had not been fully booked, Mary and Joseph would have found a room in a lodging or in any house there for their stay. But Father God made sure that every place was fully booked. And that was the only reason why Mary and Joseph would find themselves embracing a place like the stable, especially since they’ve been told that their baby was the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God.

When a king is coming to a place, many people come from all over to welcome them. They would reserve for them the best place of all. Some would even leave their house for someone they respect so much to stay in there, because they don’t find themselves worthy to be in the same house as them. Some would have left their houses for Mary and Joseph to give birth to the King, to the Son of God. But it was not God’s plan for His Son to be born in a hotel, or a house or a castle. 
So, why was it God’s plan that our Lord be born in the stable? 

He was the King, He was the Saviour of the world, yet He was born in a stable? Why?
Because He was the Lamb of God. He was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And because He was the Lamb of God, no Lamb is born in a hotel. No Lamb is born in a palace. No Lamb is born in a mansion. No Lamb is born in a castle. 

That was why Mary and Joseph did not find a place in the lodging or in any place around. Because our Lord was not meant to be born in any place other than a stable. He came to be born in a stable among the sheep. But He was not a sheep. He was The Lamb, and at the same time, the Shepherd. The perfect Lamb, who would be given as a sacrifice for our sins, thirty-three years later. 
Only the Lord Himself is at the same time the Shepherd, who leads the sheep to safety, who tends His flock, and at the same time He is also the Lamb. But He is not the Sheep, He is no one’s sheep. He is the Good Shepherd, and He is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. And being the Good Shepherd, He came for the sheep, to lay down His Life for the sheep, and no sheep is found in a hotel, no sheep is found in a mansion, no sheep is found in a castle. And since all the sheep were scattered by the evil shepherds, the Good Shepherd had to come to their rescue, to bring His lost sheep back to the sheepen. So, it was the Good Shepherd’s will to be born in a stable, among the sheep, for no Good Shepherd is born in a hotel, no Good Shepherd is born in a mansion, no Good Shepherd is born in a castle, for He cares not for luxury but for the sheep. He does not love luxury, but the sheep. He loves them with an undying love. And loving and taking care of them is more fulfilling to the Good Shepherd than any luxury.

If Father God Almighty wanted His Son to be born in the lodging, He would have booked the best place for Him. He would have booked the best room for Him. But the Lord helped me to understand that the reason why the lodging was full is that God wanted it to be full. If indeed the lodging had not been fully booked, there would have been many empty rooms. And if there had been many rooms, Mary and Joseph would have taken one. So, in order for Mary and Joseph to not find a room, God had to ensure that every single room was taken. You think that happened against our God’s will? Do we think that God wanted His Son to be born in a lodging, but people filled up the rooms to obstruct God? Nothing at all can obstruct our God. 

So, that is why He was born in a stable. Because when we think of it, Father God is rich, Father God can have any place on this earth, because He created it. He has the power to command anyone to give Him exactly what pleases Him. He could take any house; He could prepare any mansion for His Son. 
So yes, our Lord is humble, and He has demonstrated it; He is humility Himself. He is the Author of every single thing that is good, and He has demonstrated all this humbleness, His selflessness, and Love, and greatness and righteousness. He has demonstrated it all to us, even in our lives. So, He could have anything He wanted, for He is the Owner of Heaven and of the Earth. All authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given to our Lord by Father God. So, He could command anyone, “This is mine, I gave you this place, I created this Earth, and you are building your palace here. Give me this palace just for a week.” In fact, when we go forward in time, before the Lord Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the Lord told His disciples to go and take the donkey and its Colt and told them exactly what they should say, 
“Go into the village over there,” He said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone questions you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” This took place to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet.” This is Matthew 21:2-4. 

Coincidence is not God’s way. Everything the Lord does is planned. 
Yes, the Lord was meant to ride down Jerusalem on a Donkey, just as He was meant to be born in a stable. He agreed with His Father, even before He came to earth, He would be born in a stable, because He is the Lamb, given to us as a sacrifice for our sins. And because He is the Lamb, a lamb must be born where the lambs are born, among the sheep, for He laid down His Life for the sheep, as the Good Shepherd. 

People fail to see the symbolism, the illustration that God is presenting this powerful picture in front of us to tell us this beautiful story of love and unity, and faithfulness, His faithfulness and promise, His love for us, for He came to bring love, to unite us, to guide us, to bring us back to Himself. He planned this even before the world began, and now was the time for the Lord’s introduction by His Father to us on this Earth. It was a huge thing for us here on Earth and even in Heaven. Father had to bring His angels, the angels of the Lord. So, at His birth, His angels were there to announce this HUGE miracle. 

That is amazing, that is just so great what the Lord, Father God does, using His angels, His prophets for us today to know the truth that sets us free. So this is just so amazing, and I praise the Lord of Heaven and Earth! And I glorify the Lord Most High, and I bless His Holy Name, for He is so perfect, and so amazing, and I am in awe of Him, because the things He does are just so beyond our comprehension. 
The phrase the Lord Jesus put in my heart yesterday, and also today, during my prayer, when I asked Him why He was born in a stable, was, “No Lamb is born in a castle.” (Laugh) And that’s how this sermon came to be. 
I was amazed by that phrase. And I love Him for that, and we love Him because of these beautiful things that He does. Those things root in us. We may read this passage over and over again, and then, one day, He just gives you one phrase like that, and it triggers the truth; many things come, because these words are so rich, layers and layers of truth. You peel one layer, and then, many are still coming beneath, and every single day, to help us in every situation we go through. We may be so happy today, and we peel a layer of happiness, helping us to rejoice and to glorify God. And another day, we may be so sad, and then we peel another layer that is giving us comfort and bringing us healing. Another day, we may be discouraged, and even down and heavily oppressed, and then, the Lord just brings another layer from the same passage and the same words, because this Book is alive. The words of God are alive. And the Word of God, Christ, is Life, born in a stable to give life to the dead.

So, yes. Our Saviour had to be born in a stable, for the Lamb is not born in a hotel, in a castle, a mansion, or a palace, and that shows God’s humility, humbleness, and beauty beyond human comprehension, and the reasons I explained in this sermon. 

This Saviour, who owns everything, who owns everything good, and who is God, chooses to be born in a stable, laid in a Manger, because He is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, and no lamb is born in a castle.

Without You, God, I know nothing. But with You, my Lord, I know everything You want me to know. So, Lord, thank You so much for this teaching and this inspiration. We love You, and thank You for loving us.  
Thank You for coming for us, Lord. Thank You so much.  


“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us’” (Matthew 1:23, Isaiah 7:14).

“For a child is born to us, a Son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders. And He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,” (Isaiah 9:6)

May the Lord’s Name be praised forever. 

And may the Lord Jesus’ peace be with you. 

AMEN.