In a world of self-made men and independent women, where children are driven to pursue excellence and success, let your light shine as you follow One who entered our world as an embryo in a virgin’s womb, and who would set His face towards a shame-filled cross, where He would die in love for us, and now is seated in glory.

Last week before I preached on the virgin birth I struggled to think how to best apply this wonderful truth. It was actually only just before the service that I realised that this is a call to ‘be small’. The second person of the Trinity, who has enjoyed the love of the Father and the Holy Spirit for all eternity, and has been the subject of angels’ praise, becomes an embryo in a virgin’s womb. What a picture of choosing to become small!

The creator of this universe enters his creation through a fallopian tube. He becomes a baby born in a backwater of the Roman Empire, with no beauty that we should be drawn to him, belonging to a poor family, having his parenthood questioned, being misunderstood and despised, opposed and mocked, and having his naked body spat upon as he is crucified on a Roman cross—a death so humiliating that it could not be mentioned in polite company.

He did it to demonstrate the goodness of God. He did it for us. He did it in love.

Now he calls us to follow this example and make ourselves small.

The way of smallness is the way of grace.

Jesus was one of those men who was good with children. He was safe and pure. He was welcoming and warm. Children were drawn to him. Parents brought their infants to him that he might bless them. The disciples thought that this was wasting Jesus’ time. You see, in those days people did not idolise children. Children were considered insignificant people. Jesus teaches that, ‘to such as these belongs the kingdom of God’ (Luke 18:16).

What is it about the infants that teaches us about entering God’s kingdom? Helplessness. Helpless dependence (Kent Hughes). ‘No child can survive its early years without the help of others.’ No child can boast of great achievements. No child can offer to pay their way. Every child needs the protection of someone.

The way of smallness is the way of grace. It lives in helpless dependence. It gladly sings, ‘nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling.’ It trusts in the truth that God does not treat us as our sins deserve but according to his loving kindness. We continue to acknowledge our failing as we pray ‘forgive us our trespasses every day’. In fact, daily confessing our sins should fill us with both humility and gratitude as we acknowledge how we fall and rejoice in the fact that his mercy is renewed every day.

Some of you will know the name Billy Graham. He was one of the greatest people of the twentieth century. Billy Graham entered the kingdom of God not be because he had personally preached the gospel to more people than anyone in history; not be because he remained impeccable in his finances when so many have failed; not be because he remained a faithful husband; and not because he was humble and kind. Billy Graham entered the kingdom because he came to Christ as a helpless child (adapted from Hughes). He acknowledged the great evil that he saw in his heart and trusted the mercy of our gracious saviour.

I am reading a book on the Nuremburg trials. This was the trial after World War Two of some of the leading Nazis. These men were among the worst human beings that have ever walked this earth. Yet a chaplain was commissioned to share the gospel with them. That chaplain could speak of a mercy in God that is greater than the worst of human sin. Some of those war criminals denied that they had done anything wrong. They claimed that their consciences were clear before God. Some of those war criminals admitted their guilt and came to Christ like children, admitting their helpless dependence, and they were welcomed into God’s kingdom.

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