The Christmas Star

This painting, by one of my favorite artists (my father-in-law, Fred F. Burnett) subtly highlights some key truths of the biblical Christmas story.  Mary’s loving gaze at her child, reveals her amazement and wonder at the miraculous events transpiring.  Joseph, head bowed, stands off to the side as if he knows that he is not the focus of this story, yet stands as a protector and overseer between his family and the strange, awesome visitors from the east.  The noble kings, accustomed to receiving honor, show humbly and gratefully that the baby is greater and more worthy than they.  Behind the kings, a man, perhaps a servant, a shepherd, leans forward and also worships because this baby-king is for all mankind.  The lowly and exalted can all equally kneel before this savior.  The child, Jesus, is included in this painting more by implication than by depiction showing not only the humility of the infinite one made finite, but also the indescribable greatness of God in the flesh.

And then the star!  The blinding bright Christmas star that was born into the heavens by the same will of the Father that caused Jesus to be born into earth.   This brilliant beacon led the kings from the east to the exact location where the child Jesus lived.  Then, this heavenly spotlight stood over the humble earthly abode of the heavenly son of God.

In this painting, though, this spotlight is used to show much more depth into the Christmas story.  The Christmas star shines on the gleaming gifts of the wise kings–  gold for the King of Kings, frankincense for the eternal High Priest, and myrrh for embalming the dead.  The shining rays, by highlighting the gifts, point out the purpose of the incarnation.  The son of God came to earth to be king and priest forever, but this was to be accomplished through his death.  The coming death of Jesus on the cross is further presaged by the artist in the way the blazing, white light of the Christmas star shines through the sturdy, wooden beams of Jesus’s abode, across the back of mild Joseph, forming in shadow on the ground the future– the cross.

When Jesus humbled himself at Christmas, he not only gave up his position at the right hand of the father to become the lowliest of men.  He  did not just become a servant, when he was by rights the creator and king of this earth.  But, he also came obediently to die, and die on a cross.  This is the wonder of Christmas and the glory of the gospel.

This Christmas, let us remember the great kenosis of Jesus as told in Philipians 2, and let us have in us the humble, obedient mind, which was also in Christ Jesus as he came to earth.

Philipians 2:5-8

⁵ Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

⁶ Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

⁷ But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

⁸ And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Merry Christmas!!!

With great joy at Christmas,

Kathleen

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