Jesus’ Ugly Christmas Sweater
What people are calling “ugly Christmas sweaters” used to be my very fashionable Christmas sweater in the 90’s! I remember so clearly one I had. It was black with a block pattern. In each block was an embroidered symbol of Christmas such as a stocking, an ornament, a tree. Of course, it had shoulder pads that broadened my shoulders and narrowed my hips and had enough glitter to be seen from the International Space Station! I could probably sell it as an “ugly” Christmas sweater now for $50 if I still had it!
This year, my son’s church livestreamed their Christmas program from Sevier Heights Baptist. They had a visiting pastor from Anderson, SC, named Dan Lian, to bring the message after the performance. As he wore one of the ugliest Christmas sweaters I have personally ever seen, he said Jesus was the first to wear an ugly Christmas sweater.
Isn’t that a great thought? I wish I would have thought of this! But I didn’t – so I will just write about it :).
My first thoughts were of the swaddling clothes Jesus wore in the manger. I thought about the carefully selected clothes I had ready for my own children to wear home from the hospital – they were definitely not torn cloth strips.
But Dan expounded his point with John 1:14, “And the Word [Jesus] became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth”.
The flesh Jesus took on was spoiled with sin, making it an ugly garment. But when Jesus came during the season we now celebrate as Christmas, He put on the ugly human Christmas sweater of flesh so He might make it spotless again.
Philippians 2:7-8 says it so beautifully: “but [Jesus] emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Because Christ wore this ugly Christmas sweater, those who believe in Him are able to wear a robe of righteousness: it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. Rev. 19:8
Christmas is a lot of things to a lot of people. To some it is a time of gift giving/receiving. To others, it is a time of family-togetherness. It is all good. But never forget the true meaning of Christmas is all about the God of this universe slipping out of His glorious apparel and putting on an ugly Christmas sweater for us all.
Every time you put on an ugly Christmas sweater for that theme day at work or for a Christmas party, thank God He wore it first!
Here is the link to the SH Baptist program and Dan Lian’s message. Our amazing daughter-in-law sings “What a Beautiful Name” at 1:03 and then Dan’s message is directly after.