A mystery, a miracle

December 25, 2018 (Our day was long . . . when we came home from our son’s, I simply fell asleep and forgot to post this!)

“And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:16)

Of all the expectations of God’s people, the idea that He would come from heaven and take on the body of a baby never entered their heads. It is the most incredible notion, both a mystery and a miracle.

This year, like every Christmas, I try to grasp it, to let the reality of it grip my mind and heart. At times, it is elusive, like a shadow that moves the closer I get. At times, I’m simply overwhelmed. Here is God, in a manger. Here is God, born to a young girl who deep in wonder asked how this could be.

“The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David’” (Luke 1:30–32)

Then she heard the angel’s answer, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35)

Did this make sense? Would anyone simply say, “Oh, that’s what will happen. Good. Now I get it”? Even after experiencing God answer prayers in unlikely ways, I’m thinking that if I had been Mary, my immediate acceptance of the angel’s explanation would be unlikely. God has done many amazing things but appearing as a baby? Even though I know that He did, it still seems somewhat preposterous.

No wonder the world mocks the idea. God with us? Really? God as a baby in a manger? Really? God born to a virgin? It seems so utterly impossible and yet the angel said, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you . . . .”

Such is the power of God. I have a verse on my lock screen, coming into view every time it is turned on. The verse says what I should always remember:

“Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.” (Psalm 135:6)

It pleased God to come and dwell with us. It pleased Him to take on human flesh. It pleased Him to take the name, Emmanuel. It pleased Him to live a sinless life so He could take on our sin and die in our place. It pleased Him to redeem sinners and live forever to intercede for us.

He does what He pleases, and to do all that He is doing and has done, part of the plan was to be born of a virgin, born in a manger, discovered by lowly shepherds, giving us a reason for celebration like no other reason or excuse for a party.

The gifts are fun. The turkey and all are delicious. Being with family is precious. Even here where we live the snow is pretty and the lights are too. But there is nothing like the thrill of knowing that God so loved us that He gave His only Son — that whoever believes in Him might have eternal life. Outlandish and amazing to the point of “can it really be true?” but nevertheless, a wonderful reason to have a party!

^^^^^^^^^^

Thank You Lord God and thank You Lord Jesus.

Christmas wonders

Today we celebrate that Jesus was born, an event not to be thought of lightly or celebrated merely with turkey dinner and gifts under a tree. Other than what happened thirty years later, His birth is the event of all events, the most significant birth in history.
 

It was in God’s eternal plan: The Bible says that the advent of God the Son was planned before the world was formed. God knew sinners needed a Savior. God loves us so much and wants us to know Him.

Jesus was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you. (1 Peter 1:20).

It was prophesied. Hundreds of years prior to the advent, the prophet Isaiah said God the Son, God with us, would be born, even where this would happen.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 1:35, 2:11)

He was affirmed by those who walked with Him. The disciples saw Him, touched Him, observed the credentials of His identity and rejoiced. Even a Roman soldier said that this truly was the Son of God, but John expressed it wonderfully . . .

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it . . . And the Word 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. (John 1:1-5, 14)

Jesus Christ was born into this world, not from it. He is sinless, not the best human being ever, but beyond that. His life makes no sense if He was mere human and even less sense if He was not God Incarnate, God coming into human flesh, entering in at the lowliest door. Our Lord’s birth was fully God becoming fully man.

This makes redemption from sin profoundly possible. Just as Our Lord came into human history from outside, so He came into me from outside. I am a sinner unable to save myself, yet He made my personal human life to become a ‘Bethlehem’ for Him. Just as Jesus said, I cannot see or enter the Kingdom of God apart from being born from above, a birth unlike natural birth in that this is something God does, a miracle.

“You must be born again” is not a command. It is a fact, but even more amazing is that it happens. As the Apostle Paul wrote to Christians, He was himself in “the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!” (Galatians 4:19)

The lights, the tree, gifts and family together are wonderful, but this day holds even greater wonders; one that Christ was born and two, that He was born in me.