Luke 1:34-35 (NKJV)
“Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?’ And the angel answered and said to her, ‘the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”
The miracle of Christmas isn’t that we all try to be nice to each other, though sometimes, that is a miracle. The miracle of Christmas is that God Himself came to live among us. If Mary hadn’t asked and Gabriel hadn’t answered, we’d probably struggle even more with the reality of what took place. I mean, a virgin is going to have a baby? Riiiiiight.
But that is exactly what happened. Mary asked “How?”, acknowledging that what she had just heard was impossible given her life experiences. Gabriel spelled it out for her as best he could as the impossible is brushed aside for what, with God, is very simple and very possible. We take that knowledge and add it to our faith and it helps explain or at least describe what took place. It allows our faith to have a beginning point for God becoming “like us” while still not being like us. Frankly, even with Gabriel’s explanation, I still don’t understand, other than God said He would do it and He did it, and that is good enough for me. That is why it’s called a miracle.
The fact that God actually begot a son (John 3:16) is what is so miraculous. Adam was created (Genesis 1:27). Angels, spirits, insects, basically everything is created. Jesus, in very essence God and as a member of the triune God, created all things (Colossians 1:15-17). He then became a part of that which He created and though fully God, dwelt among us as a man (John 1:14).
The coming of God in flesh as Jesus of Nazareth is huge, amazing, miraculous, comforting and overwhelming. It is a critical event in history and the prerequisite of the cross, the resurrection and our salvation. God in flesh. THAT is the miracle of Christmas. THAT is why it is a big deal. THAT is why we celebrate every year. THAT is Jesus. Don’t miss the wonder and magnificence of the fact that Jesus Christ came to us as God in the flesh of humanity. Think about it and be amazed. Think about it and be grateful. God taking on human flesh is why Jesus can be, and is, our Savior. No one else could do it. Through the miracle of Christmas, He became the ONLY BEGOTTEN SON of God the Father.
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